Red Wings Close In On Win Record
NHL
The Detroit Red Wings moved within one victory of the NHL record for wins in a season, taking advantage of Chicago’s overly aggressive play to beat the Blackhawks 4-1 Sunday in Chicago.
Dino Ciccarelli, Igor Larionov and Nicklas Lidstrom had power-play goals for the Red Wings, who can match the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens’ record of 60 victories by defeating Winnipeg at home on Wednesday. Detroit, which already has clinched the league’s best record, has three games left.
Kris Draper also scored as the Red Wings snapped out of an 0-1-2 skid, their longest winless streak this season.
The Blackhawks tried to use their size and tenacity to intimidate the Red Wings, but still fell to 0-4-1 against their longtime rival. Including last year’s playoff loss, Chicago is 2-15-1 against Detroit over the last three seasons. Locked into the third Western Conference seed, the Blackhawks are 7-11-2 since Feb. 22.
Chicago’s Bob Probert and Detroit’s Stu Grimson brawled early, setting the tone for a game that included 85 penalty minutes on the Blackhawks and 63 on the Red Wings. Detroit had 13 power plays.
Red Wings 4, Blackhawks 1
Detroit 2 1 1 - 4
Chicago 0 0 1 - 1
First period-1, Detroit, Ciccarelli 21 (Lidstrom), 14:54 (pp). 2, Detroit, Larionov 21 (Coffey, Fedorov), 19:47 (pp). Second period-3, Detroit, Draper 6 (Coffey, Errey), 1:40. Third period-4, Detroit, Lidstrom 17 (Primeau, Yzerman), 12:57 (pp). 5, Chicago, Amonte, 29 (Nicholls, Murphy), 14:26. Shots on goal-Detroit 8-10-6-24. Chicago 6-5-3-14.Power-play opp.-Detroit 3 of 13; Chicago 0 of 5.Goalies-Detroit, Vernon 21-7-2 (14 shots-13 saves). Chicago, Belfour 21-17-9 (24-20).A-21,986 (20,500).
Devils 4, Rangers 2
East Rutherford, N.J.
Dave Andreychuk scored a goal and set up two others in first period and New Jersey improved their playoff chances with the victory over New York.
Bill Guerin, John MacLean and Jason Smith also scored as the Devils (84 points) moved two points ahead of Tampa Bay in the fight for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. New Jersey has three games left, one less than the Lightning.
N.Y. Rangers 0 2 0 - 2
New Jersey 3 0 1 - 4
First period-1, New Jersey, Andreychuk 27 (Stevens), 14:16. 2, New Jersey, Guerin 22 (Andreychuk), 16:30. 3, New Jersey, MacLean 20 (Housley, Andreychuk), 18:45. Second period-4, New York, Lidster 5 (Kovalev), :16. 5, New York, Lacroix 2 (B.Richter, Gernander), 16:43. Third period-6, New Jersey, Smith 2 (McKay, Holik), 7:10.
Shots on goal-New York 6-11-8-25. New Jersey 10-8-17-35.Power-play opp.-New York 0 of 2; New Jersey 0 of 3.Goalies-New York, M.Richter 24-10-3 (35 shots-31 saves). New Jersey, Brodeur 33-28-12 (25-23).A-19,040 (19,040).
Bruins 4, Flyers 2
Philadelphia
Adam Oates’ goal early in the third period snapped a tie and lifted Boston past Philadelphia in a preview of what could be a first-round Eastern Conference playoff matchup.
Philadelphia played without leading scorer and captain Eric Lindros, who was scratched right before the game with a bruised right calf. Lindros suffered the injury in Friday’s 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers and is listed as day-to-day.
Boston 1 1 2 - 4
Philadelphia 1 1 0 - 2
First period-1, Boston, Tocchet 28 (Oates, Donato), 6:20 (pp). 2, Philadelphia, Falloon 25 (Brind’Amour, Druce), 9:14 (pp). Second period-3, Boston, Reid 23 (McLaren), 9:56 (sh). 4, Philadelphia, Hawerchuk 17 (Desjardins, Huffman), 11:19 (pp). Third period-5, Boston, Oates 25 (McEachern, Tocchet), :42. 6, Boston, McLaren 4, 19:48 (en).
Shots on goal-Boston 8-7-10-25. Philadelphia 10-9-2-21.Power-play opp.-Boston 1 of 4; Philadelphia 2 of 2.Goalies-Boston, Ranford 19-11-4 (21 shots-19 saves). Philadelphia, Hextall 29-13-7 (24-21).A-17,380 (17,380).
Mighty Ducks 5, Sharks 3
San Jose, Calif.
Paul Kariya scored a goal and added three assists as Anaheim defeated San Jose to keep its playoff hopes alive.
The Mighty Ducks remained in ninth place in the Western Conference, three points behind Winnipeg and Calgary with four games to play.
Kariya set a career-high for most points in a period (four) and tied a career-high for points, and assists, in a game.
Anaheim 0 4 1 - 5
San Jose 0 1 2 - 3
First period-None. Second period-1, Anaheim, Oksiuta 20 (Kariya, Olausson), 4:26 (pp). 2, Anaheim, Selanne 38 (Kariya), 4:56. 3, San Jose, Whitney 15 (Nolan, Friesen), 7:33 (pp). 4, Anaheim, Kariya 46, 8:03. 5, Anaheim, Van Impe 1 (Kariya), 15:45. Third period-6, Anaheim, Karpa 9 (Sacco, Rucchin), 2:04. 7, San Jose, Whitney 16 (Friesen), 5:59 (sh). 8, San Jose, Dahlen 16 (Whitney), 12:30.
Shots on goal-Anaheim 12-11-7-30. San Jose 10-7-10-27.Power-play opp.-Anaheim 1 of 5; San Jose 1 of 4.Goalies-Anaheim, Hebert, 25-22-5 (27 shots-24 saves). San Jose, Irbe, 4-10-4 (30-25).A-17,190 (17,190).
Avalanche 4, Stars 1
Dallas
Joe Sakic scored twice and goaltender Patrick Roy won his 310th game as Colorado moved within four points of the franchise record with the victory over Dallas.
Warren Rychel and Scott Young also contributed goals while the runaway Pacific Division-leading Avalanche were winning for the fourth time in six games.
Colorado 2 1 1 - 4
Dallas 0 1 0 - 1
First period-1, Colorado, Sakic 49 (Young, Simon), 5:41 (pp). 2, Colorado, Rychel 6 (Murray), 13:35). Second period-3, Dallas, Fedyk 20 (Nieuwendyk, Sydor), 10:22 (pp). 4, Colorado, Young 21 (Simon, Murray), 14:35. Third period-5, Colorado, Sakic 50 (Keane, Wolanin), 19:07 (sh-en).
Shots on goal-Colorado 8-10-13-31. Dallas 5-9-8-22.Power-play opp.-Colorado 1 of 6; Dallas 1 of 7.Goalies-Colorado, Roy 33-23-2 (22 shots-21 saves). Dallas, Wakaluk 8-15-5 (30-27).A-13,808 (16,924).