NHL roundup
Flyers down Rangers, pull within point of division lead PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Jeff Carter set up two Philadelphia goals with cross-ice passes, Antero Niittymaki made 25 saves and the Flyers closed within a point of New York for the Atlantic Division lead in a 4-1 win over the Rangers on Saturday.
The Rangers could have clinched their first Atlantic Division title since winning the Stanley Cup in 1993-94 with a victory, but wrapping up that milestone again will have to wait. They lost their fourth straight game and finish the season Tuesday at Madison Square Garden against Ottawa.
But the Flyers took control of the division Saturday despite still being in second place. If Philadelphia wins its last two games, they would win the Atlantic and clinch the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, no matter what happens to the Rangers. That won’t be easy for the Flyers, since both games are on the road, starting Sunday at New Jersey. Philadelphia finishes the season Tuesday against the Islanders.
Philadelphia’s win also kept New Jersey’s slim division title hopes alive. The Devils have won nine straight.
Mike Knuble, Nicholas Dimitrakos, R.J. Umberger and Petr Nedved scored for the Flyers, who won for the first time in four home games against New York and for only the fourth time in its last nine games.
Peter Forsberg was back in the lineup after missing the last four games with a groin injury and made an instant impact on the power play when he passed the puck to Knuble, who knocked it in from just outside the top of the crease for his 34th goal.
Weekes finished with 25 saves and started his seventh game in a row for injured rookie Henrik Lundqvist (hip flexor).
He was an impressive 3-0-1 with a 2.46 goals-against average against Philadelphia this season.
Thrashers 4, Bruins 3
ATLANTA – Andy Sutton scored twice, including the tie-breaking goal with 10:51 remaining, and Atlanta kept alive its postseason hopes.
Sutton’s second two-goal game of the season came four days after his first in a crucial 6-2 win over Tampa Bay, the team the Thrashers are chasing for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta closed to within one point of the Lightning, which played Saturday night at home against Carolina. The Thrashers have two games remaining; Tampa Bay has one after its game against the Hurricanes.
Scott Mellanby and Jim Slater also had goals for Atlanta.
Mariusz Czerkawski, Marco Sturm, and Travis Green scored for Boston.
Stars 4, Wild 3, OT
DALLAS – Trevor Daley scored with 33.7 seconds left in overtime and the Stars rallied to win after blowing a two-goal lead in the third period.
Daley’s goal, the only shot in overtime for the Stars, came from the left circle and bounced off the glove of goalie Manny Fernandez in what was the final moment of Minnesota’s season.
Stephane Robidas, Brenden Morrow and Antti Miettinen also scored for Dallas.
Mattias Weinhandl, Marian Gaborik and Mikko Koivu scored for the Wild, whose season ended with their second straight loss.
Sharks 6, Mighty Ducks 3
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Jonathan Cheechoo became the NHL’s leading goal-scorer with his fifth hat trick, and Joe Thornton took the league scoring lead with three points as the Sharks clinched fifth place in the conference with their eighth straight win.
Nils Ekman added a goal and three assists and Steve Bernier scored for San Jose.
Sabres 4, Canadiens 2
MONTREAL – Chris Drury and J.P. Dumont scored early in the third period and Teppo Numminen added an empty-net goal for Buffalo.
Montreal, which hasn’t been to the postseason in consecutive seasons since 1996-98, needs one point in its season finale Tuesday against New Jersey to clinch its second straight trip to the playoffs. The Canadiens also will qualify if Atlanta fails to win both of its two remaining games.
Maple Leafs 5, Senators 1
TORONTO – Mats Sundin scored and had an assist and the Maple Leafs did their part to keep their slim playoff hopes alive for at least a few minutes.
But soon after the game, Tampa Bay beat Carolina 3-2 in shootout to eliminate the Maple Leafs from playoff contention. The Maple Leafs, 8-0-2 in their last 10 games, missed the playoffs for the first time since Pat Quinn became coach in 1999.
Tomas Kaberle, Matt Stajan, Chad Kilger and Nik Antropov also scored for Toronto, and Jean-Sebastien Aubin made 30 saves. Dany Heatley scored his 49th goal for the Senators, a point behind Carolina for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Blue Jackets 5, Blackhawks 2
COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Vyborny scored twice and had an assist in the third period to help Columbus set a franchise record with 72 points.
Dan Fritsche and Rick Nash each had a goal and an assist and Mark Hartigan also scored. The Blue Jackets had 71 points in their inaugural season in 2000-01.
Brandon Bochenski and Kyle Calder scored fir Chicago.