NHL Roundup : Flyers Close In on First Place With 9-6 Win

Tim Kerr scored three goals to surpass the 50-goal plateau for the second straight season, and Dave Poulin also had three goals to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 9-6 victory over the Washington Capitals Thursday night at Philadelphia.

The victory moved the Flyers within two points of the Capitals in the race for first place in the Patrick Division. The teams meet again tonight at Landover, Md.

With Philadelphia trailing, 4-2, midway through the second period, Kerr sparked a run of five straight goals by tipping in a point drive by Mark Howe at 9:01. After the Capitals came back to make it 7-6, Kerr deflected home Brad McCrimmon’s slapshot at 10:43.

Of Kerr’s 51 goals this season, 12 have come against the Capitals.

Boston 4, Hartford 0--The Bruins successfully killed off seven Hartford power plays at Boston as goalie Doug Keans recorded his first shutout of the season. Charlie Simmer and Rick Middleton fired power-play goals and Butch Goring chipped in a spectacular short-handed score for the Bruins.

Referee Bob Hall whistled 101 minutes in penalties, including 47 during a third-period brawl that saw Boston’s Mike Milbury and Hartford’s Torrie Robertson ejected from the game.

St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 1--Bernie Federko scored a goal and had two assists and Pat Hickey added a goal and an assist at St. Louis as the Blues won their 12th in 18 games. They also have three ties during the streak.

N.Y. Islanders 4, New Jersey 4--At East Rutherford, N.J., Dave Pichette and Pat Verbeek scored goals in the last minute of the third period to give the Devils a come-from-behind, overtime tie.

The Devils were behind, 4-2, with 40 seconds to play in regulation time when Pichette scored on a 35-footer. With nine seconds to go, Verbeek beat Islander goaltender Billy Smith with a backhander.

Calgary 11, N.Y. Rangers 5--Ed Beers scored a hat trick to key a five-goal second period rally as the Flames won at Calgary. Dan Quinn scored twice and totaled five points and Hakan Loob added two goals to put the Flames in double digits for the first time this season.