NHL Roundup : Record Bid of Nordiques Is Stopped One Short, 6-5

Denis Potvin scored two first-period goals Thursday night at Uniondale, N.Y., to lead the New York Islanders to a 6-5 victory over Quebec, denying the Nordiques a record-tying eighth straight victory.

“It’s really disappointing,” Nordique left wing John Anderson said. “We had our hearts set on the record, but you’ve got to give the Islanders credit.”

The Nordiques were attempting to equal the record of eight straight victories at the start of the season, held jointly by the 1934 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 Buffalo Sabres.

The loss by Quebec (7-1) removed the last NHL team from the undefeated ranks.

Potvin scored goals 34 seconds apart to wipe out an early 2-0 Quebec lead.

The Islanders led, 4-3, after one period despite being outshot, 17-7. Quebec got goals from Michel Goulet at 3:13 on the power play and Paul Gillis at 5:13 to lead, 2-0. After Potvin’s goals, Quebec regained the lead on an unassisted goal by Randy Moller at 14:21. But the Islanders tied it, 3-3, just 28 seconds later on a goal by Mike Bossy, and they broke the tie at 16:26 on a slapshot by Tomas Jonsson.

New York made it four straight goals by scoring twice in the first 2:34 of the second period to take a 6-3 lead.

Pittsburgh 6, Toronto 4--Mario Lemieux scored two goals, including one in a four-goal third period, to lead the Penguins at Pittsburgh.

It was the second time in as many nights that Pittsburgh had beaten Toronto. The Maple Leafs, 5-4 losers Wednesday night at Toronto, have dropped four in a row.

John Chabot’s goal at 18:06 of the third period gave Pittsburgh the lead at 5-4. Chabot took a pass on a face-off and fired the puck into the net for his third goal of the season.

Lemieux clinched the victory with a slap shot in the final minute.

Philadelphia 3, Hartford 0--Ilkka Sinisalo’s goal at 11:47 of the first period and fine goaltending by Pelle Lindbergh gave the Flyers the victory at Philadephia.

The win was the third in a row for the Flyers, 5-2 and in first place in the Patrick Division. The loss dropped Hartford to 4-3.

Chicago 6, New Jersey 4--Denis Savard scored a pair of third-period goals to lead the Black Hawks at East Rutherford, N.J.

With the score tied, 4-4, Savard took a pass at center ice, broke in from the left and faked New Jersey goaltender Glenn Resch to the ice. Savard then flipped the puck over a sprawled Resch at 7:47 of the period to give Chicago the lead.

Savard also provided a cushion goal by scoring into an empty net with 41 seconds remaining.