NHL Roundup : Capitals Beat Devils for 4th Win in Row, 6-3

The Washington Capitals, expected to be one of the National Hockey League’s best teams this season, have spent most of it in last place in the Patrick Division.

Their first spurt of the season has moved the Capitals out of the cellar and into third place. The runaway Philadelphia Flyers may have too big a lead, but the rest of the division is getting worried.

A short-handed goal by Mike Gartner broke a 2-2 tie early in the second period Tuesday night at Landover, Md., and the Capitals went on to beat New Jersey, 6-3.

It was the fourth win in a row for the Capitals, who were in last place until Sunday.

The defeat extended the Devils’ winless streak at the Capital Centre to 17 games (0-16-1). Since moving from Colorado, the Devils have never won at Capital Centre.

The Capitals began their streak last Thursday with a win over the New York Islanders. The first three wins were on the road. In all four, Bob Mason was in the nets, giving up only seven goals.

But the big change has been the return to form of Gartner. Gartner, the veteran right wing, had only seven goals in the first 39 games. He has seven in the last nine games and four in the last three.

“Mike has given us an offensive lift,” Coach Bryan Murray, “and for the first time, we are playing to our ability. I have a better feeling about this team than I have in a long time.”

The Capitals have 45 points and are only five points behind the second-place Islanders. They trail the Flyers by 20 points.

Calgary 3, New York Islanders 1--The Islanders are a model of inconsistency. Saturday at Uniondale, N.Y., they were soundly beaten by the Flyers. The next night in Philadelphia, they played brilliantly and beat the Flyers.

Back home against a slumping Calgary team, the Islanders were horrible. They had only 22 shots on goal as the Flames easily ended a four-game winless streak.

The Flames’ Al MacInnis scored before the game was two minutes old on a 40-foot shot that eluded goalie Billy Smith. That was the only score until Joey Mullen beat Smith early in the third period.

The Islanders were again without their leading scorer, Mike Bossy, out with an injured lower back.

Rookie goalie Mike Vernon ended a four-game losing streak, but lost his shutout when Paul Flatley scored with 5:51 left in the game.

Boston 5, Quebec 3--Charlie Simmer scored twice on power plays at Quebec to lead the Bruins to their third victory in a row and put them just one point behind second-place Hartford in the Adams Division.

The Nordiques, winless in four games with the Bruins this season, dropped six points behind the Bruins.

Minnesota 5, Buffalo 0--Don Beaupre stopped 27 shots at Bloomington, Minn., to register the first shutout for the North Stars since last March.

Dino Ciccarelli scored twice for the North Stars and has 35 goals this season. His first goal, 81 seconds after the opening faceoff, was all Beaupre needed.

The victory enabled the North Stars to reach .500 (21-21-5) and increase their lead in the Norris Division to three points.