NHL Roundup : Nordiques Beat Islanders and Clinch a Playoff Spot

Peter Stastny had three assists, and Clint Malarchuk turned in a brilliant performance in goal as the Quebec Nordiques clinched the fourth and final playoff spot in the Adams Division with a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders Thursday night at Uniondale, N.Y.

Stastny set up two goals in the second period, when the Nordiques scored three times to break a scoreless tie and send the Islanders to their third straight home loss.

In clinching the playoff berth, the Nordiques nosed out the Buffalo Sabres, with whom they had been battling for the fourth spot over the last month of the season.

The Islanders remained third in the Patrick Division, three points behind Washington and three ahead of the New York Rangers. Each team has two games remaining in the regular season.

Quebec’s three second-period goals were scored by Mike Hough, Basil McRae and Alain Cote.

Hough knocked in a 15-footer from the slot, beating goalie Billy Smith on the glove side at 1:25. McRae manufactured his own goal, picking up the puck at the top of the left circle and skating into the slot to beat Smith with a backhand shot at 16:28. Cote made it 3-0 when he put in his own rebound with 17 seconds left in the period.

Malarchuk, who made 28 saves, had a shutout until 7:43 of the third period, when Alan Kerr scored for New York from the slot.

Edmonton 4, Calgary 4--Joey Mullen, Jim Peplinski and Carey Wilson scored third-period goals as Calgary rallied from a 4-1 deficit for the tie at Edmonton.

Wilson scored the tying goal with 4:44 left after the Oilers gave up the puck behind their net, allowing Wilson to stuff the puck through the legs of goaltender Grant Fuhr.

Mullen was able to draw Calgary within 4-2 at 6:34 when he stole an errant clearing pass by Fuhr and hit an open net. Peplinski scored a short-handed goal at 5:05, making it 4-3.

Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky scored his 62nd goal of the season at 12:31 of the second period. Gretzky has just one goal and one assist in his last five games.

St. Louis 5, Buffalo 3--Rob Ramage scored a power-play goal with 5:21 left at St. Louis to break a 3-3 tie and send the Blues on to victory, which enabled them to clinch second place in the Norris Division.

The Blues assured themselves the home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Their opponent has not been determined. Chicago, Minnesota and Toronto are battling for the final two postseason berths in the division.

Pittsburgh 6, New Jersey 2--Troy Loney scored two goals and assisted on another as the Penguins romped at Pittsburgh.

The Penguins took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Rod Buskas and Dan Frawley. Loney made it 3-0 with a wrist shot at 6:17 of the second period.