NHL Roundup : Canucks Keep Their Hopes Alive

Rich Sutter scored a disputed goal late in the second period to snap a 3-3 tie, and the Vancouver Canucks kept their slim National Hockey League playoff hopes alive by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-3, Tuesday night.

Sutter appeared to use his glove to redirect a rebound past Toronto goaltender Ken Wregget at 18:56, but referee Denis Morel allowed the goal despite Toronto’s protests.

It was the second straight victory for the Canucks--after 12 games without a win--as Greg Adams added two goals on power plays.

Ian Kidd and Barry Pederson completed the scoring for the Canucks, who would have been eliminated from playoff contention with a loss. They trail the fourth-place Kings by six points in the Smythe Division with four games remaining to five for the Kings.

Gary Leeman and Rick Lanz scored power-play goals, and Ken Yaremchuk also scored for Toronto, which has lost 4 straight and 10 of its last 11 but remained fourth in the Norris Division, two points ahead of Minnesota. The North Stars have six games left, Toronto has five.

St. Louis 5, Washington 3--Brian Sutter and Gino Cavallini each scored two goals to rally the Blues from a 2-0 deficit at Landover, Md.

Greg Paslawski, playing for the first time since back surgery on Dec. 31, scored his first goal of the season to snap a 2-2 tie with 2:23 left in the second period. St. Louis never trailed again despite being outshot, 43-25, and Sutter and Cavallini scored third-period goals to make it 5-2.

Boston 3, Philadelphia 0--Bruin goalie Andy Moog, in only his fourth start of the season after playing with Canada’s Olympic team, stopped 20 shots as the Flyers were handed their record-tying seventh shutout.

After a scoreless first period, rookie Bob Sweeney gave Boston a 1-0 lead when he beat Philadelphia goalie Mark LaForest with a shot from the crease between the pads at 13:28 of the second period in the game at Philadelphia. LaForest, filling in for injured Ron Hextall for the second game in a row, turned back 26 shots. Cam Neely and Tom McCarthy added third-period goals.

Buffalo 3, New York Rangers 2--Scott Arniel and rookie Ray Sheppard scored third-period goals as the Sabres rallied in New York.

Arniel brought Buffalo from behind at the 59-second mark of the third period, and Sheppard’s game-winner at 8:00--his 15th goal in the last 14 games--enabled Buffalo, coached by former Ranger coach Ted Sator, to sweep the three-game season series from New York.

Kelly Kisio and David Shaw scored power-play goals for the Rangers, who missed an opportunity to pick up ground in the Patrick Division, where they have a three-point lead over Pittsburgh and five-point over New Jersey for the fourth and final playoff spot.

Edmonton 6, Detroit 4--Craig MacTavish’s short-handed goal with 8:26 left snapped a 4-4 tie, and Craig Simpson clinched the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:46 in the game at Detroit.

With the score tied, 4-4, and Edmonton’s Steve Dykstra in the penalty box, Detroit defenseman Doug Halward mishandled a bouncing puck at the Oilers’ blue line. Mark Messier carried the puck into the Detroit zone and slipped a pass to MacTavish, who bounced a shot off goalie Greg Stefan for the game-winner. The teams were tied, 3-3, before Edmonton’s Jari Kurri and Detroit’s Lee Norwood traded goals earlier in the period.

Hartford 4, Winnipeg 3--Center Ron Francis took a return pass from Kevin Dineen and scored with 4:22 remaining to give the Whalers the win at home.

It was the sixth straight loss for the Jets.

Francis scored the winner from the right circle at 15:38. The goal capped an offensive flurry after the Jets carried a 1-0 lead into the final period.