NHL Roundup : Islanders Beat Oilers, Take Division Lead

Pat LaFontaine broke a third-period tie with his 45th goal, and the New York Islanders took the Patrick Division lead with a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers Saturday night at Uniondale, N.Y.

The Islanders, 4-0-1 in their last five games, moved a point ahead of idle Washington. Both teams have four games remaining.

LaFontaine gave New York a 4-3 lead at 1:53 of the third period, and Brent Sutter made it a two-goal advantage at 9:03.

Wayne Gretzky, who had two assists, scored with 20 seconds left for Edmonton. The Oiler center has 38 goals and 99 assists for 137 points--18 behind Pittsburgh’s league-leading Mario Lemieux. Gretzky has led the league in scoring the past eight years.

Calgary 6, Vancouver 1--Al MacInnis scored two goals and Brad McCrimmon had a goal and two assists as the Flames clinched the Smythe Division title and eliminated the Canucks from playoff contention at Calgary.

The Flames ended Edmonton’s six-year reign as division champion and extended their lead over Montreal to three points in the race for the overall regular-season title.

Tony Tanti had his 39th goal for the Canucks.

Philadelphia 6, Winnipeg 0--Tim Kerr, sidelined most of the season after five shoulder operations, scored his first three goals of the season as the Flyers trounced the Jets at Philadelphia.

Mark LaForest got the shutout with 31 saves as the Flyers won for only the third time in 13 games.

Philadelphia, third in the Patrick Division, leads the New York Rangers by four points and Pittsburgh by six points. The Flyers trail second-place Washington by two points and the New York Islanders by three points.

Hartford 8, Minnesota 1--Ray Ferraro scored a goal and had two assists, and Torrie Robertson ended a 56-game drought with a goal as the Whalers routed the North Stars at Hartford.

The Whalers, who have won four of their last five games, moved a step closer to clinching the final playoff berth in the Adams Division, moving five points ahead of Quebec.

The North Stars are 3-13-3 since Feb. 13.

Boston 6, Quebec 2--Cam Neely scored two goals at Boston, and the Bruins posted their fourth straight victory by handing the Nordiques their third consecutive loss.

Lyndon Byers added a goal and two assists for the Bruins, who won the season series from Quebec, 5-3, after losing the first three games.

Andy Moog, acquired March 6 from Edmonton, improved his record to 4-1 by stopping 24 shots.

N.Y. Rangers 4, Detroit 4--John Ogrodnick scored his 19th goal with 1:02 remaining in regulation to cap a three-goal third period that lifted the Rangers into a tie with the Red Wings at Detroit.

New York, which outshot the Red Wings, 47-17, increased its lead to two points over idle Pittsburgh in the battle for the Patrick Division’s final playoff spot.

Gerard Gallant scored three goals as the Red Wings took a 4-0 lead less than six minutes into the second period. New York’s Tomas Sandstrom scored twice, and rookie Ulf Dahlen added his 28th goal to get the Rangers close.

St. Louis 3, Toronto 2--Greg Paslawski scored on a rebound at 2:07 of overtime, and the Blues clinched second place in the Norris Division by downing the Maple Leafs at St. Louis.

Gordie Roberts had a goal and an assist for the Blues.

Toronto has lost six games in a row and 12 of 13. The Maple Leafs have lost their last 10 road games.