NHL Roundup : Lemieux and Penguins Hand Flyers First Loss

In his 4 seasons in the National Hockey League, Mario Lemieux has accomplished almost everything.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ big center has scored more than 100 points in each season. Last year, he led the league with 168 points and was voted the most valuable player.

One thing has eluded him, however: He has never played in the playoffs. That’s rather surprising in a league in which all but five teams qualify for postseason play.

Naturally, Lemieux’s goal is to take the Penguins into the playoffs this season. And they are off to a good start.

Lemieux, 23, scored his 14th career hat trick and assisted on the other goal to lead the Penguins to a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh’s 4th win in 5 games moved the Penguins (4-1) into a tie for first with the Flyers in the Patrick Division. Philadelphia had been the only unbeaten team in the NHL.

Lemieux has scored at least a point in each game, but in the last 2, he has been something special. On Saturday night, in a 9-2 rout of the St. Louis Blues, Lemieux had a club-record 8 points, 6 of them on assists.

Detroit 4, Chicago 3--The fourth shot was the charm for Steve Yzerman in an overtime victory at Detroit. After rookie goalie Ed Belfour stopped his three shots, Yzerman knocked in the rebound of his last shot with just 1 second left in the extra period.

It was a tough loss for the Belfour, whose team led, 3-1, with 2:15 left in regulation. Paul MacLean and Lee Norwood scored the goals that sent it into overtime.

New York Islanders 3, Vancouver 2--Steve Konroyd scored his first goal of the season 61 seconds into the first period at Uniondale, N.Y., and the Islanders went on to win their third in a row.