NHL Roundup : Rookie Helps Capitals to Another Win

Rookie Mike Millar may finally get to unpack his suitcase and settle down in the Washington area, where the Capitals currently own the ice.

Millar, who has been called up by the Capitals four times from the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Baltimore Skipjacks, scored his second goal in as many games and goalie Pete Peeters notched his second shutout in three starts in defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-0, Friday night.

Millar scored his first goal of the season against the New York Rangers Wednesday night.

With his help, the Capitals extended their home unbeaten streak to 9 games. They have gone 6-1-2 during that span.

The Maple Leafs are 3-4-1 since George Armstrong replaced John Brophy as coach on Dec. 19.

Vancouver 2, Detroit 2--Tony Tanti scored his 15th goal of the season with 2:06 remaining in the third period at Detroit, giving the Canucks the tie.

The Red Wings remained comfortably atop the weak Norris Division, but center Steve Yzerman failed to collect a point, ending his league-leading point-scoring string at 28 games.

After Adam Oates had given Detroit a 2-1 lead at 14:50 of the final period with his eighth goal of the season, Tanti took a pass from Jim Sandlak inside the Detroit blue line and beat Red Wing goaltender Greg Stefan with a slap shot from 35 feet.

The Canucks preserved the tie by killing a penalty against Stan Smyl that carried 1:54 into overtime.

New Jersey 5, Buffalo 4--All Mark Johnson had to do to feel confident was to take a look to his left and then to his right.

Having John MacLean and Patrik Sundstrom on the wings can do that to a person and to a team, and it did for the Devils and Johnson at East Rutherford, N.J.

Johnson scored a goal and set up goals by MacLean and Sundstrom in a 4-goal second period.

Johnson said: “They not only help my game, they put life into everybody’s game with their hard work all the time. It’s somewhat like the plague. It spreads.”

The Devils snapped a 6-game winless streak (0-4-2).