NHL Roundup : Housley Lifts Buffalo Past Detroit

Phil Housley, probably the best American-born defenseman to play in the National Hockey League, celebrated his selection to the All-Star team with another superb performance Wednesday night at Detroit.

Housley, in his seventh season in the NHL after joining the Buffalo Sabres out of a St. Paul, Minn., high school, had a goal and an assist to lead the Sabres to a 6-3 victory over the Red Wings.

The Red Wings were without their high-scoring forward, Bob Probert, who has been treated for an alcohol problem 5 times in less than 3 years. He was 25 minutes late reporting and was suspended.

The Red Wings said Probert may have to undergo a physical exam and give assurance that he is fighting his problem before he will be reinstated.

Probert, who had 29 goals last season, has only 4 in 22 games this season.

The Red Wings opened the scoring with Steve Yzerman’s 44th goal halfway through the opening period. But Housley played a prominent part in the next 4 goals that gave Buffalo a 4-1 lead midway through the second period.

He assisted on the tying goal and scored his 19th to extend the lead to 3-1 early in the second period.

“I’m very happy about being selected for the All-Star game, but I’m more excited about the way we are playing,” said Housley, 24. “We are unbeaten in the last 8 (6-0-2), and there are a number of guys who could have made it. I was fortunate to get picked and I’ll go do the best I can.”

The Red Wings set a blistering pace for 40 minutes but had only 2 shots in the last period.

“I thought we were in trouble when we stopped skating in the final period,” Sabre Coach Ted Sator said.

Pittsburgh 5, Winnipeg 4--Mario Lemieux continued his record-shattering pace. He scored his 53rd goal and assisted on 3 others at Pittsburgh, where the Penguins rallied after blowing a 3-goal lead.

The Jets came from a 4-1 deficit in the first period to catch up on Thomas Steen’s 15th goal at 7:16 of the final period. Five minutes later, Lemieux set up linemate Rob Brown for his 34th goal and the victory.

With 32 games remaining, Lemieux needs 39 goals to tie Wayne Gretzky’s record, and he needs 82 points to tie Gretzky’s points record.

Both marks should be within reach barring injuries.

Boston 2, Toronto 1--Andy Brickley, standing beside the crease, deflected Greg Hawgood’s long shot into the net at 1:57 of overtime to end the Bruins’ 3-game losing streak.

Hawgood sent the game into overtime with the Bruins’ first goal halfway through the third period.

Hartford 3, St. Louis 3--Paul MacDermid brought the Whalers a tie at Hartford when he scored the tying goal with a little more than 11 minutes remaining in regulation.

Blue Coach Brian Sutter acknowledged that his team earned a point only because goaltender Greg Millen had a spectacular game. He made 27 saves, several of them spectacular.

Chicago 6, Edmonton 3--On their way to winning consecutive games on the road for the first time this season, the Blackhawks pulled a couple of surprises.

First, they chased Grant Fuhr, one of the game’s premier goalies, by scoring 5 goals in 2 periods. And they scored 3 goals when they were short-handed.