NHL Roundup : Canadiens Win to Clinch Adams Division Title

Chris Chelios, Russ Courtnall and Brian Skrudland scored third-period goals as the Montreal Canadiens clinched the Adams Division title with a 5-2 victory over the Quebec Nordiques Thursday night at Quebec City.

Chelios broke a 2-2 tie at 6:11 of the third period when he put in Bobby Smith’s rebound for his 14th goal. Courtnall added a goal at 17:28, and Skrudland connected 46 seconds later.

The victory gave the Canadiens 101 points in 70 games, tops in the league and 27 more than the division’s second-place team, Boston.

Detroit 3, N.Y. Rangers 2--Steve Chiasson and Shawn Burr scored eight seconds apart in the third period to lift the Red Wings to the win at Detroit, extending the Rangers’ losing streak to four.

After the Rangers’ Carey Wilson snapped a 1-1 tie 44 seconds into the final period, New York’s Lucien DeBlois was penalized for holding Steve Yzerman. Chiasson converted the power play by taking a pass from Adam Oates at the left point and beating goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck with a low slap shot.

On the ensuing faceoff, Petr Klima carried the puck into the New York zone and fed a cross-ice pass to Dave Barr. Barr slid a pass across the goalmouth, and Burr tipped the puck into the net to give Detroit the lead.

Washington 7, Boston 2--Geoff Courtnall had three goals against his former team, and the Capitals scored four times in the first period, twice during a five-minute power play, to win at Boston.

The loss ended the Bruins’ undefeated streak at nine games as the Capitals gave goalie Andy Moog his first loss after four straight wins.

N.Y. Islanders 4, Philadelphia 4--Tim Kerr scored from a scramble in front with four seconds remaining in regulation to give the Flyers the tie at Uniondale, N.Y.

The Islanders led, 4-2, after Gerald Diduck’s power-play goal at 5:54 of the third period. But Rick Tocchet scored at 12:16, and Kerr scored at 19:56.

The Flyers, who are 0-2-3 in their last five games, moved eight points ahead of New Jersey in the race for the final Patrick Division playoff berth.

St. Louis 4, Toronto 1--Bernie Federko scored for the eighth time in his last six games as the second-place Blues won at St. Louis and moved three points ahead of idle Chicago in the Norris Division.

Brett Hull, Greg Paslawski and Cliff Ronning also scored for St. Louis.

Calgary 10, Pittsburgh 3--Joe Nieuwendyk and Hakan Loob each scored twice as the Flames won easily at Calgary, Canada.

Nieuwendyk also had three assists, while Joey Mullen contributed a goal and four assists. Jiri Hrdina had a goal and two assists as the Flames reached the 100-point mark for the second straight season. They are one point behind Montreal in the overall standings.

Bob Errey scored on a center-ice slap shot 1:08 into the game for the Penguins, but the Flames scored the next nine goals.