NHL ROUNDUP : Dahlen Helps Rangers Hand Flames First Loss

Ulf Dahlen scored two of New York’s three power-play goals as the Rangers held off Calgary, 5-4, Wednesday night at New York, handing the Flames their first loss.

Goalie John Vanbiesbrouck made 31 saves for the Rangers, 3-0 and off to their best start since 1983. Calgary outshot New York, 35-23, but was held in check most of the game by Vanbiesbrouck, who has allowed only eight goals in 108 shots. Calgary’s record dropped to 3-1.

The Rangers scored four goals on just nine shots in the first period against Rick Wamsley, making his first start this season.

After a goal at the 54-second mark by Calgary’s Gary Roberts, who scored from just outside the crease, the Rangers took command, scoring two power-play goals and a short-handed goal for a 4-1 lead. James Patrick scored with the Rangers’ first power-play goal at 2:41 to start the 4-0 run.

Dahlen made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 13:10. Defenseman David Shaw boosted New York’s lead to 4-1 with a short-handed goal on a wraparound at 16:39.

The Flames cut the Rangers’ lead to 4-2 on a breakaway by Joe Nieuwendyk at 6:11 of the second period.

But Dahlen scored his second power-play goal from the slot at 1:42 of the final period.

The Rangers’ special teams outperformed the Flames, who led the NHL in penalty-killing last season and were second on the power play. New York killed off five of six Calgary power plays and scored on three of its six man-advantages.

Calgary trailed 5-2 with five minutes to play, but rallied on Jamie Macoun’s power-play at 15:03 of the third period and Theo Fleury’s goal at 16:45.

Sergei Makarov had an assist on Macoun’s goal, giving the former Soviet national team star nine points in his first four NHL games.

Montreal 4, Boston 2--Russ Courtnall scored his first two goals of the season and Shayne Corson snapped a 2-2 tie midway through the third period as the Canadiens took the Adams Division lead with a win at Montreal.

Rookie Tom Chorske scored the other goal for the Canadiens (3-1), who avenged a 2-0 loss in Boston on Monday night. Craig Janney and defenseman Jim Wiemer scored for the Bruins.

Wiemer’s goal 10 seconds into the third period gave the Bruins (2-2) a 2-1 lead, but the Canadiens tied it 18 seconds later on Chorske’s first NHL goal.

Corson snapped the tie at 9:54 and Courtnall added an insurance goal at 14:38.

Hartford 4, Washington 1--Mike Liut stopped 24 shots in his first start of the season and Paul MacDermid scored twice in the first period to lead the Whalers at Hartford, Conn.

MacDermid scored the Whalers’ first two goals in a span of 4:50 as Hartford won its second straight game to even its record at 2-2. Washington dropped to 1-2.

The start was Liut’s first since an 8-2 loss to Washington last March 18, a game in which Dino Ciccarelli scored four goals.

Vancouver 5, Edmonton 2--Soviet star Igor Larionov scored his first NHL goal to lead the Canucks to victory at Edmonton.

Larionov took a pass from defenseman Paul Reinhart and scored at 11:57 of the second period, giving the Canucks a 3-1 lead as they avenged an opening-night loss to the Oilers at Vancouver. The Canucks improved to 2-2, and Edmonton dropped to 2-1.

Buffalo 7, Toronto 1--Dave Andreychuk scored two goals as the Sabres rolled past the Maple Leafs at Toronto.

Scott Arniel, Mike Foligno, Phil Housley, Rick Vaive and John Tucker also scored for the Sabres, who got three assists from Pierre Turgeon.