NHL ROUNDUP : Islanders Continue Hot Streak

In the NHL, there always seems to be one New York team on the rise and one on the skids.

Early in the season, it was the Rangers flying high and the Islanders losing with regularity.

It has all turned around. While the Rangers are struggling, the Islanders are soaring.

Pat LaFontaine, one of the few veterans on a young team, has lit a fire under the Islanders. The NHL’s top goal-scorer put in Nos. 37 and 38 at Toronto Wednesday night to lead the Islanders to a 3-1 victory.

LaFontaine has scored at least one goal in 10 consecutive games and it is no coincidence the Islanders have won nine of them. After winning four in a row, the Islanders have caught the Rangers at 40 points and are only six points out of first place in a tight scramble.

It is not surprising that Coach Al Arbour is building a winner. He built an expansion team into a Stanley Cup champion in the 70s.

“He kept showing confidence in us even when we were losing,” forward Randy Woods said. “He had much patience and it’s paying off.”

The Islanders won only six of their first 27 games. Now they are 18-21-4 and moving up.

New York Rangers 2, Chicago 2--The Rangers didn’t exactly emerge from their slump at New York, but they did manage to get a tie with their favorite team.

Brian Leetch scored with 7:45 left in regulation to get the Rangers even and extend their unbeaten string against the Blackhawks to 10 games. The Rangers are 6-0-4 since the Blackhawks beat them Feb. 19, 1987.

New Jersey 6, Pittsburgh 3--Mario Lemieux extended his scoring streak to 32 games with an assist at East Rutherford, N.J., but it was the surprising Devils who dominated the game.

John MacLean had a goal and two assists to lead the Patrick Division leaders. Sean Burke stopped 20 shots and is 6-1-1 in his last eight games.

Winnipeg 6, Washington 1--Dave McLlwain scored his league-leading fifth short-handed goal as the Jets handed the Capitals their sixth loss in a row in the game at Winnipeg.

Hartford 3, Vancouver 1--Scott Young scored on a power play in the first period at Vancouver and the Whalers went on to end a five-game winless streak.

The Canucks’ goal was scored by Andrew McBain, just obtained from Pittsburgh.