NHL ROUNDUP : Lemieux Streaks to 40 in 6-3 Loss

Mario Lemieux passed Wayne Gretzky when he stretched his point-scoring streak to 40 games--second best in NHL history--Tuesday night, but he still has 11 games to go to catch . . . Wayne Gretzky.

The Kings’ star holds the record with a 51-game streak in 1983-84.

And even though Lemieux’s three assists topped Gretzky’s 39-game streak in the 1985-86 season, they weren’t enough to avert the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 6-3 home loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, who are last in the Patrick Division.

Calgary 7, Vancouver 2--Joe Nieuwendyk scored two goals and assisted on two others as the Calgary Flames took over first place in the Smythe Division.

Nieuwendyk got one of his assists in setting up Sergei Makarov’s 17th goal.

St. Louis 2, New York Islanders 1--Brett Hull scored his NHL-leading 46th goal as the Blues ended the Islanders’ 10-game home unbeaten streak.

Hull, now a star in his own right, is four goals away from joining his father, Bobby, as the first father-son combination to score 50 goals each.

Hartford 4, Edmonton 4--The Whalers bolted to an early lead by scoring three goals during an 8:22 span of the first period but squandered a 3-0 lead and needed rookie forward Todd Krygier’s goal with 1:45 remaining to gain the tie at home.

Mark Messier scored twice for the Oilers.

Buffalo 5, Quebec 2--The Nordiques, losers of five straight games and nine of their last 11, decided to rest beleaguered goaltender Greg Millen at home. It didn’t help.

Scott Gordon, recalled from their American Hockey League affiliate in Halifax for his NHL debut, became their sixth goaltender this season but was helpless against the Sabres’ 37-shot barrage.