NHL ROUNDUP : Sabres Defeat Canadiens

Pierre Turgeon scored a goal and had three assists to help the Buffalo Sabres wipe out a 3-0 deficit with five goals in a row and beat the Montreal Canadiens, 5-3, Friday night at Buffalo.

Turgeon tied the score with his 27th goal of the season 1:16 into the third period.

Buffalo’s Dave Andreychuk, who had missed seven games because of a knee injury, returned to the lineup and had a goal and an assist.

Sabre Coach Rick Dudley said having the 6-foot-3 Andreychuk in the lineup makes “a huge difference.”

“He makes it a little easier on Pierre because they have to concentrate on both of them,” Dudley said.

The Canadiens looked strong in building a 3-0 lead on goals by Guy Carbonneau, Mike McPhee and Mathieu Schneider before Buffalo exploited an inexperienced defense that was playing without last year’s Norris Trophy winner, Chris Chelios.

Chelios was sidelined because of a knee injury and without him in the lineup, the Sabres were able to force giveaways by the Montreal defense and camp in front of Canadiens’ goalie Patrick Roy for easy tap-ins.

With the exception of the first Buffalo goal by Doug Bodger, the Sabres scored from in close.

Turgeon’s game-tying goal early in the third period was the longest shot of the bunch--it came from about 15 feet out. Goals by Andreychuk, Dave Snuggerud and Benoit Hogue all came from barely outside the crease.

The Sabres ended a two-game losing streak, took a four-point lead over third-place Montreal in the Adams Division and won the season series against the Canadiens, 4-3-1.

N.Y. Rangers 2, New Jersey 1--Bernie Nicholls set up power-play goals by Ulf Dahlen and John Ogrodnick and goalie John Vanbiesbrouck made 29 saves as the Rangers won at East Rutherford, N.J.

The victory was the only Rangers’ second in their last five games, but it stretched their overall streak to 9-4-3, moving them back into second place in the Patrick Division.

New Jersey is 1-5-3 in its last nine games.

Pittsburgh 3, Winnipeg 3--Mark Recchi’s second goal of the game in the third period pulled the Penguins into a tie at Winnipeg.

Detroit 9, Philadelphia 6--Steve Yzerman scored two goals and added four assists at Detroit as the Red Wings extended their unbeaten streak to four games.

Vancouver 2, Edmonton 2--Doug Lidster scored early in the third period at Vancouver as the Canucks overcame a two-goal deficit to tie the Oilers.