NHL ROUNDUP : Calgary Escapes Hold of Winnipeg

Their record doesn’t approximate last season’s, but the Calgary Flames are still best in the West.

The Flames, after spotting the Winnipeg Jets a 3-1 lead in the first 13 minutes Sunday at Calgary, battled back for a 6-4 victory and virtually ended the Jets’ hopes of winning the Smythe Division.

Joe Mullen broke a 4-4 tie early in the final period with his 31st goal, and the Flames stretched their division lead to four points over Edmonton. With only 10 games left in the regular season, the third-place Jets are eight points behind the Flames.

A year ago, on their way to the Stanley Cup, the Flames were 46-15-9 after 70 games. Now, they are 35-21-14.

Winnipeg had beaten the Flames five consecutive times.

“We didn’t need a pep talk,” said Joe Nieuwendyk, who had four assists. “We just wanted to get this monkey off our backs. We are in a pretty good position now.

“We like it that Edmonton has lost a couple of games, but most important, we had to prove to ourselves that we could beat these guys.”

Vancouver 5, Pittsburgh 3--The Canucks kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a victory at Vancouver. With just nine games remaining, the Canucks are 10 points behind the Kings in the battle for the final spot in the Smythe Division.

The Canucks built a 4-2 lead after two periods, but Pittsburgh pulled to within one on John Cullen’s 30th goal early in the last period. Steve Bozek put the game out of reach when he scored with 5:40 left in regulation.

Boston 4, Hartford 3--Defenseman Glen Wesley scored twice on power plays less than three minutes apart early in the third period at Hartford to lead the Bruins.

Wesley gave the Bruins a 4-1 cushion and they barely held off the Whalers’ late challenge.

The Bruins improved the league’s best record to 43-23-6 and increased their lead in the Adams Division to six points. The Bruins have 92 points.

St. Louis 6, Chicago 4--Brett Hull failed to add to his 66-goal total, but he set up two goals, including the game-winner, at Chicago as the Blues strengthened their hold on first place in the Norris Division.

The Blackhawks led, 4-2, until the last second of the second period, but the Blues scored the last four to take a four-point lead in the division.

Hull set up Ron Wilson for the winner at 8:23 of the last period.