NHL ROUNDUP : Hull Joins 70-Goal Club, but Blues Fall to Oilers, 8-6

Brett Hull would have enjoyed it more if his 70th goal had given the St. Louis Blues a victory in their bid to win the Norris Division.

When he became the sixth player in NHL history to score 70 goals in a season, it merely kept the Blues close Wednesday night at Edmonton. The Oilers, battling to hold second place in the Smythe Division, prevailed, 8-6.

Hull, son of Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, joins the select group of Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Phil Esposito, Jari Kurri and Bernie Nichols who have scored 70.

Hull scored on a quick wrist shot at 17:17 of the second period to cut the Oiler lead to 6-5.

The Blues lead Chicago in the tight division race by one point. The Blackhawks have six games to play, the Blues only four.

Hull has broken six club records this season, including most goals and most points.

He needs two goals to break Kurri’s record for right wings.

Kurri didn’t have a goal, but he assisted on three for the Oilers. Mark Messier scored his 44th goal for the Oilers, who had 34 shots.

Buffalo 5, Calgary 4--The Sabres took a firm grip on second place in the Adams Division when Clint Malarchuk stopped 40 shots in the victory at Buffalo.

With Montreal losing, the Sabres pulled three points ahead and both teams have just five games left. Boston leads the division by three points over the surging Sabres.

Ken Priestlay scored the game-winner on a disputed goal early in the final period. Joe Mullen had the puck in his own end of the ice and Buffalo’s Darrin Shannon appeared to hook him. Priestlay picked up the puck and put it in the net. The Flames argued heatedly that Shannon should have been penalized.

Winnipeg 3, Montreal 2--The Jets still think they have a chance to finish second in the Smythe Division. Pat Elynuik scored twice at Winnipeg, and the Jets ended the Canadiens’ six-game unbeaten streak.

The Jets trail second-place Edmonton by four points.

New York Rangers 5, Toronto 5--Daniel Marois scored his 37th goal with eight seconds left in regulation at Toronto to get the Maple Leafs the tie.

Instead of the two points that would have almost clinched the Patrick Division title, the Rangers had to be content with one. They lead New Jersey by nine points. Three more points will clinch it.

Toronto is four points out of second place in the Norris Division.

Hartford 4, Quebec 1--Pat Verbeek scored two goals at Hartford, Conn., and the Whalers romped past the Nordiques, who have won only 12 of 74 games.

Verbeek has 42 goals this season.