NHL ROUNDUP : Savard Lifts Blackhawks to 3-2 Win, 3-Point Lead

Denis Savard scored the go-ahead goal, then shared the credit.

Savard’s 27th goal with 4:39 remaining lifted Chicago to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings Sunday at Chicago and gave the Blackhawks a three-point lead in the Norris Division.

“(Steve) Larmer knocked (Bernie) Federko off the puck after going behind the net, and got it to (Michel) Goulet,” Savard said. “It shows how much teamwork pays off, especially down the stretch.”

Goulet took the puck away from Mike O’Connell and passed to Savard for the game-winner, giving the Blackhawks 84 points to 81 for the idle St. Louis Blues.

Playing in only his third game since being released from the federal medical center at Rochester, Minn., Bob Probert tied the score, 2-2, at 2:06 of the final period.

It was Probert’s third goal in three games. His status is day-to-day, determined on an individual game basis by his probation officer.

Detroit’s Steve Yzerman scored his 60th goal.

N.Y. Rangers 7, Philadelphia 3--Kelly Kisio and Mike Gartner each scored two goals as the Rangers moved to within two points of their first division title in 48 years by beating the Flyers at New York.

The victory gave the Rangers 83 points, their highest total since 1983-84, and left them seven points ahead of the New Jersey Devils. The Rangers can clinch their first division title since 1941-42 Tuesday night with a victory in Quebec.

The loss kept the Flyers tied for fifth place in the Patrick Division with the New York Islanders, two points out of a playoff spot. It was Philadelphia’s 38th defeat this season, tying a team mark set in 1971-72, the last time the Flyers failed to make the playoffs.

New York led, 2-1, after one period before putting the game away on second-period goals by Kisio, Gartner and Troy Mallette.

New Jersey 4, Buffalo 3--John MacLean scored his 40th goal of the season and Peter Stastny had two assists as the Devils clinched a playoff berth by downing the Sabres at Buffalo.

The defeat snapped a two-game winning streak for the Sabres, who remained five points behind first-place Boston and one point ahead of third-place Montreal in the Adams Division.

New Jersey, which retained its three-point lead over third-place Washington in the Patrick Division, had a 4-1 lead and held on after Dave Snuggerud and Dave Andreychuk scored 4:17 apart midway through the final period.

Washington 4, Calgary 1--Alan May scored the go-ahead goal in the third period on a pass from Geoff Courtnall, who also had two goals as the Capitals beat the Flames at Landover, Md.

Washington opened a four-point gap on Philadelphia and the New York Islanders for the final Patrick Division playoff spot.

Calgary’s Al MacInnis scored at 5:19 of the second period.

Vancouver 3, Winnipeg 3--Petri Skriko and Paul Reinhart scored third-period shorthanded goals within a 23-second span and Brian Bradley tied the score with 1:26 left in regulation as the Canucks rallied to tie the Jets at Vancouver.

The Jets built their 3-0 lead on first-period goals by Moe Mantha and Brent Ashton, plus a second-period score from Paul Fenton.

Winnipeg moved to within four points of second-place Edmonton in the Smythe Division, with three games left for each team.

Hartford 4, Pittsburgh 2--Mike Tomlak scored the game-winning goal at 14:11 of the second period and Pat Verbeek added his 44th of the season as the Whalers beat the Penguins at Hartford.

Pittsburgh remained in fourth place in the Patrick Division despite a 1-7-2 slide since March 6. The Penguins lead Philadelphia and the New York Islanders by two points for the final playoff spot.