NHL ROUNDUP : Bruins Put Their Heads Together and Win, 5-3

The Boston Bruins were going up against the Chicago Blackhawks, the best defensive team in the league, Saturday at Boston, so they needed more offense.

Coach Mike Milbury decided to reunite his best pair of forwards, Cam Neely and Craig Janney.

It worked. Neely had a hat trick and Janney had four assists to lead the Bruins to a 5-3 victory in the battle of NHL division leaders. It stretched the Bruins’ unbeaten string to 13 games against Chicago since 1987.

“I felt if we could get one line cooking, we would be OK,” Milbury said. “They really cooked.”

Bruin defenseman Ray Bourque had a goal and two assists and Boston, the Adams Division leader, pulled even with the Norris Division leaders at 74 points.

The Blackhawks (35-18-4) have two games in hand on the Bruins, who are 33-18-8.

Don Sweeney scored a short-handed goal with four minutes to play in the second period to break a 3-3 tie and in the last minute of the period, Neely completed the hat trick with his 36th goal.

Bourque, who opened the scoring with his 13th goal and his 900th career point, was also the key to holding the Blackhawks scoreless on five power-play attempts. The Blackhawks have the best power play in the league.

Quebec 3, New Jersey 1--Stephane Morin had a goal and an assist at Quebec and the Nordiques won for only the 12th time in 56 games.

Goaltender Jacques Cloutier stopped 31 shots to lead the Nordiques to only their second victory in their last 12 games.

Calgary 5, Hartford 2--Gary Suter and Joe Nieuwendyk scored 47 seconds apart in the first period at Hartford and the Calgary defense contained the Whalers.

The Whalers scored on their first shot and then had only one other shot on goal in the first 26 minutes. By the time they got their third, they trailed, 3-1.

Montreal 6, New York Rangers 4--The Canadiens, trailing, 4-1, after two periods, erupted in the middle of the third period.

The Canadiens scored four goals in less than 3 1/2 minutes and Russ Courtnall figured in all of them. After assisting on two, he scored the tying goal, then set up Guy Carbonneau for the winner.

Toronto 3, New York Islanders 2--Bob Rouse had a goal and an assist in a three-goal rally in the second period at Toronto that carried the Maple Leafs to victory.

Minnesota 6, Detroit 5--At Minneapolis, the new line of Dave Gagner, Brian Propp and Mike Modano each had a goal and an assist for the North Stars, who have won their last five home games.