NHL ROUNDUP : Hull’s 64th Lets Blues Join Bruins in Playoffs

The St. Louis Blues became the second team to earn a spot in the playoffs Tuesday night at St. Louis.

Brett Hull scored his 64th goal and assisted on another for the Blues. However, Dave Lowry earned the starring role when he scored on a backhander with 4:50 to play to give the Blues a 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It was the Blues’ 10th victory in their last 12 games, put them two points ahead of Chicago in the Smythe Division and it made certain they could not finish worse than fourth.

The Blues are one point behind Boston, which also has clinched, in the overall standings.

Hull, who is playing at better than a goal-a-game pace, set up Adam Oates for the first St. Louis goal. It extended Oates’ scoring streak to 13 games, current best in the league.

Then, with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Hull, on a power play, put the Blues ahead, 2-1.

But with 6:23 left, former King Mike Krushelnyski brought the Maple Leafs back to a tie with his 14th goal.

Slightly more than a minute later Lowry beat young goalie Jeff Reese and the Blues had another victory.

All was not joy for the Blues, though. Shortly before the game the Blues learned that Jeff Brown, their best offensive defenseman, will be sidelined for up to a month because of a hairline fracture of his left ankle.

Detroit 4, Calgary 4--The Flames missed a chance to close in again on the Kings when they couldn’t hold a 4-2 lead in the final period at Calgary.

With the tie, the Flames are two points behind the Kings.

Al MacInnis scored twice for the Flames.

Pittsburgh 6, Buffalo 3--Slowly but surely, Mario Lemieux is regaining the form that madehim the best scorer in the NHL.

In only his ninth game after being sidelined because of a serious back problem, Lemieux had four assists to help the Penguins win their eighth consecutive home game.

In his nine games, Lemieux has 11 assists and six goals.

Buffalo goalie Daren Puppa left the ice after suffering a leg injury during the second period.