NHL ROUNDUP : Blackhawks Stop Hull, Oates to Beat Blues, 6-2

Brett Hull and Adam Oates were becoming known as the dynamic duo of the NHL.

Their play has sent the St. Louis Blues surging into first place in the Norris Division.

Hull had scored goals in 11 consecutive games, and Oates had a point in 15 games in a row.

The Blackhawks, who had led the division most of the season, stopped Hull and Oates cold Sunday night at Chicago and skated to a 6-2 victory. The Blackhawks climbed back to within a point of first place.

Chicago was primed at the start. Jeremy Roenick had two goals, one with his team short-handed, and an assist to lead a four-goal outburst in the first 10 1/2 minutes.

Rookie goalie Ed Belfour had a shutout for 45 minutes before the Blues scored twice, long after the issue was settled.

Edmonton 6, Quebec 3--Joe Sakic scored his 36th goal and the Nordiques had a 3-2 lead five minutes into the final period at Edmonton.

Then Adam Graves had two goals and an assist as the Oilers scored four goals in a hurry and turned the game into a romp.

Pittsburgh 5, Washington 5--Mario Lemieux, returning after missing one game with a foot injury, had a goal and two assists at Landover, Md.

The Capitals earned the tie when Dino Ciccarelli scored his 21st goal with only 32 seconds remaining.

Halfway through the final period Lemieux’s eighth goal in 11 games gave the Penguins a 5-3 lead.

New York Rangers 5, New Jersey 2--The Rangers scored four goals, three of them on power plays, in the first 16 minutes at New York.

Brian Leetch set up three of the goals, and the Rangers won their 32nd game and remained five points ahead of the Flyers in the Patrick Division.

Philadelphia 4, New York Islanders 3--With back-to-back victories over the Islanders, the Flyers vaulted into second place.

Ron Sutter had a goal and an assist at Philadelphia after the Flyers won in Uniondale, N.Y., Saturday night, 5-3.

The Flyers, who had another strong performance from goalie Ron Hextall, have won four in a row.

The Islanders, 13 points behind fourth-place New Jersey in the Patrick Division, have won only three of their last 11 games.

Hartford 5, Buffalo 5--The Whalers took their second lead of the final period when Mike Tomlak scored with 3:38 left in regulation at Buffalo.

But only 45 seconds later Dave Andreychuck scored his 25th goal to tie the game for the last time.