NHL ROUNDUP : Lemieux’s Hat Trick Lets Penguins Beat Flyers

With Mario Lemieux back, the Pittsburgh Penguins are headed toward their best season.

Lemieux, who was sidelined because of back problems for the first 51 games this season, provided all of the offense Tuesday night at Philadelphia in a 3-1 victory that moved the Penguins closer to their first division title.

His 26th hat trick and outstanding goaltending by Tom Barrasso moved the Penguins within two victories of clinching the Patrick Division title.

The Penguins are two points ahead of the slumping New York Rangers and have three games left to two for New York.

Barrasso stopped 47 shots, hurting the Flyers’ hopes of qualifying for the playoffs.

The Flyers trail New Jersey by two points in the fight for the final playoff spot in the Patrick Division.

Lemieux, who has 19 goals in the 25 games he has played since coming back, scored his third goal near the halfway point of the game and Barrasso made the lead last.

It was the Penguins’ 40th victory, tying the team record set in 1988-89, the last season Lemieux played without serious injury.

Calgary 7, Vancouver 2--The Flames bounced back after their loss to the Kings Saturday night to keep the pressure on the Smythe Division leaders.

Theoren Fleury had a hat trick to reach 50 goals and lead the Flames to an easy victory at Calgary. The 5-foot-6 center had 31 goals as a rookie last season.

New York Rangers 3, New Jersey 3--The Rangers had to wipe out a three-goal deficit on their home ice to stay alive in the Patrick Division.

Mike Gartner scored twice to lead the Rangers, who have won only once in the past 10 games.

It was the 15th tie for the Devils, the ties giving them a strong shot at a playoff spot. With 77 points, the Devils are tied with Washington for third place. Both are two points ahead of Philadelphia. The Devils have three games left, the Flyers and Capitals two each.

Chicago 2, Toronto 2--The tie at Toronto didn’t really didn’t hurt the Blackhawks’ drive to the Norris Division title.

Jeremy Roenick’s 41st goal, on a power play with 92 seconds left in regulation, put the Blackhawks three points in front of St. Louis. Both teams have three games remaining.

The Blackhawks are on a 7-0-2 streak and have the best record in the NHL (47-22-8).

Boston 7, Quebec 4--Cam Neely scored twice at Quebec to reach 50 goals for the second season in a row.

The Bruins, who have clinched the Adams Division title, finally beat Quebec goalie Ron Tugnutt.

Tugnutt, who had 70 saves in a 3-3 tie last week, gave up six goals in 35 shots before Neely scored into an empty net with three seconds to play.

Buffalo 4, Washington 2--The Sabres’ Tony Tanti and Grant Ledyard scored within two minutes in the third period at Landover, Md.