NHL ROUNDUP : Penguins Clinch Division Title Minus Lemieux

The Pittsburgh Penguins have had to learn to play without Mario Lemieux much of the past two seasons. And they learned well.

The high-scoring center was injured again Wednesday night when the Penguins clinched the Patrick Division title with a 7-4 victory over the Red Wings at Detroit.

It was the first title of any sort for the Penguins, who joined the NHL in 1967. They lead the New York Rangers by four points with two games left. The best the Rangers could do is tie and because the Penguins have more victories, they would prevail.

Lemieux, who has played only 25 games this season, suffered a cut above his eye Tuesday night. He needed 14 stitches to close the wound, but he is expected to be ready for the playoffs.

Kevin Stevens and Paul Coffey sparked the Penguins’ offense in the absence of Lemieux. Stevens tipped in a shot by Coffey late in the second period to break a 3-3 tie.

It was the 39th goal for Stevens, who set up Ron Francis for a goal early in the third period that put Pittsburgh in control.

Coffey had the first Penguin goal, tying the game in the first period.

New Jersey 4, Hartford 3--Doug Brown’s second goal of the game, halfway through the overtime at East Rutherford, N.J., put the Devils within one point of clinching a playoff berth.

The Devils, in third place in the Patrick Division, have two games to play. A tie in either game or a failure by Philadelphia to win both of its remaining games would clinch a playoff spot for New Jersey.