NHL ROUNDUP : Canadiens Get Back on Track

It was a fitting battle between struggling division leaders Saturday night at Montreal.

Kirk Mullen scored at 2:14 of overtime to give the Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

The Canadiens, who once led the Adams Division by 15 points, boosted their lead back to nine points while ending a two-game losing streak. It was only their third victory in the last nine games.

The Red Wings, winless in the last three games, have had their 11-point lead in the Norris Division cut to five points.

Only superlative goaltending by Tim Chevaldae in the third period kept the Canadiens from winning earlier. Chevaldae had 19 saves in the third period.

New York Rangers 2, Minnesota 1--The Rangers still don’t have a comfortable lead in the Patrick Division, but they have the best record in the NHL.

John Vanbiesbrouck made 20 of his 41 saves in a hectic third period at Bloomington, Minn., and assisted on the winning goal.

With the score tied, 1-1, in the second period, Vanbiesbrouck banked the puck off the boards to Darrin Turcotte, who scored from 35 feet.

The Rangers are 34-17-2, but they lead Washington by only six points. They are unbeaten in their last seven games.

Hartford 4, Vancouver 4--The Whalers’ winless streak was stretched to 11 games (0-7-4) at Vancouver, but there was good news.

The Whalers rallied for two goals in the final period to catch the leaders of the Smythe Division. The Canucks outshot the Whalers, 35-22, but couldn’t hold a two-goal lead.

New York Islanders 5, Philadelphia 5--Before the game at Uniondale, N.Y., one of the Islanders’ greatest players, defenseman Denis Potvin, was honored. It didn’t seem to inspire them.

After Potvin’s No. 5 jersey was retired, the Islanders barely managed to get a tie with the Flyers, last in the Patrick Division.

After wasting a 4-2 lead, the Islanders earned a tie when Derek King scored his 31st goal with 66 seconds left in regulation.

Pittsburgh 4, St. Louis 1--After three consecutive defeats, the Penguins came out firing at Pittsburgh.

Kevin Stevens had two assists and his 36th goal to trigger a four-goal outburst in the first 15 minutes. The Penguins had 26 shots in the first period, 19 in the last two periods.

Tom Barrasso shut out Brett Hull, the NHL’s leading goal scorer, for the fourth time in a row.

Boston 2, Buffalo 2--When Vladimir Ruzuicka and Scott Arniel scored 47 seconds apart early in the game at Boston, it appeared goalie Andy Moog was on his way to his ninth victory in a row.

However, Pat LaFontaine and rookie Donald Audette scored to extend the Sabres’ unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2).

Washington 5, Calgary 2--Randy Burridge had two power-play goals at Landover, Md., and the Capitals handed the Flames their fourth loss in a row.

Toronto 6, New Jersey 4--Glenn Anderson scored twice at Toronto and the Maple Leafs won their fourth in a row. The Devils had won four in a row.