NHL ROUNDUP : Audette’s Return Sparks the Sabres to a 5-4 Victory

Some time on the bench was just what Donald Audette needed.

Audette, despite having scored 26 goals, was benched by Buffalo Sabre Coach John Muckler for two games.

The move seemed to fire up the Sabres’ rookie, who played a solid game and scored the winning goal with 51 seconds left in regulation Friday night in the Sabres’ 5-4 victory over the New Jersey Devils at Buffalo, N.Y.

“I’m just working harder than I was working the last couple of weeks,” Audette said. “Coach Muckler was right, I was not working. In my mind I was not the player I used to be.”

The Devils led, 4-1, on three goals within 1:39 early in the second period, including a pair by forward Zdeno Ciger. Both goals went through the legs of Sabre goalie Daren Puppa, who was pulled after Ciger’s second goal for Tom Draper.

Pat LaFontaine ignited Buffalo’s comeback. He scored three goals, including two early in the final period that tied the score, 4-4.

“We felt confident because we had so many opportunities and we were exploiting their defense,” Fontaine said. “We felt it was a matter of time before we’d get a few breaks.”

Edmonton 5, St. Louis 3--Joe Murphy scored his 27th and 28th goals and set up Kelly Buchberger’s winning goal at Edmonton.

Murphy has spent much of his career trying to live down his failure to star with the Detroit Red Wings, who made him the first choice overall in the 1986 draft.

But since his trade to the Oilers in November 1989, he has blossomed offensively.

Last year, his best until this season, he had 27 goals and 62 points in 80 games.

Washington 3, Winnipeg 3--Michal Pivonka’s power-play goal with 3:04 left in regulation gave the Capitals the tie at Landover, Md., extending the Capitals’ winless streak to a season-high five games.

Pittsburgh 7, San Jose 3--Rick Tocchet scored three goals for the Penguins who cruised to the victory at Daly City, Calif.