NHL ROUNDUP : Islanders Maintain Edge Over Penguins for Playoff Spot

The tightest races left in the NHL are in the Patrick Division.

Only three points separate the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals in the battle for the division title.

And in the battle for the final playoff position, the New York Islanders are trying to prevent the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins from making the playoffs.

Both teams won Tuesday night, and the Penguins lead by four points with a game in hand.

The Islanders, who have shown steady improvement after a horrible start, gave Al Arbour is 700th coaching victory with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Uniondale, N.Y.

Arbour is only the second NHL coach to win that many games, joining Scotty Bowman. Bowman, who came out of retirement to coach the Penguins this season, got his 770th in the Penguins’ 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at Pittsburgh.

Ray Ferraro and Hubie McDonough scored 17 seconds apart late in the second period to put the Islanders ahead. Ferraro put the Islanders ahead at 18:25 and McDonough scored at 18:52.

Pierre Turgeon scored his 38th of the season to open the scoring for the Islanders on a power play early in the game.

The Flyers are in last place in the division, nine points behind Pittsburgh and five behind the Islanders.

Pittsburgh 5, Calgary 2--Rick Tocchet continues to give the Penguins’ offense a lift.

Tocchet scored twice late in the first period at Pittsburgh and Joey Mullen added his 40th of the season.

In their bid to make the playoffs, the Penguins took leads of 3-0 and 4-1.

The loss left the Flames two points behind fourth-place Edmonton in the Smythe Division.

Tocchet, obtained from Philadelphia, has six goals in the last three games and 12 points in nine games since joining his new club.

St. Louis 5, Minnesota 2--Brett Hull scored his league-leading 67th goal and Brendan Shanahan scored twice at St. Louis to lead the Blues.

Hull and Ron Wilson scored short-handed goals for the Blues, who remained three points behind the Chicago Blackhawks in the battle for second place in the Norris Division.