NHL ROUNDUP : Yzerman Sparks Red Wings to Norris Clincher

The Detroit Red Wings became the last NHL team to clinch a division title Sunday.

With Steve Yzerman getting two goals and an assist, the Red Wings won the Norris Division title by beating the New York Islanders, 6-2, at Uniondale, N.Y.

The Red Wings dominated from the start against the Islanders, who were eliminated from the playoffs Saturday night. Detroit needed at least a tie and came out firing. Mark Fitzpatrick, the Islanders’ goalie, faced 43 shots.

Their 41st victory assured the Red Wings, who have three games remaining, of finishing ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks, who won the division the two previous seasons.

The Red Wings emerged from a late-season slump to win three in a row. Until they defeated Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, they were only 2-6-2 in their previous 10 games. Saturday night, they beat Smythe Division champion Vancouver.

Yzerman has 41 goals. He scored 50 or more in each of the previous four seasons with a high of 65 in 1988-89.

“If there is postseason play,” Yzerman said, “I think we will be ready.”

Winnipeg 6, San Jose 5--Defenseman Phil Housley led the Jets to a victory at Winnipeg that put them in position to clinch a playoff spot.

After spotting the Sharks a 5-3 lead after two periods, the Jets scored three goals during the last period.

Housley had a hand in all three. His 23rd goal with 4:37 remaining tied the score; three minutes later, he assisted on Ed Olczyk’s winning goal. Olczyk’s goal was the third the Jets scored in the period on only five shots.

The Jets are six points ahead of fifth-place the Calgary Flames in the Smythe Division. The Flames, with four games left, could still make the playoffs by winning every game if the Jets lost their final three.

Washington 7, Vancouver 4--In their second victory in a row against a division winner at Landover, Md., the Capitals scored three times in the first nine minutes.

Friday night the Capitals, second in the Patrick Division, beat Montreal, winner of the Adams Division.

Only the New York Rangers, winner of the Patrick, have more points (103) than the Capitals (95), who have more than the other three division titlists.

Philadelphia 5, New Jersey 4--Already out of playoff contention, the Flyers could only disrupt the Devils’ drive to third place in the Patrick Division.

Kevin Dineen and Rod Brind’Amour led the Flyers’ attack at Philadelphia. The Devils, only 2-7-2 in their last 11 games, are only two points ahead of defending champion Pittsburgh. The Penguins have four games to play, the Devils only three.

Chicago 5, Toronto 1--Jeremy Roenick scored his 53rd goal and assisted on two others at Chicago and the Blackhawks clinched second place in the Norris Division.

Roenick, a third-year center from Boston, easily exceeded last season’s total of 41 goals.

Hartford 2, Buffalo 2--Whaler goalie Frank Pietrangelo stopped 48 shots at Buffalo but had to settle for a tie when Dave Hannan scored a short-handed goal with 7:43 to play in regulation.

Dave Hannan scored the tying goal when the Sabres, 4-2-1 in the last seven games, were killing a penalty.