NHL ROUNDUP : Islanders Celebrate Arbour’s Record

The New York Islanders were in a mood to celebrate their coach’s record Wednesday night at Uniondale, N.Y., and they ended up sweeping the New Jersey Devils out of third place in the Patrick Division.

As Al Arbour set a record for coaching the most games (1,438) in NHL history, the Islanders shut out the Devils, 7-0. Dick Irvin, longtime Montreal coach, had held the record.

The Devils needed a victory to beat Pittsburgh out of third place. Instead, with the Penguins beating Washington, the Devils will play the Rangers, the team with the best overall record, in the first round of the playoffs.

The Devils never challenged. in this game. Glenn Healy stopped 22 shots, and from the time Adam Creighton scored three minutes into the game the Islanders were in command.

Arbour has hinted this will be his last season. If it is, he has a fond memory to go out on.

Pittsburgh 4, Washington 1--Even though the league’s leading scorer, Mario Lemieux, was out with another injury, the Penguins had the firepower at Pittsburgh.

Troy Loney and Jaromir Jagr scored 36 seconds apart in the third period and the Penguins, getting superb goaltending from Tom Barrasso, clinched third place.

Both New Jersey and Pittsburgh have 87 points. Even if the Penguins lose to the Rangers tonight they will finish third because they have one more victory than the Devils, who ended their season, have.

Lemieux has a sore right shoulder and is expected to return for the playoffs.

Toronto 4, New York Rangers 2--The Rangers, idle almost two weeks because of the strike, were rusty in their return at Toronto. They were down, 4-1, early in the second period and never made a move.

Hartford 4, Philadelphia 3--Andrew Cassels scored at 1:38 of overtime at Philadelphia to give the Whalers the victory in their final regular-season game. The Flyers missed the playoffs, but the Whalers play Montreal in the first round.

Quebec 4, Buffalo 3--Greg Paslawski scored twice at Buffalo and the Nordiques, in their last game of the season, won only their second road game.

Boston 4, Montreal 4--Mike Keane’s power-play goal with 3:47 left in regulation at Montreal earned a tie for the Canadiens.The teams are expected to meet in the second round of the Stanley Cup.

Calgary 4, San Jose 3--At Daly City, Calif., Sergei Makarov scored with 5:17 to play to hand the Sharks their sixth consecutive defeat.