NHL ROUNDUP : Canucks Beat Jets, Join Kings at Top

The Kings have some company atop the Smythe Division after Trevor Linden and Geoff Courtnall each scored twice as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Winnipeg Jets, 6-2, Friday night at Winnipeg.

It was the Canucks’ second victory over the Jets in five days.

Garry Valk and Dixon Ward also scored for the Canucks (4-0-0), who moved into a first-place tie with the Kings.

It was a successful debut for goalie Kay Whitmore, making his first start since being acquired Oct. 1 from the Hartford Whalers. He made 26 saves.

Evgeny Davydov and Phil Housley had power-play goals for the Jets (2-4-0), who lost, 8-1, to the Canucks last Monday at Vancouver.

Vancouver led, 3-2, on Valk’s goal at 14:10 of the second period before breaking the game open on goals by Ward at 19:00 and Linden, who put in a rebound from the side of the net 29 seconds into the third. Courtnall added his second of the game at 12:07.

Washington 5, Ottawa 1--Mike Ridley and Pat Elynuik scored in a 13-second span of the third period at Washington to help lead the Capitals out of the Patrick Division cellar.

Jim Hrivnak had 24 saves for the 2-3 Capitals, who ended a three-game losing streak and moved a point ahead of the idle New York Islanders (1-2-1).

Ottawa has lost all four on the road after opening its inaugural NHL season with a victory at home against the Montreal Canadians.

Buffalo 5, Tampa Bay 4--Bob Sweeney scored on a long slap shot at 2:30 of overtime to lift the Sabres over the expansion Lightning at Buffalo.

Sweeney’s winner, his fourth goal of the season, came when he shot from just inside Tampa Bay’s blue line and the puck deflected off the stick of defenseman Joe Reekie past goaltender Pat Jablonski.

The Lightning had rallied from a 4-1 deficit to send the game into overtime.