NHL ROUNDUP : North Stars Rise With 4-2 Win

Mike Modano returned to his hometown and prevented the Detroit Red Wings from joining the Minnesota North Stars at the top of the Norris Division.

Modano, who missed the last two games because of a leg injury, scored two goals in a 1:29 span of the second period Thursday night, leading the North Stars past the Red Wings, 4-2, at Detroit.

“It was one of those nagging injuries where if you come back too soon, you miss three weeks,” Modano said. “But we haven’t played (in Detroit) since the playoffs, and I always look forward to playing here.”

Minnesota has won four in a row to take a four-point lead over Detroit, which is on an 0-4-1 skid.

Detroit had a 2-1 lead when Modano scored twice as Minnesota took control with three goals over a five-minute stretch in the second period. Mike McPhee scored the North Stars’ third goal in five shots to make it 4-2.

Boston 4, Montreal 3--Adam Oates scored twice and the Bruins limited the Canadiens to seven shots in the final period at Boston.

Andy Moog made 29 saves, including a sliding stop in the final minute on Stephan Lebeau after Montreal pulled goalie Patrick Roy in an effort to tie the game.

Boston had a 3-1 lead after two periods, but the last three goals were scored in the first 1:44 of the third period.

Kirk Muller got the Canadiens to within 3-2, but Oates restored Boston’s two-goal lead. Lebeau answered 27 seconds later, but Moog and the Bruin defense shut down the Canadiens after that.

Ottawa 3, New Jersey 3--Claude Lemieux scored two power-play goals, helping the Devils salvage a tie with the Senators at Ottawa.

Lemieux got the tying goal on a rebound at 11:41 of the third period and New Jersey avoided its second loss in eight days to the NHL’s worst team.

Jody Hull and Norm Maciver scored and Ottawa led after one period for only the second time this season, Maciver’s goal coming at 0:00.

Goals by Lemieux and Dave Barr got New Jersey even in the second period before Dave Baker’s goal restored Ottawa’s lead.

Chicago 4, Toronto 3--Bryant Marchment scored the Blackhawks’ tiebreaking goal on a 60-foot slapshot in the second period and the Maple Leafs were denied a goal in the closing seconds at Chicago.

The Blackhawks beat Toronto for the 11th consecutive time at Chicago Stadium after referee Kerry Fraser ruled that the Maple Leafs kicked the puck into the net in the final seconds.

Steve Larmer got his seventh goal in five games during a three-goal second period for Chicago.

Toronto took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Nikolai Borschevsky and Dave Ellett during a five-minute power play.

Philadelphia 3, Quebec 2--Claude Boivin’s goal 2:03 into overtime lifted to Flyers to a victory over the Nordiques at Philadelphia.

The Flyers, who are 10-0-1 in their last 11 games against Quebec at home, stretched their home unbeaten streak to 6-0-1.

Quebec’s Mats Sundin tied the game with 27 seconds left in regulation.

Vancouver 4, Edmonton 1--Kirk McLean made 31 saves and the Canucks defeated the Oilers at Vancouver.

Petr Klima’s goal ended McLean’s shutout bid at 10:28 of the third period, but Vancouver already had goals by Anatoli Semenov, Greg Adams and Gino Odjick.

Petr Nedved scored the final goal for the Canucks, who took sole possession of second place in the Smythe Division and remained four points behind the Kings.

Hartford 7, San Jose 5--Terry Yake scored two goals and the Whalers held off the Sharks at Daly City, Calif.

Rod Gaudreau scored his first three goals to help the Sharks pull to within 6-5, but Murray Craven scored the clincher for Hartford with 51 seconds left.

Kelly Kisio and Johan Garpenlov each had a goal and three assists for San Jose.