NHL ROUNDUP : Rangers See Two Streaks Go Up in Flames, 3-0

For the first time in 237 games Tuesday, the New York Rangers did not score. But the statistic that concerns them more is that, for the first time in five games, they did not win.

Mike Vernon made 39 saves for his second shutout in two nights as the Calgary Flames beat New York, 3-0, in New York, ending the Rangers’ scoring streak at 236 games--the fourth-longest in NHL history.

Vernon, who made 33 saves against the Detroit Red Wings Monday, improved his recent streak to 8-3-2 in his last 13 starts with the sixth shutout of his career. Robert Reichel scored two goals for Calgary and Chris Lindberg also scored as the Flames snapped New York’s four-game winning streak and ruined the Ranger debut of Kevin Lowe, the former Oiler captain who played on five Stanley Cup winners in Edmonton.

To the Rangers, who scored 10 goals two nights earlier against Montreal, Vernon looked like a wall.

“No holes,” captain Mark Messier said. “He had no holes tonight.”

Added Lowe, “The way they played, I don’t think they did very much wrong.”

Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 2--Kevin Stevens scored twice at Pittsburgh as the Penguins beat the Flyers for Coach Scotty Bowman’s 800th regular-season victory. The Flyers, still without Eric Lindros, have lost five consecutive games and are 1-9-1 in their last 11 road games.

Detroit 3, Ottawa 2--Sergei Fedorov’s highlight-film goal in overtime helped the Red Wings avoid an embarrassing loss at Ottawa. Fedorov wheeled with the puck from inside the Detroit zone, outracing two Senators before sweeping around defenseman Norm Maciver and tucking the puck under the stick glove of Ottawa goaltender Peter Sidorkiewicz at 2:10.

Buffalo 3, Boston 2--Alexander Mogilny scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period and Yuri Khmylev also scored for the Sabres at Boston. They have defeated the Bruins in three consecutive games this season. Grigori Panteleyev had a goal for Boston.

NY Islanders 4, St. Louis 3--The state of Texas hosted its first-ever NHL regular-season game, and the 11,251 fans at Dallas’ Reunion Arena received an overtime period as a bonus. Derek King scored his 18th goal of the season with 2:27 remaining to send the Islanders past the Blues in the latest stop of the NHL’s schedule of 24 neutral-site games.

Minnesota 6, Toronto 5--Mike Modano scored on a breakaway with 1:06 remaining to complete a North Star comeback from a 4-1 deficit at Minneapolis.

Modano came almost directly out of the penalty box to accept a clearing pass from Gaetan Duchesne. He skated in alone on Felix Potvin, stopped and lifted the puck over the goalie for his 14th goal of the season.

The victory ended a two-game home losing streak for the North Stars. Toronto has won only two of its last 11 games (2-8-1).

Winnipeg 4, New Jersey 3--Defenseman Fredrik Olausson scored twice and Bob Essensa made 42 saves as the Jets recovered from a shaky start at Winnipeg. Phil Housley and Teemu Selanne also scored for the Jets (10-16-3).