NHL ROUNDUP : Referee Clears the Way for Rangers’ Shutout

The New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and referee Andy VanHellemond put on quite a show Monday night for newly appointed NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and a sellout crowd at East Rutherford, N.J.

VanHellemond sent every player except the two goaltenders to the penalty box only 1:48 into the game, handing out 10 minor penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct after a brief scuffle.

John Vanbiesbrouck stopped 35 shots, and Adam Graves, Mark Messier and Mark Hardy scored goals as the Rangers beat the Devils, 3-0.

There were no punches thrown during the two-minute altercation, which started after Kris King of the Rangers seemed to push Alexei Kasatonov of the Devils after activity in New York’s zone.

After things settled down, VanHellemond packed each team’s penalty box: King, Joe Cirella, Paul Broten, Jay Wells and Darren Turcotte were sent to the Rangers’ box. Kasatonov, Viacheslav Fetisov, Alexander Semak, Bobby Holik and Valeri Zelepukin were exiled to the Devils’ box.

Calgary 3, Edmonton 2--Gary Roberts scored with 25 seconds left in overtime at Calgary as the Flames won their fourth consecutive game and moved into sole possession of first place in the Smythe Division, two points ahead of the Kings.

Roberts took a pass from Joe Nieuwendyk near the left circle and drilled a shot off the pad of goaltender Bill Ranford and into the net, negating a two-goal comeback by the Oilers during the third period.

Joel Otto and Robert Reichel also scored for the Flames.

Pittsburgh 7, Quebec 4--Larry Murphy scored twice at Pittsburgh during a season-best five-goal second period for the Penguins.

Mario Lemieux had four assists and 11 Pittsburgh players had at least one point as the Penguins improved their home record to 14-2-2. The Penguins had scored four goals during a period seven times this season.

Hartford 5, Montreal 2--Eric Weinrich, Terry Yake and Pat Verbeek scored during a 1:52 span early in the third period to lead the Whalers at Montreal.

The Whalers took a one-goal lead into the third period and put the game away when Weinrich scored his first goal of the season from the slot at 1:41. Yake scored on a breakaway at 2:18 and Verbeek got his second goal of the night at 3:33.

Washington 4, Ottawa 3--Mike Ridley and Al Iafrate scored 16 seconds apart midway through the third period as the Capitals rallied for the victory at Ottawa.

Iafrate scored the game-winner on a three-on-two break at 9:38.

Jody Hull, Dave Archibald and Mike Peluso scored goals for the Senators.

Winnipeg 5, San Jose 4--Russian rookie Alexei Zhamnov’s second goal with 4:21 remaining in regulation gave the Jets the victory at Winnipeg, extending the Sharks’ losing streak to 12 games.