NHL ROUNDUP : Vancouver Clinches Division Title

The Vancouver Canucks finally found a way to beat the Calgary Flames. Now they can’t wait to meet them in the playoffs.

“It would be a great series,” said Vancouver’s Geoff Courtnall after the Canucks clinched the Smythe Division title with a 6-3 victory over the second-place Flames Sunday at Vancouver.

The Canucks and Flames wouldn’t meet until the second round--if they get that far.

The victory left the Canucks with a club-record 97 points and two games remaining--both against the Kings, their likely first-round playoff opponent. The Canucks clinched their second consecutive regular-season division title on the basis of overall wins.

Winnipeg 7, Edmonton 5--Fredrik Olausson scored two goals as the Jets rallied from a 4-0 second-period deficit to beat the Oilers at Edmonton.

The victory gave fourth-place Winnipeg 85 points in the Smythe Division, three behind the Kings.

Chicago 3, Tampa Bay 3--The Blackhawks got one of the two points they needed to put them within a single win of the Norris Division title on Dirk Graham’s tying goal midway through the third period.

The Blackhawks have 102 points, Detroit 101. The Blackhawks have two games left, Detroit one.

Boston 4, Ottawa 2--Adam Oates scored and assisted on another goal at Boston as the Bruins celebrated their Adams Division title with their seventh consecutive victory.

The Bruins, who clinched first-place with a 5-1 victory Saturday night in Montreal, were welcomed home by a multicolored “Congratulations!” banner hanging near one scoreboard.

St. Louis 5, Minnesota 1--Brett Hull scored two goals and Jeff Brown added a goal and two assists at St. Louis as the Blues inched closer to a playoff spot.

The Blues lead the North Stars by one point in the battle for the final berth in the Norris Division playoffs.

Toronto 4, Hartford 2--Mike Foligno scored two goals at Hartford to help the Maple Leafs set a franchise record for most points in a season.

Foligno’s first goal at 9:16 of the opening period sparked the Maple Leafs and increased their point total to 97.

Quebec 3, Buffalo 1--Mats Sundin scored two third-period goals as the Nordiques improved their playoff position at Buffalo.

Quebec moved two points ahead of third-place Montreal in the Adams Division, with the second-place finisher in the division getting home-ice advantage in the first-round playoff series between the two teams.

New York Islanders 5, New Jersey 4--The Islanders moved within a point of securing the final Patrick Division playoff berth as Brian Mullen and Steve Thomas scored third-period goals at East Rutherford, N.J.

The Islanders can clinch their first playoff berth in three years by winning or tying one of their final three games. They can also qualify if the New York Rangers tie or lose one of their last three.