NHL ROUNDUP : LaFontaine Returns, Sabres Win

Pat LaFontaine, playing his first game in 16 months, scored one goal and set up another as the Sabres defeated the New York Islanders, 6-3, Thursday night in Buffalo.

LaFontaine’s first goal since Nov. 10, 1993, came when he beat Tommy Soderstrom with a wrist shot in the opening period. LaFontaine has been recovering from reconstructive knee surgery.

“I had a little bit of jitters after being out for 16 months,” LaFontaine said. “It’s nice that things went our way. I didn’t go in with any expectations other than I worked hard to get to this point.”

LaFontaine’s goal came when he received a pass from Donald Audette in the left faceoff circle after the Sabres got a three-on-one break against Soderstrom. His shot bounced off Soderstrom’s stick and into the corner of the net to give Buffalo a 2-1 lead with just over six minutes left in the period.

“He showed me he hasn’t lost a thing,” Buffalo Coach John Muckler said. “He certainlyopens up our offense, and he puts fear into the opposition. And he played very well onthe power play.”

The victory was the first for former King goaltender Robb Stauber since being traded to the Sabres.

OTHER GAMES

Owen Nolan’s second power-play goal of the game snapped a third-period tie for the Nordiques, who beat Pittsburgh, 3-2, at Quebec to move past the Penguins as the team with the best record in the NHL. . . . Jesse Belanger scored two goals for Florida, which defeated Washington, 5-1, in Miami to deal rookie goaltender Jim Carey his first NHL loss after a 6-0-1 start. . . . Pat Verbeek’s power-play goal lifted Hartford into a 2-2 tie with the Devils in East Rutherford, N.J. . . . John LeClair’s goal with just over two minutes to play lifted Philadelphia into first place in the Atlantic Division with a 3-1 victory over the Senators at Ottawa. . . . Vladimir Konstantinov and Bob Rouse scored third-period goals to give the Red Wings a 5-4 victory over Dallas at Detroit. . . . Goals by Jozef Stumpel, Glen Murray and Bryan Smolinski helped the Bruins to ruin Montreal’s last regular-season visit to Boston Garden with a 6-0 victory. . . . Bernie Nicholls scored twice for the Blackhawks in a 9-2 victory over Vancouver in Chicago.