NHL ROUNDUP : Canadiens Stay Hot, Tremblay Sets Record

Patrick Roy’s only complaint about Montreal’s six-game winning streak was that it didn’t come earlier.

Roy stopped 38 shots Tuesday night and Brian Savage scored his ninth goal in six games to lead the Canadiens to a 3-1 victory over the Bruins at Boston, keeping them undefeated since an 0-5 start.

“I knew if I kept working hard, it would turn around,” Roy said. “It’s too bad it didn’t happen before Jacques [Demers] was fired.”

The six-game winning streak since Mario Tremblay took over is the best start for a coach in league history.

“They got out of the gate real slow, but found new life with a new coach,” Bruin defenseman Ray Bourque said. “There’s a lot of pressure up there to win. But it looks like they may have the piano off their back.”

Benoit Brunet made it 2-0 on a power-play goal with 1:34 left in the first. And when Vincent Damphousse scored 49 seconds into the second period--making it three goals on seven shots for Montreal, Coach Steve Kasper replaced Craig Billington with Blaine Lacher.

Edmonton 2, New Jersey 1--Bill Ranford turned in a sparkling 39-save performance to lead the Oilers past the Devils for the second time this season at Edmonton, Alberta.

The Stanley Cup champion Devils have lost three in a row.

Oiler right wing Jason Arnott scored the game-winner at 3:05 of the third period. Oiler right wing David Oliver scored the other goal on a rebound.

“We’re trying to win these fans back and I think we’re putting a pretty good product on the ice and trying hard,” Ranford said.

N.Y. Rangers 5, San Jose 3--Luc Robitaille and Niklas Sundstrom scored within a 24-second span midway through the third period, leading the Rangers past the winless Sharks at San Jose.

Sundstrom and Robitaille each scored two goals, and each has five this season. Robitaille increased his scoring streak to eight games. He has four goals and six assists during that stretch.

“There have been some games in which I played well and had chances but didn’t score,” Robitaille said. “I was getting frustrated. But things fell into place tonight. We didn’t want to be the first team to lose to San Jose.”

Philadelphia 2, Tampa Bay 2--Brian Bradley and Petr Klima scored second-period goals as the Lightning rallied for a tie with the Flyers at Philadelphia.

Eric Lindros scored his 10th goal and Legion of Doom linemate John LeClair his ninth to give the Flyers an early 2-0 lead.

N.Y. Islanders 5, Florida 4--Bob Sweeney’s goal with 1:04 left in overtime helped the Islanders to only their second victory of the season, at Miami.

Sweeney’s second goal of the night capped a frantic finish after Florida fought back from a 4-2 deficit.

NHL Notes

The New Jersey Devils and their landlord completed an agreement to keep the Stanley Cup champions in East Rutherford, N.J., until 2007. Terms were not revealed. . . . Washington Capital center Pat Peake will be out about a month after suffering a fractured thyroid cartilage.