NHL ROUNDUP : Rangers Recover, Stop Lightning

Alexei Kovalev scored the game-winner with seven minutes remaining as the New York Rangers erased a three-goal deficit Wednesday night to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, 5-4, at New York.

Two nights after scoring his 500th goal, Mark Messier beat rookie Derek Wilkinson between the pads to tie the score, 4-4, with 8:35 left in the third period. Wilkinson was making his NHL debut.

Messier then set up Kovalev for the game-winner with a wraparound pass with 6:48 remaining.

Brian Bellows, Roman Hamrlik, Alexander Selivanov and Rob Zamuner scored for Tampa Bay. Ray Ferraro, Sergei Nemchinov and Darren Langdon also had goals for New York.

Wilkinson, who was 5-5-0 for Tampa Bay’s IHL affiliate in Atlanta this season, stopped 22 shots. Mike Richter had 29 saves for the Rangers.

Calgary 2, New Jersey 1--Michael Nylander scored an unassisted goal at 12:41 of the third period to lift the Flames over the slumping Devils at East Rutherford, N.J.

The victory ended the Flames’ three-game winless streak while the defending Stanley Cup champions continued to struggle with a 1-5-1 record over their last seven games.

Mike Sullivan had the other Calgary goal and Trevor Kidd (1-5-4) stopped 24 shots to preserve the victory, his first of the season.

Pittsburgh 7, Ottawa 1--Jaromir Jagr had two goals and two assists as the Penguins beat the Senators at Ottawa.

The Penguins scored four goals on five shots over a seven-minute span late in the first period. NHL points leader Mario Lemieux scored once and moved into a tie for the goal-scoring lead with Jagr at 13.

Ron Francis had a goal and three assists, and Tomas Sandstrom, Chris Joseph and rookie Richard Park added goals.

Martin Straka spoiled Tom Barrasso’s shutout bid during an Ottawa power play midway through the third period. It was only the 19th Ottawa shot.

Buffalo 7, San Jose 2--Donald Audette scored three goals and Dominik Hasek had 31 saves as the Sabres got the win at Buffalo.

Audette’s second career hat trick propelled the Sabres to their highest goal total of the year. Buffalo also got goals from Pat LaFontaine, Garry Galley, Randy Burridge and Brent Hughes.

Mikal Sykora and Jeff Friesen scored for the Sharks.