NHL ROUNDUP : Penguins Wilt Against Rangers’ Challenge, 9-4

The Pittsburgh Penguins may lead the Northeast Division and their power play may lead the entire league in output, but the Penguins didn’t exactly intimidate the New York Rangers Tuesday in New York.

The Rangers blasted the Penguins, 9-4, with Pat Verbeek getting three goals and former King Luc Robitaille adding a goal and four assists. The Rangers scored three goals in each period.

They drew a standing ovation after killing off a five-minute major penalty late in the second period against that league-leading power play.

Jaromir Jagr scored Pittsburgh’s first goal, tying teammate Mario Lemieux for the league lead with 17.

Toronto 5, St. Louis 2--With Maple Leaf goaltender Felix Potvin outplaying former mentor Grant Fuhr and with the power play clicking at Toronto, the Maple Leafs moved into first place in the Central Division for the first time this season.

Toronto has won three in a row and six of its last seven to improve to 11-6-3, including 7-0-3 within its own conference.

The Blues were without their top scorer, Brett Hull, who sat out his fifth consecutive game because of a pulled groin muscle. Where they missed him most was on the power play. St. Louis was 0 for 6 in that category; the Maple Leafs scored twice in four opportunities.

Boston 5, Winnipeg 4--Jozef Stumpel scored two of his three goals in the third period, including the game-winner, to extend the Bruins’ unbeaten streak at Boston to four games.

Keith Tkachuk scored two goals and assisted on another for the Jets, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Bruins, who put 41 shots on net.

Florida 4, New Jersey 3--Jody Hull scored two goals at Miami as the Panthers pulled off another comeback.

Florida is 9-1-1 in its last 11 games, and has come from behind to win four of those games.

Washington 3, San Jose 2--Stefan Ustorf and Steve Konowalchuk scored in a 28-second span of the third period at Landover, Md., as the Capitals rallied to end a six-game winless streak.

It was Washington’s first victory since Nov. 14, the Capitals having gone 0-5-1 since then.

The Sharks have lost eight of their last nine.