Late Rally Pushes Sabres to Victory

Randy Burridge and Pat LaFontaine scored 18 seconds apart late in the third period Saturday night to give the Buffalo Sabres a 7-6 victory over the Canadiens at Montreal.

The Canadiens appeared to have the game put away when Pierre Turgeon scored his third goal of the game for a 6-5 Montreal lead at 10:47 of the final period. But Burridge scored at 17:02 and LaFontaine, with his second of the game, skated in alone and faked out Jocelyn Thibault at 17:20.

Calgary 2, Florida 0--Rick Tabaracci, starting for the first time in six games, stopped all 20 shots he faced as the Flames earned their third shutout in six games with a victory over the Panthers at Calgary.

St. Louis 3, Pittsburgh 2--Dale Hawerchuk scored the game winner on a breakaway 1:40 into the third period, and goalie Grant Fuhr made 36 saves to lift the host Blues over the Penguins, who played without Mario Lemieux and Ron Francis. Lemieux did not make the trip because of fatigue. Francis (hip flexor) is day-to-day.

Toronto 5, Colorado 2--Mike Gartner scored two goals as the Maple Leafs beat the Avalanche at Toronto.

New Jersey 3, Washington 1--The host Devils got an unexpected spark from seldom-used Reid Simpson, who scored his first NHL goal, and two from Bill Guerin as they rolled past the Capitals at East Rutherford, N.J.

Detroit 3, Chicago 0--Kevin Hodson, getting his first NHL start for the injured Mike Vernon, earned a shutout, turning away 20 shots as the host Red Wings beat the Blackhawks at Detroit.

New York Islanders 5, Ottawa 4--Travis Green and Zigmund Palffy each had a goal and an assist as the Islanders extended their home unbeaten streak to five games with a victory over the Senators at Uniondale, N.Y.

Boston 5, Hartford 2--Cam Neely and Kevin Stevens had a goal apiece as the host Bruins’ broke the Whalers two-game winning streak.

Vancouver 9, Tampa Bay 2--Alexander Mogilny notched his third hat trick of the season and the Canucks scored five times in the second period to roll past the Lightning at Vancouver.

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NHL Notes

The New York Islanders will not trade disgruntled forward Kirk Muller, who has not played since Nov. 11, unless he agrees to report to whatever team he is dealt to and to honor his contract, General Manager Mike Milbury said. . . .The Rangers’ Doug Lidster will be sidelined indefinitely because of a broken cheekbone.