Kings’ Hopes Are Gone After Winnipeg Wins

For the Winnipeg Jets, Sunday’s 4-1 victory over the Calgary Flames was a step toward the playoffs. For the Kings, it marked the end of hope for the 1995-96 season.

The Jets’ victory at Calgary eliminated the Kings from playoff contention, and moved Winnipeg (33-38-5) within two points of seventh-place Calgary in the struggle for playoff position in the Western Conference. The Jets are four points ahead of the Mighty Ducks and five ahead of the Edmonton Oilers for the eighth playoff spot.

The Kings (22-38-17) were eight points behind the Jets before Sunday’s game with only five games remaining.

It marks the first time Los Angeles Coach Larry Robinson has missed the playoffs as a player or coach. He played in Montreal and in Los Angeles and was an assistant for two seasons in New Jersey. It is the third consecutive season the Kings have missed the playoffs.

Craig Janney continued his torrid scoring streak as he scored the winning goal for the Jets. He has five goals and eight assists in his last seven games.

Detroit 8, St. Louis 1--Sergei Fedorov and Slava Fetisov each scored two goals as the Red Wings moved closer to setting an NHL record with the victory over the Blues at Detroit.

Fedorov also had two assists for Detroit, which is now only two wins shy of the NHL regular-season record of 60 victories set by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens. The Red Wings (58-12-5) have seven games remaining.

The Blues played without right wing Brett Hull and lost goalie Grant Fuhr in the second period due to injury.

Philadelphia 4, Pittsburgh 1--John LeClair closed a memorable March with three goals to give him 15 for the month as the Flyers defeated the Penguins at Philadelphia.

LeClair also had eight assists in March, giving him season totals of 47 goals and 43 assists for 90 points. The Flyers have won five in a row and eight of their last nine.

The Penguins, who lost for only the second time in their last eight games, played without NHL scoring leader Mario Lemieux, who took the day off.

New York Rangers 4, New York Islanders 1--Sergei Nemchinov scored twice as the Rangers beat the Islanders at Uniondale, N.Y.

Alexei Kovalev broke a 1-1 tie, putting the Rangers ahead 1:25 into the final period, as he one-timed the rebound of Jari Kurri’s slap shot past Islander goaltender Eric Fichaud.

Nemchinov clinched the game at 8:03, as his backhander deflected in off a defenseman’s skate.

Boston 6, Buffalo 5--Dave Reid scored two goals in the third period, including a short-handed tally with 3:29 remaining that lifted the Bruins over the host Sabres.

Reid’s game-winner came after Buffalo was caught out of position in Boston’s zone while attempting to put pressure on the Bruins during a power play. Reid, skating on a break with Don Sweeney, lifted a wrist shot into the net over Sabre goalie Andre Trefilov.

Adam Oates scored twice for the Bruins. Buffalo was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.

Chicago 5, Dallas 3--Bob Probert scored two goals and also assisted on Brent Sutter’s goal, leading the Blackhawks to the victory at Dallas.

Tony Amonte and Jeff Shantz also scored, and Ed Belfour made 22 saves for Chicago, which won for only the second time in six games without injured scoring leader Jeremy Roenick.

Washington 1, Tampa Bay 1--Roman Hamrlik scored with eight minutes left in regulation, ending Jim Carey’s bid for a third consecutive shutout and lifting the Lightning to a tie with the host Capitals.

Carey had extended his shutout string to a career-best 200 minutes 4 seconds before Hamrlik’s goal.

Carey finished with 23 saves but was thwarted in his march toward Pat Riggin’s franchise-record shutout streak of 203 minutes 52 seconds.