Devils Still in Playoff Picture

The defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils remained in playoff contention by rallying from a two-goal deficit and getting 24 saves from goalie Martin Brodeur in a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals Thursday night in Landover, Md.

New Jersey and the Tampa Bay Lightning both have 86 points in the battle for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Tampa Bay has two games left, New Jersey one.

The Devils are trying to avoid becoming the first defending Stanley Cup champion in 26 years to fail to qualify for the playoffs the following season. New Jersey Coach Jacques Lemaire played for that 1969-70 Montreal Canadiens team.

Bill Geurin’s goal at 13:01 of the second period proved decisive for New Jersey, which completed a five-game sweep of Washington. The Capitals scored five goals against Brodeur in 300 minutes.

OTHER GAMES

Boston clinched its 29th consecutive playoff berth, a professional sports league record, with a 3-2 victory over visiting Hartford. . . . John LeClair’s 51st goal of the season clinched Philadelphia’s 3-2 victory over Montreal at the Spectrum that clinched the Atlantic Division title for the Flyers. . . . Mario Lemieux started a four-goal outburst in the second period that led Pittsburgh to a 5-3 victory at Ottawa. . . . Bob Probert’s two goals led Chicago to a 5-2 victory over visiting Toronto. . . . Joe Sakic’s 51st goal of the season and backup goalie Stephane Fiset’s 44 saves led Colorado to a 3-2 victory at St. Louis.