Detroit’s Yzerman Celebrates With a Win

To Steve Yzerman’s way of thinking, celebrating a new four-year contract wasn’t as important as helping the Detroit Red Wings get back on track.

But he ended up doing both in the best way he knows how Friday night, contributing a goal and three assists to the Red Wings’ 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at Detroit.

The victory gave the Red Wings a 10-0 regular-season home record against the Sharks. More importantly, however, was how it answered Wednesday’s disappointing 4-1 home loss to Colorado.

“I felt we played quicker and at a higher tempo than against Colorado,” said Yzerman, who signed a new contract Thursday.

Yzerman set up Detroit goals in each period before scoring one himself in the third.

Florida 3, New York Islanders 3--Ray Sheppard and Stu Barnes scored goals within 10 seconds of each other in the second period, setting a franchise record and helping the Panthers rally to tie the Islanders at Miami.

Trailing, 2-0, and then 3-1, Sheppard smacked a rebound of Martin Straka’s slap shot into an unguarded net to make it 3-2 at 18:13 of the second period.

Just 10 seconds later Barnes picked up a loose puck in front of the blue line and seemingly just slapped it on net. The puck careened off of Kenny Jonsson’s stick and past a stunned Tommy Salo for Barnes’ second goal.

Ottawa 4, Chicago 3--Andreas Dackell’s fourth goal of the season, with 2:25 remaining, gave the Senators the victory at Ottawa.

Dackell beat Jeff Hackett with assists going to Denny Lambert and Bruce Gardiner.

Alexei Zhamnov and Ethan Moreau had three-point performances in the losing cause. They combined on all the Chicago goals, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Blackhawks from losing for only the second time this season on the road.

Washington 3, Montreal 1--Jim Carey stopped 30 shots as the Capitals finally reached the .500 mark while extending the Canadiens’ misery on the road.

Peter Bondra, Kelly Miller and Sergei Gonchar scored for the Capitals, whose eighth victory in 12 games improved their record to 9-9--the first time they’ve been at .500 this season.

Brian Savage got his ninth goal for the Canadiens, who are 1-8-1 on the road. Montreal is 4-10-1 since opening the season with two victories and a pair of ties.