Senators Continue Bid for Playoff Spot

The Ottawa Senators, bidding to make the playoffs, turned in a solid performance in a 4-2 victory over the Hartford Whalers on Sunday at Kanata, Canada.

“We’re playing very determined hockey,” said Randy Cunneyworth, who scored one of the Senators’ two third-period goals.

Alexei Yashin scored the other as the Senators moved to within a point of the Whalers and within two of the Washington Capitals, who are eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia 6, Pittsburgh 2--The Flyers, by winning at Pittsburgh for the first time since Jan. 21, 1990, completed a two-game sweep in a home-and-home series on back-to-back nights.

The Flyers, who defeated the Penguins, 5-1, Saturday night in Philadelphia, were 0-10-4 in Pittsburgh before winning Sunday night.

The Flyers won both games without Eric Lindors, who tried to skate before Saturday’s game, but didn’t play because of back pain.

Sunday night, the Flyers scored six consecutive goals after the Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr scored his NHL-leading 45th goal and Chris Tamer added a short-handed goal. The Penguins have now lost four in a row and seven of 11 games.

The loss was the third in a row for Penguin rookie goaltender Patrick Lalime, who started his NHL career with a 16-game winning streak. Lalime, 18-5-2, has given up 16 goals during his losing streak.

Detroit 4, Florida 2--The Panthers were missing five regulars and playing for the second night in a row, and it showed in this loss at Miami.

The Panthers had to kill off eight penalties.

For the Red Wings, who enjoyed a day off Saturday in Miami, Brendan Shanahan scored his 37th goal--his eighth in four games--and then Darren McCarty, who got an assist on Shanahan’s goal, broke up a 2-2 tie with his power-play goal at 17:00 of the second period.

Buffalo 6, San Jose 2--The Sabres, showing that they are more than a one-man show starring goaltender Dominik Hasek, beat the Sharks at Buffalo.

Jason Dawe and Donald Audette each scored twice, and the Sabres scored five unanswered goals in the first 23 minutes.

Meanwhile, Hasek made 31 saves as the Sabres extended their unbeaten streak to nine games--their longest in seven years--and remained in first place in the Northeast Division.