Lightning’s Tabaracci Blanks Panthers

The Tampa Bay Lightning defense gave the Florida Panthers very little. Goalie Rick Tabaracci gave them even less.

Tabaracci stopped 24 shots in recording his fourth shutout this season and 12th of his NHL career and the Lightning beat the Panthers, 2-0, Saturday at Tampa, Fla.

“It’s a confidence-builder for the team when Tabby plays like that,” Tampa Bay center Chris Gratton said. “It allows us up front to make plays.”

The Lighting are 6-0-1 during their current streak at home. The Panthers lost for the first time in three games.

Gratton scored his fourth goal in six games in the first period. Dino Ciccarelli secured the triumph with his team-leading 26th goal with 1 minute and 29 seconds to play in regulation.

Colorado 2, Chicago 1--Adam Deadmarsh scored on a penalty shot to get the Avalanche started and goalie Craig Billington made 29 saves to finish off the Blackhawks at Denver.

The Avalanche, which ended a season-high two-game losing streak, also got a third-period goal from Claude Lemieux at 13:44.

Deadmarsh flicked a backhanded shot over the right pad of Jeff Hackett on the first penalty-shot attempt of his career. Chris Chelios set up the shot at 10:44 of the third period when he tripped up Deadmarsh with the Blackhawks on the power play.

Detroit 3, New York Rangers 0--Goalie Chris Osgood stopped 21 shots to register his sixth shutout of the season and his 14th of his career and the Red Wings extended the Rangers’ winless streak to eight at Detroit.

Darren McCarty and Brendan Shanahan each had a goal and an assist while Tomas Sandstrom added an empty-net goal for the Red Wings, who are 5-0-2 in their last seven games.

Boston 5, Philadelphia 5--Defensemen Bob Beers and Ray Bourque scored 60-foot goals from the blue line in the final 1:17 to give the Bruins a tie at Boston.

Trent Klatt had his first NHL hat trick for the Flyers, who squandered a 3-0 first-period lead and a 5-3 lead in the third.

Beers scored his second goal of the season at 18:43 of the last period. With Bruins goalie Bill Ranford watching from the bench, Bourque scored his 14th goal between the pads of Flyer goaltender Ron Hextall.

New Jersey 6, Pittsburgh 3--At East Rutherford, N.J., John MacLean scored twice and Doug Gilmour had a goal and an assist to help the New Jersey Devils post their third win in a row.

The Devils winning streak coincides with the arrival of Gilmour and Dave Ellett from Toronto February 25 in the trade that sent Jason Smith, Steve Sullivan and Alyn McCauley to the Maple Leafs. Gilmour has scored a goal in all three games as a Devil.

Calgary 4, Dallas 1--Rookie Jarome Iginla scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season to lead the Flames at Calgary.

Iginla leads all NHL rookies in scoring with 47 points, and is second in goals scored, two behind St. Louis’ Jim Campbell.

Toronto 3 San Jose 2--Tie Domi’s goal at 14:42 of the third period gave the Maple Leafs a win at Toronto.

With the Maple Leafs pressing in San Jose’s end, Kirk Muller flicked a wrist shot at goalie Kelly Hrudey, who made the save only to have Domi knock in the rebound for his eighth goal of the season.

Buffalo 3, Ottawa 1--Donald Audette had two goals for Buffalo, and Mike Peca had the other as Ottawa goalie Ron Tugnutt gave up three goals on 16 shots at Kanata, Ontario.

Montreal 5, Edmonton 4--Scott Thornton’s second goal of the night, 16:48 left to play, have the Canadiens a victory at Edmonton.