Lightning Bolts Back Into Picture

The Tampa Bay Lightning jumped back into the Eastern Conference playoff race at the expense of the New York Islanders.

Dino Ciccarelli scored his 32nd goal and added an assist Saturday night as the Lightning defeated the Islanders, 3-2, at Uniondale, N.Y.

Chris Gratton and Shawn Burr added goals and Rick Tabaracci made 16 saves for the Lightning, which moved a point ahead of the Islanders in the crowded race for the final two Eastern Conference playoff spots.

Detroit 4, Toronto 2--Mathieu Dandenault had a goal and an assist to lead the Red Wings at Toronto, ending the Maple Leafs’ five-game unbeaten streak.

Steve Yzerman, Mike Knuble and Vyacheslav Kozlov also scored for Detroit, which will finish third overall in the Western Conference.

Hartford 4, Montreal 1--Sean Burke made 31 saves and Glen Wesley and Kent Manderville scored in a 43-second span of the first period, leading the Whalers past the Canadiens at Montreal.

Former Canadien right wing Chris Murray scored his first goal for Hartford on a second-period breakaway to help the Whalers move into a tie with Ottawa for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Keith Primeau added an empty-net goal with 1:01 left.

Boston 4, Florida 2--Jean Yves-Roy scored two goals as the Bruins broke a seven-game losing streak with a victory over the Panthers at Boston.

Ray Bourque got what proved to be the game-winner on a power play at 4:06 of the second period, his 18th goal.

Pittsburgh 5, Ottawa 2--Slumping Petr Nedved had two goals and Mario Lemieux scored his 49th as the Penguins ended the Senators’ franchise record four-game winning streak at Pittsburgh.

Nedved, who had scored only one goal in his previous 19 games, increased his season total to 29. His first came 4:04 into the game and ended Ron Tugnutt’s shutout streak at two games.

Vancouver 2, Edmonton 2--Martin Gelinas scored his 32nd goal with two seconds left in regulation and the Canucks skated to a tie with the Oilers in Edmonton.

With the point, the Oilers pulled into a fifth-place tie with idle Phoenix in the Western Conference; Vancouver pulled within two points of idle Calgary for ninth place and is four points out of the eighth and final playoff berth.

Gelinas also scored the Canucks’ first goal, on a power play at the 15:11 mark of the opening period.