Capitals Rally to Tie Avalanche

Claude Lemieux had the seventh three-goal game of his career, but Peter Bondra’s goal with 5:04 left in regulation gave the Washington Capitals a 6-6 tie with the Colorado Avalanche at Landover, Md., Tuesday night.

Lemieux had a hand in the first five Colorado goals, scoring the initial three and assisting on the next two. Peter Forsberg and Valeri Kamensky each had a goal and three assists.

Washington had a four-goal second period and had to rally from four one-goal deficits. Bondra finished with two goals and one assist. Adam Oates had two assists and Chris Simon added a goal and an assist.

The Avalanche snapped its lengthy power-play drought, breaking out of an 0-for-28 slump with two man-advantage goals.

New Jersey 2, Calgary 1--Devil goaltender Martin Brodeur had to make only 11 saves in winning his team-record 11th consecutive game. In losing at East Rutherford, N.J., the Flames fell to 0-7-4 on the road.

New Jersey, which took over first place in the Atlantic Division, posted its seventh consecutive victory to equal the club mark set at the start of the 1993-94 season.

The Devils got goals from Denis Pederson and Doug Gilmour during a second period in which they outshot the Flames, 18-2.

New York Rangers 3, Florida 1--Pat LaFontaine had a goal and an assist, and Mike Richter made 30 saves in the Ranger victory at Miami.

LaFontaine’s goal early in the third period--New York’s first shot after a stretch of 12:35--proved decisive. Alexei Kovalev made a fine pass to LaFontaine, who in full stride chipped the puck past Mark Fitzpatrick for his team-leading 11th goal.

The Rangers’ Johan Lindbom scored his first career goal 1:36 into the game.

Notes

Brett Hull and other NHL stars will refuse to play on the U.S. hockey team at the Winter Olympics unless Bill Guerin is added to the squad, a newspaper reported. The Toronto Star quoted Hull as saying Guerin was left off the roster announced two weeks ago by USA Hockey because of a contract dispute with the New Jersey Devils. Devil General Manager Lou Lamoriello is also general manager of the U.S. Olympic team. “We’re ready to pull the plug,” Hull said. “I think it stinks. . . . If Billy doesn’t go, the rest of us aren’t. Just because Bill’s got a dispute with New Jersey, it isn’t right he can’t play for his country.” . . . So much for reports that Jaromir Jagr wants out of Pittsburgh because of Coach Kevin Constantine’s restrictive offense. He plans to sign a new contract so he can finish his career with the Penguins. Jagr, the Penguins’ marquee player now that Mario Lemieux is retired, said he expects to sign the contract--probably for seven years and about $50 million--within a week. Jagr’s comments came a day after the Toronto Sun reported he sat out the Penguins’ last two games not because of a hip injury, but because he was angry over their refusal to open up the offense. “Everybody should know that if I’m healthy, and I don’t even have to be 100% healthy, I just want to play,” Jagr said. “I’ve always wanted to play in Pittsburgh and I want to finish my career here . . . and I want to play another 15 years.” . . . The Carolina Hurricanes, seeking to beef up their ailing defense, acquired former Mighty Duck Sean Hill from Ottawa for right wing Chris Murray.