Blues Get All the Bounces

Less than a half-minute after giving up what should have been a backbreaking, game-tying goal, the St. Louis Blues received a huge break.

Pavol Demitra fired a puck from inside the blue line that bounced on the ice just before reaching Philadelphia goaltender Garth Snow. The puck skipped over Snow’s pad and hopped into the net with 2:38 remaining in the third period to lift the Blues to a 3-2 victory over the Flyers at Philadelphia.

Scott Pellerin’s goal at 3:19 of the third gave St. Louis a 2-1 lead. But, with 3:01 remaining, Philadelphia’s John LeClair tied the score with his 10th goal. Eric Lindros, who entered the game as the league’s leading scorer, picked up an assist on the goal.

Detroit 4, San Jose 3--Larry Murphy scored the tie-breaking goal 45 seconds into the third period and the Red Wings ruined goalie Mike Vernon’s return to Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena.

Vernon was playing in Detroit for the first time since he earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff most valuable player while leading the Red Wings to their first Stanley Cup championship in 42 years. He was traded to San Jose in August for two draft picks.

Murphy scored off a rebound during a goal mouth scramble, giving the Red Wings their fourth straight win.

Edmonton 3, Phoenix 2--Greg de Vries and Doug Weight scored 32 seconds apart in the third period to break a tie and pace the Oilers at Edmonton.

The goals by de Vries and Weight gave the Oilers a 3-1 lead. Phoenix, with six attackers on the ice, got within one with 1:53 left as Teppo Numminen’s shot beat a screened Curtis Joseph.

Chicago 3, Vancouver 0--Tony Amonte and Ethan Moreau scored rare power-play goals for the Blackhawks, who also got 19 saves from Chris Terreri at Chicago.

Before Amonte broke a scoreless game at 14:59 of the second period, the Blackhawks were three for 73 on the power play--an NHL-low 4.1%.

New York Islanders 5, Montreal 2--Bryan Berard scored one of New York’s three second-period goals and added two assists at Montreal.

The Islanders ended a seven-game winless streak against the Canadiens with their first win over Montreal since Oct. 20, 1995.

Dallas 4, Washington 3--Benoit Hogue scored his first goal of the season with 17:22 left at Landover, Md. as the Stars extended their winning streak to four games.

Ottawa 5, Tampa Bay 2--Shawn McEachern had two goals and Ron Tugnutt stopped 23 shots at Tampa.