Penguins Have All Answers

Playing without one of the best players in the world and their future in Pittsbugh in question, now seems like the perfect time to face the Penguins in the playoffs.

Tell that to New Jersey. With Jaromir Jagr missing his second consecutive game with a groin injury, the Penguins scored twice in the opening 40 seconds of the third period and Martin Straka scored his first playoff hat trick as the Penguins won, 4-2, Sunday and grabbed a 2-1 lead over the Devils in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

“It’s not about who is playing, it’s about how hard you’re playing,” said Kovalev, who is centering the top line in Jagr’s absence. “When Jaromir Jagr is in the lineup, we’re a better team. But that doesn’t mean we can’t win [without him].”

Off the ice, Mario Lemieux is scheduled to meet Wednesday with Wes Westley Jr., president of Philadelphia-based SMG Inc., the landlord of the Civic Arena, the Penguins’ home arena. A new lease with SMG Inc. is key to saving the Penguins, according to Lemieux. The current one keeps the Penguins in the arena until 2007.

Phoenix 5, St. Louis 4--The Coyotes scored three goals in the first 8:31 and four times in their first 10 shots against 36-year-old Grant Fuhr as they took a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series with a victory at St. Louis.

Buffalo 3, Ottawa 0--Brian Holzinger scored twice and Dominik Hasek made 15 of his 31 stops in the third period as the Sabres defeated the Senators at Buffalo to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Dallas 3, Edmonton 2--Joe Nieuwendyk capped a three-goal rally at 12:32 of the third period, giving the Stars a victory at Edmonton and a 3-0 series lead.

The Oilers built a 2-0 lead on goals by Ryan Smyth in the first and third periods. But the Stars pulled it out with third-period goals by Mike Keane at 6:15, Mike Modano at 10:20 and Nieuwendyk.