Blackhawks Can’t Change Losing Ways

Bob Pulford returned as coach after 12 years away from the bench, but not much changed for the Chicago Blackhawks. They lost again. And the man whose title Pulford took away--Lorne Molleken--made most of the calls.

“It still feels like it’s Lorne’s team and we feel like we’re still playing for Lorne,” Blackhawk star Tony Amonte said after Friday night’s 7-4 loss at Chicago to the Detroit Red Wings, who got a pair of goals from Brendan Shanahan.

“Lorne’s still captain on the bench and controlling things,” Amonte said.

“He’s making all the calls and line changes, power plays and penalty kills and things like that. Maybe Pully doesn’t want to step in right away and do too much. He wants to feel things out and where we’re at before making some moves.”

Pulford, who was the Hawks’ general manager for almost 20 years until 1997, returned to that job Thursday when Bob Murray was fired. Pulford was also given the title of head coach with Molleken demoted to associate coach in a major shake-up for the floundering team that has only five victories in 25 games.

The 63-year-old Pulford, who had been a senior vice president the last two years, was making his first appearance behind the Blackhawks’ bench since 1987.

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New Jersey 7, Ottawa 4--Randy McKay and Petr Sykora each scored two goals to help the Devils extend their unbeaten streak at home to an NHL-best 12 games with a victory over the Senators.

The Devils have not lost at Continental Airlines Arena since their home opener, a 7-5 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 7. They have gone 10-0-2 at home since.

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Atlanta 2, Florida 1--Norm Maracle, playing for the first time in nearly seven weeks, stopped 25 shots and Yannick Tremblay scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period, giving the Thrashers a victory at Atlanta.

The expansion Thrashers ended a three-game losing streak with their third victory in 12 games. Florida, leading the Southeastern Division, lost for the third time in 10 games.

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New York Rangers 3, Montreal 2--Mike Knuble scored the go-ahead goal early in the second period as the Rangers defeated the Canadiens for their first home victory in nearly six weeks.

One day after General Manager Neil Smith held a players-only meeting designed to spark the struggling team, the Rangers won at Madison Square Garden for only the fourth time and first since Oct. 17.