Eastwood’s Hat Trick Chases the Coyotes

Mike Eastwood scored twice during a five-goal first period en route to his first career hat trick as the St. Louis Blues stopped the Phoenix Coyotes, 6-0, Tuesday night.

Roman Turek, rarely threatened until the closing minutes, made 17 saves for his third shutout of the season and fifth of his career. His 16 victories are second only to the 17 of New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur and Toronto’s Curtis Joseph.

Pavel Demitra, Tyson Nash and Lubos Bartecko also scored and Michal Handzus added three assists for the Blues, who are unbeaten in their last five games (4-0-1) and are 8-2-1 in their last 11 contests.

The Coyotes lost for the fifth time in six games.

Nashville 3, Boston 1--Sergei Krivokrasov scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period as the Predators won at Boston.

The victory broke a seven-game winless streak for Nashville, which beat Boston for the first time in four career meetings.

Mike Dunham, who made his fifth consecutive start, made 37 saves.

Toronto 4, Tampa Bay 2--Cory Cross scored the go-ahead goal with just over seven minutes left at Tampa, Fla.

In his first game against his former team, Cross broke a 2-2 tie when his slap shot from the left point deflected off Tampa Bay goalie Dan Cloutier’s glove with 7:16 left in the game.

Garry Valk added an insurance goal with three minutes left as Toronto won its fourth straight. The Maple Leafs have also won eight in a row against the Lightning, who have dropped three consecutive games.

Edmonton 6, Washington 2--Bill Guerin scored twice to lead the Oilers to victory at Edmonton, Canada.

Tom Poti, Jim Dowd, Ryan Smyth and Todd Marchant also scored for the Oilers, who had three power-play goals.

Dallas 0, Calgary 0--The Flames’ Fred Brathwaite made 32 saves and the Stars’ Ed Belfour stopped 31 shots at Calgary, Canada.

Brathwaite got his third career shutout, including his second against the Stars. Calgary extended its home unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1). The Flames have lost only two of their last 10 (5-2-3).

The shutout was the 47th of Belfour’s career as Dallas moved to 8-2-2 in its last 12.

Buffalo 3, N.Y. Rangers 1--Curtis Brown had a goal and an assist at New York as the Sabres stretched their unbeaten streak against the Rangers to 12 games.

The Sabres have not lost to the Rangers since Dec. 13, 1996. Buffalo is 8-0-4 in that span.

The loss marked the first time in eight games that the Rangers have not earned a point in the standings (5-1-1-1).

Pittsburgh 4, N.Y. Islanders 0--Peter Skudra made 21 saves in his fourth career shutout in the Penguins’ victory at Uniondale, N.Y.

German Titov had a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who ended a two-game losing streak.

Around the League

Calgary Flame goalie Grant Fuhr will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery today to determine the seriousness of an injury to his right knee, the team said. Fuhr, 37, has undergone surgery twice on his knee since the 1996 playoffs, including last March while with the St. Louis Blues. . . . In an interview published by the Czech newspaper Sport, Buffalo Sabre goalie Dominik Hasek said that while he has not decided definitely to postpone his retirement, he is thinking about it, saying, “I would mind very much to quit after a poor season.” Hasek has been sidelined because of a groin injury since late October and is not expected back before January. Hasek was on his way back to Buffalo, N.Y., from Prague, and Buffalo Coach Lindy Ruff said Hasek had not mentioned his apparent change of heart. . . . Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Pavel Torgaev was suspended without pay by the team for refusing assignment to the minor leagues.