It’s a Surprise Win for Stars

Jamie Langenbrunner didn’t expect his overtime shot to be the game-winner.

When it settled behind New York Ranger goalie Kirk McLean, Langenbrunner was the most surprised man in Reunion Arena. The goal, coming with 1:43 left in overtime Wednesday night, lifted the Dallas Stars to a 4-3 victory.

Langenbrunner got the puck along the left boards, faked a slap shot, and moved to the top of the left circle, where he fired the puck at the net. Kirk Muller screened McLean and Langenbrunner had his seventh goal.

“I had no idea it even went in,” Langenbrunner said. “I was just throwing it at the net to see what happens, trying to get a tip for Mully [Muller]. It was a lucky goal, but the puck hasn’t been bouncing for me lately so I’ll take it.”

It was the Rangers’ third straight overtime game. They got ties against New Jersey and Phoenix. New York has had to play overtime in five of seven games and seven of 11. The Rangers are 0-3-2 in their last five games.

New Jersey 5, Boston 4--Patrik Elias took advantage of a collision between two Bruin defensemen and scored his second goal of the game 19 seconds into overtime to give the Devils the victory at East Rutherford, N.J.

Bobby Holik, Scott Gomez and Petr Sykora scored as New Jersey won its fifth consecutive game at home despite blowing three leads. Boston is winless in five games (0-4-1). The Bruins have only two victories in their last 14 games (2-8-4).

Washington 3, Pittsburgh 2--Adam Oates knocked in a rebound with 27.4 seconds left in overtime at Washington to help the Capitals snap a four-game winless streak.

Pittsburgh goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin frustrated the Capitals repeatedly with big saves in the third period and overtime. He made 17 of his 30 saves in the third period and overtime as the Capitals dominated play.

But Oates was persistent. Aubin stopped Steve Konowalchuk’s shot from the left wing but Oates poked at the loose puck several times and finally flipped a backhander over the prone goalie.

Ottawa 3, Montreal 2--Igor Kravchuk, Mike Fisher and Shaun Van Allen scored in the second period for the Senators, who have lost only once in nine games (4-1-4).

The teams played to a 4-4 tie in Ottawa on Monday night when the Canadiens erased a two-goal lead in the third period. There was no repeat performance in the return match at Montreal between the Northeast Division rivals.

Toronto 2, New York Islanders 1--Curtis Joseph stopped 20 shots at Uniondale, N.Y., to help the Maple Leafs extend their winning streak to six games.

Sergei Berezin scored 1:38 into the game and Jonas Hoglund added an empty-netter with 1:04 left to clinch the victory for Toronto, which leads the Eastern Conference with 52 points.

Philadelphia 3, Vancouver 2--Adam Burt scored with 2:26 left in overtime as the Flyers improved their unbeaten streak at Vancouver to 11 games (7-0-4) dating to Jan. 17, 1989.