Penguins’ Streak Comes to an End Against Islanders

Two streaks ended Wednesday night when the New York Islanders defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-1, at Uniondale, N.Y.

Robert Reichel scored his 200th NHL goal as the Islanders halted a five-game winless streak while ending the Penguins’ 10-game winning streak.

“It was easy to get up for a game like this, knowing Pittsburgh won 10 in a row,” Islander captain Trevor Linden said. “We just rose to the occasion with a hard challenge in front of us.”

The 10 consecutive victories represented the second-longest streak in the league this season--the Colorado Avalanche won 12 in a row--and also stood as the team’s second-best winning streak behind an NHL-high 17-game roll in 1993.

Reichel scored at 12:24 of the second period, following Zigmund Palffy’s backhand attempt by flipping his own backhander into the top of the net for his 17th goal of the season.

“Two hundred is nice,” Reichel said. “I’m very glad I got it tonight and got it over with.”

Toronto 3, Buffalo 2--Mats Sundin scored the third overtime goal of his career at Buffalo, N.Y.

Chicago 4, Vancouver 0--Jocelyn Thibault stopped 29 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and Chad Kilger scored twice at Chicago.

Dallas 2, Florida 1--Jamie Langenbrunner broke up a scoreless game in the third period and Joe Nieuwendyk later added a power-play goal at Dallas.

Montreal 6, N.Y. Rangers 3--The Canadiens scored three times in the first period, including goals 18 seconds apart by Martin Rucinsky and Jonas Hoglund, at New York.

Detroit 3, San Jose 1--Brendan Shanahan scored the go-ahead goal and goaltender Chris Osgood stopped 30 shots for the Red Wings at Detroit.

New Jersey 7, Tampa Bay 1--Denis Pederson and Jason Arnott scored 51 seconds apart in a first-period blitz at East Rutherford, N.J., as the Devils extended the Lightning’s winless streak to 10 games.

Around the League

The NHL is pushing back its end-of-February deadline to decide whether to participate in the 2002 Winter Olympics because it can’t get responses to its demands for returning to the Games. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in December that the league’s participation in Salt Lake City hinged on getting NBC to broadcast Olympics hockey games during prime time and moving some contests to a larger arena. . . . For the second time in three seasons, Eric Lindros has a chance to tie the Philadelphia Flyers’ record for points in consecutive games. Lindros’ streak reached 17 games in the Flyers’ 4-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday night, leaving him one short of Bob Clarke’s team mark set in 1975. Lindros can put his name in the record book tonight when the Montreal Canadiens visit Philadelphia. . . . Coyote defenseman J.J. Daigneault, acquired last month from the Nashville Predators, will be sidelined seven to 10 days because of a right shoulder strain. . . . The Vancouver Canucks acquired Toronto Maple Leaf center Darby Hendrickson in a trade for defenseman Chris McAllister.