Puck Bounces Bruins’ Way in 4-3 Victory

Jason Allison scored off a loose puck with 4:22 remaining as the Boston Bruins extended their unbeaten streak to four games with a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals Saturday at Boston.

The win moved the Bruins into a tie with Florida for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot.

With the score tied 3-3, the puck bounced right for Boston. Winger Steve Heinze came streaking down the left wing, cut in front and lost control of the puck in the slot. Allison got it and fired a wrist shot past Olaf Kolzig.

Washington outshot Boston, 36-19, and outplayed the Bruins for most of the game, but allowed three power-play goals.

“The puck had eyes for them,” Capital Coach Ron Wilson said. “I thought we played a great game.”

New York Islanders 3, Detroit 1--Tommy Salo stopped 35 shots to lead the Islanders over the suddenly struggling Red Wings at Uniondale, N.Y.

Salo made several key saves, and got lucky when Detroit’s Kris Draper seemingly tied the game with 7:12 left. The goal was disallowed when a video review showed that Draper’s skate was in the crease before the puck arrived.

The Red Wings are 0-2-2 after a six-game winning streak.

Toronto 4, Florida 1--Pavel Bure was held without a goal for only the third time this season as the Maple Leafs beat the Panthers at Toronto.

“Efforts like that is why teams don’t make the playoffs,” Florida Coach Terry Murray said.

Bure had only one shot in the first two periods and missed on two good chances against goalie Curtis Joseph during a third-period power play.

Montreal 4, Ottawa 1--The playoff-hopeful Canadiens couldn’t afford another loss, and played like it, as Jeff Hackett made 25 saves at Montreal. The Canadiens had lost their two previous games.

Colorado 3, Nashville 1--Eric Messier and Peter Forsberg scored power-play goals and Patrick Roy had 21 saves as the Avalanche ended a seven-game winless streak by beating the Predators at Denver.

Roy, who had missed the previous two games with a sprained groin muscle, boosted his career regular-season victory total to 402, tops among active goaltenders.

Carolina 2, Edmonton 2--Center Ron Francis scored with 24 seconds left in regulation to give the Hurricanes a tie at Edmonton.

Around the League

Carolina recalled center Byron Ritchie and right wing Shane Willis from New Haven of the American Hockey League. Willis leads New Haven in scoring with 23 goals and 35 assists.