Bondra Helps Capitals Win on Long Island, as Usual

The Washington Capitals have found a home away from home in Uniondale, N.Y.

Peter Bondra scored the tying and winning goals in the final period as the Capitals defeated the Islanders, 4-3, on Saturday night. It was the Capitals’ sixth consecutive victory on Long Island since a 2-0 loss on Dec. 7, 1996. It was also the 200th coaching victory for Ron Wilson.

“I honestly didn’t even realize it until there were about five seconds left in the game,” said the former Duck coach, who improved his career record to 200-209-53.

Wilson was most happy that the team is back at .500 (9-9-4) with the win.

“Getting back to .500 is a psychological hurdle,” Wilson said. “When you’re below it, it’s hard to get to, and surprisingly when you’re above, it sort of keeps you from dropping below.”

Trailing 3-2, Bondra sent a bullet over Felix Potvin’s right shoulder to tie the game with one second left on a power play at 4:28. At 13:59, defenseman Sergei Gonchar sent a blind, spinaround pass from the right point to the net. Bondra, alone at the left crease, took the pass and converted a wrist shot.

Colorado 7, Calgary 1--Peter Forsberg scored twice and added three assists in his first game of the season as the Avalanche ended a three-game home losing streak with a victory over the Flames at Denver.

Forsberg, sidelined since undergoing shoulder surgery on June 29, scored on his first shift as he poked the puck between the skates of Flames goalie Fred Brathwaite 1:26 into the game.

Milan Hejduk had a goal and two assists and Shjon Podein and Chris Drury each added a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who lost 7-0 the night before in Phoenix.

St. Louis 8, Chicago 3--Scott Young scored two goals, his first since Oct. 27, and added an assist to lead the Blues to a victory over the Blackhawks at St. Louis.

With the victory, St. Louis moved into a tie with Detroit for first place in the Central Division. The Blues, whose eight goals were a season high, also extended their home unbeaten streak to five.

Florida 3, Atlanta 0--Trevor Kidd made 24 saves and the Panthers scored twice in the first five minutes in a shutout victory over the Thrashers at Sunrise, Fla.

It was Kidd’s first shutout since Jan. 31, 1999, against Boston and the 16th of his career. Pavel Bure scored his 10th goal of the season with 2:02 left in the second period.

Montreal 2, Vancouver 1--Sergei Zholtok scored with less than eight minutes remaining at Montreal, giving the Canadiens their fourth consecutive victory.

Zholtok, who also assisted on Karl Dykhuis’ first-period goal, took a pass from Dainius Zubrus and put a backhander past goaltender Garth Snow at 12:20 to break a 1-1 tie with his sixth goal.

Toronto 5, Edmonton 2--Mats Sundin scored twice, including his 400th point as a Maple Leaf, as the Maple Leafs defeated the Oilers at Toronto, moving into first place in the Eastern Conference ahead of idle Philadelphia. Steve Thomas ended a 13-game goal drought with his second of the season and added two assists, while Jonas Hoglund also had a goal and two assists for Toronto.

Carolina 5, Pittsburgh 3--Sami Kapanen scored two goals six minutes apart in the second period as the Hurricanes twice rallied from a deficit to defeat the Penguins at Raleigh, N.C. Carolina scored a season-high five goals to improve to 4-1-3 in its last eight games. It was the Penguins’ fifth consecutive loss on the road. Pittsburgh’s last victory away from the Civic Arena was on Oct. 14.

Around the League

Chicago goaltender Jocelyn Thibault will be sidelined two to four weeks after suffering a broken finger on his left hand in Saturday’s loss to the St. Louis Blues. Thibault entered the game with a 2-9-3 record, one shutout and a 3.19 goals-against average for the last-place Blackhawks. . . . Philadelphia defenseman Dan McGillis will be out for at least two weeks after breaking his right foot while blocking a shot in a game Nov. 22. The team will call up defenseman Andy Delmore from its AHL affiliate. . . . Atlanta right wing Nelson Emerson suffered a concussion after colliding with Florida’s Jaroslav Spacek during the Thrashers’ game against the Panthers on Saturday night. Emerson, who was removed from the ice on a stretcher, was diagnosed with a Grade II concussion.