Devils Have a Hot Line and a Nine-Game Streak

The New Jersey Devils are rolling, and that’s with the line of Jason Arnott, Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora supposedly still working out the kinks.

Elias had a career-high three goals and Arnott and Sykora each scored one Tuesday night as the Stanley Cup champions extended their unbeaten streak to nine games with a 6-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche at East Rutherford, N.J.

Since Arnott ended a holdout Nov. 19 and rejoined Sykora and Elias, the line has combined for 12 goals in seven games. They had 10 points against the Avalanche, which had a five-game winning streak ended.

“We’re getting that feeling back like we had last year, that coming into a game we can win games for this team or score some goals,” Elias said.

Arnott, who ended his holdout along with defenseman Scott Niedermayer, thinks the line can play better.

“It’s a fun line to play on,” Arnott said. “When those two are going, we can create a lot and work off each other. And there is no question we can get better if we stay focused and keep listening to Larry [Robinson, the Devil coach].”

The Devils are 7-0-2 after a six-game losing streak and seven-game winless run.

Buffalo 3, Montreal 2--Rookie Denis Hamel had a goal and an assist and Martin Biron stopped 30 shots for the Sabres at Montreal.

Pittsburgh 4, Ottawa 2--Defenseman Jiri Slegr scored two goals and Alexei Kovalev had a goal and an assist to lead the Penguins at Kanata, Canada.

Around the League

Paul Coffey, playing far below the level that made him one of the top defensemen in NHL history, was waived by the Boston Bruins and will know by Thursday whether any other team wants him. If no one claims him by noon Thursday, the Bruins could send him to their American Hockey League team in Providence or buy out the remainder of the two-year, $4-million contract he signed last summer. . . . Marty McSorley might play hockey in Europe before his NHL suspension is over. Rene Fasel, president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, said there may be no legal grounds to bar the defenseman from playing in Europe. McSorley’s one-year NHL suspension for hitting Donald Brashear of the Vancouver Canucks in the head with his stick ends Feb. 20.