Nieuwendyk’s Trick Fools Rangers

Joe Nieuwendyk scored three goals as the Dallas Stars sent the New York Rangers to their longest road winless streak in 16 seasons with a 6-1 victory Sunday at Dallas.

Ranger Coach Ron Low shuffled lines in an effort to spark his reeling team, but the changes had little effect as New York fell to 1-8-1 in its last 10 games.

The Rangers have lost five in a row on the road and are winless in nine road games (0-8-1), their worst stretch since the 1984-85 season.

Mike Keane, Blake Sloan and Brenden Morrow added goals and Mike Modano and Brad Lukowich had two assists each for the Stars, who are 4-1 in their last five games.

The Stars were without four regulars, including top scorer Brett Hull, missing his third consecutive game because of a rib-cage injury.

Nieuwendyk scored from the slot at 15:28 to give Dallas a 3-1 lead after one period. His power-play goal at 11:20 of the second period got through Ranger goalie Mike Richter to extend Dallas’ advantage to 4-1.

New Jersey 6, Columbus 3--Petr Sykora scored his 100th career goal and the Devils extended their unbeaten streak to six games by beating the Blue Jackets at Columbus, Ohio.

Alexander Mogilny, Scott Stevens, Sergei Nemchinov, Patrik Elias and Sergei Brylin added goals for the Devils, who are 7-2-1 in their last 10 road games.

Sykora’s fourth goal came on a rebound after a save by Columbus goalie Marc Denis on a breakaway. The power-play goal put New Jersey ahead, 3-1.

Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 2--Curtis Joseph made 22 saves to earn his 15th career victory over the Lightning as the Maple Leafs won at Tampa, Fla.

Joseph, 15-2-2 against Tampa Bay, spoiled the Lightning’s bid for their first four-game unbeaten streak in more than three years.

Bryan McCabe was credited with a power-play goal at 14:31 to give Toronto a 1-0 lead. Former Tampa Bay center Darcy Tucker pushed the lead to 2-0 with three minutes left in the first period.

Toronto extended its lead in the Northeast Division to three points over idle Buffalo and Ottawa.

Carolina 2, Chicago 1--Bates Battaglia broke out of a month-long scoring slump with a goal and an assist to lead the Hurricanes to a victory at Raleigh, N.C.

Chicago saw its five-game unbeaten streak snapped. Battaglia hadn’t scored a goal and had only one assist over a 10-game span in December until getting a goal on the power play in the second period to give the Hurricanes the lead.

Ron Francis set up Battaglia for a one-timer near the net for his 1,586th point, moving him within five of passing Phil Esposito for fifth on the NHL’s career scoring list.

Calgary 5, Montreal 4--Derek Morris scored a power-play goal in overtime and Valeri Bure had two goals and two assists as the Flames beat the Canadiens at Calgary.

After Montreal was penalized for having too many men on the ice 1:19 into overtime, Calgary took only 15 seconds to capitalize on the four-on-three power play. Morris took a pass from Bure and fired a slap shot past Jeff Hackett.

Around the League

Columbus put goalie Ron Tugnutt on the injured reserve list because of a stretched ligament in his right thumb. . . . Dallas left wing Kirk Muller was put on the injured reserve list because of a bruised chest. The Stars also activated right wing Grant Marshall and defenseman Gerald Diduck. . . . Defenseman Adam Burt was put on injured reserve by Atlanta, which also recalled defenseman Brett Clark from Orlando of the International Hockey League.