Lemieux’s Effort Worth a Day Off

Mario Lemieux’s day of rest didn’t come in time for the New York Rangers.

Lemieux scored the first of three goals within 1:02 of the second period, and added another goal and two assists as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Rangers, 7-5, Friday night at New York.

The 35-year-old owner of the Penguins has 24 goals and 23 assists in 28 games since ending his 3 1/2-year retirement. Lemieux, however, will not play today at Washington to give his sore back a rest. It will be the first game Lemieux missed since returning Dec. 27.

“It felt much better tonight,” Lemieux said after the Penguins’ sixth win in a row over the Rangers. “I started a new stretching program the last couple of days and it seems to be working pretty well.

“Tonight’s game was probably the best skating-wise in the last three or four weeks.”

Jaromir Jagr scored twice and had two assists for Pittsburgh, which scored at least six goals in three of its four victories this season over New York.

New Jersey 7, Carolina 3--Petr Sykora and Jason Arnott returned to the lineup and combined with linemate Patrik Elias for five goals and 11 points as the Devils routed the Hurricanes at East Rutherford, N.J.

Sykora and Elias had two goals apiece while Arnott, Alexander Mogilny and Pierre Dagenais also scored in the Devils’ biggest offensive output since a 7-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 18.

Goaltender Martin Brodeur also took part, assisting on Arnott’s goal. Brodeur made 26 saves and has 30 victories for the sixth consecutive season.

Edmonton 3, Minnesota 1--Rem Murray had two goals and Ryan Smyth scored the game-winner midway through the third period at Edmonton as the Oilers won their fifth in a row for the first time since the 1997-98 season.

Detroit 2, Phoenix 2--Joe Juneau scored with 1:44 to play in regulation to help the Coyotes salvage a tie with the Red Wings at Phoenix.

Vancouver 3, St. Louis 2--Mattias Ohlund scored with 1:20 to play in overtime at Vancouver as the Canucks ended a four-year home losing streak against the Blues.

Atlanta 4, Florida 3--Donald Audette and Tomi Kallio scored within a 1:52 span of the third period as the Thrashers broke a six-game winless streak with the victory at Sunrise, Fla.

Around the League

Tampa Bay put forward Stan Drulia on injured reserve and recalled forward Gordie Dwyer from the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League. . . . Columbus sent rookie center Chris Nielsen back to Syracuse of the American Hockey League, two days after they recalled him.

Carolina sent defenseman Niclas Wallin to Cincinnati of the IHL.