Penguins Finally Put End to Devils’ 13-Game Streak

The New Jersey Devils’ run at the NHL record for consecutive victories was ended by the team that owns the mark--the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Martin Straka scored twice and Aleksey Morozov scored the go-ahead goal for the Penguins on Sunday, ending New Jersey’s franchise-record 13-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory at East Rutherford, N.J.

The 13-game run tied the third-longest in NHL history, and was four games shy of the league record set by the Penguins in 1993.

“It was nice while it was going on,” goaltender Martin Brodeur said. “I don’t think we put any extra pressure on ourselves. It was nice coming to the rink, knowing we could make history every day.”

Robert Lang added an empty-net goal with four seconds to play, and goaltender Johan Hedberg stopped 25 shots for the Devils.

Mario Lemieux said the Penguins were more concerned with ending their own three-game winless streak and solidifying their playoff position than with preserving their piece of history.

New York Islanders 2, Phoenix 2--Dave Scatchard scored the tying goal just before the second period ended for the Islanders at Phoenix. The point allowed the Coyotes to strengthen their hold on eighth place in the Western Conference, moving two points ahead of the idle Kings.

Dallas 1, St. Louis 1--Ed Belfour made 28 saves and the Stars withstood a seven-minute power play in the third period to preserve a tie at Dallas.

Keith Tkachuk scored the tying goal for the Blues. Joe Nieuwendyk returned to the lineup after sitting out 11 games because of a partially torn groin and scored for Dallas.

Vancouver 2, Minnesota 2--The Canucks squandered a two-goal lead and the Wild, winless in their last eight games, scored late in the second period and early in the third at St. Paul, Minn.

Calgary 3, Chicago 1--Jarome Iginla scored his 30th goal of the season and assisted on Dave Lowry’s go-ahead score to lead the Flames at Chicago.

Boston 3, New York Rangers 2--Bill Guerin and P.J. Axelsson scored 57 seconds apart in the third period to lead the Bruins at New York. The Bruins are two points behind eighth-place Carolina in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Around the League

Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres and Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins will lead the Czech Republic when it defends its gold medal at the 2002 Olympics. Six other NHL players selected include, Petr Svoboda (Tampa Bay), Martin Straka (Pittsburgh), Martin Rucinsky (Montreal), Milan Hejduk (Colorado), Patrik Elias (New Jersey) and Petr Sykora (New Jersey). Radek Bonk (Ottawa), who is the team’s first substitute, broke his left thumb during Saturday’s game against Nashville and will be sidelined three to six weeks. . . . Dallas sent goalie Chad Alban to Utah of the International Hockey League.