Goal Helps Soothe Battered Barnaby

Matthew Barnaby, bumped and battered all game, said he felt like a tired old “speed bag”--until he scored.

Moments after complaining to a referee about a non-call, Barnaby scored with 21.1 seconds remaining, giving the Rangers a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday afternoon at New York.

Barnaby, known as an instigator, has scored in two consecutive games and has four goals this season.

“It was a rough game, a lot of things went on,” Barnaby said, “but it’s always fun to have the final word.”

With Barnaby stopping to talk to the official about a hook from behind by Ian Moran--his former teammate at Pittsburgh--Johan Hedberg came too far out of the net to clear a puck.

New York’s Petr Nedved raced in to take advantage and found Barnaby, who was closing in on the far post.

“Any goalie can make a mistake, just like the rest of us,” Barnaby said. “When I saw him come out of goal, my eyes lit up. When I saw Petr pick it off, my eyes lit up even more.”

A tired Barnaby, who split his lip and gums earlier in the game after a booming hit by Darius Kasparaitis, was headed to the bench but decided to hang around when Nedved got possession.

“No way I was coming off then,” Barnaby said.

It was the second consecutive late defeat for the Penguins, who gave up a goal to New Jersey with 8.6 seconds remaining in overtime Saturday.

The Rangers ended a nine-game winless streak against Pittsburgh (0-8-1) dating to February 2000.

Nedved, Radek Dvorak and Brian Leetch had the other goals for New York.

Lang, Andrew Ference and Jan Hrdina scored for Pittsburgh.

Minnesota 4, New York Islanders 3--Sergei Zholtok scored twice in the third period at St. Paul, Minn., as the goal-starved Wild ended a losing streak at five

Minnesota, which last won on Jan. 18 at Columbus, had scored only 10 goals in a nine-game winless streak. Sunday was the first time in 15 games the Wild scored four goals or more.

Kip Miller had a goal and an assist for the Islanders.

New Jersey 4, Buffalo 1--Jason Arnott had his first three-goal game since 1996 and Martin Brodeur made 21 saves for the Devils at East Rutherford, N.J.

Arnott had three goals in his previous 14 games. It was his third career hat trick.

Buffalo had a streak overtime games end at four and an unbeaten streak stopped at five.

Edmonton 4, Phoenix 3--Janne Niinimaa and Mike Comrie scored late in the third period to help the Oilers end a road winless streak at 11.

Comrie tied the score, 3-3, with 4:15 to play. Niinimaa followed with a goal from the point 39 seconds later.

Phoenix’s Daniel Briere had an assist, extending his point streak to seven games, the longest in the league.

San Jose 4, Carolina 0--Evgeni Nabokov became the Sharks’ career leader in victories with 57 after stopping 24 shots at San Jose.

It was Nabokov’s seventh shutout this season--his second in three games and the 14th of his career.

Patrick Marleau scored twice for the Pacific Division-leading Sharks, who extended their winning streak to four games.

Tom Barrasso had 23 saves for the Hurricanes.