Roy Holds Off Blues

As far as Colorado Coach Bob Hartley is concerned, the race for the Vezina Trophy is over. Patrick Roy is his choice.

Roy turned aside 33 shots as the Avalanche beat the St. Louis Blues, 3-2, Monday night at St. Louis.

“If he doesn’t win it, I don’t know who will,” Hartley said of the award given each season to the NHL’s top goalie. “The ones who watch Patrick on a regular basis since the start of this season, they know what kind of season he’s having.”

Colorado has won six consecutive road games. It was the first road game for the Avalanche since Feb. 8. St. Louis has not won since the Olympic break (0-5-2).

New York Rangers 2, Montreal 1--Sandy McCarthy scored with 45.5 seconds left to give the Rangers a win at New York. McCarthy, playing on the top line in place of injured center Eric Lindros, lost the puck at the blue line, but Theo Fleury saved it. McCarthy scored on a wraparound.

Columbus 4, Pittsburgh 2--Ray Whitney and Mike Sillinger each scored twice at Pittsburgh. Jean Francois Labbe, starting his first NHL game in two years, stopped 34 shots for the first win of his career.

Carolina 3, Calgary 3--Craig Conroy scored his second goal with 1:19 left in regulation as the Flames salvaged a tie at Raleigh, N.C.

Atlanta forward Ilya Kovalchuk, the leading goal scorer among rookies, will sit out the rest of the season because of a dislocated right shoulder.