Messier Is Rangers’ Point Man

Even at 42, Mark Messier still has a flair for dramatics.

Messier enjoyed being tied with Gordie Howe on the NHL points list for two periods before he passed Mr. Hockey in the closing seconds of the host New York Rangers’ 3-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.

The Ranger captain scored the first and last goals to give him 1,851 points and inspire an on-ice hug with his teammates.

“I always find it hard to celebrate something like that, but what I have to realize is it’s a tremendous honor for all the people I played with and the game of hockey itself,” Messier said.

Messier found an empty net for a short-handed goal with 4.7 seconds left.

“Well, I wasn’t really thinking about that point right there,” Messier said. “Obviously, if the opportunity presented itself, I wasn’t going to pass it up.”

Messier has played in 1,691 games. Howe played 1,767 games over 26 NHL seasons. Wayne Gretzky is first with 2,857 points.

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Washington 5, Tampa Bay 1 -- Dainius Zubrus scored twice, Robert Lang had a goal and two assists and the Capitals ended the Lightning’s eight-game undefeated streak.

Washington’s Olaf Kolzig made 41 saves in the first meeting between the teams since Tampa Bay beat the Capitals in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals last season.

The Capitals ended a six-game road losing skid.

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Edmonton 4, Montreal 2 -- Peter Sarno scored in his NHL debut -- a day after being recalled from the minors -- to help give the Oilers their first victory in four road games this season.

Sheldon Souray scored twice for Montreal, which has lost four in a row at home. The Canadiens have lost five of six overall.

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Toronto 4, Pittsburgh 2 -- Bryan McCabe had a goal and an assist for the host Maple Leafs, who took advantage of the Penguins having to play without Mario Lemieux, who is sidelined because of a strained left hip muscle.

The Penguins had a three-game unbeaten streak ended.

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Detroit 3, Calgary 0 -- Brendan Shanahan scored twice at Calgary, Canada, Curtis Joseph made 21 saves for his first victory this season and the Red Wings ended a five-game winless streak.

Joseph returned from a groin injury that sidelined him for two games and earned his 42nd career shutout. Starter Dominik Hasek has a groin injury that has sidelined him for four games and could keep him out another week.

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Minnesota 4, Colorado 4 -- Steve Konowalchuk scored twice, including an unassisted goal midway through the third period, to lift Colorado into a tie at Denver.

Antti Laaksonen had two goals and an assist for Minnesota, and Manny Fernandez made 32 saves.

Colorado’s David Aebischer gave up four goals on 14 shots and was replaced at the start of the third period by Phil Sauve, who stopped the 10 shots he faced.

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Atlanta center Marc Savard had surgery for torn ligaments in his left ankle and is expected to sit out eight to 10 weeks.

Savard was injured in the second period against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday night when he crashed awkwardly into the boards after colliding with Shark defenseman Jim Fahey.

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Detroit forward Henrick Zetterberg is expected to be out four to six weeks because of a broken right leg suffered against Vancouver on Monday.

Zetterberg led all rookies with 22 goals and 44 points last season. He was runner-up for the Calder Trophy, given to the NHL’s rookie of the year.

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Mark Up

The New York Rangers’ Mark Messier scored two goals Tuesday, passing Gordie Howe for second place on the NHL points list:

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Player Pts. Wayne Gretzky 2,857 Mark Messier* 1,851 Gordie Howe 1,850 Marcel Dionne 1,771 Ron Francis* 1,761 Mario Lemieux* 1,701 *active

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