Bruins Inch Closer to Top

The Toronto Maple Leafs need Ed Belfour to return if they are going to protect their division lead.

Glen Murray scored and had an assist, and the Boston Bruins moved within a point of Toronto and Ottawa for first place in the Northeast Division with a 5-2 victory over the Maple Leafs on Tuesday night at Toronto.

Mike Knuble, Andy Hilbert, Ted Donato and Joe Thornton scored for the Bruins, who led 5-1 early in the second. Toronto goalie Trevor Kidd gave up goals on three straight shots in the second.

“Belfour is a big part of their team. When he’s out it’s tough for them,” Thornton said.

Kidd struggled again, giving up five goals on 26 shots. He played because Belfour sat out because of a stiff back for the sixth time in seven games.

“There’s a lot of teams that have played good over the last month that have caught us,” said Kidd, whose team is tied with Ottawa with 76 points. “Boston is one of them and Ottawa is right on our heels now.”

Minnesota 4, New Jersey 4 -- Brian Gionta scored his second goal with 6:27 left in regulation to lift the host Devils into a tie at East Rutherford, N.J.

Eric Rasmussen and Paul Martin also scored, and Scott Gomez had three assists for the Devils. Marian Gaborik had his sixth career hat trick for the Wild.

Tampa Bay 5, Philadelphia 2 -- Brad Richards and Cory Stillman each had a goal and two assists for the Lightning in a victory over the Flyers at Tampa, Fla.

Fredrik Modin, Martin St. Louis and Dan Boyle also scored for Tampa Bay. The Southeast Division-leading Lightning is 10-1-1 in the last 12 games.

Ottawa 1, Washington 1 -- Marian Hossa scored on a power-play goal with 4:23 left to lift the visiting Senators into a tie with the Capitals at Washington.

Sergei Gonchar scored his first goal for the Capitals since returning from a shoulder injury.

Atlanta 4, Montreal 1 -- Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and an assist, and Frantisek Kaberle, Patrik Stefan and Dany Heatley also scored to lead the Thrashers at Montreal.

Pasi Nurminen made 29 saves for Atlanta, which won for the second time in three games after a 10-game winless streak.