Oilers Get a Nice Surprise, Shut Out Stars

Scott Ferguson surprised himself with a rare goal Tuesday night at Edmonton, Canada.

The Edmonton defenseman’s first goal of the season was the game-winner, and Tommy Salo earned the shutout as the Oilers beat the Dallas Stars, 3-0.

Raffi Torres scored Edmonton’s other two goals.

Ferguson pounced on a rebound and one-timed a shot past Dallas goaltender Marty Turco 1 minute 17 seconds into the third period, breaking a scoreless tie. Brad Isbister and Mike York assisted.

“I was able to tap it home pretty easily,” Ferguson said. “I was pretty surprised I didn’t miss the net.”

Salo has been hot of late, allowing just five goals in his last six games. He made 16 saves to record his third shutout of the season, all in the last 10 days. He made a crucial stop on an unobstructed point shot by Sergei Zubov with under four minutes remaining.

Dallas dropped to ninth in the Western Conference playoff race, one point behind the Kings.

Boston 4, New York Rangers 1 -- Rookie center Carl Corazzini scored his first two NHL goals to lead the Bruins at New York.

Boston took a 2-0 lead at 17:34 of the second period on Jiri Slegr’s fourth goal. Brian Rolston also scored for Boston, which swept the home-and-home series from New York that started Monday in Boston, outscoring the Rangers, 9-3.

Ranger defenseman Darius Kasparaitis will miss 10 to 12 weeks after injuring his left knee during Monday’s loss.

Toronto 2, New York Islanders 0 -- At Toronto, Ed Belfour made 25 saves for his fifth shutout of the season.

Mikael Renberg and Gary Roberts scored for the Maple Leafs, who are still first in the Eastern Conference with 61 points despite winning just two of six games.

Belfour, rarely tested in the first two periods, recorded his 70th career shutout, three fewer that New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur on the active list.

The Maple Leafs lost yet another player to injury when Darcy Tucker didn’t return after New York’s Jason Blake high-sticked him in the face.

Montreal 4, Philadelphia 1 -- Jose Theodore made 22 saves, and Richard Zednik scored two power-play goals to lead the Canadians at Philadelphia.

Jan Bulis and Michael Ryder also scored for the Canadians, who won for the fourth time in five games (4-0-1). Theodore lost his shutout when Simon Gagne scored with 1:18 left.

Ottawa 3, Carolina 1 -- Marian Hossa had a goal and two assists to lift the Senators at Raleigh, N.C.

Daniel Alfredsson added a power-play goal in the first period for the Senators, who pushed their unbeaten streak against the Hurricanes to 11 games. Ottawa has won 12 of 18 overall.

New Jersey 3, Pittsburgh 0 -- Devil rookie Scott Clemmensen shut out the Penguins on 25 shots in his first NHL start, and Turner Stevenson had two goals and an assist at Pittsburgh.

Stevenson had only three goals in 24 games before scoring in each of the first two periods. Stevenson has 10 of his 65 goals in 39 career games against Pittsburgh, which lost its sixth straight at home.

Atlanta 4, Buffalo 1 -- Slava Kozlov scored two goals, and Pasi Nurminen turned away 24 shots, leading the Thrashers at Atlanta.