NHL Roundup : Flyers Stop Devils, 5-3, and End Road Slump

Quite by accident, Paul Holmgren, coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, found a winning combination on the road.

With starting goaltender Ron Hextall sidelined by illness, Philadelphia got a 34-save performance from his backup, Mark Laforest, and the Flyers snapped a 5-game road losing streak by beating New Jersey, 5-3, Saturday at East Rutherford, N.J.

Philadelphia had 3 power-play goals, 2 by Tim Kerr.

The Flyers were 0-5-2 in 7 games against New Jersey last season and had lost 4 straight at the Brendan Byrne Arena, but they have turned things around. The Flyers’ victory Saturday was their third in 4 meetings against the Devils this season.

“Hextall was going to play,� Holmgren said, “but he was sick all night and slept on the (trainer’s) table all game. He would have played if we needed him.�

The Flyers didn’t need him, especially after Kerr snapped a 2-2 tie early in the second period, and Philadelphia added 2 more goals in the third.

Flyer defenseman Kjell Samuelson scored a short-handed goal when his 70-foot shot from center ice took a bad hop and went past Devil goaltender Sean Burke in the first period.

The Devils are 0-6-1 in their last 7 games.

Pittsburgh 4, New York Islanders 2--Randy Cunneyworth scored 2 goals as the Penguins won their fifth straight by beating the slumping Islanders at Pittsburgh.

The Islanders, last in the Patrick Division, have lost 7 straight and are 1-10 in their last 11.

Islander left wing Mike Stevens was flattened by Jay Caufield’s open-ice check midway through the first period. Stevens twice tried unsuccessfully to stand up. Trainers placed a brace on his neck and removed him on a stretcher.

Hospital doctors later diagnosed Stevens’ injury as a separated left shoulder. Caufield was given a minor penalty for interference.

Boston 1, Washington 1--Ray Burridge scored with 2:04 remaining in the second period to lift the Bruins into a tie with the Capitals at Landover, Md.

The Capitals had taken a 1-0 lead 7:38 into the second period when Mike Ridley scored on a deflection.

In overtime, Boston goalie Andy Moog stopped Dave Christian on a 2-on-1 break with 3:05 remaining.

Minnesota 4, Hartford 2--Bob Brooke assisted on 3 short-handed goals in the second period as the surging North Stars, unbeaten in their last 6 games, won at Hartford, Conn.

Brooke, who set up rookie Shawn Chambers’ 50-footer from the right point at 7:50, then helped Neal Broten score twice--at 16:19 and again 18:29. Both goals by Broten were through screens after Brooke outhustled Whaler forwards to the puck behind the Hartford goal line.

Quebec 6, Detroit 4--Gaetan Duchesne scored 2 goals, including the winner at 17:47 of the third period, as the Nordiques broke a 4-game losing streak by defeating the Red Wings at Detroit.

Michel Goulet also scored twice for the Nordiques, who overcame a 3-2 deficit entering the third period by scoring 4 goals.

St. Louis 3, Toronto 0--Goalie Greg Millen notched his second straight shutout, and Tony Hrkac, Brett Hull and Steve Tuttle scored goals at St. Louis.

The shutout was the third of the year for Millen, leading the league. Millen, who stopped 20 shots Saturday night, was also in goal when the Blues beat the New York Islanders, 8-0, Thursday night.

Montreal 3, Buffalo 2--Guy Carbonneau scored with 38 seconds left in overtime as the Canadiens beat the Sabres at Buffalo.

Mats Naslund’s power-play goal 27 seconds into the third period had pulled the Canadiens into a tie.