NHL ROUNDUP : Stevens’ Four Goals Power Penguins

Despite his 17 goals in the playoffs, not too many people were convinced that Kevin Stevens was a budding NHL star.

It was said that playing on a line with Mario Lemieux made him look better than he really was. Then, he had a poor training camp and a slow start this season.

Suddenly the 6-foot-3 left wing is back to playoff form and the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins are on the move.

Stevens had a hat trick in the first period Friday at Philadelphia and finished with four goals and an assist to lead the 9-3 rout of the slumping Flyers.

He took over the league lead with 40 points and the lead in goals scored with 20. It was the fourth victory in a row for the Penguins, who moved into third place in the tough Patrick Division with a 12-8-4 record.

Stevens has eight goals and two assists in the winning streak. From Brockton, Mass., he was originally a draft choice of the Kings, but elected to go to Boston College.

“Earlier, I was worried about his timing,� Coach Scotty Bowman said. “He needs a lot of ice time. He’s got a lot of shots, but he’s not a power shooter.�

Stevens scored twice in the first nine minutes, and the second was a fluke. He was lying on the ice when Paul Coffey fired a shot that hit Stevens’ stick and caromed into the net.

“I was lucky enough to get some bounces,� Stevens said. “It works both ways.�

Lemieux, rounding into form after more back problems, had two goals and an assist.

The Flyers (8-12-2) are on a five-game winless streak.

Boston 5, Montreal 4--After building a two-goal lead at Montreal Monday night, the Bruins blew the game. When the Canadiens stormed back from a 4-1 deficit at Boston, it seemed a repeat was in order.

But, with six seconds left in overtime, Bob Carpenter scored his second goal of the game to win it.

The victory “proves a point to our hockey club that we are a good team, and we can compete with the best teams in the league,� Coach Rick Bowness said.

Kirk Muller scored the three Canadien goals in the third period, all on rebounds.

New York Islanders 3, Washington 2--New York goaltender Steve Weeks stopped 32 shots and the Islanders built a 3-0 lead before a Capital rally in the last period fell a goal short.

Toronto 3, Minnesota 2--Brian Bradley capitalized on two North Stars’ mistakes to score on breakaways at Bloomington, Minn.

Minnesota defenseman Mark Tinordi, who missed the first 17 games because of an injury, was ejected for a high-sticking incident in the second period.

New York Rangers 5, Buffalo 4--Mark Messier scored 43 seconds into overtime at Buffalo to give the Rangers the victory after the Sabres appeared to have won it with 10 seconds left in regulation.

Jay Wells’ goal was disallowed when the video replay judge ruled the defenseman kicked the puck into the net.

San Jose 4, Edmonton 4--Pat Fallon scored his second goal of the game at Edmonton with 12 seconds left to give the Sharks the tie.

Edmonton’s Mark Lamb had jammed a loose puck under the catching glove of San Jose goaltender Arturs Irbe with six minutes left in regulation to give the Oilers a 4-3 lead.

But San Jose defenseman Neil Wilkinson banked a pass off the boards to send Falloon in alone on Edmonton goalie Bill Ranford.

The Sharks jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Jayson More and Falloon.

The Sharks (4-20-2) have not won on the road.

Vancouver 5, Chicago 2--Greg Adams scored twice in the first period at Vancouver and the surprising Canucks won their 16th game and took a six-point lead in the Smythe Division.