EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Patrik Elias and Jim McKenzie scored first-period goals Friday night as the New Jersey Devils regained sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division with a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Devils have 95 points, two more than the idle Philadelphia Flyers in the race for the division title. Both teams have nine games remaining.
Pascal Rheaume also scored for the Devils, while Corey Schwab, making only his eighth start, made 23 saves.
The Penguins extended their winless streak to 15 games (0-14-1), the second longest in team history.
Senators 5, Thrashers 1
ATLANTA – Todd White scored two goals and Karel Rachunek added a goal and two assists as the Ottawa Senators took advantage of the NHL’s worst defense in a 5-1 rout of Atlanta.
Goalie Ray Emery made 14 saves to win his first career start.
Ottawa outshot the Thrashers 40-15.
Atlanta entered with 256 goals allowed, 17 more than Columbus, which has the second-worst defense.
New Jersey could have scored several more goals in the first 20 minutes. Hedberg, under continuous pressure, made numerous tough saves, including a stop of Joe Nieuwendyk on a breakaway shortly after Elias’ goal.
The tempo slowed in the second period, although New Jersey remained firmly in control. The Devils outshot the Penguins 14-6 in the period.
Pittsburgh finally broke through as Fata scored at 10:45 of the third period. Mathias Johansson took a point shot that Schwab stopped and Fata pounced on the rebound. He flubbed the first attempt, but connected on the second try.
Rheaume put New Jersey ahead 3-1 as he banked a shot off Hedberg’s back.
Notes: The Devils assigned RW Michael Rupp to Albany of the AHL for the second time in the last two weeks. Rupp, who had five goals in 24 games, is tied for fourth among NHL rookies with three game-winning goals. …The Penguins’ longest winless streak spanned 18 games from Jan. 2-Feb. 10, 1983, a stretch in which they went 0-17-1. …The Devils scratched D Ken Daneyko and Tommy Albelin and RW Grant Marshall. D Dick Tarnstrom and LW Ramzi Abid were the Penguins’ scratches. … McKenzie has scored goals in each of his last two games after netting only two in his first 65 contests.
AP-ES-03-21-03 2211EST
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