UNIONDALE, N.Y. – The New York Rangers were 3:59 away from their sixth straight year without a postseason appearance when Alex Kovalev scored to forge a 2-2 tie Tuesday night with the rival Islanders.
A win by the Islanders would have secured their second straight playoff berth after a seven-year absence, and knocked the Rangers out. Instead each team earned a point, leaving the Rangers three behind the Islanders.
The Rangers have two games remaining, while the Islanders will play three. Any combination of two points earned by the Islanders or not gained by the Rangers will eliminate the Rangers.
Arron Asham and Alexei Yashin staked the Islanders to a 2-0 lead, but the Rangers rallied on third-period goals by Brian Leetch and Kovalev.
Garth Snow was solid in making 35 saves. Rangers counterpart Mike Dunham also was sharp, stopping 28 shots with little chance at the two that beat him.
Flyers 4, Blue Jackets 0
PHILADELPHIA- Kim Johnsson had a goal and Keith Primeau added two assists, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Roman Cechmanek stopped just 10 shots for his sixth shutout of the season and 20th overall as the Flyers extended their unbeaten streak to six games (4-0-2). It was a franchise-low shots for Columbus.
Capitals 3, Panthers 0
WASHINGTON- Olaf Kolzig made 31 saves as the Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers 3-0 to move within a point of idle Tampa Bay for the Southeast Division lead.
It was the fourth shutout this season for Kolzig, and the fifth of his career against Florida. Sergei Gonchar, Michael Nylander and Robert Lang scored the goals.
Maple Leafs 3, Devils 2
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Ed Belfour became the seventh NHL goaltender to win 400 regular-season games as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 on a goal by Tomas Kaberle in overtime.
Belfour made 38 saves, including a great chance in close by Scott Gomez in the overtime, in winning for the 36th time this season and pushing his career mark to 400-262-105 in 15 seasons.
Jamie Langenbrunner and Jeff Friesen scored for New Jersey, which rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to force the overtime.
Mighty Ducks 2,
Predators 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Steve Thomas scored his second goal with 52.6 seconds left in overtime, and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks extended the Nashville Predators’ franchise-worst winless streak to 13 games with a 2-1 victory.
Nashville is 0-8-3-2 since its last victory on March 7 at Dallas and 0-4-3 in its last seven homes games. The Predators, who got their goal from Scott Hartnell, finish the season with two road games. Thomas broke the tie with Anaheim’s only shot in overtime, taking a pass from Rob Niedermayer in front of the goal and beating Tomas Vokoun.
Defenseman Ruslan Salei, playing for the first time since March 5, also had an assist on the game-winning goal.
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