NEW YORK – The New Jersey Devils accomplished what the New York Islanders couldn’t do for themselves – knock the hated Rangers out of the playoff race.
Jeff Friesen had a goal and an assist Friday night to lead the Devils to a 2-1 victory over their metropolitan rivals. The Rangers failed to reach the postseason for a team-record sixth straight season, allowing the Islanders to get in.
The Islanders had two chances to eliminate their New York neighbors. Needing only a win over them on Tuesday to clinch the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Islanders blew a two-goal lead and settled for a tie.
A win over Detroit on Thursday would also have gotten the Islanders in for the second straight season following a seven-year absence, but New York lost. So, the Devils – on a 6-0-3-1 run – did the job for the Islanders, clinching their fifth Atlantic Division title in seven years in the process. Martin Brodeur made 18 saves for his 41st win of the season. At the final buzzer, he raised his arms and pumped his fist toward Devils fans seated behind him.
Panthers 4, Hurricanes 1
SUNRISE, Fla. – Goalie Roberto Luongo celebrated his 24th birthday by stopping 34 shots to help the Florida Panthers snap a seven-game winless streak with a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.
Niklas Hagman, Denis Shvidki and Ivan Majesky scored in the first period to give Florida a 3-0 lead. Olli Jokinen added his 36th goal of the season at 15:48 of the third period.
Flyers 4, Lightning 1
TAMPA, Fla. – Simon Gagne scored twice and the Philadelphia Flyers set a franchise record with their 23rd road win, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 Friday night.
Dmitry Yushkevich and Sami Kapanen also scored for the Flyers, who won their fourth straight game and are 5-0-2 in their past six.
Red Wings 5, Jackets 5
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Pavel Datsyuk scored with 12 seconds left in regulation as the Detroit Red Wings rallied three times from two-goal deficits to tie the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-5 Friday night.
Columbus looked to have won the game when David Vyborny scored an empty-net goal with under a minute left. But the goal was waved off because Detroit’s Brendan Shanahan was down on the ice.
Blues 2, Blackhawks 2
CHICAGO – Pavol Demitra’s fluke goal early in the third period lifted the St. Louis into a 2-2 tie with the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night, stretching the Blues’ winless streak to four games.
Demitra tied it 5:36 into the third when his centering pass deflected off the stick of Chicago’s Alex Zhamnov and past rookie goalie Michael Leighton.
Coyotes 1, Predators 0
PHOENIX – Sean Burke stopped 24 shots in his first action since March 20, and Branko Radivojevic scored with 2:58 left as the Phoenix Coyotes snapped a seven-game winless streak by beating the Nashville Predators 1-0 Friday night.
Burke, limited to 21 games this season because of ankle and groin injuries, had one save and weathered a pileup in the crease after Nashville pulled goalie Tomas Vokoun in the final minute.
Vokoun had 26 saves, but wasn’t able to end the Predators’ 14-game winless streak.
(0-9-3-2).
The impact of Burke’s return was apparent from the start.
He made two saves in 25 seconds late in the first period, when the Coyotes had trouble getting past the neutral zone, and 5:10 into the second period he stopped a shot by Rem Murray even though it deflected off another player in front of the net.
But Vokoun was Burke’s equal, stopping 12 shots in the second and catching a break when Phoenix’s Shane Doan, jostled by defenseman Cale Hulse, put a shot just over the crossbar with 5:30 to go in the period.
In addition to Burke, the Coyotes got a boost when center Krys Kolanos played for the first time this season. He sat out the first 80 games because of post-concussion syndrome after a hit during an exhibition game.
Kolanos missed 22 games with a concussion last season but still had 11 goals – including an NHL rookie-high five game-winners – to emerge as one of the team’s most promising forwards. But he was slowed by nausea and dizziness throughout training camp and began the season on the injured list.
Notes: Vokoun has agreed to replace Calgary’s Roman Turek on the Czech Republic team at this month’s World Championships. Turek begged off this week, citing what he considers an unproductive season. … Nashville D Karlis Skrastins was hit in the left side of the face by a shot and left the ice with 6:05 left in the second period. … Nineteen of Nashville’s 41 losses have been by one goal.
AP-ES-04-04-03 2344EST
Send questions/comments to the editors.
