Islanders Slow Rangers’ March to Division Crown
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Miroslav Satan scored two goals and the Islanders slowed the rival Rangers’ drive to the Atlantic Division title by holding on for a 3-2 victory last night.
The Rangers have already clinched their first playoff berth since 1997 and are trying for their first division crown since the Stanley Cup-winning season of 1993-94.
Coupled with Philadelphia’s 4-3 victory over Pittsburgh, the Rangers’ lead over the Flyers was cut to three points. The Blueshirts have three games remaining – including one at Philadelphia on Saturday – while the Flyers will play four in the final week of the season.
Satan gave the Islanders the lead less than 6 minutes in, and stretched the advantage to 3-0 with his teamhigh 33rd goal during a second-period power play – less than 7 minutes after defenseman Chris Campoli scored.
Rick DiPietro,who made 20 saves Saturday in the Islanders’ 5-0 win over Washington, lost his bid for a second straight shutout when Michael Nylander brought the Rangers to 3-1 at 3:02 of the third period. They cut the deficit to one when Petr Prucha scored a power-play goal during a two-man advantage with 7:52 left, but DiPietro held off the charging Rangers – who still had more than a minute remaining with a man advantage and outshot the Islanders 24-6 in the final period, 38-30 overall.
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DEVILS 4, HURRICANES 3 Brian Gionta scored a power-play goal 28 seconds into overtime and the Devils wrapped up a playoff spot in their 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes last night.
Martin Brodeur made 37 saves to help the Devils stretch their winning streak to eight games and become the first NHL goalie to win 40 games in five seasons. The New Jersey star is 40-23-7.
Gionta’s power-play goal – his 45th goal of the season – capped a wild ending, with both teams scoring in the final 5 minutes of regulation and New Jersey locking up its ninth straight playoff spot when the game went to overtime.
The Devils’ Jamie Langenbrunner scored a power-play goal with 4:27 remaining in the third period. Langenbrunner has scored in three consecutive games and four of his 17 goals this season have come during the current winning streak.
