HOCKEY

DEVILS EDGE RANGERS FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT WIN Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta scored 39 seconds apart in the third period to lift the surging Devils to a 3-2 victory over the Rangers last night.

Sergei Brylin also scored for the Devils and Martin Brodeur made 24 saves to help New Jersey extend its winning streak to seven. The victory gave the Devils 93 points. pulling them within two of the fifth-place Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference.The Atlantic Division-leading Rangers, who had won three in a row, got goals from Blair Betts and Sandis Ozolinsh while Kevin Weekes made 23 saves.

Trailing 2-1 in the third period, Gomez pulled New Jersey even at 11:33 as he split the Rangers defense pair of Ozolinsh and Jason Strudwick to whip a backhander past Weekes. The goal was the fourth in the last three games for Gomez. Gionta scored the winner on the power play as he knocked in Jamie Langenbrunner’s centering feed from behind the net. The goal extended Gionta’s scoring streak to 11 games (8 goals, 7 assists). he Rangers took that 2-1 lead on second-period goals by Betts and Ozolinsh.

BLUES RETIRE MACINNIS’S NO. 2 JERSEY Al MacInnis got a big sendoff to match the big shot that defined his career. The St. Louis Blues retired his no. 2 jersey last night in a ceremony that included dozens of former and current Blues players and featured 10 video testimonials from the likes of Brett Hull, Wayne Gretzky, and Steve Yzerman.

The 42-year-old MacInnis is the fifth player to have his jersey retired by the Blues, joining Bob Gassoff (3), Barclay Plager (8), Brian Sutter (11), and Bernie Federko (24). He set team records for a defenseman in his decade with the team before retiring last September due to eye and shoulder injuries along with the inactivity caused by the NHL lockout last season. MacInnis was a 13-time All-Star and seven-time winner of the NHL’s hardest shot competition.

BASKETBALL

NUGGETS’ HODGE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL Denver Nuggets rookie Julius Hodge was released from a hospital yetserday, a day after shots fired into his car on a highway wounded his legs. Hodge released a statement through the team expressing thanks, especially to the Good Samaritan who stopped on the highway and drove Hodge and his passenger to the hospital.

The Nuggets said earlier Hodge was expected to recover and could play in two to three weeks. Coach George Karl said Hodge was shot three times.Adams County sheriff’s deputies said the 22-year-old was shot while driving on Interstate 76 in north Denver at about 2 a.m. on Saturday. Investigators said they had no suspects and did not have a motive.

– Associated Press