NHL Roundup : Canucks Top Devils, 6-3, Pass the Kings

Two days after the Kings took over fourth place in the Smythe Division by passing Vancouver, the Canucks responded. Dave Saunders broke a 3-3 tie with an unassisted goal early in the third period as Vancouver snapped a seven-game road winless streak with a 6-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils at East Rutherford, N.J.

The victory put the Canucks in fourth place, one point ahead of the Kings.

Saunders picked up a loose puck at center ice, skated down the left side past defenseman Joe Cirella and beat Devil goalie Alain Chevrier between the pads with a 15-foot shot for his fourth goal.

Doug Lidster added a power-play goal with 6:21 to play, and Tony Tanti scored his second goal of the night and 20th of the season with 1:38 to go as Vancouver won for the first time in eight road games. It was the Canucks’ second victory overall in their last eight games.

The loss spoiled a three-goal effort by Kirk Muller and was the sixth in the last eight home games for New Jersey, which opened the season with a 12-1-1 streak at Brendan Byrne Arena.

Philadelphia 6, St. Louis 4--Rick Tocchet and Brian Propp had two goals apiece to give the Flyers the victory at home.

The victory extended the Blues’ winless streak at the Spectrum to 0-31-3 since Jan. 6, 1972, when St. Louis posted a 3-2 victory.

Tocchet, who also had three assists, put the Flyers ahead, 4-3, on a power play 2:13 into the third period. He took a pass from Mark Howe and beat goaltender Greg Millen for his 12th goal.

Boston 3, Pittsburgh 2--Gord Kluzak and Randy Burridge scored short-handed goals 23 seconds apart late in the first period to power the Bruins at Pittsburgh.

The Bruins, who moved into a tie for first place with idle Montreal in the Adams Division, survived a third-period surge to improve to 3-0-2 in their last five games. The Penguins are 0-3-3 in their last six.

Goalie Doug Keans lost his shutout when Troy Loney scored at 8:30 of the third period to pull Pittsburgh within 3-1 but recorded his first victory since Dec. 10.