Islander Fans Get a Reminder of Glory Days During Victory

Mario Lemieux is playing like a Hall of Famer and thinking like an NHL owner.

Lemieux played his third road game Saturday and scored twice in front of a rare sellout crowd at Nassau Coliseum. It wasn’t enough, as the home fans were treated to a 6-5 New York victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on a night when the Islanders’ glory days were remembered.

“It was great,” Lemieux said. “I like to see this building sold out. With a big win for them, it might bring the people back.”

Mariusz Czerkawski had two goals and an assist as the Islanders ended a seven-game losing streak and honored former general manager Bill Torrey, the architect of their Stanley Cup championship teams in the 1980s.

“We knew that tonight would be a very emotional game for us,” said Islander Coach Butch Goring, a star on all four Cup winners from 1980-83. “I said to them that there was no way we were leaving this building with a losing streak.”

Lemieux had his second two-goal game since ending his 3 1/2-year retirement. Both two-goal games came in the second of back-to-back contests.

Czerkawski gave the Islanders a first-period lead and then registered his other two points in the second in front of just the Islanders’ third home sellout this season.

Lemieux has nine goals and 10 assists in eight games since resuming his career last month.

Nashville 5, San Jose 3--Denis Arkhipov had a goal and an assist, and Tomas Vokoun stopped 26 shots as the Predators won at San Jose.

The Pacific Division-leading Sharks followed up their impressive 6-3 win over St. Louis on Thursday with a discouraging defensive effort against the previously slumping Predators.

Boston 4, New York Rangers 1--Bill Guerin scored a pair of goals, including the 200th of his career, and Mikko Eloranta also added a pair as the Bruins won at Boston.

The loss extended the Rangers’ winless streak on the road to 11 (0-10-1), which ties their longest streak since they went 0-9-2 in the 1965-66 season.

Ottawa 5, Calgary 2--Patrick Lalime made 38 saves and Shawn McEachern had a goal and two assists as the Senators moved back atop the Eastern Conference with the win at Calgary.

Ottawa pushed its winning streak to a season-high five games and moved one point ahead of New Jersey in the East. The Senators are 8-1-1-0 against Canadian opponents this season.

Philadelphia 4, Florida 1--Roman Cechmanek made 24 saves at Sunrise, Fla., to extend his unbeaten streak to 12 games.

Justin Williams, Mark Recchi, Paul Ranheim and Rick Tocchet scored for the Flyers. Rob Niedermayer scored the lone goal for Florida, which fell to 3-12-4-2 at home.

The Panthers have an NHL-low eight victories.

Montreal 5, Phoenix 2--Brian Savage scored two power-play goals just over three minutes apart in the second period as the Canadiens scored four unanswered goals to win at Montreal.

New Jersey 4, Toronto 4--Martin Brodeur made two big saves on an overtime power play at East Rutherford, N.J., as the Devils extended their unbeaten streak to 11 games.

Washington 4, Atlanta 1--Peter Bondra had a goal and an assist at Washington as the Capitals extended the Thrashers’ winless streak to a season-worst eight games.

Around the League

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired left wing Steve McKenna from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for center Roman Simicek. . . . The New York Rangers claimed forward Jeff Toms off waivers from the New York Islanders. . . . Donald Audette of the Atlanta Thrashers has been suspended for cross-checking Eric Landry of the Montreal Canadiens. The suspension is in effect until a league hearing, which has not been scheduled. Audette missed Saturday’s game in Washington.