NHL Roundup : Capitals Win to Sweep Canadiens

Craig Laughlin scored two goals and assisted on another Saturday night as the struggling Washington Capitals defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 3-1, and completed a three-game season sweep of the NHL’s defending Stanley Cup champions.

The victory was only the ninth of the season for the Capitals, and three have been against the Canadiens, who are winless in 14 games at the Capital Centre since 1979. The Canadiens have lost six of their last seven games but remain tied with Quebec for the Adams Division lead.

Washington goalie Bob Mason, winless in eight previous starts, recorded 30 saves to post his first victory since Nov. 8.

The Canadiens outshot the Capitals, 13-3, in the final period, but Mason turned aside five shots as Washington killed a five-minute penalty.

Pittsburgh 5, Minnesota 2--John Chabot scored three goals, two of them 25 seconds apart in the second period at Pittsburgh, and the Penguins ended their five-game winless streak and the North Stars’ six-game winning streak.

Chabot completed his first career hat trick with an empty-net goal with 51 seconds left.

Minnesota fell one win short of tying the team record for consecutive victories, and goalie Don Beaupre’s personal six-game winning streak also ended.

Minnesota’s Dino Ciccarelli scored his league-leading 27th goal at 12:41 of the second period.

Calgary 3, Quebec 2--Al MacInnis’ goal with 4:19 left lifted the Flames to victory over the Nordiques at Quebec.

MacInnis beat Quebec goalie Clint Malarchuk with a screened slapshot from the blue line at 15:41 of the third period just as a penalty to Quebec ended.

Quebec’s third straight defeat came after the Nordiques erased a 2-0 first-period deficit.

Mike Eagles tied the game, 2-2, at 3:24 of the third period on a two-on-one breakaway goal with Paul Gillis.

Robert Picard scored Quebec’s other goal. Mike Bullard and Brian Bradley also scored for Calgary.

Boston 5, Philadelphia 0--Bruin rookie goalie Bill Ranford, recalled from the minors Thursday, had 42 saves in stopping the Flyers at Boston for his second NHL shutout.

Boston struck for three first-period goals, including power-play scores by Cam Neely and Ray Bourque, and went on to its third consecutive victory.

The loss was the second in a row for the Flyers, who had an eight-game unbeaten streak snapped in a 2-1 defeat at Hartford Thursday. Philadelphia has an 18-6-2 record, best in the NHL.

Detroit 4, Hartford 1--Basil McRae scored his first two goals of the season, and Bob Probert and Tim Higgins each added a goal and an assist to power the Red Wings past the Whalers at Hartford, Conn.

Red Wings’ goalie Glen Hanlon, who made 34 saves, is unbeaten in his last four starts, going 3-0-1. Detroit had 19 shots on goal.

Hanlon lost his bid for a third career shutout against Hartford when Dana Murzyn scored with 1:56 left. The Whalers pulled Mike Liut with 1:16 remaining, and McRae scored into the empty net with 21 seconds left.

New Jersey 4, Buffalo 3--John MacLean collected two goals and an assist, and the Devils withstood the Sabres’ two-goal rally in the final minute at East Rutherford, N.J.

After Mike Foligno’s power-play goal gave Buffalo a 1-0 lead in the first period, MacLean scored at 16:54 of the first period and 11:08 of the second to put New Jersey ahead for good.

MacLean also set up defenseman Uli Hiemer’s 55-foot point shot.

The defeat was the Sabres’ fourth straight and left them 1-11-1 in their last 13 games.