Sports

NHL

Malik's trick ends epic battle

Associated Press
Published November 27, 2005

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NEW YORK - Marek Malik made a winning move that Jaromir Jagr would've been proud of, even with his forbidden stick.

Malik ended the NHL's longest shootout in the 15th round Saturday night, fooling goalie Olie Kolzig with a trick shot to give the New York Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals.

"You have to have guts to do that move," said Jagr, penalized at the start of overtime for using an illegal stick. "In front of 20,000 people watching you, it's not that easy to do."

With only two healthy skaters left on the Rangers' bench, Malik - a defenseman - took a shot with his stick between his skates and beat Kolzig for the Rangers' fifth straight victory - their longest winning streak in nearly four years.

"I was watching everything before me," Malik said. "Olie was unbelievable, he stopped everything from shots, moves. I just thought to myself, 'Maybe I'll surprise him.' I tried the move and it worked."

New York's five-game winning streak is its best stretch since a five-game run from March 30-April 8, 2002.

The Rangers (16-7-3) are nine over .500 for the first time since the end of the 1995-96 season.

The Rangers, who also got shootout goals from Michael Nylander, Ville Nieminen and defenseman-turned-forward Jason Strudwick, improved to 4-1 in the new tiebreaker. Washington fell to 3-2 in shootouts despite goals from Andrew Cassels, Brian Willsie and Bryan Muir.

Nieminen and Strudwick both scored to keep the shootout going, with Nieminen countering Willsie's sixth-round goal and Strudwick matching Muir's 14th-round score.

"It was actually kind of fun," Kolzig said. "On this stage, Madison Square Garden, Saturday night ... If I stop Jason Strudwick, we win the game. I didn't expect Malik to pull a move off like that."

Chris Clark and Willsie scored second-period goals to rally Washington from a 2-0 deficit after Jason Ward and Jed Ortmeyer scored for the Rangers. It was the sixth straight meeting between the clubs decided by one goal.

"I started to think it would never end," said New York's Henrik Lundqvist.

MAPLE LEAFS 4, CANADIENS 3 (OT): Mats Sundin scored a power-play goal at 1:29 in overtime in a game visiting Montreal goalie Joe Theodore blamed on officiating.

"It's hard to play seven against five for the whole game," Theodore said. "We all know our hockey. We all saw what happened for 60 minutes. It's frustrating."

Montreal's Craig Rivet was called for tripping Nik Antropov at the end of regulation, giving Toronto the man advantage in overtime.

The Canadiens had seven penalties. Toronto had three.

THRASHERS 7, PANTHERS 4: Marc Savard scored twice, including one of host Atlanta's three goals in the third period, and added two assists to help the Thrashers end a three-game losing streak.

Florida lost a night after the Panthers snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over Pittsburgh.

Atlanta's Vyacheslav Kozlov broke a tie at 4 early in the final period, scoring his sixth goal on a pass from Ilya Kovalchuk. Savard then clinched it with his ninth goal on a power play late in the period, beating goalie Roberto Luongo. Peter Bondra added Atlanta's final goal a minute later, his 13th.

Before the game, the Panthers activated center Rostislav Olesz from the injured list, and he scored a goal in the second period. Olesz, the seventh overall pick in the 2004 draft, was sidelined five weeks by a sprained knee.

Also, the Thrashers recalled goalie Adam Berkhoel from the AHL Chicago Wolves. Berkhoel, who has been recalled by the Thrashers four times this season, has a 2-4 record and a 4.08 goal-against average with Atlanta.

SENATORS 4, BRUINS 2: Jason Spezza had two goals and two assists and linemates Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson each had a goal and two assists to lead host Ottawa. Heatley needed only 34 seconds to extend his points streak to 21 games, picking up an assist on Spezza's goal on the opening shift. Alfredsson also got an assist on the play, with Spezza scoring off Heatley's rebound.

ISLANDERS 4, FLYERS 2: Jason Blake scored three times and Brad Lukowich had the go-ahead goal 4:43 into the third period to lead visiting New York. Garth Snow stopped 34 shots for the Islanders, who snapped a two-game skid. R.J. Umberger scored both goals for Philadelphia, which played without leading scorer Peter Forsberg because of a groin injury.

STARS 3, PREDATORS 1: Stu Barnes had a goal and an assist and Marty Turco made 23 saves for visiting Dallas. The Stars, coming off a 4-1 home loss to Phoenix on Friday night, are 9-2-0 in their past 11 games and 8-2-0 in their past 10 road games. Dallas pulled away with a pair of second-period goals.

BLUE JACKETS 4, BLUES 3: Aaron Johnson's first goal of the season snapped a third-period tie as visiting Columbus ended a seven-game losing streak.

Manny Malhotra had a goal and two assists, Luke Richardson and Martin Brule also scored and Jody Shelley had two assists for the Blue Jackets.

[Last modified November 27, 2005, 01:19:10]