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NHL briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 21, 2000

Late Gratton goal forges 2-2 tie for Sabres

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Chris Gratton scored with 7.2 seconds left in regulation as the Sabres snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-2 tie against the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Friday night.

With an extra attacker on for Buffalo, Doug Gilmour, from behind Anaheim's goal, centered a pass into the crease, hitting Gratton in the skates. Looking down to find the puck, Gratton then shoveled it into the open right side.

"At that point, I just wanted to go to the net and try to create traffic," Gratton said. "Hopefully, it's the start of good things to come here, but it had been frustrating."

It was Gratton's first goal of the season, and second in 20 games with Buffalo since he was acquired from the Lightning in March.

Erik Rasmussen also scored for the Sabres, who overcame a 2-0 deficit.

Anaheim is 2-0-1 in its past three road games.

Ducks goalie Dominic Roussel, making only his second start, stopped 34 shots, including 22 over the first 40 minutes of play.

The Ducks, who went 0-for-3 on the power play, missed a chance to pull out the victory in overtime when Buffalo's Jay McKee was issued a tripping penalty for hauling down Teemu Selanne.

Anaheim managed just one shot during the man advantage, Oleg Tverdovsky's from the left circle that Dominik Hasek stopped with his chest.

Hasek has not won in five appearances this season, going 0-3-1 over that span and giving up 13 goals.

Ducks center Steve Rucchin, playing alongside Paul Kariya and Selanne, made his season debut after missing almost a month with a broken left hand. Rucchin replaced German Titov, listed as day-to-day with a chest injury.

The Sabres were without defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, who's serving the first game of a four-game suspension for high-sticking.

STARS 5, BLACKHAWKS 1: Joe Nieuwendyk had two goals and visiting Dallas scored three times in a three-minute span of the second.

Rookie backup Marty Turco got his first career victory, stopping 17 shots.

Dallas overwhelmed Chicago goalie Jocelyn Thibault with its quick scoring outburst near the end of the second. Sergei Zubov moved the puck behind the net to Jamie Langenbrunner, who fed Nieuwendyk in front for the go-ahead goal at 16:09.

Just 71 seconds later the Stars made it 3-1 when Darryl Sydor's slap shot from just inside the blue line went right through the Blackhawks defense, bounced off Thibault's pad and trickled in.

Brenden Morrow then took a crossing pass from Mike Keane and beat Thibault to make it 4-1 with just over a minute remaining in the period.

FLAMES 3, BRUINS 2: Calgary scored three goals in less than six minutes of the first period and held on for the home win.

Valeri Bure had two assists in the first.

After scoring a team-leading 35 goals last season, Bure has not scored in seven games this season and 22 overall.

Calgary, winner of three of its past four, got goals from Jarome Iginla, Jeff Shantz and Jason Wiemer. It was the first home win for the Flames after starting the season with three straight losses at the Saddledome.

AVALANCHE 5, PANTHERS 1: Peter Forsberg had two goals and an assist, and Patrick Roy celebrated his first home appearance since his record 448th victory with 24 saves and an assist against winless Florida.

Forsberg scored power-play and short-handed goals to improve his goal-scoring streak to four games and point streak to six. Chris Drury and Joe Sakic each had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, off to the best start in franchise history (6-0-2).

ISLANDERS 5, THRASHERS 3: Zdeno Chara and Roman Hamrlik scored short-handed 69 seconds apart in a four-goal opening period as visiting New York won its first game of the season.

Hamrlik also scored the Islanders' first power-play goal of the season at 14:28 of the second. New York had been 0-for-25.

The Islanders dominated the opening period and took the lead 7:59 into the game on Brad Isbister's first goal, beating Damian Rhodes from in close.

Then with New York's Taylor Pyatt in the penalty box, Chara scored his first goal of the season and first of the two short-handed scores at 9:32. Hamrlik made it 3-0 at 10:41 with his second goal of the season.

SHARKS 3, WILD 1: Evgeni Nabokov stopped 21 shots as San Jose got its first road win.

The Sharks, who killed six Minnesota power plays, scored short-handed and power-play goals.

Leading 2-1 late in the second, Sharks center Patrick Marleau tipped Shawn Heins' shot between the pads of Minnesota goalie Jamie McLennan. It was only San Jose's second power-play goal of the season.

McLennan finished with 30 saves for Minnesota. The Sharks outshot Minnesota 13-4 in the third period.

Sharks captain Owen Nolan made his season debut after signing a multiyear contract last week.

CANUCKS: Right wing Trent Klatt signed a two-year, $1.8-million extension that will keep him with the team through the end of the 2002-03 season. Klatt, 29, is playing out the final year of a contract that pays him $1.1-million this season. "I think this team is going in the right direction, and I just want to be here and I want to be a big part of it," Klatt said of the 5-2 Canucks. "It's nice to know that at least for a couple of more years I'm on it."

ISLANDERS: Forward Bill Muckalt (dislocated right shoulder) will be out 4-6 weeks.

RED WINGS: Defenseman Chris Chelios (left knee) had arthroscopic surgery and will miss Detroit's next six or seven games.

SENATORS: Center Radek Bonk has discarded the visor he wore the final 20 games last season. "I just found it hard to get used to again," Bonk said. "Nowadays, they have great visors ... they don't fog, but sometimes you get light going off them. Playing with one is just different." Bonk donned it after the March 11 game in which linemate Marian Hossa accidentally hit Toronto's Bryan Berard in the eye with his stick. Berard still has not regained full vision and he hasn't played since. ... Captain Daniel Alfredsson (sore right hip) is questionable for tonight's game against the Thrashers.

THRASHERS: Center Patrik Stefan (strained groin), the top pick a year ago, is expected to be activated for tonight's game at Ottawa. ... Forward Tomi Kallio (strained groin) left in the second period Friday and did not return. His status was not known immediately.

WILD: After scoring the first winning goal in Wild history Wednesday night, rookie left wing Marian Gaborik switched jersey numbers from 10 to 82, in honor of the year he was born. ... Defenseman Brad Bombardir (strained groin) left in the second period.

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Gary Shelton