AROUND THE NHL Saturday's games
Flyers 2, Rangers 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Goaltender Roman Cechmanek got standing ovations for his play, and Dan McGillis scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Rangers. Kent Manderville also scored for Philadelphia, which has won five of six games. The Rangers, who got a goal from Radek Dvorak, fell to 1-6-1 this month. After failing to score on their first four power plays against the team with the league's worst penalty-killing unit on the road, the Flyers capitalized on their fifth. McGillis took a shot from the left circle that appeared to deflect off the skate of a Rangers defenseman and trickle between the feet of goaltender Guy Hebert for a 2-1 lead with 22 seconds left in the second period. Hebert made 18 saves in two periods, but was replaced by Kirk McLean at the start of the third. Cechmanek, one of the biggest surprises in the NHL this season, improved to 32-11-5 and lowered his goals-against average to 1.98 with a spectacular display. He made 29 saves.
Kings 1, Sharks 0, OT
LOS ANGELES -- Bryan Smolinski scored 40 seconds into overtime and Felix Potvin earned his 16th career shutout in the Los Angeles Kings' victory over San Jose. Smolinski got a lead pass from Glen Murray, stickhandled around defenseman Mike Rathje and beat rookie goalie Evgeni Nabokov with a 20-footer to the stick side for his 24th goal. Nabokov, looking for the victory and shutout that would have tied two San Jose single-season records, stopped 19 shots before letting in the Kings' only shot in overtime. Teemu Selanne made his debut with the Sharks, 12 days after being acquired from Anaheim for left wing Jeff Friesen, goalie Steve Shields and a conditional draft pick. The seven-time All-Star underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage in his left knee just one day after the March 5 deal. Selanne, trying to bolster a sagging offense that has generated more than three goals only twice in its previous 20 games, managed only one shot on net while playing 19 shifts totaling 18 minutes, 35 seconds. The Sharks were shut out for the fifth time this season and third time by a 1-0 score. They also had a scoreless tie. Potvin, who made 39 saves in 4-1 victory at San Jose on Wednesday night, was not severely tested while recording his second shutout in 12 starts since joining the Kings in a trade from Vancouver. He is 8-2-2 with Los Angeles.
Avalanche 5, Red Wings 3
DENVER -- Shjon Podein and Ray Bourque scored goals in the final 2:27, and the Colorado Avalanche held off the Detroit Red Wings in a matchup of the NHL's two best teams. Colorado extended its lead over Detroit to six points (103-97) in the race for the league's top record and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy, who was pulled midway through the second period after allowing five goals in Colorado's 6-3 loss to New Jersey on Tuesday, had 23 saves, as did Detroit's Chris Osgood. Defenseman Jiri Fischer cut Detroit's deficit to 3-2 early in the third period, scoring his first NHL goal on a rebound of Vyacheslav Kozlov's shot. Podein then jammed the puck past Osgood at 17:33. But Colorado's seemingly secure advantage was erased 35 seconds later when Pat Verbeek scored after knocking the puck out of the air in front of the goal. The Red Wings pulled Osgood with a minute remaining, but Bourque scored into an empty net at 19:42.
Associated Press