NHL ROUNDUP : Graves Leads Way as Rangers End Scoring Slump

Adam Graves recorded his fifth career hat trick and added an assist at New York and Petr Nedved scored his first two goals as a Ranger as New York broke out of an scoring slump and beat the winless Ottawa Senators, 6-2, Monday night.

Steve Larmer also scored and Mike Richter made 20 saves for the Rangers, who had dropped four of their first five games this season after winning the Stanley Cup last June.

The Senators, who fell to 0-3-2, were the perfect antidote for New York’s woes. Ottawa has dropped all eight games against New York since re-entering the league two seasons ago.

Graves opened the scoring, beating Senator goaltender Don Beaupre with an off-balance slap shot from the top of the right circle at 6:35. Graves, who led New York with a club-record 52 goals last season, became the first Ranger to score his second goal this season, in New York’s sixth game.

The goal was the first in 103 minutes, 27 seconds for the Rangers, who were blanked 2-0 by the Quebec Nordiques on Saturday and who had scored only nine goals in their first five games.

The Senators drew even at 15:45, when defenseman Sean Hill jumped out of the penalty box, took a pass from Dave McLwain and beat Richter with a high blast from 45 feet.

Larmer regained the lead for New York with six seconds to play in the period, flipping a bad-angle shot from near the left boards through a Graves screen and behind Beaupre.

Graves then scored twice within a 3:25 span of the second period to make it 4-1.

Ottawa’s Pat Elynuik pulled the Senators within 4-2 at 2:03 of the third before Nedved added a pair of insurance goals.

The skillful center, acquired by the Rangers in the off-season, leads New York with 25 shots on goal, but had managed only two assists before striking at 8:13 and 15:26 of the final period.

Detroit 4, Edmonton 2--Ray Sheppard and Mike Krushelnyski scored third-period goals at Edmonton as the Red Wings won their fourth in a row. Sheppard’s goal was his sixth. It came at 2:55 of the third period when he came out of the left corner, deked a defender and beat goalie Bill Ranford.

San Jose 2, Chicago 1--Ray Whitney had the quickest goal in Shark history and added another in the second period at San Jose behind Arturs Irbe’s 30 saves.

Whitney scored 16 seconds into the game, beating the team record for fastest goal by three seconds. The Sharks have scored in the opening 90 seconds of their last three games, all victories.

Irbe made several spectacular saves, including one shot he stopped with his right elbow. Chicago, which outshot San Jose 31-14, also had two shots go off the post.

Joe Murphy scored his sixth goal of the season for Chicago, keeping him tied for the league goal-scoring lead with Detroit’s Ray Sheppard.

Florida 2, Boston 1--John Vanbiesbrouck stopped 38 shots and Dave Lowry snapped a tie to boost the Panthers over the Bruins at Boston Garden.

The Panthers have won three in a row after opening the season with three consecutive losses. The Bruins have lost two in a row after winning their first three.

Vanbiesbrouck saw more action--16 saves--in the first period than Boston goalie Vinny Riendeau did all game as the Panthers mustered only 14 shots. In all, Boston outshot Florida 39-14.

Toronto 2, Dallas 1--Felix Potvin, fifth in the NHL in victories last year, stopped 43 shots and the Maple Leafs made their best chances count as they spoiled the Stars’ home-opener at Reunion Arena.

Potvin stopped six Dallas power play opportunities without damage. His best effort came at 6:27 with a glove save of a Kevin Hatcher slap shot.

Todd Gill’s unassisted power play goal gave the Leafs a 2-0 lead after two periods. Gill beat Craig Ludwig and Kevin Hatcher in a scramble around the Dallas goal. The point-blank shot hit Darcy Wakaluk’s stick and the puck trickled between the goalie’s skates for the defenseman’s first goal of the season.