Maple Leafs Get Muller; Senators Fire Coach

The Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders made the best of a bad situation while the Toronto Maple Leafs added Kirk Muller in hopes of challenging for the Stanley Cup.

In a three-way trade completed Tuesday after two weeks of talks, the Maple Leafs acquired Muller from the Islanders and veteran goaltender Don Beaupre from the Senators in the seven-player deal.

The Senators got Toronto backup goaltender Damian Rhodes and junior star defenseman Wade Redden, the Islanders’ first-round pick last year.

The Islanders picked up Ottawa center Martin Straka, minor league left wing Ken Belanger from the Leafs and promising junior defenseman Bryan Berard, picked first overall last year by the Senators.

Muller and Berard had been at odds with the Islanders and Senators.

The Senators, with by far the worst record in the NHL, then fired their coach for the second time this season, dismissing Dave Allison.

General Manager Pierre Gauthier did not say who would coach tonight against Pittsburgh. Allison lasted two months since replacing Rick Bowness on Nov. 21, and the Senators (8-35-1) had only two victories and a tie in his 34 games.

The Senators also traded center Dan Quinn to the Philadelphia Flyers for future considerations.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Florida 5, Washington 4--Johan Garpenlov capped his third career hat trick by scoring the go-ahead goal with 55.4 seconds left at Landover, Md., as the Panthers extended their unbeaten streak to six games.

The Panthers twice blew two-goal leads.

Garpenlov got his first two goals on a two-man advantage. Washington’s Pat Peake had a goal and two assists, matching his career high of three points.