Yzerman Reaches Milestone as Red Wings Stay Hot

Steve Yzerman had a goal and recorded his 900th assist as the visiting Detroit Red Wings extended their unbeaten streak to five games with a 7-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.

Steve Duchesne set up three goals for the Red Wings, who also extended their unbeaten streak over Vancouver to 10 games (8-0-2).

Yzerman became the 10th NHL player to reach the 900-assist plateau, and his goal was the 599th of his career. The two points increased his career total to 1,499, eighth on the all-time list. With his next goal, Yzerman will become only the fifth player to have 600 or more goals and 900 or more assists.

Enjoying its second seven-goal game of the season, Detroit (12-4-3) moved into a tie for the league lead in points (28) with the idle Kings.

Florida 2, Colorado 1--Rob Niedermayer scored the go-ahead goal with 15 seconds left and the Panthers earned their fourth consecutive victory by winning at Denver for the first time since October 1996. Trevor Kidd had 34 saves for Florida.

St. Louis 3, Toronto 2--Terry Yake scored with 59 seconds left to give the Blues a victory at Toronto.

Pierre Turgeon, who set up Yake’s goal on a two-on-one, had three assists to give him seven points in his last three games.

New Jersey 2, Boston 2--Playing in his first game with the Bruins, veteran Joe Murphy scored on a bizarre backhander from the corner with 4:31 to play to force a tie with the Devils at East Rutherford, N.J.

Murphy skated past Sheldon Souray and carried the puck down the right sideboards. As Souray started to catch up, Murphy backhanded the puck toward the net and scored.

Carolina 2, Ottawa 1--Bates Battaglia and Robert Kron scored and Arturs Irbe lost a shutout in the final minute in the Hurricanes’ victory at Raleigh, N.C.

Irbe lost his shutout with 48 seconds left when Shawn McEachern netted his sixth goal of the season on a deflection.

Washington 2, Dallas 2--Richard Zednik scored his second goal with 9:11 remaining to give the Capitals a tie with the Stars at Washington.

Atlanta 5, Tampa Bay 4--Andrew Brunette and Matt Johnson scored 10 seconds apart early in the third period at Atlanta to help the Thrashers end a four-game losing streak.

NHL Notes

St. Louis Blues forward Geoff Courtnall, 37, who has played only six games this season after missing most of the last two seasons because of concussions, is expected to announce his retirement today. . . . Jaromir Jagr’s thigh injury felt much better and the NHL scoring leader said he probably will play tonight at Tampa, Fla. Jagr was initially diagnosed with a strained groin after leaving Tuesday’s victory over the Buffalo Sabres.