Oilers Win, Eliminate Ducks From Playoffs

Rem Murray’s empty-net goal with 59 seconds left in overtime lifted Edmonton to a 5-4 victory over Vancouver Friday night at Vancouver, giving the Oilers the final Western Conference playoff berth and eliminating the Mighty Ducks and Canucks.

Murray’s goal capped a wild finish that saw Edmonton rally from a 3-1 third-period deficit and then win when Vancouver--which had to have a victory to stay in contention for the postseason--pulled goalie Felix Potvin with 2:06 left in overtime.

Other Games

Jaromir Jagr scored a breakaway goal 13 seconds into overtime at Buffalo as the Pittsburgh Penguins clinched seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 victory over the Sabres. . . . The Washington Capitals, needing a win more than the Detroit Red Wings, kept alive their hopes for the top Eastern Conference seed in the playoffs by winning, 4-2. . . . Not only did the New York Islanders set a franchise record for home defeats with 26 in losing to Toronto, 2-1, they also lost goaltender Kevin Weekes to injury late in the second period. . . . Alexei Zhamnov scored the tying goal with 48.4 seconds left in regulation and added the winner with 1:25 remaining in overtime to cap a four-point night as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the St. Louis Blues, 4-3. . . . Colorado center Peter Forsberg hurt his shoulder and had to be helped off the ice at Calgary during the Avalanche’s 3-1 victory. . . . Gary Suter scored a short-handed goal in the third period at Phoenix as the San Jose Sharks strengthened their hold on seventh place in the Western Conference with a 3-1 victory.