NHL ROUNDUP : Penguins’ 16th in Row Is Record

The Pittsburgh Penguins put themselves in the record book and just about put the New York Rangers out of the playoffs.

“We’re showing a lot of character the last couple of weeks,” said Mario Lemieux after scoring five goals to lead the Penguins past the Rangers, 10-4, Friday night at New York for an NHL record 16th consecutive victory.

The Penguins topped the 15-game winning streak by the New York Islanders during the 1981-82 season. Pittsburgh also dealt a blow to the playoff hopes of the Rangers, who have lost their last six home games.

With four games to go, the Rangers remained three points behind the New York Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Patrick Division. And they play the Penguins again tonight at Pittsburgh.

“I was trying to think of another time in my athletic experience where I’ve been any more embarrassed, and I couldn’t,” Ranger Coach Ron Smith said.

The Penguins, meanwhile, couldn’t be more proud.

“This is the best team I’ve ever played with,” said Lemieux, who has led the Penguins to two consecutive Stanley Cup championships.

The Penguins, whose last loss was March 5 to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, have outscored opponents, 92-46, during their streak.

They started with a 3-2 victory over Boston on March 9 at Pittsburgh and tied the Islanders’ record with a 4-3 overtime victory over Montreal at Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. The Penguins won two overtime games during the stretch as they streaked to the President’s Trophy for the league’s best regular-season record.

The Penguins once again were spearheaded by Lemieux, who has 67 goals this season.

After he scored his fifth goal, the Ranger fans gave the Penguins’ captain a standing ovation. Lemieux has scored in every game of the streak, getting 51 points on 27 goals and 24 assists.

Friday night marked the second five-goal game of his career and improved his league-leading point total to 157, 14 more than Pat LaFontaine of Buffalo. Lemieux, who underwent treatment for Hodgkin’s disease this season, has played in 22 fewer games.

Calgary 8, Vancouver 1--Joe Nieuwendyk had two goals and three assists at Calgary to help the Flames move to within two points of first-place Vancouver in the Smythe Division.

The Flames’ victory also guarantees that the Kings will not have the home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.