NHL ROUNDUP : Guerin Finds Ugly Goals Count Too

The New Jersey Devils had one point and Bill Guerin none through four games. Playing subtle hockey wasn’t working.

“I’m trying to get away from the finesse moves I try every so often,” Guerin said after he scored both goals for the Devils who beat Buffalo, 2-1, for their first victory of the season. “We have to stop trying to be so fine and bury the pucks.”

Guerin used screens from Buffalo defensemen and a deflection by a forward to beat Dominik Hasek twice and the Devils ended their worst start ever.

Tampa Bay 4, Montreal 1--In St. Petersburg, Fla., Daren Puppa made 19 saves and Rob Zamuner and Chris Gratton scored their first goals of the season for the Lightning.

New York Islanders 5, Florida 1--First Steve Thomas’ goal was disallowed, then he scored two on power plays to lead the Islanders to a victory in Miami and help New York break a 5-for-28 drought on power plays.

Quebec 5, Philadelphia 2--Joe Sakic had a short-handed goal and three assists at Philadelphia and defenseman Uwe Krupp scored twice as the Nordiques won their fifth game in a row.

NHL Notes

A hearing to decide how much money is owed retired players and where it will come from began Tuesday. The NHL said the retirees are owed $23.6 million. The retired players are expected to ask for more than $28.4 million. . . . Viacheslav Fetisov, the defenseman who started the influx of players from the former Soviet Union to the NHL, has re-signed with the New Jersey Devils.