ATLANTA – Derek Roy scored a fluky goal 15 seconds into overtime as the Buffalo Sabres rallied from a two-goal deficit in the third period and beat the Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 on Wednesday night, a game marred by numerous fights.

The Sabres scored twice in the final 7:37 and moved within four points of the New York Islanders in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

In overtime, Roy skated into the Atlanta zone and fired a shot from the top of the circle. It caught goalie Pasi Nurminen in the chest, fell at his feet and rolled into the net before he could knock it away with his stick.

Panthers 6, Islanders 4

SUNRISE, Fla. – Roberto Luongo stopped 50 shots, including 26 in the first period, and the Florida Panthers rallied to beat the New York Islanders 6-4 on Wednesday night.

Nathan Horton, Olli Jokinen and Matt Cullen scored in the second period to give Florida a 4-2 lead. Stephen Weiss, Mikael Samuelsson and Donald Audette also scored for Florida, which was outshot 54-24 and trailed 2-0.

The victory snapped the Panthers’ eight-game winless streak (0-5-3) against the Islanders. Florida is seven points behind the eighth-place Islanders, with both teams having nine games remaining. The top eight teams in the Eastern Conference will advance to the postseason.

Devils 6, Penguins 1

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Jeff Friesen had two goals and two assists to help the New Jersey Devils rout Pittsburgh 6-1 on Wednesday night, ending the Penguins’ six-game unbeaten streak.

Scott Clemmensen, making his third career start with Martin Brodeur getting a break after starting 13 straight games, made 14 saves for his second victory – both against Pittsburgh.

The line of Friesen, Sergei Brylin and center Viktor Kozlov combined for three goals and 11 points. Kozlov also had a four-point game with a goal and three assists.

Hurricanes 3, ‘Hawks 2

CHICAGO – Erik Cole scored with 4:22 left in the third period to give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.

Cole beat goalie Michael Leighton high to the stick side with a shot from the top of the right circle off a pass from Rod Brind’Amour.

Brind’Amour had a goal and two assists, and Craig Adams also scored for Carolina, 4-1-0-1 in its last six games.

NBA

Raptors 85, Jazz 81

TORONTO – Vince Carter scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, and the Toronto Raptors knocked the Utah Jazz back to .500 with an 85-81 victory Wednesday night.

Jalen Rose and Donyell Marshall each added 17 points for the Raptors, who began the day in 10th place in the East. Toronto is 2-0 since Rose returned to the lineup after missing a month with four broken bones in his right hand.

Gordan Giricek had 25 points and Andrei Kirilenko added 20 for the Jazz (34-34), who remained 11/2 games behind Denver in the West.

Wizards 114, Kings 108

WASHINGTON – Kwame Brown had career-highs of 30 points and 19 rebounds while playing all 48 minutes Wednesday night as the Washington Wizards snapped a seven-game losing streak by defeating the Sacramento Kings 114-108.

Brown shot 12-for-16 from the field and 6-for-7 from the line, including two free throws with 23.6 seconds left to give the Wizards a 113-105 lead.

Gilbert Arenas had 27 points, 10 assists, a career-high eight steals and five rebounds. He also played the full game for Washington, which lost at New York in overtime on Tuesday night.

Pacers 80, Blazers 71

INDIANAPOLIS – Rick Carlisle has this 50-win thing down pat.

Ron Artest scored 21 points to lead the Indiana Pacers to an 80-71 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, giving Carlisle his third straight 50-win season in his third season as a head coach.

Reggie Miller added 18 points for the Pacers, who overcame a big disparity at the free throw line to improve the NBA’s best record to 50-17.

Hornets 104, 76ers 80

NEW ORLEANS – Rookie David West hit all seven of his shots for a career-high 15 points and fueled a momentum-changing third-quarter surge in the New Orleans Hornets’ 104-80 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. Baron Davis added 20 points, hitting a 3-pointer at the third-quarter buzzer and two more early in the fourth as the Hornets pulled away.

Jamaal Magloire had 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Robert Traylor added 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Allen Iverson led the Sixers with 20 points but shot only 8-of-23. Aaron McKie added 15 and Kenny Thomas 11 as Philadelphia lost its third straight.