EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Robert Esche stole Game 4 on Wednesday night and pushed the defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils to the brink of a first-round postseason exit.

Esche made 35 saves in recording his first career playoff shutout and defenseman Kim Johnsson atoned for a game-winning own goal two nights earlier, leading the Flyers to a 3-0 win and a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Alexei Zhamnov and Keith Primeau added third-period goals for the Flyers, who can end the Devils’ hopes of winning a fourth championship since 1995 with a victory on Saturday in Philadelphia.
Senators 4, Maple Leafs 1
OTTAWA – Marian Hossa and the Ottawa Senators had reason to celebrate after finally getting some pucks past Toronto’s Ed Belfour.

Daniel Alfredsson scored late in the first period to end Ottawa’s two-game scoreless streak, and Hossa got the go-ahead goal in the second, helping the Senators to a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Ottawa ended Belfour’s shutout streak at 157:45 when Alfredsson scored with 35.6 seconds remaining in the first period, tying the game. Hossa thrust his arms skyward after he scored his third goal of the series to give the Senators’ the lead 13:15 into the second.
Lightning 3, Islanders 0
UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Nikolai Khabibulin and the Tampa Bay Lightning have made themselves very comfortable in a building that was so unfriendly to visitors all season long.

Khabibulin made 32 saves for his second straight shutout at Nassau Coliseum and league scoring leader Martin St. Louis had a short-handed goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.

Ruslan Fedotenko and Fredrik Modin added goals, and Brad Richards had two assists for the Lightning, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-1, with each game ending up 3-0.
Avalanche 3, Stars 2
DALLAS – Rookie Marek Svatos and the Colorado Avalanche are headed home on the verge of advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Svatos, playing in his fourth postseason game after playing just four in the regular season, scored from the center of the left faceoff circle 5:18 into double overtime Wednesday, giving Colorado a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars and a 3-1 lead in their first-round series.

While the young forward had the key goal this time, the Avalanche received a stellar effort from goaltender David Aebischer.

Having blown a two-goal lead in Game 3 to give the Stars new life, Aebischer again squandered a two-goal lead – but he was hardly to blame. The Stars’ first goal came on a two-man advantage, and the tying shot was redirected away from Aebischer by a defenseman’s skate.

Aebischer made 41 saves, including 27 after the second period.

Milan Heyduk scored Colorado’s first goal on a power play, and Joe Sakic followed soon after with a short-handed goal. Dallas answered quickly with Sergie Zubov scoring during a 5-on-3 advantage, then Pierre Turgeon tied it with 8:46 left in regulation.

The Stars outshot the Avalanche 43-21 for the game. Colorado’s shots plunged from eight to four to three, three and two.

Svatos, who had assists in the first two games, skated into the zone with puck, got around Zubov and shot past defenseman Chris Therien and goaltender Marty Turco.

Dallas lost for only the second time in 21 home games. The Stars will have to win Saturday to get another chance to play at home in Game 6, which would be Sunday.

Notes: Colorado’s Peter Forsberg ended a nine-game point streak. … Dallas has allowed two first-period goals in all four games. The Stars did that just five times all season. … Colorado lost a potential goal just 3:07 in when video replay couldn’t clearly show whether the puck went in before Turco stopped it.

AP-ES-04-14-04 2344EDT