EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Martin Brodeur became the first NHL goaltender to post four 40-win seasons as the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Islanders 6-0 Sunday.

Patrik Elias had career-best four goals and an assist, and linemate Scott Gomez had a career-best and a team-record tying five assists as the Devils extended their unbeaten streak to seven games (5-0-2).

The win moved New Jersey four points ahead of the idle Philadelphia Flyers in the Atlantic Division and within four points of Ottawa in the race for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

The loss was the second straight for the Islanders, who seem to be losing their grip on the eighth and final playoff berth despite being four points ahead of the New York Rangers.

Blackhawks 4, Oilers 4

CHICAGO – Radek Dvorak had two goals and Todd Marchant added another score, all in a 1:28 span late in the third period, as the Edmonton Oilers rallied to tie the Chicago Blackhawks 4-4 Sunday.

The Blackhawks led 4-1 before Dvorak deflected a shot for a power-play goal with 2:29 left, cutting Edmonton’s deficit to 4-2.

Marchant beat rookie goaltender Craig Andersson 28 seconds later, Dvorak tied the game on a shot from the slot with 1:01 left in regulation.

Ryan Smyth also scored for the Oilers, who have gone eight games without a loss in regulation (6-0-1-1).

Mighty Ducks 3, Canucks 1

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Petr Sykora scored 41 seconds into the third period and Martin Gerber made 41 saves to lead the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.

Steve Thomas and Adam Oates each scored first-period goals to give the Ducks an early 2-0 lead but the Canucks outshot Anaheim 18-5 in the second to get back into the game.

Markus Naslund scored his NHL-leading 47th goal of the season during a power play in the second to cut Anaheim’s lead to 2-1.

But Sykora swatted a loose puck past Vancouver goalie Dan Cloutier after a pass from Paul Kariya deflected off Oates’ skate just outside the crease in the Vancouver zone.

Kariya and defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh each had two assists as Anaheim moved past Minnesota into sixth-place in the Western Conference.

The loss was just the 10th on the road this season for the Canucks, who remain in third-place in the conference. Vancouver would meet Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs if the teams held their current positions.

Thomas took the puck off the stick of Vancouver defenseman Marek Malik and quickly lofted it past Cloutier to give Anaheim a 1-0 lead 4:19 into the first. Oates made it a two-goal lead with 1:49 left in the period when he put a wrist shot over Cloutier’s glove. It was the 1,400th point of Oates’ career.

Naslund managed to deflect an off-angle shot from the end line to Gerber’s right off the goaltender’s stick into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1 during a Vancouver power play midway through the second period.

The goal moved Naslund ahead of linemate Todd Bertuzzi for the league lead.

Notes: Sunday’s game was the 1,000th NHL contest officiated by referee Rob Shick. His first game was at Detroit on April 6, 1986. Shick’s wife and family joined him for a pre-game ceremony. … Anaheim forward Cam Severson skated in his first game since being recalled from Cincinnati Thursday. … Vancouver defenseman Bryan Allen and center Brandon Reid were healthy scratches. Both skated at Los Angeles on Saturday.

AP-ES-03-30-03 2245EST