Blues down Rangers in NHL action

Reuters, New York

Scott Mellanby had a goal and one assist and Fred Brathwaite made 23 saves as the surging St. Louis Blues defeated the slumping New York Rangers 3-2 in National Hockey League action on Sunday.

Doug Weight added a pair of assists for the Blues, who have won eight straight games and are unbeaten in their past nine. Martin Rucinsky and Dallas Drake scored the other St. Louis goals.

Mark Messier and Brian Leetch scored for the Rangers, who are 4-8-2-0 to start the season and losers of three straight after yet another off-season spending spree.

They have the highest team payroll in the NHL.

Messier played his 1,616th career game, passing Larry Murphy into sole possession of second place on the NHL career list.

In Columbus, Derrick Wasler's first goal of the season in the third period was the winner as the Blue Jackets rallied to edge the Buffalo Sabres 3-2.

It was just the second time in team history that Columbus (5-5-1-0) won a game after trailing for two periods.

Columbus was 1-75-4-2 when trailing after 40 minutes in its three-year history.

It's also the latest point in a season that the team has been at the .500 mark.

Buffalo is now winless in six games (0-4-2).

The Sabres got goals from Stu Barnes and Jochen Hecht.

Tyler Wright and Andrew Cassels scored the other goals for Columbus.

In Detroit, Ulf Dahlen scored a pair of goals and one assist to help the Dallas Stars tie the Red Wings 3-3.

Mike Modano scored the other goal for the Pacific Division leading Stars (6-3-3-1).

Marty Turco made 32 saves.

Jason Williams tied the game with his third period goal for the Wings. Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk scored the other Detroit goals, while Curtis Joseph made 34 saves.

In Phoenix, Danile Briere's power play goal with 40 seconds left in overtime gave the Coyotes a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators.

Landon Wilson scored the other goal for Phoenix on Tomas Vokum, who made 43 saves in goal for Nashville.

Denis Arkhipov scored the lone goal for the Predators, while Brian Boucher earned his 50th career win by making 24 saves.

In Chicago, Anson Carter scored a pair of goals, including one into an empty net, to give the Edmonton Oilers a 4-1 win over the Blackhawks.

Edmonton (3-4-3-1) also got one goal and one assist Ryan Smyth, while Carter also added an assist.

Shawn Horcoff scored the other Edmonton goal.

Kyle Calder scored the lone goal for Chicago on Tommy Salo, who made 24 saves.

In Anaheim, Mike Ricci scored a pair of goals to lead the San Jose Sharks past the Mighty Ducks 4-3.