clarinews@clarinet.com (02/03/90)
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (UPI) -- Doug Crossman scored two goals and Hubie McDonough had a goal and an assist Friday to lead the New York Islanders to a 5-3 victory over the Washington Capitals. The victory gave the Islanders, 18-6-2 in their last 26 games, sole possession of first place in the Patrick Division ahead of the idle New Jersey Devils. With New York ahead 3-2 starting the third period, McDonough picked up an errant Washington pass at the Capitals blue line, passed back to Brad Lauer and took a return pass. His 10-foot backhander slipped through the pads of the Caps rookie netminder Jim Hrivnak, making it 4-2 Islanders. Warren Hatcher scored a power play goal for Washington at 14:45, putting the puck past Islander goalie Mark Fitzpatrick to make it 4-3. But Crossman scored into an empty net at 19:18 on assists by Brad Lauer and Fitzpatrick. The Islanders took a 2-0 first period lead on goals by Pat LaFontaine, whose 44th goal of the year came on a second rebound at 14:32, and Crossman, who scored at 15:43, on a set-up by McDonough and Ken Baumgartner. Randy Wood made it 3-0 at 6:42 of the second period, hitting on a 20-footer on a rush, but Washington scored twice before the end of the period to get back into the game. John Tucker converted a power-play pass from the right faceoff circle at 7:32. Michal Pivonka flipped his own rebound over Fitzpatrick at 13:47, also on a power play. The loss broke the Capitals' three-game winning streak, and left them with a 5-3 record under new coach Terry Murray.