COLUMBUS — It hasn't taken long for the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets to enjoy key victories. Steve Heinze scored two power-play goals and Ron Tugnutt stopped 26 shots as the Blue Jackets extended their winning streak to three with a 3-2 victory Tuesday night over the Dallas Stars.

        “These last three games are big to win,” Heinze said after Columbus beat the Stars, last season's Western Conference champions and the Stanley Cup winners two seasons ago. “They're big to let everyone in the league know we can compete with anyone.”

        All of the wins have come at home and against teams from the Pacific Division. The Blue Jackets jumped past idle Chicago and out of the basement in the Central Division. “This is raising the bar for ourselves,” Heinze said. “Now we have no excuses.”

        Enjoying the first winning streak in its brief history, Columbus has won five of its last six at Nationwide Arena. After a 1-7-0-1 start, they have gone 5-3-1-0.

        Tugnutt improved to 4-1-1 in his last six starts. He turned away the routine shots and made several spectacular saves.

        • Oilers 3, Blues 0, at Edmonton, Alberta — Ryan Smyth scored three goals and Tommy Salo had 29 saves for his 18th career shutout as the Oilers ended St. Louis' 10-game unbeaten streak.

        • Sharks 3 Devils 2, at East Rutherford, N.J. — Mike Ricci's goal nine minutes into the third period sent the Stanley Cup champions to their sixth straight loss.

        • Capitals 2, Coyotes 2, at Washington — Cap Ulf Dahlen scored his second goal of the game with :21.4 left in regulation.

        • Lightning 1, Habs 0, at Montreal — Vincent Lecavalier scored the lone goal and Kevin Weekes made 34 saves as the Canadiens suffered their second consecutive shutout.

        LINDROS UPDATE: Eric Lindros, speaking to reporters for the first time since rejecting a qualifying offer from the Philadelphia Flyers, said he won't consider returning to the team.

        “I think we've made our side pretty clear with what we've done in the summer and what's gone on in the past,” Lindros said after a promotional skate. Neither Lindros nor his lawyer, Gordon Kirke, have responded to general manager Bob Clarke's request for a meeting.
        'Clones again beat Vipers
       

        The IHL Cincinnati Cyclones defeated the Detroit Vipers 3-2 at Firstar Center, their 10th straight over Detroit.
       Detroit ....... 0  1  1—2
       Cincinnati ....... 2  1  0—3
       

        First Period: Cin-Koehler 8 (Dionne) 9:25; Cin-MacDonald 5 (Cole, DaFauw) 13:44

        Second Period: Cin-Cole 3 (Pratt) 4:35; Det-Podollan 5 (Ashtashenko) 10:18.

        Third Period: Det-Jones 2 (Ekman, Nichol) 16:15.

        Shots on goal: Det-8-10-6=24; Cin-12-6-3=21. Saves: Det-Kochan (18); Cin-Pelletier (9); Magliarditi (13).
       
       

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