NHL Roundup : Rangers Bring Flyers to Earth, 3-2

Just about the time the Philadelphia Flyers get to thinking they are invincible, along come the New York Rangers to straighten them out.

It happened last spring when the Flyers, after posting the second-best record during the regular season, were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by the Rangers.

This season, the Flyers appeared to be better than ever, and the Rangers were dreadful.

But, when they hooked up Saturday at Philadelphia, the Rangers scored on their first shot of the game and went on to beat the Flyers, 3-2.

The Flyers went into the game 8-0 at home, 4-1-1 in their last six games and 10-2-1 overall. The Rangers, last in the Patrick Division with just 2 wins in 12 games, were winless in their last five games.

But Pierre Larouche, in Ranger Coach Ted Sator’s doghouse because of poor performances, scored twice on six shots in the first period, and behind the tenacious goaltending of John Vanbiesbrouck, the Rangers held on for the victory.

It was the brilliance of Vanbiesbrouck that stymied the Flyers in the Stanley Cup competition last spring. In this game, the Flyers fired 38 shots at Vanbiesbrouck, but only two got past him.

“Give the credit to the goalie,� Coach Mike Keenan of the Flyers said. “We didn’t get any goals from our big scorers, and in games like this they have to rise to the occasion. But then, the goaltender robbed us several times.�

New York Islanders 2, Detroit 1--Pat Flatley scored the winning goal with just 49 seconds remaining in overtime at Uniondale, N.Y., but Detroit Coach Jacques Demers gave credit for the win to Islander goaltender Kelly Hrudey.

“Their goalie made the difference,� Demers said. “We didn’t deserve to lose. We had more quality chances, especially in the third period.

“He (Hrudey) stole at least a point from us. No goaltender can play better than that.�

Hrudey made 37 saves, including several spectacular ones in the last period. On one, he went to his knees to stop a blistering shot from point blank by Adam Oates.

Boston 5, Quebec 1--The Bruins, who didn’t play well for Butch Goring, performed impressively at Quebec for interim coaches Terry O’Reilly and Mike Milbury.

Steve Kasper scored twice, and Tom McCarthy had a goal and two assists as the Bruins ended a three-game losing streak.

O’Reilly came out of the broadcast booth to join Milbury, an assistant under Goring. The Bruins are expected to name Terry Crisp to the job this week.

Edmonton 4, Montreal 3--The Oilers escaped more of Coach Glenn Sather’s wrath by ending a three-game losing streak at Edmonton, but the winning goal was a fluke.

With the Oilers leading the Stanley Cup champions, 3-2, in the third period, Canadien defenseman Gaston Gingras accidentally knocked in the rebound of a shot by Craig MacTavish. MacTavish was given credit for what turned out to be the winning goal.

Sather was seething after the Oilers were manhandled by Calgary, 6-4, Friday night.

The Canadiens held Wayne Gretzky without a point for the first time this season.

Washington 3, Chicago 2--Alan Haworth’s second goal of the game, three minutes into the final period at Landover, Md., enabled the Capitals to hold off the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks have won only 3 of their last 11 games and are in the cellar in the Norris Division.

Vancouver 5, Toronto 3--Rich Sutter climaxed a three-goal second period for the Canucks at Toronto with his fifth goal of the season, and it proved to be the winner.

It was the second road win in a row for the Canucks, who ended an eight-game winless streak Friday night at Buffalo.

Pittsburgh 4, Minnesota 2--Craig Simpson deflected Moe Mantha’s shot into the net halfway through the final period at Minneapolis and put an end to the Penguins’ four-game losing streak.

The North Stars’ Dino Ciccarelli took over the goal-scoring lead, breaking a tie with Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux by scoring his 18th in 14 games.