NHL ROUNDUP : Fans Don’t Storm Doors for Whalers

It’s tough enough to ask fans to pay to watch a team struggling through a dismal season.

But also ask them to trek through a blizzard to get there, and there won’t be many takers.

There were only only 1,362 hardy--some would say foolhardy--enough to show up at the Hartford Civic Center on Saturday in a raging snowstorm to watch the Whalers tie the Buffalo Sabres, 3-3. It was the Whalers’ smallest home crowd ever.

“I felt like I was playing a high school game,� Buffalo left wing Randy Wood said. “It felt very strange.�

The official announced attendance was 10,011, but that includes pre-sold tickets.

Hartford goalie Mario Gosselin, a former King, gave up three goals in the Sabres’ first 10 shots, then made 29 saves the rest of the way.

Quebec 5, Montreal 2--The Nordiques came up with four third-period goals at Montreal.

Despite a major snowstorm that blocked highways and bridges around the city, there were only small pockets of empty seats at the Forum.

Boston 6, Ottawa 3--Rookie Joe Juneau had a goal and two assists to help send the expansion Senators to their 35th consecutive road loss before a storm-limited crowd of 8,974 at Boston.

St. Louis 6, Minnesota 2--Brett Hull scored his 48th goal of the season and Rich Sutter had two at St. Louis to give the Blues their sixth victory in their last seven games.

Calgary 4, New Jersey 3--Joe Nieuwendyk took a pass from Theoren Fleury and tapped it into an open net with 3:30 left in the third period at Calgary for the winning goal.