NHL Roundup : Bruins and Islanders Each Rally to Stay Alive

It didn’t take Ken Linseman long to go from goat to hero for the Boston Bruins Sunday night at Boston.

Two first-period penalties against him led to two Montreal goals that helped the Canadiens take a 4-1 lead. But Linseman scored three goals, including the game-winner, and had two assists in the last two periods to keep Boston alive with a 7-6 playoff victory.

The Bruins’ victory evened the Adams Division semifinal series at 2-2 and forced a decisive fifth game at Montreal Tuesday night.

“I lost my composure,” Linseman said. “They were stupid penalties. . . . I’m just happy I got the chance to get back and win this game.”

Montreal lost defenseman Chris Chelios with a sprained right knee at 3:24 of the second period with the score 4-1.

Montreal Coach Jacques Lemaire, explaining Montreal’s lapse, said: “The loss of Chelios was part of it. Also, the defensemen started to play a little softer. They weren’t reacting as well.”

Linseman, who played for the Stanley Cup-champion Edmonton Oilers last season, scored the winning goal at 13:12 of the third period. He took a pass at center ice from Terry O’Reilly and sped up the right side and around defenseman Tom Kurvers. He skated behind the net to the other side and, still behind the goal, knocked the puck off the right leg of defenseman Larry Robinson and past goalie Steve Penney.

New York Islanders 6, Washington 4--Bryan Trottier scored off a face-off with 68 seconds remaining and goalie Billy Smith stopped Bobby Carpenter on a penalty shot with 30 seconds to go at Uniondale, N.Y., as the Islanders came from behind to even their Patrick Division playoff series with the Capitals at 2-2.

The Islanders trailed, 4-2, entering the third period but rallied to force a decisive fifth game Tuesday night at Landover, Md.

Trottier beat Doug Jarvis on a face off and shot the puck between the legs of goaltender Al Jensen.

With 30 seconds remaining, the Islanders were penalized by referee Andy Van Hellemond for intentionally moving the net off its moorings. Under NHL rules, the call requires a penalty shot because less than two minutes were left in the game.

Carpenter skated in on Smith and took a 15-foot wrist shot which Smith stopped with his right arm pad. It was only the 12th penalty shot in Stanley Cup history and the ninth time the goaltender had won the duel.

Mike Bossy’s second goal, into an empty net with only 16 seconds remaining, completed the scoring.

Winnipeg 5, Calgary 3--Doug Smail and Laurie Boschman scored short-handed goals in the second period at Calgary as the Jets won a playoff series for the first time ever, 3-1.

The Jets, who lost their previous three playoff series since entering the league in 1979, will play the Edmonton Oilers in the Smythe Division final. The best-of-seven series begins Thursday at Edmonton. Edmonton eliminated the Kings in three games, winning the final game Saturday night at the Forum, 4-3, in overtime.

Against Calgary, Winnipeg, playing without injured center Dale Hawerchuk and No. 1 goaltender Brian Hayward, erupted for four straight goals in the second period to take a 5-1 lead .

Buffalo 7, Quebec 4--Dave Andreychuk scored three of Buffalo’s five third-period goals at Buffalo as the Sabres came from behind to even their Adams Division playoff series with the Nordiques at 2-2.

Buffalo, which hasn’t won a game at Quebec’s Le Colisee in their last 11 attempts, now face the Nordiques Tuesday in Quebec in the deciding game of the best-of-five playoff series.

During the regular season, the Sabres only twice won after trailing going into the third period. Now they’ve done it two games in a row. The Sabres came from behind to win Saturday night, 6-4.

In that game, Sabre defenseman Mike Ramsey hit Anton Stastny in the face, a blow that broke a bone in the left wing’s left cheek. Quebec General Manager Maurice Filion said Sunday the blow was intentional.

Filion said he has complained to the NHL after several viewings of videotapes showing the incident during the second period. “The replay shows well that the blow was intentional and that’s why we’ve filed a complaint,” Filion said.