NHL Roundup : For Montreal, How Swede It Is as Naslund Scores 2 Goals to Lead 5-3 Win

Through the years, the Montreal Canadiens have had more than their share of great hockey players. Most have been of French ancestry, and they have led the Canadiens to 21 Stanley Cups--far more than any other team.

In recent seasons, though, the Canadiens have been just another hockey team. In the last six years, they haven’t even reached the final round of the playoffs.

As Coach Jean Perron, a French-Canadian, attempts to bring the Canadiens back to the top of the National Hockey League, his star player is not a Frenchman but a Swede--Mats Naslund. After starring as an amateur in Sweden, the 5-7 Naslund, a swift-skating left wing, joined the Canadiens four seasons ago. He is becoming one of the league’s top players.

Naslund scored two goals Saturday night at Montreal to lead the Canadiens to a 5-3 victory over Hartford that evened their record at 4-4. Without Naslund, the record wouldn’t be that good. In the eight games, he has scored 10 of his team’s 31 goals.

Naslund set up a goal by rookie center Stephane Richer in the first period, scored in the second period to give Montreal a 4-0 lead and finished off the scoring with a power-play goal in the third period after the Whalers had pulled within a goal, 4-3.

Partly because of injuries, the Canadiens are forced to use eight rookies. They have had four or more regulars missing because of illness or injury every game and are also without veteran Chris Nilan, who is sitting out a 10-game suspension.

“We would really be in trouble if we didn’t have Mats,” Perron said. “When we are in trouble, it seems the little fellow always comes through.

“The way he is playing, we should do much better when we get everyone healthy.”

After scoring a total of 55 goals in his first two NHL seasons, Naslund blossomed into a star with 42 goals last season, then scored seven more in 12 playoff games.

New York Islanders 5, St. Louis 2--Kelly Hrudey, who was impressive as a relief goaltender last Thursday night, when the Islanders ended Quebec’s seven-game winning streak, was sharp as a starter in this game at St. Louis.

Hrudey, who came in after the Nordiques scored five goals in 30 minutes and shut them out the rest of the way, stopped 47 shots in beating the Blues.

Goals by Duane Sutter and Tomas Jonsson gave Hrudey a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes, and the Blues never had a chance.

Pittsburgh 4, Quebec 4--The Nordiques needed late goals by Michel Goulet and Wilf Paiement to gain a tie at Pittsburgh.

The Nordiques trailed, 4-2, after Mario Lemieux and Mike Bullard scored second-period goals.

But Goulet scored on a power play with 7:25 left in regulation, and with just under three minutes to go, Paiement knocked in a rebound.

Calgary 7, Detroit 4--Carey Wilson had a hat trick at Calgary to help the Flames extend the Red Wings’ winless streak to eight games.

The Red Wings (0-7-1) trailed by only a goal going into the final period and missed a chance to tie when Chris Cichoki fanned on a shot in front of an open net. Lanny McDonald and Wilson scored shortly thereafter to wrap up the win.

Minnesota 7, Toronto 5--Keith Acton scored one goal and assisted on two others at Toronto to lead the North Stars to victory.

The Maple Leafs, who have a 1-7 record, took the lead on four different occasions before finally falling behind late in the second period on a goal by Scott Bjugstad.

The victory put the North Stars in first place in the Norris Division.