NHL Roundup : Brodeur’s Comeback Continues With 6-2 Win

A year ago, when the Vancouver Canucks were having a terrible season, goaltender Richard Brodeur was taking the rap. He played so poorly that the Canucks sent him to the minors for four games so he could regain his confidence.

It was a bitter pill for the goaltender, who had played so magnificently in the playoffs of 1982, carrying the team to the final round of Stanley Cup competition.

At 33, Brodeur is making a comeback. Once again, he is bringing the Canucks with him.

While teammates Stan Smyl and Patrik Sundstrom scored short-handed goals Saturday night at Vancouver, Brodeur stopped 26 shots to lead the Canucks to a 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Last season, Brodeur won only 16 of 49 games and had a goals-against average of 4.67, the worst of his NHL career.

He needs only 10 more victories to equal last season’s win total. He is 6-4-1 and has his goals-against average down to 3.45.

“Brodeur is playing the best I’ve ever seen him,” new Canuck Coach Tom Watt told United Press International. “He’s been playing great all season, even in games we’ve lost.”

Once again, Brodeur is earning the nickname “King Richard,” given to him in 1982.

“One reason for my improvement,” Brodeur said, “is that I am training the year-round. I’m not letting myself get out of shape.

“It also helps that we have a new attitude under our new coach. You can see he is a coach. Everything he does has a purpose, every drill a reason. He’s organized and rational. That’s what we needed last year.”

The Canucks are 6-4-2 and only two points behind Edmonton, the Smythe Division leader.

The Sabres were coming off a 2-0 victory over the Oilers in a game in which rookie goalie Daren Puppa made a dazzling debut. Tom Barrasso, who has been the best goalie in the league for the past two seasons, wasn’t sharp at all Saturday night.

Although the Canucks had only 26 shots, six got past Barrasso. Two of them were by Petri Skriko on power plays.

It may have been a costly victory. Jim Sandlak, the Canucks’ first pick in the draft, scored his first goal but injured his neck in the second period when he crashed into the boards. He was carried off on a stretcher with what was believed to be whiplash.

New Jersey 6, New York Rangers 5--Mel Bridgman scored just 50 seconds into overtime at East Rutherford, N.J., to cap an amazing comeback.

The Rangers led, 4-0, after one minute of the final period, but the Devils rallied to score five times and send the game into overtime. Peter McNab scored the first two New Jersey goals, and Tim Higgins tied it when he scored with 32 seconds left in regulation.

The Devils’ victory ended the Rangers’ five-game winning streak.

Philadelphia 5, Quebec 3--Ilkka Sinisalo and Lindsay Carson each scored twice at Quebec to lead the Flyers to their fifth consecutive road victory.

With Sinisalo, Tim Kerr and Carson providing the offense, the Flyers jumped off to a 4-0 lead in the first 17 minutes, and the Nordiques could never catch up.

Winnipeg 3, Minnesota 1--Dan Bouchard stopped 33 shots at Bloomington, Minn., and was supported with first-period goals by Paul McLean and Thomas Steen.

In only his third game for the Jets since being acquired from Quebec, Bouchard made 15 saves in a busy first period. He lost his shutout on a power-play goal by Dirk Graham midway through the second period.

New York Islanders 5, Washington 3--Duane Sutter and rookie Neal Coulter scored 29 seconds apart late in the game at Uniondale, N.Y., to give the Islanders a hard-earned win. Coulter has played in two NHL games and has scored a goal in both.

Boston 5, Chicago 4--Keith Crowder scored his second power-play goal of the game early in the final period at Boston to break a tie.

The fourth consecutive home victory gave the Bruins an 8-2-1 record.

Calgary 4, Toronto 2--Jim Peplinski and Doug Risebrough scored third-period goals at Calgary as the Flames handed the Maple Leafs their seventh loss in a row.

Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 4--Rookie center Stephane Richer scored a power-play goal with seven minutes left at Montreal to cap a three-goal outburst in the third period and give the Canadiens a tie.

St. Louis 5, Detroit 5--Defenseman Randy Ladouceur scored halfway through the final period to give the Red Wings a tie at St. Louis.