NHL Roundup : Hayward, Jets Finally Get Revved Up, 3-1

The Winnipeg Jets learned last season they could depend on young goaltender Brian Hayward for superlative performances.

He played 61 games last season, his first full season in the NHL. Largely because of Hayward, the Jets had their best record ever, winning 43 games and earning 96 points.

They were optimistic about their chances this season. They expected Hayward, 25, to improve.

But for his first 14 games this season, Hayward was an ordinary goalie and the Jets were an ordinary team. Hayward’s goals-against average was 4.82 and the Jets were in fourth place in the Smythe Division.

Hayward finally played up to his potential Wednesday night at Winnipeg, stopped 35 shots and led the Jets to a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Hayward lost his shutout early in the final period when Joe Mullen beat him.

But Dale Hawerchuk’s 11th goal of the season, in the second period, gave the Jets a 2-0 lead and Hayward made it stand up.

“We needed a big game from Brian,” Coach Barry Long said. “Maybe this is what we needed to start a streak.”

Edmonton 5, Montreal 4--It took overtime at Montreal to do it, but the Oilers celebrated their 500th NHL victory.

Mark Messier scored his 11th goal of the season just 42 seconds into the extra session to give the Oilers a comeback victory.

After Wayne Gretzky scored his 15th goal at 13:41 of the second period, goaltenders Andy Moog of the Oilers and Steve Penney dominated play until the overtime.

Mats Naslund led the Canadien attack, getting a goal and two assists.

The Oilers joined the NHL in 1979.

Chicago 2, Vancouver 0--Second-period goals by Denis Savard and Ken Yaremchuk and a rugged defense sparked the Black Hawks to the victory at Chicago.

Chicago goalie Murray Bannerman had one of the easiest shutouts of his career. The tight forechecking of the Black Hawks permitted the Canucks only 17 shots on goal.

It was Bannerman’s eighth career shutout and first since Jan. 8, 1984. He had to fight to keep from falling asleep in the last period when the Canucks, in 20 minutes, had only four shots.

New York Rangers 7, Toronto 3--Bob Brooke, a member of the 1984 U. S. Olympic team, scored his first hat trick for the Rangers in this game at New York.

Brooke had only four goals this season before his three put an end to the Maple Leafs’ two-game winning streak. One of them came with his team short-handed.

The Rangers peppered Toronto goalie Don Edwards with 47 shots. They had 24 in the first period when they built a 3-1 lead. On only 11 shots they scored three more in the second to build a 6-2 lead.

Washington 3, Pittsburgh 1--It doesn’t seem right that the Penguins, who haven’t beaten the Capitals since October, 1983, should have to play them on successive nights.

In this one at Pittsburgh, Craig Laughlin scored twice as the Capitals improved their record against the Penguins to 15-0-1 in the last 16 games. Tuesday night at Landover, Md. the Penguins put on a belated rally, but lost, 4-3.

The Penguins have won only two of their last 12 games.