NHL Roundup : Rangers’ Larouche Is Back With a Rush, Scores Twice in Win

Pierre Larouche made a triumphant return to New York Wednesday night, scoring two goals to lead the Rangers to a 5-2 victory over Vancouver.

When Larouche, a high-scoring, controversial center, was sent to the minors before the season opened, his Ranger career appeared to be over. But when the Ranger offense faltered last week, Larouche, 30, was brought back.

In his first six games, all on the road, Larouche contributed two goals and an assist. Surprisingly, he played well on defense.

At Hershey in the American League, Larouche had 22 goals and 17 assists in 31 games. He was playing the way he did in 1979-80 when he scored 50 goals for Montreal.

Larouche’s first goal, a 55-foot blast just after stepping out of the penalty box, gave the Rangers a 4-2 lead late in the second period. He put the game on ice with four minutes remaining.

Coach Ted Sator of the Rangers, who had decided that Larouche didn’t fit into his plans earlier, has changed his mind.

“The guy responsible for Pierre Larouche coming back is Pierre Larouche,” Sator told USA Today. “If he keeps playing the way he has been, he’ll stay.”

Larouche has a year remaining on a guaranteed contract of $350,000. He was getting paid that money playing in the minors.

“It came to the point that I never thought I would wear this (a Ranger uniform) again,” he said. “Now, I don’t plan to give it up.”

The Rangers had not scored a goal on home ice for just short of 200 minutes when Mark Osborne scored with 3:27 left in the first period. Osborne scored again 42 seconds later, then hobbled off the ice with a sprained ankle.

The game was marred in the final minute when unruly fans threw beer at the Canucks. One fan, who allegedly threw beer on Vancouver Coach Tom Watt, was arrested, and six other spectators were ejected.

Players had to restrain Vancouver aide Jack McIlhargey from going into the stands.

Pittsburgh 8, Washington 1--Before erupting in this game at Pittsburgh, the Penguins had gone 0-15-1 in their last 16 games against the Capitals.

Mike Bullard and Mario Lemieux triggered a Penguin offense that shocked the Capitals. Bullard had two goals and an assist, and Lemieux had one goal and two assists. Lemieux, the No. 2 scorer in the league, now has 97 points. He trails Wayne Gretzky by 52 points. Lemieux has scored in 13 consecutive games.

The Capitals scored on their first shot of the game (Gaetan Duchesne), but Gilles Meloche stopped the next 18.

Philadelphia 4, Buffalo 0--Goaltender Bob Froese stopped 28 shots to hand the Sabres their first shutout at home in nine years.

It was Froese’s fourth shutout and the Flyers’ seventh. Both are league-leading figures.

The Sabres had gone 340 games at Memorial Auditorium without being shut out.

Peter Zezel scored on a power play at 7:13 of the first period, and that was all the lead Froese needed.

Calgary 4, Winnipeg 2--Carey Wilson scored twice within 72 seconds in the first period to help the Flames extend their home unbeaten streak to seven (5-0-2). The Flames built a 3-0 lead in the first period, outshooting the Jets, 16-4.