NHL Roundup : Sabres Come Out Fighting and Win the Rematch With Nordiques, 8-4

Years ago when there were only six teams in the National Hockey League, the teams played each other eight or nine times a season. It made for much animosity among players and also for a large number of fights.

With the expansion to 21 teams, they don’t play each other nearly so often. However, the NHL still has a device guaranteed to stir up trouble. It is called back-to-back games on successive nights.

The Buffalo Sabres, angry after losing to the Nordiques Friday night at Buffalo, came out in a fighting mood Saturday night at Quebec and went on to score a rough-and-tumble, 8-4 victory.

After only 24 seconds of hockey, the first of numerous brawls broke out. Referee Bryan Lewis meted out 120 minutes in penalties in the first two periods.

The Sabres may not have been better fighters than the Nordiques, but they were better at taking advantage of the manpower situation. In four power-play opportunities, the Sabres scored three times.

The decisive goal, though, came in the second period when the Sabres were short-handed. With the Nordiques amassed around the net trying for the tying goal, Buffalo’s Jean Hamel stole the puck, zoomed in on goalie Clint Malarchuk, beat him and gave the Sabres a 5-3 lead.

For the game there were 10 major penalties called plus eight misconduct penalties.

Washington 4, New York Rangers 0--After trouncing Pittsburgh Thursday night, the Rangers said their drive to the playoffs was under way.

It came to an abrupt halt, at least temporarily, in this game at Landover, Md. Jorgen Pettersson scored goals 29 seconds apart in the first period and goalie Al Jensen stopped 20 shots to blank the Rangers for the second time this season.

Defenseman Rod Langway, known as a defensive specialist, scored his first goal for the Capitals in nearly a year.

Pittsburgh 5, Hartford 1--After being thumped by the Rangers Thursday night, the Penguins were concerned with holding off the Rangers in the battle for fourth place in the Patrick Division.

But, after this win on home ice, they are setting their sights on third. The victory put them a point behind the New York Islanders and five ahead of the Rangers.

Rookie left wing Randy Cunneyworth scored twice for the Penguins, and Mario Lemieux had two assists to extend his scoring streak to 22 games.

Minnesota 5, New York Islanders 4--Willi Plett and Tom McCarthy each scored twice at Bloomington, Minn., to push the North Stars over .500 (28-27-9) for the first time since the first game of the 1984 season.

The North Stars are 9-3-1 since the All-Star break and are only seven points out of first place in the Smythe Division.

Mike Bossy scored his 45th goal for the Islanders.

Boston 8, New Jersey 3--Charlie Simmer had a hat trick and added an assist to help the Bruins end a four-game losing streak on home ice. The Bruins scored three power-play goals and built a 6-1 lead in the second period.

Simmer’s first goal on a power play in the first period made it a 3-0 lead. After the Devils cut the lead to 6-3, Simmer scored the only two goals in the third period.

Calgary 3, Vancouver 2--Hakan Loob deflected a centering pass from Joey Mullen into the net for the winning goal at Calgary. It gave the Flames five wins in their last seven games.

The power-play goal came in the first minute of the third period and broke a 1-1 tie. Both teams scored again late in the game.

Detroit 6, Toronto 4--Center Adam Oates, recently recalled from the minors, scored twice at Toronto to help the Red Wings end a nine-game losing streak.

The Red Wings scored six times on 23 shots at goaltender Don Edwards in the first two periods. Ken Wregget shut the Wings out in the last period, but it was too late.

St. Louis 6, Chicago 3--A crowd of 19,222, largest in St. Louis in more than five years, cheered the performance of Gino Cavallini. He scored twice and added an assist as the Blues moved within six points of the Blackhawks in the battle for first in the Smythe Division.