NHL Playoffs Roundup : Oilers Continue to Trounce Canucks, 5-1

Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky each scored less than two minutes into the game, and the Edmonton Oilers went on to record a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Thursday night at Edmonton, Canada, increasing their lead to 2-0 in the best-of-five NHL playoff series.

Glenn Anderson, Raimo Summanen and Jari Kurri scored the other goals for Edmonton, which is seeking a third straight Stanley Cup championship.

Brent Peterson got Vancouver’s goal in the second period to end Andy Moog’s shutout hopes. Moog started in goal for Edmonton in place of Grant Fuhr, whose father died Wednesday night.

The game was nearly a carbon copy of the opener, which Edmonton had won, 7-3. The Oilers dominated the first period, allowing Vancouver only one good scoring chance, but fizzled in the second period before resuming control in the third.

Washington 5, New York Islanders 2--Defenseman Scott Stevens had one goal and two assists, and Bob Gould scored twice as the Capitals defeated the Islanders at Landover, Md., and took a 2-0 lead in the series.

The Capitals, who have been eliminated by the Islanders in each of the past three playoffs, also led last year’s first-round playoff series between the teams, 2-0, but then lost three straight games.

Toronto 6, Chicago 4--Walt Poddubny’s tiebreaking goal with 56 seconds remaining lifted the Maple Leafs over the Blackhawks at Chicago and gave Toronto a surprising 2-0 lead in the series.

Poddubny’s goal overshadowed a four-goal night by Chicago’s Denis Savard, who set a Blackhawk playoff record and fell one short of the league playoff record of five.

Philadelphia 2, New York Rangers 1--Rich Sutter and Brad McCrimmon scored 11 seconds apart in the first period at Philadelphia to spark the Flyers, whose victory tied the best-of-five series at 1-1.

The Patrick Division champion Flyers, who were upset by the fourth-place Rangers in the opener Wednesday night, held New York to 12 shots while peppering goaltender John Vanbriesbrouck with 44.

Flyer goalie Bob Froese, who led the NHL in goals-against, saves and shutouts and tied for most victories (31) with Vanbriesbrouck in the regular season, won his first playoff game in his four-year career. He had lost four, including the opener of this series.

Montreal 3, Boston 2--Claude Lemieux’s second power-play goal of the game, with 2:27 left in the game, gave the Canadiens the win at home and a 2-0 lead in the series.

Lemieux, who was the recipient of a cross-check by Kraig Nienhuis that gave Montreal the manpower advantage at 15:44, was alone in front of Bruin goaltender Bill Ranford. He re-directed Mats Naslund’s pass into the net.

Hartford 4, Quebec 1--Paul MacDermid scored twice, and goalie Mike Liut made 26 saves to help the Whalers stun the Nordiques at Quebec for a 2-0 lead in the series.

The Whalers can win a postseason series for the first time in their seven-year NHL history with a victory in Game 3 Saturday at Hartford, Conn.

Minnesota 6, St. Louis 2--Dennis Maruk had two goals and two assists, and Brian Bellows added a pair of goals as the North Stars won at Bloomington, Minn., to even their playoff series against the Blues at one victory apiece.

Calgary 6, Winnipeg 4--Veteran center Doug Risebrough scored once and added two assists, and rookie goalie Mike Vernon won his second consecutive playoff game as the Flames beat the Jets and took a 2-0 lead in the series.