NHL Roundup : Maple Leafs Don’t Treat Canadiens Like Champions, 7-4

Many people in hockey believe that the Montreal Canadiens’ triumph in last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs was a fluke. They think Patrick Roy was merely on a hot streak and is not really a great goaltender.

Those people are nodding their heads and smiling after the opening game of the new National Hockey League season Thursday night at Toronto.

The Maple Leafs mistreated the champions and their goaltender and skated to a 7-4 victory for new Coach John Brophy.

Roy, who was 21 Sunday, won the Conn Smythe trophy as the outstanding performer in the playoffs last spring. In 20 games, he won 15 and posted a 1.92 goals-against average.

But he was just another goalie in this one. The Maple Leafs beat him four times in the first 14 minutes. Then, after the Canadiens rallied to tie the score early in the third period, Toronto scored three more times to earn the victory.

Tom Fergus led the Toronto charge, scoring three goals and assisting on two others. His second goal, at 6:27 of the final period, broke a 4-4 tie. He completed a big opening night by scoring into an empty net with 19 seconds remaining.

The Maple Leafs fired 35 shots at Roy before he was removed in the closing seconds when the Canadiens tried desperately to pull within a goal.

The Canadiens, after falling behind, 4-0, outplayed the Leafs throughout the second period and finally caught up on Chris Nilan’s goal 94 seconds into the final period. However, Fergus and Wendel Clark scored to ruin the Canadiens’ victory hopes.

“Playing Montreal in our first game, we were a little edgy,” Fergus said. “We wanted to show the big crowd we’ve got a good team this season.”

Philadelphia 2, Edmonton 1--Bob Froese was the best goaltender in the NHL last season. Yet he didn’t win the starting assignment for the Flyers in the opener at Philadelphia.

Flyer Coach Mike Keenan surprised just about everyone by starting Ron Hextall against the high-scoring Oilers.

In his NHL debut, Hextall, who learned he would start in the morning skate-around, was brilliant. He stopped 21 shots, including a breakaway by Wayne Gretzky. But nearing the middle of the final period, it appeared that the power-play goal he did give up, to Jari Kurri in the first period, would make Hextall’s debut a defeat.

The Flyers finally broke through Grant Fuhr’s sparkling defense on a shot by Ron Sutter that caromed off the goalie’s glove into the net. It came with 10:40 left in the game. Five minutes later, Peter Zezel banged in a rebound to give the Flyers the win.

Hextall, who blossomed into the best goalie in the American Hockey League last season, did more than just win. Gretzky was held scoreless, a feat that is accomplished about four or five times each season.

Calgary 5, Boston 3--The Flames, losers to the Canadiens in the final round last spring after upsetting the Oilers in the semifinals, were off to a fine start at Boston.

Lanny McDonald, the 33-year-old right wing, scored his second goal of the game at 5:51 of the third period to break a 3-3 tie and send the Flames off to a roaring start.

New Jersey 5, New York Rangers 3--Mel Bridgman scored a short-handed goal early in the second period at New York to trigger a three-goal outburst that carried the Devils to victory.

Bridgman’s goal tied the score, 2-2. He then assisted on John MacLean’s winning goal, and late in the second period, Kirk Muller gave the Devils a commanding 4-2 lead.

Pittsburgh 5, Washington 4--The Penguins spotted the Capitals a 3-0 lead at Pittsburgh, then battled back to earn the victory.

Randy Cunneyworth, who scored only 17 goals in his first 97 NHL games, had three in his 98th to lead the Penguins’ rally.

Quebec 6, Detroit 1--Paul Gillis scored twice in the second period at Quebec to help the Nordiques to an easy victory in their opener. The Red Wings scored first on a goal by Petr Klima midway through the first period, but Quebec dominated the rest of the way.

Winnipeg 3, Buffalo 2--Laurie Boschman scored with fewer than eight minutes remaining at Winnipeg to give the Jets a hard-earned victory.

The Sabres had only 16 shots against Eldon (Pokey) Reddick, one of two black goaltenders in the league. Grant Fuhr is the other.

Chicago 3, New York Islanders 2--Doug Wilson scored on a 50-foot shot late in the second period at Chicago, and it turned out to be the game-winner. The goal spoiled the debut of Terry Simpson as coach of the Islanders.