NHL Roundup : In the End, Canucks Have Devil of Time in 3-2 Loss

The New Jersey Devils scored three goals in a seven-minute span of the third period at East Rutherford, N.J., to come from behind and beat the Vancouver Canucks, 3-2, for their third victory in a row.

The winning score came on a fluke with 8:06 remaining when Greg Adams’ shot hit teammate Mel Bridgman in the leg and caromed into the net.

Until they came alive in the final period, the Devils were completely outplayed by the Canucks and had only 10 shots on goal in the first 40 minutes. The Canucks scored twice in the opening period and held tenaciously to the lead until Kirk Muller rallied the Devils.

Muller scored goals at 5:01 of the third period and again at 9:57 on a power play.

This is the second straight season that the Devils have opened with three victories. Last season, they won only 25 of their next 77 games and missed the playoffs. They have made the playoffs only once in their 12 seasons in the NHL.

The loss was the second in a row for the Canucks after an opening-night victory.

Edmonton 5, Quebec 2--Wayne Gretzky had four of his five assists in the third period at Edmonton as the Oilers, outplayed for two periods, rallied to gain their second win in four games.

Esa Tikkanen had a hat trick for the Oilers, scoring two goals in the third period as the Oilers overcame a 2-1 deficit.

The five assists enabled Gretzky, the perennial scoring champion, to take over the National Hockey League lead with 10 points in four games.

Glenn Anderson also scored twice for the Oilers in the last period. His goals came just 24 seconds apart during a four-minute power play.

Montreal 0, Buffalo 0--Ties are not all that rare in the NHL, but a game in which neither team scores is unusual.

Patrick Roy, who led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup last spring, stopped 23 shots at Buffalo, but the Sabres’ Tom Barrasso was even busier, turning aside 28 shots.

Barrasso made several spectacular saves. Once in regulation and again in overtime, he stopped shots from point-blank range by Guy Carbonneau.

It was only the fourth scoreless tie in the history of the Sabres and their first on home ice since 1972.

It was only the 141st scoreless tie in the history of the league, since they began keeping records in 1920.

New York Rangers 5, Chicago 5--The winless Rangers blew a two-goal lead in the third period at Chicago, then rallied for a tie on Walt Poddubny’s goal with 2:46 left in regulation.

The Rangers, who lost their first three games, took a 4-2 lead into the final period. But the Blackhawks scored three times in the next 5 1/2 minutes. Steve Larmer scored two goals in the rally.

The Rangers have not beaten the Blackhawks in their last six games.