NHL Roundup : Canucks Spoil Debut of Ramsay

The Vancouver Canucks spoiled the coaching debut of Craig Ramsay in a wild game Friday night at Buffalo by outlasting the Sabres, 7-6.

The Canucks went into the game with the worst record (2-9-2) in the National Hockey League and a winless string of seven games.

But Stan Smyl, returning after missing two games with an ankle injury, scored his second goal of the game with 45 seconds remaining in the second period to give the Canucks their first win since Oct. 22.

The third period was scoreless.

Ramsay, a former Sabre defensive star, took over when Scotty Bowman, coach and general manager, decided to quit coaching. As a player, Ramsay was known for his tight checking and his skill at killing penalties.

A wide-open game is not what he expects from the Sabres.

Buffalo, which had won three in a row before Bowman ended his coaching career, made a strong effort to extend the streak.

Gil Perreault, a longtime teammate of Ramsay and a year older than the new coach, scored two goals and skated flawlessly. He’ll be 36 next week.

Tom Barrasso, however, continued to play erratically in goal. Barrasso, a four-year veteran at 20, gave up 7 goals on 23 shots in the first two periods.

The Sabres (4-8-2) remained in last place in the Adams Division.

Calgary 6, Edmonton 4--The Flames may have problems with some of the weaker teams, but the powerful Oilers are easy for them.

The Flames, who knocked the Oilers out of the playoffs last spring, came from behind at Calgary to beat Edmonton for the third time in a row this season.

A short-handed goal by Glenn Anderson gave the Oilers a 3-2 lead early in the second period, but Al MacInnis and Carey Wilson scored goals 62 seconds apart to move the Flames in front.

Wayne Gretzky assisted on one goal and scored his 13th goal for Edmonton’s final score.

Until the playoffs last year, the Oilers had lost only once in the previous 23 games against the Flames. The Flames have won 7 of the last 10.

Winnipeg 2, St. Louis 0--Daniel Berthiaume turned aside 25 shots at Winnipeg to earn his first shutout in his second NHL start for the Jets.

Blue goalie Rick Wamsley, who has the third-best goals-against average in the league (2.79), matched Berthiaume for 55 minutes.

But with less than five minutes remaining in regulation, Randy Carlyle rifled a 30-footer that eluded Wamsley and broke the scoreless tie. A minute later, Bill Derlago scored the other Winnipeg goal.