NHL Roundup : Laidlaw Makes First Goal a Ranger Game-Winner

Defenseman Tom Laidlaw scored his first goal of the season, on a power play with seven minutes left at New York Friday night, to give the Rangers a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Laidlaw’s shot from the slot ruined the first start of the season for veteran Flyer netminder Glenn Resch, who stopped 24 shots.

Resch was overshadowed by Ranger goalie John Vanbiesbrouck, who stopped 28 shots and was instrumental in keeping the Flyers from scoring on seven power-play opportunities.

It was only the Rangers’ fifth victory in 16 games--all the wins coming by one goal--but it was their second in a week over the Flyers, the leaders of the Patrick Division. “I really didn’t see my shot,” said Laidlaw, who was in on the power play because James Patrick was serving a fighting penalty. “They always say that when you get in tight on Chico (Resch), you should shoot high, and that’s what I did.

“I kind of snuck in there and didn’t yell to Tomas,” Laidlaw said, referring to Tomas Sandstrom, who fed Laidlaw a perfect pass to set up the goal. “I didn’t want them to see me there.”

Laidlaw, with hardly any margin for error, caromed the puck off the post and into the net.

New Jersey 5, Pittsburgh 4--Claude Loiselle scored two goals and set up linemate Doug Sulliman for two others at East Rutherford, N.J., as the Devils moved above the .500 mark with an 8-7-1 record.

Coach Doug Carpenter has been telling the Devils that the best way to improve enough to reach the playoffs is to win more often at home. A year ago, the Devils were 17-21-2 there, one of the few teams below .500 on home ice.

This victory, their second victory in a row at home, gave the Devils a 6-2 record on their own ice this season.

“It was a big win for us,” Carpenter said.

Quebec 4, Washington 1--Michel Goulet and Peter Stastny combined for a pair of second-period goals as the Nordiques came from behind at Landover, Md.

Clint Malarchuck gave up a goal to Gary Sampson on a deflection halfway through the first period, then blanked the Capitals the rest of the way.

Goulet took a pass from Peter Stastny at 6:45 of the second period and tied the game with his eighth goal. Fewer than three minutes later, Goulet set up Stastny’s 11th goal of the season, and the Nordiques were in command.

Winnipeg 3, Vancouver 2--Gilles Hamel scored on a 65-foot slap shot at 11:32 of the third period for the win at Vancouver, Canada, lifting the Jets into a first-place tie in the Smythe Division with the idle Edmonton Oilers with 21 points each.