NHL Roundup : Sauve Stops 38 Shots Against Whalers, and Blackhawks Win, 3-2

Bob Sauve stopped 38 shots Saturday at Hartford, Conn., and the streaking Chicago Blackhawks beat the Whalers, 3-2.

It was the third consecutive game in which the 31-year-old netminder had faced at least 40 shots. The Blackhawks have won two of them and seven of the nine since Sauve became No. 1 in the nets.

Murray Bannerman and Sauve alternated in goal through the first 31 games, but with an 8-17-6 record, worst in the Norris Division, Bob Pulford, the club’s coach and general manager, made a switch. He put Sauve in goal and kept him there.

In his first two games as No. 1, Sauve allowed 3 goals on 64 shots, the Blackhawks won both games and Bannerman couldn’t get his job back.

“I felt all along I played well enough to earn No. 1,” Sauve said. “I haven’t been at my best in all nine in a row, but I’m getting the feel and we’re winning.”

Sauve stopped Hartford’s first 27 shots before Ray Ferraro scored on a power play late in the second period to cut the lead to 2-1. Bob Murray then gave Sauve a two-goal cushion when he scored at 6:19 of the final period. Sauve gave up a goal on an 55-foot blast at 8:58 by Sylvain Cote, but he never gave up the tying score.

“Give the credit to Sauve,” forward Al Secord said. “We have been giving up 35 to 40 shots on road games, and Bob has kept us in the games by making the big saves. Today, he played another big game.”

Secord was asked what, besides the play of Sauve, accounted for the turnaround in the last two weeks. “Good work in practice and extreme patience from Pulford,” he said.

Boston 5, New York Islanders 4--One of the best moves Terry O’Reilly has made since taking over the Bruins’ coaching job was to put Rick Middleton back on the scoring line.

Middleton, who had five consecutive 40-goal seasons at the start of this decade, was slowed by injury last season and was slow to reach top form this year.

In desperation Friday night, after the Bruins lost five in a row, Middleton joined Tom McCarthy and Charlie Simmer on the scoring line. Although Middleton had only one point in this one at Uniondale, N.Y., his linemates, Simmer and McCarthy, had the goals that beat the Islanders. McCarthy’s 16th, with 6:18 left in regulation, broke a 4-4 tie.

Pittsburgh 6, Montreal 3--Just 5 1/2 minutes into the game at Montreal, it appeared the slump the Penguins went into just before their star player, Mario Lemieux, suffered a serious knee injury was going to continue.

The Canadiens already had three goals against Gilles Meloche on just five shots. However, Meloche stopped the next 23 shots, Craig Simpson scored twice and the Penguins ended a nine-game winless string.

Kevin LaVallee and Randy Cunneyworth scored 21 seconds apart early in the third period to give the Penguins the lead.

Detroit 3, Minnesota 2--For the first time in 13 years, the Red Wings are over .500 this late in the season.

John Ogrodnick broke a 1-1 tie late in the second period at Bloomington, Minn., and Gerard Gallant scored early in the third period as the Red Wings improved to 16-15-7 and held onto first place in the Norris Division.

Greg Stefan stopped 33 shots in another stellar net performance for the Wings.

The last time the Wings led a division after 38 games was in January, 1966.

New York Rangers 5, Quebec 2--Bob Froese turned aside 39 shots at Quebec, and Chris Jensen scored twice, including a short-handed goal.

Bobby Carpenter, recently obtained from Washington, made his Ranger debut but played only about half a dozen shifts.

Don Maloney assisted on all Ranger goals.

St. Louis 7, Calgary 4--In the hottest race since the NHL went to four divisions, there are only four points separating the five teams in the Norris Division.

In this game at St. Louis, the Blues climbed into a tie for third by winning their third in a row. The Blues have 36 points. Detroit leads with 39 and Minnesota trails with 35.

Toronto 7, New Jersey 2--Miroslav Ihnacak and Al Iafrate scored goals 13 seconds apart in the third minute at Toronto, and the Maple Leafs went on to score an easy victory.

The Maple Leafs (16-16-5) are second in the Norris Division.

Philadelphia 4, Washington 1--Tim Kerr scored his 32nd goal to break a 1-1 tie in the second period at Landover, Md., and helped the Flyers end a four-game losing streak.