NHL Roundup : Flyers Win, 4-2, Are Much More Than Halfway Home in Division Race

The regular season is only a little beyond the halfway point, but the Philadelphia Flyers have just about wrapped up their third consecutive Patrick Division title.

In a showdown with the Flyers’ closest challengers Saturday at Uniondale, N.Y., Tim Kerr broke a tie in the third period with his 36th goal and 17th on a power play, and Philadelphia went on to beat the New York Islanders, 4-2.

For the last three seasons, the Flyers have been the most consistent team in the NHL. They have done it with a tight defense in front of a different goalie each season.

In 1984-85, the Flyers, with Pelle Lindbergh in goal, had the most points in the regular season, only to lose in the Stanley Cup final to Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers. Last season, despite the tragic death of Lindbergh, the Flyers were No. 2 in points behind the netminding of Bob Froese.

While compiling the best record this season (31-11-3), the Flyers have had rookie Ron Hextall in the nets most of the time. When he has needed a rest, Glenn Resch, 38, had been brilliant.

As the Flyers pulled 17 points ahead of the second-place Islanders, Resch improved his record to 4-2-0. Hextall will return tonight when the teams play again at Philadelphia. Another Flyer victory will just about end any hopes of a race in the division.

Billy Smith, as usual when he faces the Flyers, was the loser. He faced 25 shots, and his record against the Flyers fell to 11-26-6. Against the rest of the league Smith has posted a record of 266-157-85.

Resch, a former teammate of Smith’s on the Islanders, said: “Smitty has played some great games against the Flyers. I can’t understand his record against us.”

Boston 4, Pittsburgh 2--There are occasions when defenseman Ray Bourque of the Bruins emulates his idol, Bobby Orr.

This game at Boston was a case in point. The Bruins trailed, 2-1, after two periods, and the angry Bourque decided it was time to take charge.

Bourque set up all three goals in a last-period rally that enabled the Bruins to prevail.

“I was determined to win,” Bourque said. “Somebody had to spark the team. I had the opportunity, and we wanted to go.”

Edmonton 7, Toronto 4--The Wayne Gretzky line put on a show at Toronto, accounting for 5 goals and 13 points.

Wings Esa Tikkanen and Jari Kurri each had two goals, while Gretzky had his 43rd goal and three assists. The victory gave the Oilers a 10-point lead in the Smythe Division.

It was a costly victory for the Oilers. Goaltender Grant Fuhr had to be carried off on a stretcher after teammate Randy Gregg knocked Toronto’s Miroslav Frycer into the goalie early in the second period. Fuhr suffered a severely bruised lower back.

Washington 6, Hartford 1--In their most impressive performance of the season, the Capitals scored on 5 of their first 12 shots against goalie Mike Liut at Hartford, Conn.

It was the eighth loss in the last 11 games for the Whalers, who avoided a shutout when Doug Jarvis scored a short-handed goal with fewer than five minutes left.

Detroit 3, Quebec 2--Steve Yzerman scored a goal and set up another at Detroit to help the Red Wings end a four-game losing streak.

Paul Gillis scored both Quebec goals. The Nordiques are 1-6-1 in their last eight games.

Montreal 4, Buffalo 2--Claude Lemieux scored on a rebound 70 seconds after the opening faceoff at Montreal to trigger a three-goal, 21-shot bombardment by the Canadiens in the first period.

The victory enabled the Canadiens to stretch their lead in the Adams Division to five points.

Minnesota 3, Chicago 2--Finally, there is a .500 team in the Norris Division. Brian Bellows scored twice at Bloomington, Minn., to improve the North Stars to 20-20-5. They lead the division by three points over Detroit.

Bellows’ second goal came on a power play halfway through the third period, and it broke a 2-2 tie. It was just the second time this season the North Stars have won when they scored three or fewer goals. Their record in those games is now 2-14-1.

Vancouver 4, Calgary 3--It was just a little surprising when the Canucks scored nine goals at home Friday night against the Flames, but their sweep of the home-and-home series was stunning.

Tony Tanti scored the winning goal midway through the final period at Calgary and broke a 3-3 tie. The Flames got two power-play goals on the same five-minute major penalty for slashing called against Vancouver’s Dave Richter late in the second period.