NHL Roundup : Nordiques Rally Around Coach Bergeron, 6-4

Coach Michel Bergeron offered to sacrifice his job if it would help the Quebec Nordiques shake a slump that threatened to knock them out of a playoff spot.

It turned out that such a drastic measure wasn’t necessary.

With Bergeron behind the bench, Michel Goulet scored twice Tuesday night at Quebec to lead the Nordiques to a 6-4 victory that ended the Hartford Whalers’ six-game unbeaten streak.

The Nordiques, who were winless in five straight games, had fallen into a tie with the Buffalo Sabres for the final playoff spot in the Adams Division.

Goulet’s first goal came just 55 seconds into the third period to give the Nordiques a 5-3 lead. After Ray Ferraro cut the lead to 5-4 midway through the period, Goulet clinched the win with his 38th goal of the season.

Bergeron made the offer after back-to-back games with the Sabres in which the Nordiques were tied at home and trounced in Buffalo, 5-1, Sunday night.

“I feel I’ve worked,” Bergeron said, “but we aren’t winning. I’ll do anything to help them win. The team has lost confidence.”

After spotting a quick goal to the sizzling Whalers, who had built a six-point lead over Montreal in the division, the Nordiques regained their confidence when J.F. Sauve and Normand Rochefort scored later in the first period to put Quebec on top.

With new-found spirit, the Nordiques fired 48 shots at goalie Mike Liut, including 20 in the first 20 minutes.

New York Islanders 6, Pittsburgh 3--In an important game in their drive to a playoff spot, the Penguins lost at home, in part at least, because their best player, Mario Lemieux, fell down on the job.

With the Islanders working on a power play, the 6-4 Lemieux, trying to help kill a penalty, fell on the ice, permitting an open shot by Randy Boyd, which Brent Sutter deflected into the net. Brother Duane Sutter scored shortly thereafter, and the Penguins never caught up.

Mike Bossy, trying to reach 50 goals for the 10th season in a row, scored his fourth in two games and needs 13 goals in 12 games to make it.

Calgary 6, Washington 3--Rookies Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts scored second-period goals at Landover, Md., to rally the Flames.

The Flames equaled a club record by winning their 18th road game this season. Only the Flames and Edmonton Oilers have winning records on the road. The Flames trail the Oilers by only five points in the Smythe Division.

Vancouver 7, Detroit 4--Third-period goals by Jim Sandlak, Petri Skriko and Rich Sutter helped the Canucks win at Vancouver. The Canucks moved within eight games of the Kings in the Smythe Division standings.