Stanley Cup Playoffs : Flyers Are Outmanned as Islanders Win

You sort of get the feeling that the New York Islanders may be a team of destiny.

After four games of their first-round series with the Washington Capitals, they trailed, 3-1. Without their two best players, Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin, they fought back to win the series. The finale was that six-hour marathon in which all skaters were moving in slow motion until Pat LaFontaine ended it after more than 128 minutes of play.

Then, in the opener of the second round, they were soundly beaten by the Philadelphia Flyers.

But in Game 2 Wednesday night at Philadelphia, the Flyers dominated most of the game, only to make a foolish mistake, lose, 2-1, and find themselves all even in the best-of-seven series.

With the score tied, 1-1, and just 48 seconds remaining in regulation, the Flyers were guilty of having too many men on the ice, penalized and left a man short.

There were only three seconds remaining when Mikko Makela skated in on goalie Ron Hextall and fired the puck into the net on the goalie’s stick side to win the game.

It was the second goal for the Islanders on only seven shots in the last period. Only the splendid play of goaltender Kelly Hrudey, who stopped 73 shots in the marathon, kept the Islanders in the game. Hrudey made 40 saves, 17 of them in the last period.

Doug Crossman put the Flyers on top at 5:53 of the third period. When a shot by Philadelphia’s Pelle Eklund hit teammate Brian Propp, the puck caromed over to Crossman, who had an open net and didn’t miss.

Two minutes later, Potvin, who returned for this game, blasted a 45-footer to tie the score and set the stage for the unusual finish.

Quebec 2, Montreal 1--The Canadiens’ hopes of winning a second consecutive Stanley Cup were delivered a staggering blow at Montreal.

Michel Goulet and Basil McRae scored 17 seconds apart early in the third period, and the Nordiques took a 2-0 lead in the Battle of Quebec Province.

The Canadiens, who swept the Boston Bruins in four games in the first round, had won 13 in a row before losing to the Nordiques Monday night. The next two games will be played at Quebec.

Goaltender Michel Gosselin gave up a power-play score at 5:53 of the last period, then made several sharp saves to preserve the lead. He stopped 27 shots.