Stanley Cup Playoffs : Tough Grade of Oilers Sweeps Away Jets, 4-2

Until just recently, the Edmonton Oilers were best known for their wide-open style of play that disdained defense and relied on Wayne Gretzky to provide goals in bunches.

It worked well enough to win a couple of Stanley Cups. It didn’t work last year, when they were knocked out in the second round, because the Calgary Flames stopped them with a tough defense.

The change has been gradual and they still explode on occasion, but the new-look Oilers play a close checking tight defense.

The Oilers, even though Gretzky suffered a slight concussion and a small lump on the left side of his head after being slammed to the ice early in the third period, swept into the third round of the playoffs with a 4-2 victory over the Jets Monday night at Winnipeg.

The 4-0 series win gave the Oilers a 14-0 playoff record against the Jets, who were outplayed in every phase by the Oilers.

It was the Jets’ star, center Dale Hawerchuk, who put the slam on Gretzky. Hawerchuk grabbed Gretzky around the head and flung him to the ice. Gretzky’s helmet flew off and his head banged against the ice.

As Gretzky knelt on the ice, obviously hurt, the Winnipeg fans roared their approval. They booed when he got up.

Gretzky, who did not return to the ice, accused Hawerchuk of deliberately trying to injury him.

“I wasn’t expecting to get hit when I saw it was Hawerchuk,” Gretzky told the Associated Press. “There is no question he slough-footed (tripped) me and then brought his arm up and drove my head into the ice.”

Hawerchuk denied the accusations.

“I had a good offensive chance and cut in,” Hawerchuk said. “I felt a stick hit me in the jaw. I grabbed the guy and it happened to be Gretzky. We both went down. I knew he went down harder than I did and he went down on his head. I wasn’t trying to hurt him.”

Oiler physician Gordon Cameron said Gretzky should be able to play in the Campbell Conference finals.

That was the third time a Jet flattened Gretzky, who scored midway through the first period to give Edmonton a 2-0 lead. Reijo Ruotsalinen, who set up Gretzky’s goal, knocked the puck through goalie Daniel Berthiaume’s pads 48 seconds later to make it 3-0.

Pokey Reddick replaced Berthiaume, but it was too late.

Toronto 3, Detroit 2--Mike Allison shoved the puck through goaltender Glen Hanlon’s pads at 9:31 of overtime at Toronto to give the Maple Leafs a 3-1 lead in their series.

Allison assisted on both of Wendel Clark’s goals earlier. Clark’s tying goal came with 6:13 left in regulation and was on a power play.