Stanley Cup Playoffs : Stefan Ends Oilers’ Win Streak, 3-1

Greg Stefan, making his first appearance in six games after a run-in with Detroit Coach Jacques Demers, turned in a strong performance in goal and the Red Wings stunned the Edmonton Oilers, 3-1, Tuesday night in the opener of their National Hockey League semifinal playoff series.

The second game of the best-of-seven Campbell Conference finals will be played here Thursday night.

Stefan, who didn’t even dress for four of the last five games, held the high-powered Oilers scoreless for the final two periods as the Red Wings defeated Edmonton after 13 straight losses dating back to Jan. 9, 1983.

Stefan made 31 saves, allowing only a goal by Kent Nilsson in the first period in virtually blanketing the team with the top record in the NHL this year. It was Stefan’s first victory over the Oilers after six career losses.

Twenty-four seconds after Steve Yzerman gave Detroit a 1-0 lead, Stefan was beaten for the first and only time, by Nilsson’s rebound shot on a power play 10:36 into the game.

Detroit took the lead for good with 7:28 left in the first period, when Joe Kocur took Shawn Burr’s pass in front of the net, waited for Oiler goalie Grant Fuhr to go down, and lifted a backhander into the top of the net.

The rest of the game belonged to Stefan and the Detroit defense, which killed four of five power plays and was content to push and grab Edmonton’s offensive stars--including Wayne Gretzky--all night long.

Referee Bob Myers called 25 penalties for 78 minutes, including 17 for 50 in the first period.

Detroit’s patient attack was especially effective in the first half of the second period, when the Wings outshot Edmonton, 7-2, and controlled the pace of the game.

In the third period, Edmonton was bottled up in center ice for the most part as many in the hometown crowd of 16,874 at the Northlands Coliseum booed.

Gerard Gallant gave the Red Wings an insurance goal with 6:03 to play when he scored from the slot on a wristshot after taking a pass from Yzerman.

The Oilers also lost the first game at home in a first-round Smythe Division series against the Kings but went on to win the rest of the games in that series before sweeping the Winnipeg Jets.

The Oilers hadn’t played since April 27, while Detroit was coming off a tough seven-game Norris Division victory over Toronto that ended Sunday night.