NHL Roundup : Oilers Miss Fuhr: Score 7, Barely Win

Although they ended a three-game losing streak with a wild 7-6 victory over the Rangers Sunday night at New York, troubles continue to mount for the Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers.

The Oilers, who scored four times in the first 13 minutes, were breezing along behind All-Star goalie Grant Fuhr until early in the second period when the veteran netminder fell heavily to the ice trying to stop a shot by rookie Mike Donnelly.

Fuhr injured his left shoulder and wrist and had to be helped off the ice. With last season’s backup goalie Andy Moog now a member of the Canadian Olympic team, the champions are without an experienced goaltender.

They brought in 22-year-old Darryl Reaugh, whose experience consisted of 27 minutes in two games already decided this season. Reaugh gave up a goal on the first shot he faced, then three more in the last 20 shots by the Rangers.

The Oilers led only 5-4 after two periods, but Mark Messier and Tom McMurchy built the lead to 7-4 in the first eight minutes of the final period and the Oilers barely lasted to hold onto first place in the Smythe Division.

The extent of Fuhr’s injuries was not immediately determined, but the Oilers brought up another rookie goalie, David Roach from Nova Scotia of the American Hockey League. He is also 22 and just a few months out of Michigan Tech.

Marcel Dionne, who became the third player to score 700 goals in a career, had one of the Ranger goals, and had two assists to stay ahead of Wayne Gretzky in the race to become the second player in history to get 1,000 assists. Dionne has 999, while Gretzky has 998. Gordie Howe, of course, was first.

New York Islanders 6, Boston 5--Pat LaFontaine led a remarkable Islanders comeback at Boston by deflecting a shot by Denis Potvin into the net at 1:41 of overtime.

Ken Linseman’s goal early in the third period gave Boston a 5-2 lead, but scores by Alan Kerr and Rich Kromm brought the Islanders within one before the middle of the period.

With two minutes left in regulation, LaFontaine, who scored the Islanders’ second goal, intercepted a clearing pass and fired the puck to the unguarded Kerr, who tied the game.

Potvin’s shot from the point in overtime was just tipped by LaFontaine and goalie Doug Keans was unable to stop it.

Hartford 5, Quebec 1--Ron Francis and John Anderson each scored twice at Quebec as the Whalers extended their unbeaten string to six in a row (5-0-1).

Peter Stastny scored his 13th goal for the Nordiques, extending his scoring streak to 11 games.

Buffalo 5, Chicago 3--Rookie Pierre Turgeon had a goal and an assist before the game at Buffalo was five minutes old and the Sabres went on to win their third in a row.

Winnipeg 7, Vancouver 3--Ray Neufeld, used primarily on the checking line last season, was inserted on the Jets’ power-play line for this game at Winnipeg and responded with a hat trick.

The Jets’ power play, which had been struggling, produced four goals in 10 opportunities against the slumping Canucks, winners of only 2 of their first 10 games.