NHL Roundup : Red Wings Respond to Coach’s Tantrum With 8-3 Victory

As his Detroit Red Wings gain respect in the National Hockey League, Coach Jacques Demers may be losing some respect.

After being beaten by the Rangers Monday night in New York, Demers threw his glasses out on the ice, indicating that Referee Denis Morel needed them. He then had to be restrained from attacking the official.

While the Red Wings were beating the Minnesota North Stars, 8-3, Friday night at Detroit, the fiery-tempered Demers had to be held back from attacking Minnesota Coach Herb Brooks.

With the score tied, 3-3, midway through the second period, Gerard Gallant of the Red Wings and Richard Zemlak of the Stars banged each other against the boards. Demers sent in his enforcer, Joe Kocur. Before the puck was dropped for a faceoff, players on both teams began squaring off.

The coaches began a battle of words. With Demers being restrained, the grinning Brooks beckoned him to come on over and fight. Order was shortly restored.

Four players were assessed 10-minute misconduct penalties, and Zemlak was ejected.

Morel, who was again the referee, did not give either coach a penalty. He had given Demers a gross misconduct penalty in New York--but after the game was over.

This time, Demers mananged to get his team fired up. In the third period, Gallant and his teammates took control. Gallant scored two more goals for a hat trick, and the Red Wings scored five times to turn the game into a rout.

The victory put the Red Wings three games above .500 and increased their lead to six points over Toronto. After two victories in a row, Demers may be thinking about other ways to stir up his troops.

Buffalo 2, Montreal 2--A fine performance by goaltender Jacques Cloutier enabled the Sabres to play the Canadiens to a tie at Buffalo.

In the last period, the Canadiens, unbeaten in their last nine games, fired shots at Cloutier at the rate of almost one a minute but didn’t break the 2-2 tie. Four of the shots were from point blank.

Cloutier had spent almost the last month on the bench. He reponded to the lengthy rest with one of his best games.

Claude Lemieux scored both Montreal goals, the only shots to get past Cloutier, who faced 41.

Richie Dunn and Phil Housley scored for the Sabres, who are 20 points behind the Canadiens, the leaders of the Adams Division.

The Sabres lost center John Tucker for several weeks with a shoulder separation. Tucker, just back after missing 16 games with a knee injury, was sent hurtling into the boards in the second period and suffered another injury.

Washington 4, Toronto 2--With Coach Bryan Murray in danger of losing his job, the Capitals responded at Landover, Md., with one of their best performances.

Dave Christian scored twice, and Scott Stevens scored a goal while the Capitals were short-handed to pace the attack.

But, it was the defense that stopped the Maple Leafs. Toronto had only 18 shots in 60 minutes.

Edmonton 5, Winnipeg 5--The Oilers’ slump continues. It took a goal by Jari Kurri with 77 seconds left in regulation at Edmonton for them to get a tie in this game.

The Oilers built a 4-1 lead four minutes into the final period. But Laurie Boschman scored twice as the Jets got four goals in 12 minutes to go in front, temporarily.

Boschman’s second goal came at 18:08, and the lead lasted 35 seconds.