Stanley Cup Playoffs : Devils Break the Ice With Win Over Islanders

That New Jersey got out of Uniondale, N.Y., with a split in the first two games of the Patrick Division semifinal had to be considered a plus for the Devils.

After going 0-12-1 at the Nassau Coliseum since December 1984, the Devils beat the New York Islanders, 3-2, Thursday night as Mark Johnson scored a power-play goal at 5:56 of the third period for the team’s first-ever playoff victory.

Johnson took the rebound of a Jack O’Callahan shot and sent the puck through a crowd past Islander goaltender Kelly Hrudey. The victory was the first after three losses for the Kansas City-Colorado-New Jersey franchise in previous years’ playoffs.

The best-of-seven series shifts to East Rutherford, N.J., Saturday and Sunday.

“The victory was one of the biggest for this franchise,” Johnson said. “We didn’t want to go home down, 2-0. Everybody was excited and real focussed in the third period. We knew what we had to do. Now we feel confident.”

New Jersey registered only 16 shots on goal, 10 fewer than New York. The Devils had only four in the second period but still had a 2-1 lead.

Third-stringer Bob Sauve was a surprise starter in goal for the Devils, as Coach Jim Schoenfeld scratched goaltender Sean Burke. Burke finished the regular season 10-1 but was inconsistent in Wednesday night’s 4-3 overtime loss.

Washington 5, Philadelphia 4--Steve Leach, a 1988 U.S. Olympian, scored one goal and set up Kelly Miller’s third-period game-winner at Landover, Md., as the Capitals evened the Patrick Division series at 1-1.

Miller’s goal came at 6:12 of the third period and gave Washington a 5-3 lead. Philadelphia made it 5-4 on Brian Propp’s goal with 4:05 to play, but the Flyers could not get a shot after pulling goaltender Ron Hextall with 40 seconds left.

Boston 4, Buffalo 1--The Bruins took a 2-0 series lead in a fight-filled Adams Division game at Boston by scoring three power-play goals.

Game 2 began as Game 1 ended--with fights. In the first period, 74 penalty minutes were called. Ninety-eight minutes in penalties were assessed in Wednesday’s third period, and the first fight Thursday began eight seconds into the game. Play was stopped twice more within the next 1:04 for fisticuffs. By 19:48, nine players were packed into the penalty boxes, five Bruins and four Sabres.

A total of 112 penalty minutes were called. Game 1 had resulted in 146.

A brief altercation broke out between the Sabres and fans sitting behind the Buffalo bench. With 2:43 remaining in the game, Mike Foligno was restrained from climbing an exit ramp into the stands.

St. Louis 3, Chicago 2--Rookie Brett Hull’s tie-breaking goal 3:09 into the third period at St. Louis gave the Blues a 2-0 lead in their Norris Division semifinal.

Hull’s goal, on a setup from Bernie Federko, came during a delayed penalty after Federko had been pulled down from behind by Dan Vincelette. Federko got up and centered the puck between Vincelette’s legs to Hull, who ripped a shot from high in the slot through a maze of players past goaltender Bob Mason.

Hull scored two goals in the Blues’ 4-1 series-opening victory Wednesday night.

Edmonton 3, Winnipeg 2--Craig Simpson scored with 65 seconds left in regulation to give the Oilers a 2-0 victory in the Smythe Division series.

The teams appeared headed for overtime after more than 20 minutes of scoreless play when Glenn Anderson, the star of Game 1, flipped a shot at the Winnipeg goal from near the top of the face-off circle. The shot hit goaltender Daniel Berthiaume, bounced over his shoulder, off Simpson’s leg and into the net.

The Jets have lost 16 straight playoff games to the Oilers since the teams entered the league in 1979.

Detroit 6, Toronto 2--Petr Klima registered Detroit’s first playoff hat trick in 23 seasons to lead the Red Wings at Detroit and even the Norris Division semifinal at 1-1.

Klima completed his hat trick with 2:21 remaining in the second period. That gave the Red Wings a 5-2 advantage.

Montreal 7, Hartford 3--Rookie Gilles Thibaudeau scored two goals and assisted on another at Montreal as the Canadiens took a 2-0 lead in the Adams Division series.