Stanley Cup Playoffs : Jets’ Get-Tough Strategy Backfires Against Oilers

The Winnipeg strategy was to get rough with the Edmonton Oilers.

It didn’t work and the defending Stanley Cup champions advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 6-2 victory over the Jets Tuesday night at Edmonton, Canada.

One of the mistakes in playing rough with the Oilers is that a power play puts the team’s two best players, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, on the ice at the same time.

They worked together for four power-play goals in this game as the Oilers closed the series in five games, 4-1.

In the first four bitterly fought games, there were 339 minutes in penalties. This game started out rough, but the Oilers so thoroughly dominated that it wound up the most tame game of the series.

The Oilers ran up a 5-0 lead before the Jets’ best player, Dale Hawerchuk, scored twice within 24 seconds in the second period.

The first four goals, by the Oilers, naturally, were on power plays, and Messier scored two of them and assisted on the other two. Messier scored 13 points in the five games.

Gretzky, who had four assists in the game, scored an even-strength goal with five minutes left in the second period to make it 5-0.

The Jets, who have won just 1 of 19 playoff games against the Oilers, thought they had a chance to win the series when they won the third game. But the Oilers were too quick and too talented.

New Jersey 4, New York Islanders 2--The Devils, their top line finally clicking, can clinch a series for the first time with a win Thursday night on home ice.

Aaron Broten had a goal and two assists at Uniondale, N.Y., to give the Devils a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series. The Islanders’ only victories have come in overtime.

In the first four games of the series, the line of Broten, Pat Verbeek and Kirk Muller had produced no goals and two assists. The line tripled its point output in one game and sent the Islanders to the brink of elimination.

Sean Burke, the Devils’ rookie goaltender, stopped 33 shots in another outstanding performance. He made 18 of the saves in a hectic final period.

“We’ve had a lot of different players carrying the team,” said Coach Jim Schoenfeld, “but it’s sure nice to have our top line come back.”

Islander Coach Terry Simpson said his team had been outplayed in four of the five games. But, he pointed out, the Islanders made dramatic comebacks last spring.

St. Louis 5, Chicago 3--Brett Hull, the rapidly improving son of Bobby Hull, scored his sixth playoff goal 15 seconds into the third period at St. Louis as the Blues won the series, 4-1.

It was Hull’s second goal of the game, and it was the third time he scored the decisive goal.

The Blues scored three times on power plays to give them 10 in five games with a player advantage.

Washington 5, Philadelphia 2--The Capitals stayed alive with a win at Landover, Md.

Five seconds after getting a 5-3 player advantage when Washington goaltender Pete Peeters was given a penalty for using an illegal stick, the Flyers scored in the second period to pull within 4-2.

The Flyers lead, 3-2, and can clinch it Thursday night at home.

“Last year we were up, 3-1, and everybody said we choked,” Capital Coach Bryan Murray said. “Now the Flyers are feeling the pressure.”

Boston 5, Buffalo 4--Coach Terry O’Reilly knew how to get his former playing buddy Rick Middleton ready to play. He benched the veteran winger for three games.

Middleton came out flying at Boston, scored two goals and assisted on another as the Bruins took a 3-2 lead in the series.

The Sabres battled back from a 2-0 deficit to tie, but Middleton put the Bruins back in command. The Sabres’ John Tucker scored his seventh goal in five games.

Hartford 3, Montreal 1--The Canadiens were returning home to wrap up their first-round series, but veteran goaltender Richard Brodeur stood in the way.

Brodeur, given the start in goal when Mike Liut injured his shoulder in the warmup, stopped 22 shots, most of them difficult ones, and the Whalers stayed alive, cutting the Canadiens’ lead to 3-2.

Toronto 6, Detroit 5--The Red Wings also expected to celebrate a first-round victory at home, but they couldn’t handle Ed Olczyk.

Olczyk’s third goal of the game came just 34 seconds into overtime to spoil the celebration plans.

The Maple Leafs, who have won two of three at Detroit, return home Thursday where they are 0-2 for Game 6.