Stanley Cup Playoffs : Kurri’s Goal in Overtime Gives the Oilers a 3-1 Lead

The Edmonton Oilers survived the heat of Joe Louis Arena Monday night and nearly put the Detroit Red Wings in the deep freeze in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Playing in the sweltering arena, where temperatures reached the 80s and, at times, caused fog to rise from the ice, the Oilers got another brilliant shot from Jari Kurri to pull out a 4-3 overtime thriller and move within one game of clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup finals. The Oilers lead the Campbell Conference series, 3-1.

“(Esa) Tikkanen made the play and Kurri made a great shot,” Edmonton Coach Glen Sather said. “He has the quick release that the great players have--that’s why he’s so good. The great players make shots like that. I’ve seen him do that time and again.”

Kurri’s shot, at 11:02, was set up by Tikkanen, who stole a pass by defenseman Lee Norwood.

Before Kurri wrapped it up with his second goal of the night and playoff-leading 12th, the teams battled through a brilliant, tense game that featured some of the best hockey in the playoffs.

This game was a hot one--in more ways than one.

“It was very hot, making it hard to breath,” said Detroit goalie Glen Hanlon. “And there was fog, too.”

Sather intimated the Red Wings were purposely responsible for that. “I would have expected a building like this to be air-conditioned,” he said.

Bob Probert’s second goal of the game and Detroit’s third on a power play, at 13:13 of the third period, had tied it at 3-3.

The two goals gave Probert 21 points for the playoffs, breaking the Red Wings’ team record of 20, held by Gordie Howe.

But Kurri’s dramatic goal quieted a boisterous crowd of 19,873, the 40th straight sellout this season.