NHL Roundup : Devils Spoil Opening in New York, 5-0

It was like a show that debuts on the road before trying it on Broadway. The New York Rangers, a hit in Chicago and St. Louis to open the season, flopped on Broadway.

With Sean Burke stopping 41 shots and Kirk Muller scoring twice in a 5-goal third-period outburst, the New Jersey Devils spoiled the party with a 5-0 victory in New York.

The late-season goaltending of the 21-year-old Burke enabled the Devils to beat out the Rangers for the final playoff spot in the tough Patrick Division last season.

This season the Rangers have high hopes of finishing near the top of the division. They tied the Blackhawks in the opener, then beat St. Louis Saturday night.

Nobody scored in this game for 42 minutes before Doug Brown faked 2 Ranger defenders and slipped the puck past goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck.

The Rangers had one big chance. On a power-play chance with the game 4 minutes old, Guy Lafleur hit a high drive that hit Burke on the shoulder. Lafleur, without a point in 3 games in his comeback, was playing his first game at Madison Square Garden as a Ranger.

Calgary 5, Detroit 2--Jim Peplinski scored 2 second-period goals at Calgary to lead the Flames to their first victory in their third game of the new season.

The Flames, who had the best overall record during the 1987-88 season, opened with a defeat and a tie. Detroit, which has played all 3 games on the road, is 0-2-1.

New York Islanders 3, Vancouver 2--Tomas Jonsson scored on a screened slap shot from the blue line 5 minutes into the third period at Vancouver to break a tie and the Islanders won their first game.