NHL Roundup : Rangers Gain Big Victory by Stopping Penguins, 5-3

The New York Rangers, humiliated by lowly Toronto Friday night at home, turned their fortunes around Saturday night at Pittsburgh.

Guy Lafleur, a Hall of Fame star still active, scored the go-ahead goal halfway through the final period, and the Rangers defeated the Penguins, 5-3.

When the Maple Leafs trounced New York 10-6, it was the Rangers’ sixth loss in the last seven games and they had fallen from first to third in the Patrick Division.

Even Coach Michel Bergeron was beginning to believe that the Rangers weren’t really as good as they looked in the first 50 games this season. He said Saturday’s game was one that could make or break the season.

One of his moves was to use, reserve goalie Bob Froese. Froese stopped 42 shots and shut out Mario Lemieux, who is slowly losing his once-promising chance to break two of Wayne Gretzky’s scoring records.

If they had lost, the Rangers would have been five points behind division-leading Pittsburgh. Instead, they are only a point behind after their biggest road victory.

Lafleur, the former Montreal star who returned as a Ranger after sitting out four seasons, took a pass from Kelly Kisio and fired a 15-footer past Tom Barrasso, who had returned for the first time in three weeks after suffering an injury, for his 14th goal of his comeback.

Boston 4, Calgary 3--The Flames went to Calgary as the league’s hottest team, having won eight consecutive game and having gone unbeaten in their last 13.

When they led, 2-0, after 22 minutes they seemed headed toward another victory. The Bruins charged back to tie in the second period, and after Joe Nieuwendyk scored his 44th goal to give Calgary a 3-2 lead, Boston rallied to win when ace defenseman Ray Bourque scored the tying goal and fed a pass to Keith Crowder for the winner with fewer than six minutes to play.

New York Islanders 3, Philadelphia 2--A shooting slump has the Flyers playing their worst hockey in years. When they were defeated at Uniondale, N.Y., it was their fourth loss in the last five games and they dropped below .500 (28-29-3).

It was the first time this late in the season that the Flyers have been under .500 since 1972.

Montreal 4, St. Louis 2--Guy Carbonneau bounced a shot off Blue defenseman Tom Tilley’s skate early in the final period at St. Louis and the puck went into the net for the tiebreaking goal.

In 56 games, Tilley hasn’t scored a goal for the Blues.

Toronto 5, New Jersey 3--The Maple Leafs spotted the Devils two goals in the first five minutes at Toronto, then stormed back to win their second game in a row.

The Maple Leafs trailed, 3-1, going into the last period, but Vince Damphousse scored twice to tie it, and Mark Osborne scored the game-winner midway through the period.

Hartford 4, Minnesota 3--Don Maloney scored with 9:03 remaining at Bloomington, Minn., to give the Whalers their fourth consecutive victory.

Mike Liut, making only his fifth start in goal in the last 15 games, stopped 31 shots, and the North Stars lost their fourth game in a row.