NHL Roundup : Rangers Fire Coach, but Change Doesn’t Help

General Manager Phil Esposito of the New York Rangers fired Coach Michel Bergeron Saturday and took over the position himself.

“I just thought we needed a change. I don’t think the team was responding properly, and it was something I felt had to be done,” Esposito said.

There was no immediate change. A few hours after the coaching change, Kevin Stevens scored twice at Pittsburgh to lead the Penguins to a 5-2 victory that clinched second place in the Patrick Division.

If Esposito, who coached for 43 games during the 1986-87 season because then coach Tom Webster wouldn’t fly, thought the switch would awaken the Rangers, he was mistaken.

The Rangers, who could have taken over second place with a victory, came out flat. By early in the final period, the margin was 5-1 against a badly beaten team.

Esposito will coach the Rangers in the playoffs against the Penguins and for all of next season. He denied he interfered with Bergeron, who had the Rangers 28-16-8 at the end of January. Now they are 37-34-8.

“My relationship with Michel didn’t change from the beginning of the season,” Esposito said. “I left him alone. I didn’t tell him who to play.”

Bergeron said he was “in shock” over the firing. “I don’t think it was a fair decision,” he said, “but Esposito is the boss and can do what he wants.”

The Penguins, who are in the Stanley Cup competition for the first time since 1982, finished second for the first time since 1978-79.

Pittsburgh goaltender Tom Barrasso, who stopped 32 shots, also had two assists.

Mario Lemieux, who long ago clinched his second scoring title in a row, had only an assist.

Hartford 6, Chicago 1--The final playoff spot will not be determined until the last game of the regular season.

All the Blackhawks had to do was win or tie at Hartford to clinch fourth place in the Norris Division. They didn’t even make it a contest.

Grant Jennings and Dave Tippett scored 2:16 apart in the first period and the Whalers romped.

So, the Blackhawks will need a win or tie at home tonight against Toronto.

St. Louis 4, Toronto 3--The Maple Leafs, trailing by two points, can win the playoff spot with a win at Chicago, because they have more victories. In case of a tie, that’s the determining factor.

The Leafs made a desperate attempt to win this one at St. Louis, but lost when Gino Cavallini scored into an empty net with 50 seconds left in overtime.

The Leafs, needing a victory, had pulled goaltender Allan Bester, so there was nobody to stop Cavallini’s 85-foot shot.

The defeat wasn’t costly. If the game had ended in a tie, the Leafs would still have to win tonight to get the playoff spot.

Montreal 2, Philadelphia 2--The Canadiens had to have a victory in their regular-season finale at Montreal, but they had to struggle just to get a tie.

As a result, Calgary wins the overall points title and a $200,000 team bonus.

Defenseman Craig Ludwig’s goal with 6:58 left in regulation brought the Canadiens even, but they managed only one shot in the five-minute extra session.

Buffalo 4, New York Islanders 3--Grant Ledyard scored an unassisted goal with 3:04 left in regulation at Uniondale, N.Y., to keep the Sabres in third place in the Adams Division.

If the Sabres beat Quebec at home in the season finale tonight, they will finish third. Then, they will not have to play the ontreal Canadiens in the opening round of the playoffs.

After Ledyard’s shot caromed off the Islanders Pat Flatley into the net, Buffalo goalie Jacques Cloutier made two brilliant stops to save the victory.

Boston 5, Quebec 4--Rob Cimetta, recently brought up from junior hockey, scored his first two NHL goals at Quebec to lead the Bruins to victory. His second goal midway through the final period, was decisive.

Washington 6, New Jersey 4--Kelly Miller snapped a 4-4 tie with the first of his two goals to lead the Capitals to victory at Landover, Md.