NHL ROUNDUP : Yzerman, Detroit Hand Minnesota First Defeat, 4-3

Steve Yzerman is considered by many as the third-best player in the National Hockey League. But the two top players, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, get so much publicity, the star of the Detroit Red Wings is comparatively unknown.

Yzerman, who led the Red Wings to the title in the Norris Division last season, made sure Wednesday night at Detroit that there are no more unbeaten teams in the NHL.

Yzerman, who had 65 goals last season, contributed two goals and an assist to lead the Red Wings to a 4-3 victory that ended the Minnesota North Stars’ unbeaten streak at six games.

The North Stars, who opened last season with just one victory in their first 10 games, fell to 5-1-1, but lead the Norris Division by four points. Last season they didn’t win their fifth game until they played their 23rd.

Yzerman set up the first goal before the game was five minutes old. He fed Gerard Gallant, just back from a five-game suspension, and Detroit led the rest of the way.

Both Yzerman goals were in the second period to help the Red Wings build a 4-1 lead.

“I don’t care where I’m ranked,” Yzerman said, “I just want to help win games.”

Montreal 2, Calgary 1--The Canadiens wish that talented rookie Stephan Lebeau had been around last spring for the playoffs.

Lebeau scored early in the final period at Montreal to give the Canadiens the victory in the first meeting this season between the Stanley Cup finalists. It was just the second loss in eight games for the Stanley Cup champions.

Lebeau has scored four goals while helping the Canadiens post a 5-3-0 record.

St. Louis 9, Pittsburgh 3--In their first meeting last season at Pittsburgh, the Blues were humiliated.

Mario Lemieux had eight points and led the Penguins to a 9-2 romp.

This was a time for revenge. Brett Hull scored three goals and assisted on two others. Linemate Sergio Momesso had two goals and four assists in the one-sided victory.

To make the night complete for the Blues, they held Lemieux scoreless.

New Jersey 5, Philadelphia 3--Soviet star Viacheslav Fetisov scored his first NHL goal in an early outburst at East Rutherford, N.J., to lead the Devils to their second victory over the struggling Flyers.

Fetisov’s 35-foot blast was the opening score in a three-goal run in 2:01 that gave New Jersey a commanding lead. The Devils scored four times on Pete Peeters on their first seven shots.

The Flyers, without their No. 1 goalie, Ron Hextall, who is sitting out a 12-game suspension, are 1-5-1 and in last place in the Patrick Division. They lost to the Devils in the season opener at Philadelphia.

Toronto 4, Vancouver 3--The Maple Leafs are willing to take anything they can get. They gladly accepted a fluke goal by Ed Olczyk at Toronto to end a four-game losing streak.

Olczyk, from a poor angle, slid the puck across the ice and it hit goaltender Steve Weeks’ skate, and caromed into the net to break a 3-3 tie early in the last period.

Hartford 2, Buffalo 1--It was a meeting between two of the best defensive teams in the league at Hartford, Conn.

Whaler goaltender Mike Liut stopped 24 shots to lower his league-leading goals-against average to 1.67. He has allowed only five goals in 179 minutes.

Defenseman Sylvain Cote scored out of a goal-mouth scramble with just 3:11 left in regulation to give the Whalers the victory.

Edmonton 7, Winnipeg 2--Jari Kurri had two goals and an assist at Edmonton to lead the Oilers to an easy victory over the Jets.

The victory moved the Oilers to within a point of the second-place Kings in the Smythe Division and dropped the Jets deeper into the cellar.