NHL ROUNDUP : Ranford Stops 26 Shots; Oilers Cool Off Flames

First the Edmonton Oilers had to learn to win without Wayne Gretzky. When they did, they won the Stanley Cup.

Then this season they had to learn to win without Jari Kurri and goaltender Grant Fuhr. As soon as Mark Messier was healthy, they did.

But when Messier reinjured his knee, they had to learn to win without another all-star.

They have used the powerful Calgary Flames to prove they can survive even the loss of Messier.

With Bill Ranford performing brilliantly in goal again, the Oilers beat the Flames, 4-1, Thursday night at Edmonton. It was the second time in less than a week that the Oilers, without Messier, have beaten the leaders of the Smythe Division.

The Oilers scored two short-handed goals and two power-play goals while earning their 500th NHL victory.

Ranford stopped 26 shots as the Oilers ended the Flames’ nine-game unbeaten streak on the road.

The Oilers, who were off to a terrible start this season, have moved within three points of third-place Vancouver.

New York Islanders 1, New Jersey 1--It was an opportunity for the Devils to move into a tie for first place in the Patrick Division.

In a tight defensive battle at East Rutherford, N.J., with the Islanders, a fluke cost them the victory that would have tied them with the New York Rangers.

John MacLean scored his 26th goal on a power play in the first period and the Devils’ goalie Chris Terreri seemed determined to make it hold up.

Terreri stopped a shot by David Volek in the middle of the second period, but defenseman Ken Daneyko, while lying on the ice, tried to clear the puck and inadvertently hooked the puck into the net for the New York goal.

Except for the one play, the Devils, unbeaten in their last six games (3-0-3), played well on defense. They killed seven penalties, three times when the Islanders had 5-3 advantages.

The Devils, who had several scoring chances thwarted by goalie Glenn Healy, have 45 points, the Rangers 46.

Toronto 6, St. Louis 4--It was a happy occasion in Toronto. Overcoming the 38th goal by the Blues’ Brett Hull, the Maple Leafs moved out of last place in the overall NHL standings.

The Maple Leafs scored four goals in a row in a little more than five minutes after the league’s leading goal scorer opened the scoring.

The Maple Leafs, 6-4-1 in December, have an 11-26-2 record to move ahead of Quebec and move within four points of fourth-place Minnesota in the Norris Division.

The Maple Leafs’ surge will be worth it if they make the playoffs. But if they don’t, they may miss out on drafting Eric Lindros, the probable first pick.

The Leafs ended the Blues’ nine-game unbeaten streak.

Montreal 7, Vancouver 5--Brian Skurdland had a goal and two assists in the first period at Vancouver as the Canadiens built a 6-0 lead.

The Canucks rallied in the last two periods to cut the lead to one.

The victory enabled the Canadiens to pull to within six points of Boston, leader of the Adams Division.