NHL PLAYOFFS ROUNDUP : Murphy’s Goal Lets Oilers Beat Flames, 4-3, Take a 2-1 Lead

Joe Murphy’s goal with 14 seconds to play in regulation gave the Edmonton Oilers a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames at Edmonton Monday night and a 2-1 lead in their Smythe Division semifinal series.

The Flames led, 3-2, after two periods but Glenn Anderson took Craig Simpson’s pass at the Flames’ blue line, went in alone and beat Mike Vernon with a backhander at 9:47 of the third period to tie the score.

The teams appeared headed for overtime before Murphy took Simpson’s pass and sent a 35-foot shot past Vernon.

“I had some chances earlier and I missed on some close ones,” Murphy said. “Things are going well out there. To get the opportunities, you’ve got to feel good about yourself. You just keep working hard and going to the net, and things are bound to happen.”

The Flames got off to a fast start as Joe Nieuwendyk tipped Al MacInnis’ power-play slap shot between Grant Fuhr’s pads 2:03 into the game.

But Edmonton, which outshot Calgary, 29-23, needed only 11 seconds to tie the score on Esa Tikkanen’s second goal of the series.

Calgary went ahead again when Ronnie Stern set up Stephane Matteau for a short wrist shot past Fuhr at 10:49 of the second period.

Edmonton pulled even at 15:51 on Charlie Huddy’s goal, but Gary Roberts one-timed Nieuwendyk’s pass behind Fuhr at 17:26 to put the Flames ahead for the third time.

Chicago 6, Minnesota 5--The Blackhawks’ Ed Belfour, the NHL’s top goaltender during the regular season, was pulled late during the first period at Bloomington after giving up four goals on 22 shots as the North Stars took a 5-2 lead.

But the Blackhawks scored two early power-play goals in the second period and Belfour returned, stopping all 19 shots against him the rest of the way.

Steve Thomas and Jeremy Roenick then scored third-period goals and Chicago killed off three Minnesota power plays in the last 13 minutes in taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Roenick’s goal came with the Blackhawks’ Mike Hudson planted firmly--and, the North Stars contended, illegally--in the goal crease with 13:45 to play.

Hudson said he didn’t know he was in the crease.

“I swear. I turned to face Jeremy and skated backward,” he said. “I didn’t look at the lines (that mark the crease). I was too busy getting cross-checked in the back.”

Hudson used defenseman Neil Wilkinson as a shield to pin goalie Brian Hayward against the crossbar before Roenick scored on a 25-footer from between the circles.

“I tried to come out of the net and he just stood there,” Wilkinson said. “He had me pinned. It was obvious. (Referee Denis Morel) told me I had pulled their player into the net.

“He probably never saw it. He was probably just watching the puck and is just guessing.”

Minnesota’s Bobby Smith said Morel “didn’t have the guts to wave off the goal.”

And North Star Coach Bob Gainey said that “the winning goal should not be a play that is not a fair play.”

Said Morel: “When I saw the puck going through to the net, I saw Wilkinson holding (Hudson) in there. That’s when I allowed the goal.”

Detroit 5, St. Louis 2--Mike Sillinger, the Red Wings’ top pick in 1989, sent a breakout pass to Keith Primeau, the Wings’ top pick in June, and Primeau went in on a breakaway to break a 1-1 tie at Detroit.

Jimmy Carson and Steve Chiasson added goals to make the score 4-1.

Gino Cavallini’s goal with 1:21 remaining cut the Blues’ deficit to 4-2, but Kevin Miller, who had tied the score late in the second period, scored into an empty net with 18 seconds to play.

“We played a solid, hard-hitting game tonight,” Red Wing Coach Bryan Murray said after his team took a 2-1 lead in the series.