NHL ROUNDUP : Oilers Blank Canucks, 7-0; Nicholls to Report Friday

Edmonton goaltender Bill Ranford, whose solid play has been one of the Oilers’ few bright spots this season, finally got some help.

Ranford made 33 saves and the Oilers previously dormant offense came to life to combine for a 7-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Sunday at Edmonton.

The Canucks, who are in first place in the Smythe Division and second overall in the NHL, allowed the Oilers to take a 3-0 first-period lead. Then Ranford went to work, stopping 16 shots, including a second-period penalty shot by Greg Adams.

It was Ranford’s first shutout of the season and the third time the Oilers have beaten the Canucks this season.

“I went all last year without a shutout,” Ranford said. “It was nice to get one under my belt now.”

Scott Mellanby scored twice for the Oilers, who had averaged only 3.04 goals through their first 25 games.

Edmonton announced that Bernie Nicholls, obtained from the New York Rangers as part of the Mark Messier trade, will report for Friday’s game at Winnipeg.

Edmonton’s Esa Tikkanen fell hard into the boards late in the third period and may have fractured a bone in his right hand. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays.

Boston 5, Hartford 4--Peter Douris and Bob Carpenter scored goals 15 seconds apart in the first minute of the third period to lead the Bruins at Boston.

The victory enabled the Bruins (11-10-3) to go over the .500 mark for the first time since beating the New York Rangers on opening night.

The victory moved Boston one point ahead of Hartford into second place in the Adams Division.

Winnipeg 3, Chicago 2--Thomas Steen tied the score with seven seconds left in regulation at Winnipeg and Darrin Shannon scored 1:09 into overtime as the Jets handed the Blackhawks their fifth consecutive loss.

Shannon took a pass across the slot from Pat Elynuik and whipped the puck into the net, extending the Jets’ unbeaten streak to seven games.