STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS : Capitals Start Slowly Before Dominating, 6-2

The Pittsburgh Penguins, desperately trying to find the combination that will enable them to repeat their NHL championship, brought back their star.

For seven minutes it appeared the return of Mario Lemieux was the answer.

Lemieux, who won the scoring title despite missing 20 games because of back and shoulder problems, set up two goals Tuesday night against the Washington Capitals before the 17,453 fans at Landover, Md. were comfortably seated.

But when the Capitals finally got started, they dominated for a 6-2 victory.

Peter Bondra and Michal Pivonka keyed the Capitals’ offense. Each had a goal and two assists.

The Capitals were in command before the end of the first period.

Dimitri Kristich started the rally on a power play in the middle of the period. Bondra’s goal, a backhander that eluded goalie Tom Barrasso, tied it at 13:42. With 21 seconds left in the period the Capitals converted a five-on-three break with Pivonka flicking the puck into the net.

Lemieux had missed the the Penguins’ 3-1 loss in the opener Sunday night because of a bruised shoulder.

Now that he is back, the Capitals are expecting a competitive series.

“They’re going to be tough before this is over,” predicted goaltender Don Beaupre, who stopped 33 shots.

“They’re not just a different team with him----they’re a better team. At least they were in the first few minutes, when they ran the show. He set up the two goals, but we outskated them after that. If he could keep it up a whole game we would have trouble.”

New Jersey 7, N.Y. Rangers 3--The Rangers were struck by the second-game jinx again.

For the third time in as many playoff series, the Rangers were trounced in a second game after playing flawlessly in the opener.

In the two previous series, the Rangers were knocked out of the Stanley Cup playoffs by the Washington Capitals.

The Rangers seemed to be playing a strong game again and the teams were tied, 2-2, well into the second period at New York. But Claude Lemieux and Laurie Boschman scored 56 seconds apart late in the period and the Rangers were never in it again.

The Devils beat John Vanbiesbrouck seven times in 28 shots. The Ranger goalie was unbeaten in his previous 10 games. In the 2-1 win Sunday night, he stopped 26 out of 27 shots.

Lemieux, who scored twice, drew the praise of Coach Tom McVie.

“He was the Claude Lemieux of old,” McVie said. “He’s a great competitive hockey player.”

The third game of the series will be Thursday night at East Rutherford, N.J.

Boston 3, Buffalo 2--The Bruins were in danger of losing the first two games of the best-of-seven opening series at home. But Adam Oates scored an unusual goal off a faceoff at 11:14 of overtime to even the series.

Following an icing call against the Sabres, Oates lined up for the faceoff with Pat LaFontaine of the Sabres in front of the goal. Oates drew his stick back before the puck was dropped, timed his swing just right and sent the puck past goaltender Tom Draper on the left for the winning goal.

The Sabres, who have the home-ice edge for the next two games, fought back gamely from a 2-0 deficit.

Bruins’ Joe Juneau and Dave Reid built the lead at 13:22 of the first period.

LaFontaine cut the margin in half on a power play near the middle of the second period. It was 19 minutes later before Wayne Presley tied it. Goaltenders Draper and Andy Moog were in command for the last 11 minutes of regulation and the first 11 of overtime.

“It was a fluke,” Oates said of the winning goal. “I knew it was in, but I couldn’t believe it.”

“It was totally flukey. . . . It happens once in a lifetime.”

Oates said that if he had been playing with St. Louis, which traded him to the Bruins late in the season, he would have passed it to Brett Hull.

“But, I was lined up to take a forehand shot at Draper, and I did it,” he said.

Montreal 5 , Hartford 2--The Whalers are hoping to change things at home, but in the two games at Montreal, they have clearly been overmatched.

Denis Savard took charge of the offense and the Canadiens’ defense was solid.

“Denis has been our leader the last two games,” said Brent Gilchrist, who scored two goals. “The difference tonight was that we followed him.

Savard set up four goals, three in the second period when the Canadiens broke the game open.

“I felt better than I have in a long time,” said Savard, 31, who had one of his best games in two seasons since he joined Montreal in a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks.

“I felt I really had my legs. It must have been how I rested or something I ate.”

Patrick Roy, in winning his second consecutive game, faced 17 shots. He gave up a power-play goal to John Cullen in the first period, then Randy Cunneyworth beat him at 15:07 of the second.