STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ROUNDUP : Red Wings Stage a Rally, Then Win in Overtime

The Detroit Red Wings avoided disaster--at least for the time being--Wednesday night at Bloomington, Minn.

The Minnesota North Stars, who had finished 28 points behind them, were threatening to put the Red Wings on the verge of elimination in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The North Stars, who had shocked the hockey world by winning the first two of the best-of-seven series on Detroit ice, had built a 4-2 lead in Game 3 halfway through the game.

But the Red Wings, who dominated the Norris Division throughout the season and won the title by 11 points over Chicago, summoned a desperate rally.

After tying the score in regulation, they pulled out the 5-4 victory on Yves Racine’s first playoff goal at 1:15 of overtime.

“I was so surprised when I scored, I didn’t know what to do,” Racine said. “It had been four months since I last scored. I just stood there. Then the guys came skating at me and, for a moment, I was scared.”

The victory was crucial. Only two teams in NHL history have lost the first three games in a playoff series and come back to win.

The Red Wings can even the series at two apiece with a victory Friday night at Bloomington.

A year ago, the North Stars, after another dismal regular season, did an about-face in the playoffs behind Jon Casey’s stellar goaltending and advanced to the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Once again, Casey appeared to be unbeatable in the playoffs. He stymied the powerful Detroit attack in the first two games and in half of this one.

The fortunes started to shift shortly after Brian Bellows scored at 8:04 of the second period to give Minnesota a 4-2 lead. At this point the Red Wings brought in backup goalie Vince Riendeau to replace Tim Cheveldae.

Less than three minutes later, former King Jimmy Carson revived Red Wing hopes by scoring to cut the lead to 4-3.

But Casey tightened his game. The Red Wings dominated play, but they couldn’t get the tying goal. Finally, with 3:32 left in regulation, Ray Sheppard, on a power play, took a pass from Steve Yzerman and beat Casey to tie the game.

In the first minute of overtime, Sheppard hit the post. But Racine grabbed a clearing pass, teed it up and fired a blast over the glove of Casey.

“The momentum changed tonight,” said Riendeau, who stopped all 11 shots he faced in the last 33 minutes.

Winnipeg 4, Vancouver 2--The Jets, who were almost perfect for more than two periods at Winnipeg, held on to take a 2-1 lead over the Smythe Division champion Canucks.

While throwing a defensive blanket over the high-scoring Canucks, the Jets built a 4-0 lead.

Randy Carlyle stole the puck for the first one midway through the first period. With only 14 seconds left in the period, Pat Elynuik made it 2-0.

Lucien Deblois made it 3-0 in the second period. After 40 minutes, the Jets had outshot the Canucks, 28-18, and in the first minute of the final period, Thomas Steen made it 4-0.

Goaltender Richard Tabaraci seemed on his way to a shutout, but Robert Kron scored on a breakaway at 7:26.

St. Louis 5, Chicago 4--The Blues scored twice in the first nine minutes, but it wasn’t until Brett Hull scored after midnight at St. Louis that the Blues took a 2-1 lead in the series.

Hull’s second playoff goal came after 23:33 of overtime. In the first 20-minute overtime there were 17 shots, but nobody could score.

Hull, who has been the leading goal scorer for the last two seasons, took a pass from Bob Bassen and beat goaltender Dominik Hasek.

After Nelson Emerson scored twice to give the Blues the early 2-0 lead, the Blackhawks scored the next four goals, taking a 4-2 lead early in the second period.

Dave Christian narrowed the lead with a goal in the last minute of the second period.

Hull assisted on Garth Butcher’s goal that tied the game at 13:03 of the third period.