NHL PLAYOFFS : Jets Have Canucks on Brink

By the time the Vancouver Canucks figure out how to get the puck past Winnipeg goaltender Rick Tabaracci, it might be too late.

Tabaracci, who spent most of the regular season in the minors, stopped 30 shots Friday night at Winnipeg and the Jets beat the Canucks, 3-1.

The Jets, holding a 3-1 series lead over the Smythe Division champions, can advance with a victory Sunday at Vancouver.

The Canucks finished the regular season 15 points ahead of the Jets, but they have had trouble this series cracking the superb defense.

Tabaracci, who spent much of the season commuting between Moncton of the American League and Winnipeg, moved into the nets at the same time the Jets started their late-season spurt that earned them fourth place.

The 23-year-old from Toronto has been the star of the series.

In the only game he lost, the Canucks fired 41 shots at him and he still stopped 38. He has given up only eight goals in the four games.

“They’ve done an excellent job of taking away our offense,” Vancouver Coach Pat Quinn said. “We have become a pretty solo hockey club. We all give it a good effort, but I don’t know what the answer is.”

Tabaracci said the key is hard work.

“Everyone has come forth and put forward their best effort,” he said. “We’ve been very well prepared by the coaching staff. It’s paying off for us.”

Although he has been overshadowed by Tabaracci, Vancouver goalie Kirk McLean has played well for the Canucks. He kept them in this game with a number of outstanding saves. He had 23 in this game.

Minnesota 5, Detroit 4--Almost as surprising as the play of the Jets has been that of the North Stars. The North Stars, like the Jets a fourth-place team, are within a victory of another first-round upset.

Todd Elik’s deflected goal, his first of the playoffs, with 8:33 left broke a 4-4 tie at Bloomington, Minn., and gave the North Stars a 3-1 advantage in the series that could be finished Sunday at Detroit.

“They’ve got to be really frustrated,” Elik said.

The Red Wings thought they would have a chance to tie with 6:33 left when the North Stars’ Derian Hatcher put his stick in Kevin Miller’s face. The blow drew blood, which calls for a major (five-minute) penalty. Although it was later determined Miller had a broken jaw, referee Dan Marouelli didn’t assess a penalty.

“He just didn’t see it,” Red Wing Coach Bryan Murray said. “Fortunately, we have a rule that if a player deliberately swings a stick and intentionally injures a player he has to sit out as long as the injured player.”

Chicago 5, St. Louis 3--Brian Noonan batted in a rebound for the winner at St. Louis at 5:04 of the third period and evened this series at two games apiece.

Halfway through the game, the Blackhawks had a 3-1 lead and had outshot the Blues, 24-6.

But power-play goals by Curt Giles and Brendan Shanahan got the Blues even late in the second period.