NHL ROUNDUP : Vancouver Joins the Playoff Party

The Vancouver Canucks clinched a playoff berth Friday night as Geoff Courtnall scored midway through the third period for a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Winnipeg.

Dana Murzyn and Dixon Ward, with his 20th, also scored for the Canucks, the Smythe Division leaders who have won all six meetings with the Jets. By increasing their total to 85 points, the Canucks assured that fifth-place Edmonton can not catch them, thus allowing Vancouver to join Montreal, Quebec and Boston as having qualified for the playoffs.

The Jets held a pregame ceremony for right winger Teemu Selanne, who broke Mike Bossy’s 15-year-old NHL rookie goal-scoring record last week when he scored his 54th.

But Selanne, who has since increased his total to 59, did not score a goal, though he had an assist.

Toronto 8, Tampa Bay 2--Glenn Anderson and Wendel Clark scored two goals each as the Maple Leafs extended their home unbeaten streak to nine games.

The Maple Leafs took advantage of shaky goaltending by the Lightning’s Pat Jablonski and Wendel Young, scoring on six of their first 12 shots.

The victory moved the Maple Leafs into a tie with idle Detroit for second place in the Norris Division, three points in back of Chicago.

Edmonton 6, New Jersey 4--The Oilers scored four unanswered first-period goals at Edmonton and made up some ground in their uphill race for a playoff spot.

The victory ended a four-game losing streak and pulled Edmonton to within 10 points of fourth-place Winnipeg in the Smythe Division with 10 games to play.