Senators Surprise Devils in Overtime

The late-season slump isn’t the only worry the New Jersey Devils have. There is also the Ottawa Senators, who beat them at their own game, 2-1, Wednesday night at East Rutherford, N.J., in the opener their first-round NHL playoff series.

Bruce Gardiner scored on a rebound at 5:58 of overtime to give the Senators the stunning victory.

Even though the Senators split four regular season games with the Devils, few expected the eighth-seeded team in the Eastern Conference to come into New Jersey’s building and win the opener in the best-of-seven series.

“I don’t think there was a doubt in any of our minds that even before this game that we couldn’t do it,” Gardiner said.

Doug Gilmour forced the overtime by scoring with 3:24 left in regulation for the Devils, who had the best record in the East but closed the season mired in a 3-5-2 slump.

Detroit 6, Phoenix 3--The Red Wings opened defense of their Stanley Cup championship in high gear at Detroit.

Joe Kocur scored two goals for the Red Wings and broke a 30-game scoring drought extending to Dec. 31.

“It’s only one game,” Coyote goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin said. “It will be better for me and the team to forget this as soon as possible. We have a lot of hockey left.”

Four key Detroit players--Doug Brown, Brendan Shanahan, Kris Draper and Brent Gilchrist--sat out because of injuries.

Buffalo 3, Philadelphia 2--A scary moment in this game at Philadelphia came when Flyer defenseman Petr Svoboda got kneed in the head during the second period and had to be carried off the ice on a stretcher because of a back injury.

He later was reported to be in stable condition at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Flyer General Manager Bob Clarke said he had some compressed nerves.

The Sabres beat the Flyers on Donald Audette’s goal with 8:17 left to play.

Washington 3, Boston 1--Another scary moment came at Washington when Petr Bondra limped off the ice midway through the second period. He told Coach Ron Wilson he thought he had broken his leg, but it turned out to be only a twisted ankle, and he returned for the start of the third period. As it turned out, Bondra wasn’t needed.

Dallas 4, San Jose 1--The Stars lost top regular-season scorer Joe Nieuwendyk to a first-period knee injury, but they recovered to take the opener at Dallas.

Edmonton 3, Colorado 2--Bill Guerin, Dean McAmmond and Boris Mironov scored in a span of 3:49 late in the game at Denver as the Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit.

NHL Notes

Forwards Matt Cullen and Ted Drury of the Mighty Ducks have been named to the U.S. national team for the 1998 World Championships, May 1-17, in Switzerland. . . . Taxpayers in Edmonton were voicing disapproval Wednesday after the city council approved a deal with Edmonton Northlands, which runs the Coliseum, that gives the Oilers rent for $1. Of 478 calls to the Citizen’s Action Centre, only 160 favored using city money to secure the deal.