NHL Roundup : Perreault Leads Sabres Into Tie for First

Gil Perreault scored one goal and set up two others Sunday night at Buffalo to lead the Sabres to a 6-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. It was the Sabres’ fourth win in a row and moved them into a tie with Montreal for first place in the Adams Division.

Six weeks ago the Sabres were fighting to keep out of last place. They were below .500 and beset with injuries. It was at this point that Perreault, an original Sabre, and Tom Barrasso, the teen-age goalie, began to assert themselves.

In the last 20 games, most of them with Barrasso in the nets, the Sabres are 14-3-3 and have picked up 12 points on the Canadiens.

While Barrasso, who had a sensational rookie season but got off to a slow start this season, has reestablished himself as the best goaltender in hockey, Perreault, 34, has played as if he, too, was in his teens.

Perreault has failed to score a point in only one of the 20 games. He has scored in each of the last six games and in the Sabres’ last 12 at home.

Still one of the fastest skaters in the sport and one of the best puck-handlers, Perreault, No. 10 on the all-time scoring list, has won almost every honor in a 15-year career.

The one that has eluded him is a Stanley Cup championship. In the 1975 season, the club’s fifth and Perreault’s fifth in the league, the Sabres reached the final round, but lost to the Philadelphia Flyers.

“Before I finish,” Perreault said, “I would like to win one title. With this young fellow (pointing to Barrasso), I feel we may get another shot.

“He had a few problems early in the season, but most of it was caused by injuries to key defensemen. Then Scotty (Coach Scott Bowman) brought in Jim Schoenfeld and he helped settle down our young players.

“I think I’m playing as well as I have in a long time. We have a number of outstanding young players. Anything I can do to lead this group just makes them all that much better.”

St. Louis 6, Chicago 4--Although Blues’ Coach Jacques Demers isn’t ready to break out the champagne, the back-to-back wins over the Black Hawks have given the Blues an eight-point lead in the Norris Division. They may also have signaled the end of Orval Tessier’s career as coach of the Black Hawks.

Doug Wickenheiser, who scored the winning goal in a 5-1 victory for the Blues Saturday night at St. Louis, fired in a 60-footer early in the third period of this one at Chicago to break a 4-4 tie and get another game-winner.

After the game, Tessier would not meet with reporters. A club spokesman said Tessier “had a rough day and a rough game.” There have been persistent rumors that the fiery coach is about to be fired.

Edmonton 6, Hartford 3--Wayne Gretzky regained his scoring touch at Edmonton, but teammates Mike Krushelynski and Jari Kurri continued to steal his thunder.

Krushelynski, who scored three goals Saturday night when Gretzky was shut out for the fifth time this season, came back with two more Sunday and has eight goals in six games. Kurri scored twice and has 51 goals in the 50 games he has played.

Until recently, Krushelynski has played a wing on a line with Kurri and Gretzky. But in the last six games, he has been a center for Glen Anderson and Mark Napier to give the Oilers another high-scoring line.

Gretzky scored his 54th goal and added two assists.

Washington 6, Winnipeg 2--The Capitals may have found that offensive-minded defenseman they have been looking for for years. In this game at Landover, Md., Mike McEwen scored two goals and assisted on two others to help the Capitals stretch their lead in the Patrick Division to eight points.

“I was happy to see Mike take charge of the offense,” Coach Bryan Murray said, “but I was really pleased with the way we played defense. Earlier, the Jets scored seven goals against us.

“We knew we couldn’t play wide open and beat them. We tightened up very well.”

Quebec 5, Minnesota 1--Brent Ashton had his first NHL hat trick and Michel Goulet scored the other two Nordique goals in the game at Quebec. Goulet was playing in only his third game since missing 11 games because of a broken thumb.

New Jersey 5, Detroit 5--Dave Pichette knocked in a rebound with 5:22 remaining in regulation at East Rutherford, N.J. to give the Devils the tie.

Vancouver 4, New York Rangers 1--Tony Tanti scored twice at Vancouver to lead the Canucks to their third win in a row, tying their longest winning streak of the season.