NHL Playoffs Roundup : Patsy Rangers Turn Flyers Around, 6-2

The Edmonton Oilers are heavy favorites to win their third consecutive Stanley Cup, with only the Philadelphia Flyers given a realistic chance of stopping them.

The Flyers, who were second to the Oilers in point totals, had the stingiest defense in the National Hockey League and the fourth-best offense. Moreover, in the best-of-five first-round playoff series, they are going against a team they’ve handled easily for the last three seasons.

The New York Rangers forgot to read the script. Rookie Mike Ridley scored two goals and assisted on another Wednesday night at Philadelphia to lead the surprising Rangers to a 6-2 victory over the Flyers.

The Flyers had beaten the Rangers in 18 of the last 19 meetings between the two teams. They went into the game with a 9-1 career record against Ranger goaltender John Vaniesbrouck. They put two shots past Vaniesbrouck in the first 15 minutes, but he stopped the last 25 shots by the Flyers.

It was 2-2 near the middle of the second period when Ridley, on a power play, took a pass in front of the net from Tomas Sandstrom and scored his second goal. The tiebreaker came after the Flyers, on a power play for four minutes and with a two-man advantage for 1:30, couldn’t score.

Thereafter, the Rangers, who refused to be intimidated in the rough game, grew stronger, and the Flyers tailed off.

Washington 3, New York Islanders 1--Bob Carpenter kept his record intact of never missing an NHL game and forgot his knee problem long enough to scored the tiebreaking goal at Landover, Md.

Carpenter suffered a hyperextended knee in the regular season finale Sunday and was doubtful. But at 11:46 of the second period, Carpenter, scrambling in front of the net, knocked the puck under screened-out goalie Kelly Hrudey. A few seconds earlier, Carpenter had his stick knocked out of his hands. He picked it up just in time to get in position for the decisive shot. With seven minutes left in the game, Dave Christian scored to clinch it.

This is the fourth time the Capitals have been in the playoffs. On the other three occasions, the Islanders knocked them out. Last spring, the Capitals won two overtime games at home, then lost the next three.

Hartford 3, Quebec 2--Sylvain Turgeon scored on a 10-foot wrist shot at 2:36 of overtime at Quebec, and the Whalers got their first NHL playoff victory. In 1980, their first season in the league, the Whalers were blown out in three games.

Brent Ashton of the Nordiques scored with 7:13 left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

Toronto 5, Chicago 3--Gary Leeman scored the go-ahead goal and assisted on two others as the lowly Maple Leafs continued to dominate the Blackhawks in the opener at Chicago.

The Blackhawks won the Norris Division this season, and the Maple Leafs finished fourth, 26 points behind. But the Leafs won six of the eight games between the teams during the season.

Edmonton 7, Vancouver 3--There may have been excitement elsewhere, but at Edmonton, Canada, as the Oilers launched their drive for a third consecutive Stanley Cup, it was merely routine.

The Oilers toyed with the Canucks for two periods, then scored four goals in the last period, two by Mike Krushelynski.

Wayne Gretzky had only one point, the Oilers’ third goal in the first period.

Montreal 3, Boston 1--Rookie goaltender Patrick Roy stopped 25 shots, and Bobby Smith scored two goals at Montreal to start the Canadiens off with a victory.

Although the Bruins have won two Stanley Cups and played competitive hockey for most of the last 40 years, they have not won a playoff from the Canadiens since 1943.

St. Louis 2, Minnesota 1--Doug Gilmour scored a short-handed goal on a breakaway with 12:45 remaining at Bloomington, Minn., to give the Blues the victory.

Calgary 5, Winnipeg 1--Rookie goaltender Mike Vernon made 22 saves at Calgary, and Jim Peplinski had a goal and an assist in the Flames’ victory.