NHL Playoffs : Flyers Win as Kerr Scores 3 Goals

Tim Kerr tipped in three goals, two on power plays, as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Islanders, 4-2, Monday night in the opener of their National Hockey League division finals playoff series at Philadelphia.

Kerr, who has scored 50 or more goals in each of the last four regular seasons, accounted for two goals early in the first period for a 2-0 Philadelphia lead. He increased the edge to 4-0 just 3:11 into the second period as the Flyers took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Patrick Division finals.

Kerr had scored a total of three goals in six games in the Flyers’ division semifinals series against the New York Rangers.

“We’d like our power play to be better, but we got through the Rangers series and now might be the start of something new,” Kerr said.

Rookie goaltender Ron Hextall stopped 26 shots by the Islanders, who were playing just 41 1/2 hours after their 3-2, quadruple-overtime victory over the Washington Capitals in the seventh game of their semifinals series.

Don Nachbaur scored his first goal of the playoffs in the first period to chase New York goalie Kelly Hrudey in favor of Billy Smith. “I think Hrudey was tired,” Kerr said. “He had to be let down after that last game.”

Philadelphia reached the division finals with a 4-2 series victory over the New York Rangers that ended with Game 6 Thursday night.

The second game of this series is in Philadelphia Wednesday night with games 3 and 4 at the Islanders’ Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, N.Y., Friday and Sunday nights.

Quebec 7, Montreal 5--Dale Hunter’s power-play goal at 2:04 of the third period triggered a three-goal outburst as the Nordiques broke the Canadiens’ 13-game winning streak in the opening game of their playoff series at Montreal.

The goal came with the score tied 4-4 in the Adams Division finals as Montreal’s Chris Nilan was serving a double-minor penalty, his second of the penalty-filled game. Nilan received the infraction after a retaliatory hit against a Nordique defender. When he berated referee Andy Van Hellemond, he was assessed an unsportsmanlike penalty and a misconduct.

The Canadiens then yielded goals to John Ogrodnick at 5:22 and Paul Gillis at 7:21.

Anton Stastny had scored a pair of earlier goals for Quebec, and Michel Goulet and Basil McRae had contributed single goals as the Nordiques took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Adams Division finals.