NHL Roundup : Bullard Helps Flyers Win Again

Mike Bullard, a talented center, has been with 4 different National Hockey League teams during the last 25 months.

With wife, Lise, expecting their first child, Bullard, 27, hopes the Philadelphia Flyers are his last stop.

It just may be he’ll get his wish.

Bullard, obtained from St. Louis last month in a trade for Peter Zezel, scored with 29 seconds remaining Friday night at Philadelphia to give the Flyers a 5-4 victory over the Hartford Whalers.

Bullard knocked in the rebound of a shot by Doug Sulliman to end a comeback by the Whalers and extend the Flyers’ winning streak to 7 games.

Bullard has 6 goals in 12 games as a Flyer. In the 12 games he’s played, the Flyers are 10-1-1.

Bullard averaged 36 goals in his 5 seasons with Pittsburgh, but he often played in the shadow of Mario Lemieux.

The Penguins traded him to Calgary in November, 1986. Although he scored 48 goals last season, he was traded to St. Louis during the off-season.

When he had only 5 goals in 20 games this season, the Blues made the deal with the Flyers.

“It’s a great feeling,” Bullard said, “coming to a team and having them start winning. When I arrived, they told me I would be on a line with Rick Tocchet and Brian Propp. We’ve clicked from the start.

“I’d be the first one to admit I’m not the best defensive player in the world. But I’m not as bad as everybody says.”

After last season, Bullard thought he would stay put for a while.

“But when the Flames were offered Doug Gilmour and Mark Hunter, two outstanding players, they would have been stupid to have turned it down,” Bullard said.

“Cliff Fletcher (Flames general manager) said nice things about me when I left. He gave me a new lease on life. Now, I have another one and I’m going to make the most of it.”

The Flyers built a 4-2 lead early in the third period when Ron Sutter set up one goal and scored another.

The Whalers’ Sylvain Cote cut the lead in half with his sixth goal at 11:45. With less than 4 minutes remaining in regulation, Joel Quenneville intercepted a pass and fired a quick 45-footer to beat goalie Ron Hextall and tie the game.

Edmonton 4, Calgary 1--Just a couple of weeks ago, the question in the Smythe Division was by how much the Flames would win it.

But ever since the Kings beat them Tuesday night at the Forum, the Flames have played as if they were in a fog.

Craig MacTavish scored twice--one on the Oilers’ first penalty shot in 5 years--at Edmonton and the Flames lost again.

Oiler goalie Grant Fuhr, who had 37 shots fired at him, had his bid for a shutout ruined by Joe Nieuwendyk with just 5 minutes left.

New Jersey 2, Pittsburgh 2--Defenseman Tom Kurvers scored on a 40-foot shot midway through the final period at East Rutherford, N.J., to give the Devils a tie.

Although they failed to get the victory, the Penguins, leading the Patrick Division, extended their unbeaten streak to 7 games.

However, it was another failure against the Devils. In their last 7 games against the Penguins, the Devils are 5-0-2.

Kurvers, who had an assist on the first New Jersey goal, also had a hand in stopping the NHL scoring leader, Mario Lemieux. Lemieux had only an assist. It came on Randy Cunneyworth’s 18th goal and gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead in the second period.

Chicago 7, Detroit 2--The Blackhawks had won only 2 of their last 14 games, and the Red Wings were breezing in the Norris Division.

But in this game, it was the Blackhawks who looked the part of a division winner.

Dirk Graham and Steve Thomas each scored twice at Chicago to give goaltender Ed Balfour his first NHL victory.

There were 124 minutes in penalties handed out in the second period alone. There were 5 misconducts called in the period.

Buffalo 5, Toronto 2--The Maple Leafs hoped the switch in coaches would get them out of their long slump. It hasn’t worked that way, however.

Ray Sheppard, Christian Ruuttu and Mike Donnelly scored second-period goals to enable the Sabres to extend their unbeaten streak to 4 games (2-0-2)--their longest of the season.

The Leafs, 1-11-1 in their last 13 games, are 1-2 since George Armstrong replaced John Brophy as coach.

Washington 2, New York Rangers 2--For 56 minutes at Landover, Md., the Rangers were outclassed.

They trailed, 2-0, and had only 13 shots on goal.

But Kevin Miller and Brian Mullen scored a minute apart and the Rangers had a surprising tie.

Quebec 5, Winnipeg 4--Rookie Joe Sakic scored a power-play goal and had 2 assists as the Nordiques held off a late rally by the Jets to win at Winnipeg.