STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS ROUNDUP : Canucks Come Alive Against Jets and Tabaracci, 8-2

The Vancouver Canucks, winners of the Smythe Division, have no intention of dropping quietly out of the Stanley Cup competition.

Although down 3-1 in the opening round of their series with the fourth-place Winnipeg Jets, the Canucks came out firing Sunday night at Vancouver to score a convincing, 8-2 victory and get within 3-2 .

The first thing they did was solve what Coach Pat Quinn said was a pressing problem. They found out how to beat goaltender Rick Tabaracci.

The Canucks had 19 shots in the first period and knocked out Tabaracci early in the second period.

The Canucks, who scored only eight goals against Tabaracci in the first four games, had five in the 27 minutes Tabaracci played in Game 5.

Pavel Bure, one of the stars of the regular season, finally solved Tabaracci late in the first period, for the first of five goals the Canucks scored in eight minutes. Bure assisted on three others.

Winnipeg Coach Tom McVie replaced Tabaracci with Bob Essensa after the fifth goal, but indicated Tabaracci would return when the Jets make another try to end the series Tuesday night back on home ice.

The Canucks scored on Essensa 99 seconds after he took over to make it 7-0.

The Jets, playing their first poor playoff game, made a mild rally late in the second period when Ed Olyczyk and Aaron Broten scored 57 seconds apart late in the second period.

Jim Sandlak, who scored the second Canucks goal, scored again in the last period to end any hopes the Jets might rally.

Detroit 3, Minnesota 0--The Red Wings kept their slim hopes alive in the first round of the playoffs by relying on what made them the best team in the Norris Division.

Goaltender Tim Chevaldae, the main reason the Wings won the division, stopped all 22 shots at Detroit to register the shutout and cut the North Stars’ series lead to 3-2.

The North Stars, the fourth place team last season when it went to the final round of Stanley Cup, can clinch the series with a victory Tuesday night at home.

While the tough Detroit defense was stopping the potent Minnesota offense, Steve Yzerman gave Cheveldae the goal he needed when the Wings were shorthanded at 13:33 of the first period.

Cheveldae made the lead stand up until Mike Sillinger took the pressure off by scoring with just 6:18 remaining in the game. Jimmy Carson scored into an empty net in the closing seconds.

In the three losses to the North Stars, Cheveldae was the loser in each and Minnesota had 13 goals.

Chicago 6, St. Louis 4--For years Steve Larmer has been the Chicago Blackhawks’ leading scorer. But while the Blackhawks and Blues were splitting the first four games of their best-of-seven series, the veteran right wing didn’t score a goal.

But Larmer came out firing at Chicago and scored twice as the Blackhawks came from behind to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

Larmer’s second goal halfway through the second period tied the score, 3-3. Four minutes later Brad Lauer scored to put Chicago ahead to stay.

The Blues will try to prolong the series Tuesday night at St. Louis.