NHL Playoffs Roundup : Flyers Deal Islanders Shutout, Knockout, 1-0

It just won’t seem the same. For the first time in the 1980s, the New York Islanders won’t be playing in the championship round of the Stanley Cup competition.

The Islanders, who won the championship four years in a row before losing to Edmonton last spring, were eliminated Sunday at Philadelphia, shut out for the second time by goaltender Pelle Lindbergh.

After 26 minutes of a scoreless battle, Ilkka Sinisalo scored in the second period to give the Flyers a 1-0 victory and the series, 4-1.

Lindbergh, who won more games than any other goalie during the regular season, stopped 25 shots to atone for Sunday’s performance. The Flyers will meet the winner of the Quebec-Montreal series in the semifinals.

The Swedish import allowed the Islanders five goals in three Flyer victories, then gave up four goals in 28 minutes Sunday and the Islanders gained their only victory.

Kelly Hrudey, who replaced Billy Smith, the winningest goalie in playoff history, Sunday, had another fine game, stopping 37 shots. He was sprawled on the ice after being knocked down by the Flyers’ Peter Zezel when Sinisalo flipped a backhander over his body into the net.

Lindbergh gave the credit to his teammates. “There were no screens,” he said. “We made them shoot from outside. I’ve never seen our team play any better.”

Minnesota 5, Chicago 4--Dennis Maruk scored on a 25-foot wrist shot at 1:14 of overtime at Chicago to climax a sensational comeback and send the best-of-seven series back to Minnesota Tuesday night with Chicago leading, 3-2.

The Black Hawks jumped in front, 4-0, after just 29 minutes and maybe they started celebrating too soon. Minnesota replaced Gilles Meloche in goal with Don Beaupre and the rally began.

Tony McKegney, who scored the tying goal with 3:17 left in regulation, started the comeback at 10:28 of the second period. A short-handed goal late in the period by Brian Bellows really triggered the comeback and from then on the North Stars dominated play.

In the last 32 minutes Beaupre stopped 19 shots, several of them difficult ones.