NHL Roundup : Under Coach Demers, Red Wings Are Now Making a Run for It

Jacques Demers, in three seasons with the St. Louis Blues, proved he was an outstanding coach. Nevertheless, in his first season at the helm of the Detroit Red Wings, he has exceeded expectations.

Under Demers, the Blues made the playoffs all three years and last spring just missed making it to the final round of the Stanley Cup competition.

When he took over the Red Wings, he warned not to expect too much. After all, they had won only 17 of 80 games and accumulated only 40 points last season. It was easily the worst record in the NHL.

Demers didn’t just turn the Red Wings in the right direction, he made them a contender in the Norris Division almost overnight. True, it is the weakest division, but remember, a year ago, the Wings were the weakest of the weak.

Glen Hanlon turned aside 36 shots Sunday night at Pittsburgh, and the Red Wings moved within one point of first place with a 1-0 victory over the struggling Penguins.

In just 46 games, the Red Wings have accumulated more victories (18) and more points (44) than they did all last season.

“We’ve had success come our way earlier than expected,” Demers said. “It’s a long season, but we’re going to enjoy whatever comes our way.

“I didn’t expect to come in here and make a winner out of this club overnight. I told the players if they work hard, good things will come. Losing is a thing of the past. The players no longer accept losing.”

Hanlon was superb. In turning in his seventh career shutout and the first for Detroit this season, he was at his best in the first period when the Penguins had a two-man advantage for 97 seconds. Hanlon made three sensational saves while his team was outnumbered 5-3.

It may have been a costly victory. Defenseman Gilbert Delorme, obtained Saturday night in a trade with Quebec, injured his knee and had to leave the game.

The Penguins lost their captain, Terry Ruskowski, also because of a knee injury in the first period.

Winnipeg 5, Minnesota 3--Rookie goaltender Daniel Berthiaume just keeps winning. He and the Jets, winners of four in a row on a recent trip, returned home to win their sixth in a row.

It was a 3-3 game with five minutes remaining, but Gilles Hamel extended the winning streak with a 25-foot slapshot for his 17th goal of the season.

The six wins in a row improved Berthiaume’s NHL record to 10-3-2 and enabled the surging Jets to pull three points ahead of Calgary in the battle for second place in the Smythe Division.

New York Islanders 3, Philadelphia 1--It took superlative goaltending by Kelly Hrudey and the sharpshooting of Pat LaFontaine, but the Islanders handed the high-flying Flyers their third home loss of the season.

LaFontaine scored twice off rookie Ron Hextall, and Hrudey stopped 27 shots to end the Flyers’ seven-game unbeaten streak.

Saturday night at Uniondale, N.Y., the Flyers beat the Islanders, 4-2.

Buffalo 6, Edmonton 5--It may be too late to make the playoffs, but the Sabres are starting to play solid hockey. Scott Arniel scored at 1:49 of overtime and the Sabres stopped the Oilers’ eight-game road winning streak.

The Sabres, who won only eight of their first 34 games, are 5-4-2 in their last 11.

Playing tough defense, the Sabres held the high-scoring Oilers to three shots on goal in the second period. They took a 4-2 lead into the final period, but blew it, only to pull it out in overtime.

Washington 6, New Jersey 1--The Capitals are making their move. With Dave Christian and Mike Gartner each scoring twice at East Rutherford, N.J., the Capitals vaulted from last place into a tie for third in the Patrick Division.

The sharpshooting by the two forwards, who are emerging from a long slump, enabled the Capitals to sweep a three-game trip. They contributed seven goals in the last two games.

For the second game in a row, Capital goalie Bob Mason lost a shutout by giving up a last period goal while protecting a big lead.

Quebec 5, Chicago 3--John Ogrodnick made an auspicious debut with the Nordiques in this game at Chicago. Ogrodnick, obtained in a trade with Detroit Saturday, scored two goals and the Nordiques won for only the second time in the last nine games.

Basil McRae, also acquired in the six-player deal, opened the scoring for Quebec at 4:38 with his third goal.