NHL Playoffs Roundup : Crowder’s Goal Snaps Tie as Boston Scores 5-3 Win at Montreal

Keith Crowder’s tiebreaking goal midway through the third period Wednesday night helped lift the Boston Bruins to a 5-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in the first game of their Adams Division semifinal series before 17,068 fans at the Montreal Forum.

Crowder’s goal came at 9:21 of the final period. Ken Linseman raced down the left side and passed the puck under sliding defenseman Craig Ludwig to Crowder, who directed it into the open side of the net past goaltender Steve Penney.

“Penney didn’t come across fast enough,” Crowder said. “All I had to do was get it on net, and I knew it would be in. Ken Linseman made a hell of a pass.”

The Canadiens’ Bobby Smith said his team wasted too many opportunities.

“We came back after being down 3-1,” he said. “We had them on the run, then we gave it away.”

Boston Coach Harry Sinden said the game went as expected.

“It’s the type of game I thought the two teams would play,” he said. “Some nights the puck goes in for you, and tonight it went in for us.

“The first game is an important one to win, but the last one is more important. We’re the underdogs, but the players on our team know that in our division the teams are evenly matched.”

Montreal trailed, 3-1, after 40 minutes but tied the score on a pair of goals 42 seconds apart by Mario Tremblay and Smith. Just 91 seconds later, Crowder scored the game-winner.

Rick Middleton added a goal with 5:55 remaining when he beat Penney with a slapshot from just inside the blue line.

Minnesota 3, St. Louis 2--Minnesota goalie Gilles Meloche stopped 39 of 41 shots to spark the North Stars to the win in the first game of the Norris Division semifinal series before 10,833 fans at St. Louis--the smallest crowd in Blues’ playoff history.

“He was just phenomenal,” St. Louis Coach Jacques Demers said. “He was the difference, especially in the first period.”

In that opening period, St. Louis attempted 16 shots and had a man advantage three times. In the game, the Blues had five power-play chances.

“I was nervous throughout, “Meloche said. “The Blues did not finish first in the Norris Division for nothing. They never quit.”

Winnipeg 5 Calgary 4--Brian Mullen’s goal at 7:56 of overtime capped a brilliant comeback as the Jets edged the Flames at Winnipeg in the first game of the Smythe Division semifinal series.

Mullen, skating through the slot, deflected Dave Ellett’s point shot past goaltender Reggie Lemelin.

Dave Babych scored in the first period for the Jets, but four straight goals by Ed Beers, Hakan Loob, Paul Reinhart and Steve Konroyd in the second gave Calgary a 4-1 lead.

The Jets mounted their comeback on Paul MacLean’s goal late in the second, and Dale Hawerchuk and Ellett tied it in the third.

Washington 4, New York Islanders 3--Alan Haworth’s goal 2:28 into overtime lifted the Capitals to their first-ever playoff victory before 18,130 fans at Landover, Md.

“In the playoffs, in overtime, things don’t usually open up like that,” Haworth said of his game-winning goal in the first game of the Patrick Division semifinal series.

Haworth, left unguarded after making a pass out to Rod Langway, took a return pass and walked in from the left corner to put the puck past goalie Billy Smith.

“I just saw the two guys come,” Langway said. “If I shot, it probably would have been blocked, and they would’ve had a two-on-none. He (Haworth) waited for Billy to make a move, and then put it by him.”

Philadelphia 5, New York Rangers 4--Mark Howe scored on a 30-foot slapshot at 8:01 of the extra period to give the Flyers the victory at Philadelphia and break their nine-game losing streak in postseason competition.

The Rangers, who lost all seven regular-season games to the Flyers and finished 51 points behind them in the Patrick Division, had taken six straight playoff games from Philadelphia in 1982 and 1983 and were primed to grab another one after Anders Hedberg scored the tying goal with 26 seconds remaining in regulation.

But the Flyers, subjected to the wrath of Coach Mike Keenan before the overtime, grabbed the advantage right away and kept it until Howe, set up by some excellent digging behind the New York net from Ron Sutter, drilled the game-winner between the pads of goalie Glen Hanlon.

Quebec 5, Buffalo 2--Wilf Paiement scored a pair of third-period goals less than five minutes apart to lead the Nordiques past the Sabres at Quebec in the first game of their best-of-five Adams Division semifinal playoff series.

The Sabres have not beaten the Nordiques at Le Colisee since December, 1982.

Chicago 9, Detroit 5--Rookie Eddie Olczyk scored two goals and collected an assist as the Black Hawks overwhelmed the Red Wings at Chicago in the opener of their Norris Division semifinal series.

The nine goals by Chicago were the most the Black Hawks have ever scored in the playoffs.