Islanders Pull Even NEW YORK (CP) - for a Moment Thursday Night
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THE CITIZEN. Prince George — Friday. May 4. 1979 — 7 SPORTS EDITOR Citizen S p o r t s 562-2441 FLUKE GOAL WINS Islanders pull even NEW YORK (CP) - For a moment Thursday night. Bob Nystrom of New York Islan ders might have thought the old law about things that go up must come down had been sus pended. His game-winning overtime goal against New York Ran gers came on a strange play in which he and Rangers goalie John Davidson collided in a race for the puck and it squirted high in the air behind the out-of-position netminder about 40 feet out of the goal. "I was just standing there, waiting for it to come down,” Nystrom said afterwards. "When it came down, I pushed it in the net." But the wait seemed endless, both for Nystrom and the 17,374 fans in Madison Square Garden. Nystrom’s goal, at 3:40 of the extra period, tied the best- ofseven National Hockey League semi-final series at two games each. The Islanders had led 2-1 early in the third period on goals by John Tonelli and Billy Harris, before Don Maloney tied it for the Rangers with his second goal of the night. The winner came after Maloney blasted a shot from the point that caromed around the Islanders’ net. Clarke Gil lies picked up the puck at the blue line after a brief duel with defenceman Mario Marois and rapped it towards Nystrom, who was cruising through centre ice. Davidson said his natural impulse was to charge for the puck. "Hockey happens on instinct and knowledge and experience and I just came out and tried to beat him to the puck,” he said. "We collided and the momentum carried the puck over'top of me and he just waited for it to come down like Boston's Jean Ratelle gets the puck past Montreal’s Ken Dryden early in overtime Thursday. a little bird from heaven.” Nystrom said the win was a big one for his team, which was Islanders’ Bob Nystrom celebrates winning goal. SEMI-FINAL TIED 2-2 heavily favored against the Rangers, but has found the going a lot tougher than many shut down by tight Rangers zycki victimized Vadnais and had expected. checking through the series. passed to Tonelli, who trickled R atelle leads Bruins to overtime win Bryan Trottier, the Islan He said the breaks have one under Davidson’s pad. ders’ scoring star, has been become very important The Islanders went ahead BOSTON (CP) - Jean Ratelle’s Boston coach Don Cherry noted. "We while retreating to his net. O’Reilly Gilbert faced 24 Montreal shots, because both teams are play early in the third period when goal at 3:46 of overtime - his third know we can win up there.” took the puck behind the goal, tried none in overtime, while the Bruins ing so well. Harris, frustrated by David score of the game — lifted Boston Cherry had sent the Bruins charg to stuff it in and then was satisfied had 32 drives at Dryden, three in the Two imports The game was a demonstra son once before, played a raz- Bruins to a 4-3 victory over Montreal ing out of the gate in overtime, intent to celebrate Ratelle’s opportunism. extra session. tion of hockey skills. Davidson zledazzle passing game with Canadiens on Thursday night, send on having the issue decided in the Mondou tied it 1-1 on a power play The winning goal developed when for B.C. Lions and Billy Smith of the Islan Kaszycki in the Rangers’ end ing their best-of-seven National Hoc- first five minutes. at 18:59, backhanding the rebound of Boston defender Rick Smith caught VANCOUVER (CP) - Brit ders provided the clubs with and finished it off with a quick ‘‘The longer you go with the Cana a shot by Lapointe past Gilles Gil the Canadiens op a line change, firing ish Columbia Lions signed two strong goaltending. Time and wrist shot which eluded David The next televised game between diens, the harder it’s going to be bert, a standout for the second game a quick lead pass to Rick Middleton, imports Wednesday to Cana again they turned back the big son. Boston and Montreal la Saturday at because they’ve got all those in a row in the Bruins net. who relayed the puck to Ratelle as dian Football League con guns. Maloney got his second goal 5 p.m. on Channel 2 (Cable 3). reserves back. That’s what he ( Mon Lafleur’s fifth goal of the playoffs he swept in on Dryden. tracts, one day before the an In the second period, Smith on a strange play. Marois treal coach Scotty Bowman) does. gave the Canadiens their only lead, ‘‘You can’t think at a time like nual National Football League robbed Rangers captain Dave blocked an Islanders’ clearing key League semi-final series back to (Cam) Connor scored against the 2-1, at 7:58 of the second period, andthat,” said Ratelle. “ You get the draft of college players. Maloney on a wicked shot and pass and Phil Esposito walked Montreal with a new look. (Toronto) Maple Leafs in overtime Ratelle’s second goal tied it again at puck and what you try to do is hit Tight end Tennie Pierce and moments later, Davidson in and passed to Maloney. The in their first series with fresh legs." Peter McNab scored the other goal 13:21. the opening. It’s instinct. You don’t defensive back Wayne Roche picked a shot by Harris out ol young winger saw Murdoch in for the Bruins before a Garden crowd Fresh legs could well have come McNab, whose first shot was have five seconds to think about it.” signed contracts with the CFL the air after the Islanders for the clear and tried to pass to of 14,654, while Pierre Mondou, Guyin handy again, after the second blocked by sliding defenceman Brian The result guaranteed the Boston team and will attend training ward broke in and then just him. Lafleur and Guy Lapointe scored for straight all-out game before the Engblom, found the puck off to faithful at least one more look at their camp later this month at Cour stood there, trying to outwait The pass hit Islander’s the Canadiens, who have seen a 2-0 rabid Bruins fans. Dryden’s right and fired it past the heroes, in the sixth game of the series tenay on Vancouver Island. the goalie. defenceman Stefan Persson in series lead melt to nothing and now Ratelle opened the scoring at 15:15 off-balance goaltender to give the next Tuesday night. But first comes Pierce, 24, is a six-foot-five, Maloney opened the scoring the leg and deflected past are faced with the pressure of a fifth of the first period, poking the puck Bruins a 3-2 lead with 3:42 left in regthe fifth game Saturday night at the 220-pounder from Northridge in the second period when Smith. game at home with the series knotted past Montreal goalie Ken Dryden ulation time. But Lapointe’s blast Forum in Montreal - with, as University in California. Carol Vadnais knocked the Rangers captain Dave 22. after the netminder had tripped over from the top of the circle tied it 3-3 Cherry remarked, considerable pre Roche, 22, is a native of Islanders’ Mike Kaszycki off Maloney took the loss and the “ The pressure’s on them now,” the skate of Boston’s Terry O’Reilly with 2:06 showing on the clock. ssure resting on th.e Canadiens. Hamilton, Ont., but played the puck and Don Murdoch strange winning goal high school football in the pounced on it. He passed to philisophieally. United States and is classified Maloney who broke in alone to "T h at’s the breaks, you as an import. The five-foot-11 beat Smith. know,” he shrugged. "There’s 185:pounder played at the Only 35 seconds later, the really nothing you can say on Soccer union gets help THREE GAMES SUNDAY University of Washington. opposite happened when Kas something like that." WASHINGTON (AP) - The last Oct. 10 when they refused order or can petition the U.S. National Lahor Relations to recognize the players' Court of Appeals to challange Board has ordered the owners union. the decision of the board. Soccer starting in the North American Soccer In its order, the board said THE ARMSTRONG TRU-TRAC League to bargain in good faith management shall cease and However, if the owners take The Northern Cariboo Soccer Association opens its sea with the players association desist from refusing to bargain no action, the NLRB must go son Sunday with three games at Rotary Stadium. for a union contract. collectively with the players into the U.S. Court of Appeals The NCSA has seven teams this year, with the addition The full five-member board, association on pay, wages, within 20 days to seek enforce being City Furniture. in a decision Monday but made hours and other terms and con ment of the decision. However, the newcomers have the bye the first day, as public Thursday, said the ditions of employment. the six established teams square off. NASL owners have engaged in The NASL management now The players union was Prince George Croatia plays the PCO Raiders at 1 p.m., unfair labor practices since can comply with the NLRB’s formed in the summer of 1977. defending champion Labatt’s Tripke meets the Croatia Soccer Club at 3 p.m.