clarinews@clarinet.com (01/13/90)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (UPI) -- Stephane Richer scored two goals Friday night, including the tie breaker at 11:40 of the second period, to lift the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. The win broke a five game road winless streak for Montreal (0-4-1). Richer snapped a 2-2 tie with a shot from 20 feet out through the legs of New Jersey goaltender Chris Terreri after Shayne Corson had left a perfect drop pass for Richer and then cleared out the New Jersey defense. Montreal's Guy Carbonneau made it 4-2 at 14:50 of the third period with a power play tap-in after he received a pass from defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre directly in front of the New Jersey goal. Richer notched his second goal into an empty net in the final minute of play. Montreal, playing without the services of defenseman Chris Chelios and center Bobby Smith, started with a rush, scoring twice in the first four minutes and 22 seconds. Giveaways by New Jersey defensemen helped the Canadiens. Alexei Kasatonov lost the puck to Todd Ewen, who passed in front to Brian Skrudland, who beat Terreri just 40 seconds into the game. Then at 4:22 Mike Keane stripped the puck from Ken Daneyko 20 feet out in the slot and skated past Daneyko in on Terreri to score for a 2-0 lead. The Devils closed within 2-1 with 3:58 left in the opening period when Jamie Huscroft's second effort and second rebound eluded Brian Hayward in the Montreal goal. Walter Poddubny set up Huscroft. New Jersey tied the score 2-2 at 4:30 of the second period when Patrik Sundstrom deflected a 50 footer from Bruce Driver past Hayward's outstretched glove during a Devils power play. Hayward is 3-4 while substituting for the flu-ridden Patrick Roy.