If the Red Army team that plays St. Louis in a week is as friendly as the red-shirted Black Hawks were Thursday, the Soviets could single-handedly revive detente.
A crowd of 18,914, the largest to see a hockey game in the Arena this season, watched the Hawks quietly lay down their arms and wave a white flag during a seven-goal barrage that powered the Blues to a 9-6 victory.
”They were jumping and skating, and we weren`t, and that was the difference in the game,” said Hawk coach Bob Pulford, who saw his club`s winning streak end at four games. ”We just weren`t in the game. We weren`t sharp mentally. Most of the time, we were just standing around.”
For St. Louis fans, the outcome completely obliterated the memory of an 7-3 loss to the Hawks earlier this season in front of the Arena`s second largest crowd, 18,185.
”The most important thing as far as I`m concerned is that it was a four- point game,” said Blues` coach Jacques Demers, whose first-place club moved six points ahead of the Hawks in the Norris Division standings.
”You can`t look back too much because hockey`s too unpredictable,”
added Demers.
If the coach does get around to glancing backward at this one, there will be lots to enjoy.
The nine goals for the Blues were the most they have ever scored against the Hawks in the colorful rivalry, and the victory extended their unbeaten streak to five games.
Greg Paslawski, who had a three-goal hat trick against Edmonton this season, had his second hat trick of the season before this contest was halfway over.
The barrage became so intense that Pulford made a rare midgame switch of goalies, subbing Bob Sauve for Murray Bannerman after the Blues had run their lead to 8-3 at 8:54 of the second period.
All this–and the Hawks actually held a 3-1 lead early in the game.
”That`s what makes it disappointing,” said Sauve. ”We got off to such a good start.”
The Hawks` Denis Savard set up first-period goals by Al Secord and rookie Wayne Presley to make it 2-1. Then, it really looked as if it was going to be another good night for the Hawks when Steve Larmer`s goal made it 3-1 at 13:51 of the period.
Teammate Bill Gardner created the play when he made a wild swing with his stick while falling to the ice and tapped the puck away from two St. Louis players. It went straight to the streaking Larmer, who easily beat goalie Greg Millen.
The Blues answered with Paslawski`s first goal at 17:27. ”We were ready to go into the locker room and regroup right then,” said Demers, ”but that late goal really seemed to give us a lift. How much time was there anyway?”
There were 56 seconds left until the first intermission when the Blues`
Mark Hunter scored despite being knocked to the ice by Troy Murray after he beat the Hawk center down the ice on a breakaway.
Like Gardner, Hunter was on the ice when he took a swipe at the puck from about eight feet out, and it sailed through Bannerman`s legs.
”Murray`s a great goaltender, but tonight was not his night, just as it wasn`t for the defense in front of him,” said Pulford.
