1984 CLARENCE CAMPBELL CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL

CAPJACK RANGERS

vs.

PORTLAND SASQUATCH

CapJack opened the scoring 4:47 into the first period when Crowder (7) beat the Portland defenders and deposited the puck in the upper corner. The Portland crowd was silenced when just under 9 minutes later Sittler (3) added another goal to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes

After a hard-fought 2nd period neither team was able to tally a score

Wayne Gretzky entered the locker room after 40 minutes of play and told his Sasquatch teammates to keep playing hard and he will get them back into the game. The “Great” one didn’t disappoint as he cut the deficit to 1 with a goal 6:01 into the period. CapJack never panicked though and 2:13 later Zblonqvist (1) put the lead back to 2 with a strong answer.

In moments like these, with back against the wall, is when true superstars emerge and Gretzky showed why he is arguably the greatest of all time. At the 12:46 mark, he skates through the Ranger’s defense and notches his 2nd goal of the game to draw Portland to 3-2. Four minutes later Gilbert Perreault (1), a key mid-season acquisition, evened the score with his first goal of the playoffs. Not quite finished Gretzky added goal #3 with 1:25 left and for insurance added an empty netter with 27 seconds remaining

Portland scored 4 4th period goals to win 5-3

Star #1 – Gretzky 4 goals
Star #2 – Sittler 1 goal 1 assist
Star #3 – Perreault 1 goal

In addition to 4 goals, Gretzky also won 19 faceoffs while Lemelin tallied 35 saves.

Gretzky tallies 4 goals as Portland scores 4 in the 3rd period to win 5-2

In typical playoff hockey and a disappointing loss in Game #1 CapJack comes out with renewed energy and Cochrane lays out Ciccarelli 32 seconds into the game resulting in Foligno stepping in to protect his teammate and both players drawing 5-minute fighting majors. With 4:56 left in the first period, Gretzky (9) notches his 5th goal of the series and 9th in the playoffs to give Portland a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes

In the 2nd period, Gretzky continues his dominance as he scores his 2nd goal of the game with 3:29 left in the period and sends the Sasquatch fans into a frenzy

Portland keeps the pressure on when Hunter (2) gives them a 3-0 lead 2:34 into the 3rd period. With their backs against the wall and things looking bleak CapJack finally gets on the board when Kromm (1) scores with 4:59 remaining in the game but an empty netter by Crossman (1) ends their hopes as Portland wins 4-1

Star #1 – Gretzky 2 goals 1 assist
Star #2 – Lemelin 44 saves
Star #3 – Crossmann 1 goal

CapJack outshoots Portland 45-23 in the game but stellar play by Lemelin and taking advantage of their opportunities lead them to a game #2 win

The Rangers find themselves in a big Gretzky hole as Portland flashes its muscle and scoring ability to take the two opening games in Portland. The Rangers need 2 wins, at least one to stay alive. They choose to give Resch a day off hoping it will help.

We’d like to see if we can just ignore the 2nd period…  Portland came out from the locker room, not impressed with their 6 SOG performance of period 1, and more than doubled it for period 2. And they were successful on 4 of their 13 shots. McBain (3) gets one a minute and a half into the period. Then the mistakes start to happen and they pile up. DeBlois goes off for roughing at 3.42, then less than a minute later Beck goes off for interference. Well, Ciccarelli (5) and the Sasquatch can’t mess up this 5 on 3 and he scores to put Portland up 2-1. The penalty ends and then another Rangers penalty, but nothing.
Nothing that is until 17:24! Crowder catches a whistle for hooking and Portland makes the Rangers pay AGAIN! And it’s Ciccarelli scoring (6) and Portland going up 3-1. And to make matters worse, Hunter scores for Portland with 37 seconds left in the second and it’s 4-1 Portland. That’s another 4 goal period against the Rangers, ugh and Gretzky only got an assist.

I spoke too soon. 3+ minutes into the 3rd and the Great One scores to make it 5-1. His 11th of the postseason. He has saved his best for the end of the season and beyond (he’s looking for the Cup!). To add injury to insult, Korab draws a hooking penalty midway through the 3rd (or he was trying to escape) – but no matter, and Perreault (2) puts one past Week. And the fans of the Rangers were lucky that was the end of the Portland scoring, but by now it was 6-1 and that’s your final. Sasquatch up 3-0!!

Stars (needless to say they are all Portland)
Coming in at #3 was Wayne Gretzky with a goal and an assist
Doug Soetaert’s 40 saves earns him star #2
and with 2 goals and an assist, Dino Ciccarelli grabs the #1 star for this game.

Whoa – stop the presses. The Rangers come out and dominate – not the shot categories, but they win 62% of the faceoffs, outhit 26 to18, out block 9 to 2, and in the big category – GOALS, well for two periods they outscore the Sasquatch 6 to 0. Yes, SIX to ZERO. And that’s a good thing because the 3rd period has been horrendous for the Rangers – and will it be again? (YES)

1st period – penalties and power plays favor Portland, but the Rangers PK kills off both of them. But the Ranger’s offense had Lemelin in a tizzy. In fact, he only lasted 18 minutes and 11 seconds of the game! Why?
3:20 – Arniel (1) scores
8:32 – DeBlois (2) scores
9:23 – Silk (3) scores
18:11 – Silk (4) scores EXIT Lemelin

BUT – 2nd period
1:29 Sittler (5) scores a big PP goal when Howe goes off.
3:34 Trottier (5) scores and basically in a 20-minute span the Rangers rattle off 6 goals. So easy-peasy, right?

WRONG – 3rd period opens and for 12 minutes it’s looking good and then those Big Feet guys found their skates (darn, we needed to hide them better). And first Hunter scores (4) at 12:25. Then McKenna (1) puts one past Resch at 14:59. Ok, 6-2, 5 minutes to go, we got this. Then Carbonneau (4) scores at 18:14. The crowd is crying as it’s 6-3. Then a few seconds later Portland gets the puck behind their own net, and Hunter carries it down the left side, to McKenna – oh, he’s open, he shoots – GOAL!! His 2nd of the game and 2nd of the playoffs and at 18:41 it’s now 6-4. And Soetaert is done and Portland brings in their own kitchen sink – but finally – the tide turns toward CapJack and Pettersson gets a pass from Trottier and slides it down the ice into the empty net to make it 7-4 Rangers and even they can hold that lead for the final minute and 6 seconds!!
WOW – 1st, no sweep, and 2nd, we can still do the 4 straight wins things.

STARS for this one:
With 2 goals in the game (and his 1st 2 of the postseason) Portland’s McKenna grabs the #3 star
In what may be his last home game for the Rangers – team leader Bryan Trottier scores once and assists on 2 other goals and earns the #2 star!
And the #1 star goes to Dave Silk for his 2 goals.

After a game 4 win by CapJack the series moves back to Portland for Game #5 and the Sasquatch looking to end the series

The 2nd period was controlled by Portland as they outshot the Rangers 9-3 but were unable to even the score

With 20 minutes remaining and the Rangers looking to head back to CapJack for Game #6, Portland responded when Gretzky (12) evened the score 4:39 into the period. At the 8″02 mark of the period, the Sasquatch took their first lead of the game at 3-2 when Hunter (6) tallied his 2nd goal of the game.

With 4:44 left Howe was called for a hooking penalty and the Rangers went on the power play hoping to even the score. Portland’s defense held tough though to deny the opportunities and with 1:19 CapJack pulled the goalie in desperation. Reggie Lemelin seemed to block or save every shot that went his way and with 9 seconds remaining Sailtanen (1) got an empty netter to ice the game for Portland 4-2

Star #1 – Hunter 2 goals
Star #2 – Trottier 2 goals
Star #3 – Gretzky 1 goal 1 assist

Lemelin had 32 saves for the win