canucks over winnipeg the jets gave the canucks another run for their money in an almost identical game to the first of the series but once again came up short as vancouver outscored winnipeg the pattern of the first game was repeated tonight with the canucks scoring quickly and then going to sleep in the second period only to stave off a jet comeback with opportune goals from their greater talent the jets looked more dangerous in this one but it didn t make a difference in the numbers that counted goals vancouver s big line produced again with centre cliff ronning and left winger geoff courtnall scoring in the first and in the second to boost the canucks to a lead on giveaways by the suspect jet defence of bautin and ulanov mental lapses by the defence and goal scoring talent in opportune areas made the difference in all three canuck goals however as in the first game the jets worked hard to take the game to the canucks in the second period the jets dominated the second checking hard and penetrating the vancouver zone without being challenged by a canuck team that wanted to pack it in early the hard work paid off late in the second when tie domi caught vancouver goalie kirk mclean by surprise with a sharp angle shot to make the score domi s goal gave the jets new life as they began to take the rush to the canuck s collapsing defence the canucks were unwilling to do anything but let mclean take shots and clear the rebounds the jets were allowed to set up and make plays both goalies made standup saves as the play picked up considerably mclean made three great saves in the second off a dancing teammu selanne while essensa was rocked by a pavel bure drive selanne looked dangerous on the rush as the jets pressed a series of attacks into the canuck zone the canucks on the other hand looked like they were offering four checking lines in an effort to preserve their slim lead a series of minor penalties at the end of the second period resulted in a one man advantage for the jets in the early third the jet s tempo numminen drove a puck from the point through mclean s legs and into the net to tie the game at the canuck s discordant play picked up where it left off this was characterized by long lead passes that either never connected or were picked off by the jets and individual rushes into a tight winnipeg defence that were never supported however as in the first and second canuck goals a jet defensive lapse re bonehead play stalled the winnipeg comeback with the faceoff in the winnipeg zone pavel bure was left to stand in the crease with no jet defender anywhere near him bure who had been invisible in the game up to that point took a rebound and managed to roof it with a backhand even though he was off balance by then it was too late for the jets to come back essensa made it to the bench with one minute to go but the extra attacker did nothing for their attack canucks winnipeg next game is friday at winnipeg with the jets in the hole by two games
