European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 6, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago j4 the stars and stripes wednesday. April 6,19bb nil playoffs offers seek redemption devils out to make a Point by Ken Rappoport Al Hotkey Wal Ltd As Chr Stanley cup playoffs open this Uttke. Hit Edmonton oilers have some thing to prove and inc new Jersey Dev ils Are just trying to prove themselves. A Tut finishing a disappointing second in tin so Lac division and failing to win inc division title for inc first Lime in seven years the oilers Hope to redeem themselves As the second season1 opens wednesday Niht in eight National hockey league cities. Die defending Stanley cup champions will to the Winnipeg jell who finished third. Meanwhile the playoffs will be a new experience for inc devils. U s the first Lime they be made postseason play since they moved to new Jersey in 1982-113. They made the playoffs on the last Day of Llic regular Mion sunday nigh i. Capping a sizzling three team race for inc final spot in inc Patrick division. In other first round smythe division action regular season Winner Calgary plays los Angeles. In the other Patrick matchup it s Philadelphia opening at Washington. In inc Adams. Montreal hosts Han Ford and hos Lon faces Buffalo. In inc Norris. Detroit meets Toronto and Chi Cago plays St. Louis. Smythe division Calgary and los Angeles meet in a series that court and a calculator before if finished. Two of the highest scoring teams in hockey collected 25 goals in their final two meetings of inc season Boisi of which the kegs won. The teams each won four games during the regular season with each 3-1-0 on the Road and combined for 84 goals in heir eight games. Keyed by Rookie sensation Joe nieu Wendy and Hakim looting to of eight 50-goal scorers this season the flames led the nil with 397 goals and won the Overall Points title in the process. The Kings arc not Short on goal scoters either with Jimmy Corson and Lul Robitaille. Who have continued the Success of Luicir Fine Rookie seasons. Car son had 55 goals this season and Rob flail la finished with s3. Owing 10 injuries and the departure of superstar defens Eman Paul Coffey the oilers had 3 drop off after winning the division championship sin uptight years fired up flames Rookie Joe be Ouwendyk left and Hallin loot fico of inc league s tight 50-Gosl scorers this season pared the Calgary flames to a league leading 387 goals. During the regular season the oilers handled the jets pretty Well holding x 4 1-3 Edge in the series and have won All 14 games in the four series they be played since joining the nil in 197 80. Patrick division the division just Coop lied its wildest finish with three teams challenging for a playoff berth up to final second of the season. The devils finally nailed Down the last playoff spot in a photo finish with the new York rangers and Pittsburgh pen Guins and now have the task of playing the new Yort islanders in a first round game. The islanders won their first Patrick championship since 1963-6-1 Over the weekend in a division that separated the first place learn from the last by just seven Points with All sin teams finishing . If the devils have a problem it s win Ning at the islanders Nassau coliseum. On their Home ice the islanders hold a 4-0 record Over new Jersey this year and arc 35-1-3 Overall going Back to the team s former Homes in Kansas City and Colorado. The Home ice has been a real advantage in this series with inc devils having beaten the islanders three out of three in new Jersey in the other Patrick series washing Ion has the Home ice advantage Over Philadelphia. The capital look inc sea son series from inc flyers 4-2-1, winning three out of four at Home. The flyers Stanley cup finalists last year against Edmonton had a weak Fin ish due to an unusual amount of injuries. Both teams were inconsistent in the late stages of the Patrick race when the is Landers took charge. Adomi division in facing Montreal Hartford has the Job of handling one of he holies teams in the nil. At one Point near the end of the season the canadians had a i5game unbeaten Streak and finished with the second Best re card in the league. The defensive minded can aliens Art big. Fast and talented and have Many players Back from their Stanley cup championship team of two years ago including 5d-goal scorer Stephane Richer. As for the whalers it looked for a while As if they would t make this year playoffs Ai All. Hut a Laic season slump by Quebec helped to open the door for them. During inc regular season. Montreal held a 4-2-2 Edge Over Hartford. The other first round Adams series features a pair of surprising teams. Nei ther Boston nor Buffalo were supposed to have the kind of seasons they had. The Bruins had a great mid season Streak that propelled them for a while to the lop of the division before a drop off. However the Bruins finished with the fourth Best record in the nil the sabres one of the league s Young est clubs overcame a slow Start to finish a Strong third. In the regular season series he Edge went to Boston 5-3, but Buffalo won three of the last four. Norris division Detroit lost superstar Steve Yzerman to injury Lale in the season but in did t affect them As they finished Strong be coming the first divisional title Winner this season. The red wings won heir division by the biggest spread 17 Points Over St. Louis. Although Toronto enters the playoffs with the worst record among the 16 learns ant the worst for a playoff team since the 70-Gamc schedule was adopted inc Maple Lead have Given the division champions plenty of trouble this year. The clubs have split the series Wilh each 3-0-1 at Home. The Maple Leafs just squeezed in on the last Day of the season when Minne Sota lost to Calgary. St. Louis and Chicago will resume an old rivalry. The blues took the season series 4-3-1, in St. Louis we Meel a team thai likes to grind in out has some big goal scorers and does not Lake a lot of bad penalties Blackhawk coach Bob Mur Doch said. It will be a very physical game Wilh a lot of tight checking. But if we can t for Check them when they get to our Blue line we could be in  scoreboard opening Day homers Moil a grow � Ftp � it cow get ? g Newl Van , 1mu to strip Waram my i so Fuzer in ski "mt.jidxxmiuim.hiniiinihm.au. In .uk4 Miln it aim pm min Llull Ninfi Sabra fun 1�v file r of ctr of i door Awro Gau 1 Isufi. S4 i be Lirtie t a 960