European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 5, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 a the stars and stripes tuesday May 5, 1992oilers drop canucks in of 4-3 by John Kreiser a sports writer just because the Edmonton oilers done to dominate the nil the Way they used to does no to mean they done to know How to win when it counts. The oilers trying to rebuild after dominating the league through the last half of the 1980s, got the jump on the Vancouver canucks in the opener of the smythe division finals on sunday with a 4-3 overtime win. Bill Ranford kept the oilers in the game with 40 saves before Joe Murphy capitalized on a Giveaway by defens Eman Dave Babych to score the winning goal 8 36 into overtime at the Pacific coliseum. Quot he a a big time pressure player a Murphy said of Ranford the playoff map two years ago. A a he a the Backbone Stingley earns his diploma Indianapolis a his world was shattered nearly 14 years ago when he was paralysed in an nil preseason game. Now former new England Patriot Darryl Stingley has picked up the pieces to earn a diploma from Purdue University. Quot it May not mean that much to anybody else but it Means a great Deal to me a Stingley said in a Telephone interview from his Home in Chicago. Quot it would mean that i finished something that i started out to do. It Means a lot to the people that know me and it makes my Mother very proud. His Mother and other family members will be making the trip to West la Stingley Fayette to attend the May 9 graduation ceremonies. Stingley now executive director of player personnel for the patriots began taking correspondence courses through Chicago citywide College about two years ago and 24 credit hours were accepted toward his degree in physical education. Stingley now 40, played at Purdue from 1970-72. He was the 19th pick Overall in the first round of the 1973 nil draft. His career ended aug. 12, 1978 when the wide receiver and was violently hit by Jack Tatum of the Oakland raiders while attempting to catch a pass. Quot i look at my graduation As a message to others to not give up. They can say a Here a a Guy who had a goal and  give it up a a Stingley said. Purdue allowed him to take electives in Chicago to Complete his degree requirements. Stingley took nine hours in 1990 and nine More last year before taking his final six hours this year. A i took courses that i Felt would help me now courses that i did no to have a background in business courses a he said. Quot i took business Law business management business math marketing and  he says he a gotten Over any resentment that followed his injury. A i  be human if i did no to initially feel bitter a Stingley said. Of the team. He was unbelievable when we won the cup in �?T90. He a going to give us the Chance to win again.�?�. Boston which lost to Edmonton in the cup final two years ago took advantage of an off night by Montreal goaltender Patrick Roy to beat the canadians 6-4 in the opener of the Adams division finals at the forum. Pittsburgh completed a game 1 sweep by visiting teams with a 4-2 Victory Over the new York rangers in game 1 of the Patrick division finals later. Chicago beat Detroit 2-1 on saturday to take a one game Lead in the Norris division finals. The smythe and Norris finals continue monday night the other two series resume on tuesday  4, canucks 3 Murphy gave the oilers the Victory when he picked off Babych a pass in the Neutral zone raced in and snapped a shot from Between the circles that went Over goaltender Kirk Mclean a left shoulder. The oilers trailed 2-0 before scoring twice in the second period. Vancouver took a 3-2 Lead on Pavel Buret a goal with 7 15 left in the third period but the oilers tied it with 5 05 left on a goal by Vincent Damphousse. Ranford made the biggest save of the overtime stopping Trevor Linden a wide open shot from the  6t canadians 4 Roy a two time Vezina trophy Winner whose Forte is consistency was beaten on his first shot of the game by defens Eman Gord Hynes and allowed five goals on the first 18 shots he faced drawing Boos from the Home crowd. Hynes who joined Boston from Canadas olympic team in late february caught the far Corner with a shot from the top of the left Circle 4 09 into the game. Leach made it 2-0 when he found room under roys Glove with a shot from the right Wing at 14 25. Goals by Sean Hill and Eric Desjardins tied it but Roy was beaten three times in the second period As the Bruins took a 53 Lead. Mike Mcphee got the canadians within a goal Early in the third period but Ray Bourque s goal with 1 14 left iced the  4, rangers 2 the rangers shut Down Mario Lemieux but goals by Troy Loney Lafty Murphy Kevin Stevens and Ron Francis gave Pittsburgh More than enough offence to go with Tom Barrasso a 35-save performance. Barrasso made 15 saves and goals by Loney and Murphy put Pittsburgh ahead 2-0 after one period. Stevens made it 3-0 with a Power play goal 2 minutes into the second period. Czechoslovakia a Richard Svehlik right is upended after colliding with Canadas Ray Ferraro in Prague sunday. Leblanc . Blank poles 5-0 by Nesha Starcevic Bratislava Czechoslovakia apr once again Ray Leblanc is about the Only defense the United states team has. Leblanc has spent most of the world hockey championships trying to make up for the numerous mistakes by his defenders. He was More than up to the task on sunday posting his second shutout of the tournament with a 5-0 Victory Over Poland. A if we had More time on european rinks maybe our defense would be better. But we done to have More time a coach Tim Taylor said after a Victory that put team Usa close to clinching a place in the top four in Pool a and a berth in the quarterfinals. The americans finish their round Robin Competition today against struggling Sweden which lost 3-1 to unbeaten Finland on sunday and faces Eli i world hockey nation if it loses to the americans. Taylor said team Usa had been trying hard to improve defensively. A the two shutouts Are a tribute to the teams hard work to improve the defense. But defensively they Are not getting the Job  Leblanc whose goal ending led the americans to a fourth place finish in the olympics made 26 saves Many of them Superb As he was often left to fend for himself against unchallenged polish forwards shooting from Point Blank Range. If the defense struggled the offence did no to. Dave Jensen a left Wing from the Ahles Maine mariners had two goals and one assist. The americans led 2-0 after the first period but were scoreless in the second when Leblanc held off the poles. A we played Well in periods one and three but Poland outplayed us in the second period and we were fortunate to escape without conceding a goal a Taylor  got a very Strong goal tending performance but defensively we gave up a lot of scoring  Sweden with 16 rookies is a far cry from the team that won the world title last year. But Taylor said the United states has the same problems. Quot every year its a different team for us a he said. A a it a going to be an important game and Sweden will be a Tough team to play. In Pool a everything was settled sunday Switzerland beat Norway 3-1 to join Russia Canada and Czechoslovakia in the quarterfinals. Russia blanked France 8-0, while Czechoslovakia beat Canada 5-2. In Pool a Germany also already a Quarter finalist beat Italy 6-2. No i playoff