VANCOUVER (CP) a Vancouver Canucks have fallen on hard times in recent weeks, which doesn’t through =) mostly | National Hockey League. ° been dulled in the last twa. months by a series of. rose as high as fifth place in the over-al] standings in November, now are Lith — and in danger. of 5 lower. Don Poirler, teft, of Dynamic Waterwells accepts the trophy at the best. goaltender in the Com. merciat Hockey League. The award was one of many made Tuesday night during the league’s annual banquet and dance in the Terrace Hotel. — It's been a year of spurts for Minnesota North Stars, so coach Glen Sonmor hopes 8 his National Hockey League élub can continue its current spurt into the playoffs. : their {atest spurt. to four games (two wins and two ties) Wednesday night with a 3-1 victory. over Buffalo Sabres. Minnesota's current drive followed a six-game winless streak (0-5-1). That's pretty much how thelr’ season has gone: ~ * “We seem to play. in spurts,’ Sonmor said. “We. are, trying to get three lines | going to get some momen, tum. “That (against Buffalo). is as well as we've played ina two long. time.” The Sabres took the lead oa Craig Ramsay's goal at 1:04 of the first period, but Minnesoia tied the. score seven minutes later on rookie Dino’ Ciccarelli's power-play tally. Second-periog . gon 1 by ‘recelving his trophy from master : of ceremonies Keith Keating. _ winning margin. - * 6 EGrry | *SWangolt “ot” Terrace Chrysier Juventles won the league scoring title and Is shown after Colorado “4, New York Rangers 3; Montreal: 2, Angeles. 4; Boston 4, Toronto = The - North 3 dominated moat of tle game and outshot Buffalo 43-23. than 2S ahots a game in three ‘previous ties with Buffal. Blues 5 Nardiques 5 Tony Currie deflected a shot off Quebec defenceman Normand Rochefort at 14:29 of the third - period . that salvaged the te for St: Louis. The Nordiques, with 62 points, moved one point up on their total for the entire games to play. Islanders 6 Jets 3 ; Bob Bourne opened and’ being named most valuable Another member of the Juveniles, “Emile Gagnon, right. proudly player in the league playoffs. waves elite maunce e troph he won for Norris Divis displays the trophy fa Mantreal 3919 1) 292 184 OF Las . 7 22 16 202 207 4 Pitts 7 33 9 26a 902.43 -Hartford “10 34 17 354 371 53 Detroit 1032 16 210287 .52 ame Division Butlaio 32.16 19 250 284 03 Ann 3022 06 fay ie 78 mato 21 25 92 271 240 74 ave ‘34 30.14 264 201 42 torenta 23346 11.273 314 57 CAMPBELL. CONFERENCE . Patelet Bivision Istanders 4017 11 305 120-7 ghita 21 10273 214 Ba Igaty 35 72 127 rea 245 02 Wath ‘2 WO1G 248 774 60 Rangers 244412176 040 eo Divinies Louls 41 1:15 3@ 331 97 Chicago O14 26) 276 68 Vancouver 24 20 17 245 259 65 Edmonton. 72:33 12 270287 % Colore 2634 10232 297 58 Wwinnlpas a 49 12 232 337 28 eiday Results - St. Louk My islanders at Eamonten. Deron ‘ot *phiiedeiphte re Genus Buifate at Winnipeg Chicago at Vancouver Boston af Washingten TAKES EARLY. LEAD Larry Smith of Whitehorse, “YT, and Roger Nordhum of Kotzebue, Alaska ‘took a the pack Wednesday in the 1,560-kilometre Iditarod sled dog race, and then opted at McGrath to take a mai- datory 2¢hour stop. ; Ron Samaha of CP Air was — sportsmanitke player. honored as the league’s most surprise anyone who has. followed thelr journey. . frustrating seasons in the: The glisten of their early- :1 season accomplishments has "ti “ geaon, just ininutes. befare defeats. The Canucks, who - acquired: Nordiques for Mario Marols, The North Stars stretched. - Washington 5, Hartford 2; © Pittsburgh 1; Chicago 4, Los . Stars. Minnesota averaged fewer . wre campaign with. 12 The owest point of ‘the . season Was reached Tuesday night. ‘in Calgary “when -* . Vancouver, was humbled 11-2 - the NHL trading deadline. Vancouver. sent defen- ceman Garry Lariviere, who. ‘was.a Canuck for’ unly-an hour or so ‘after being fram - Quebec North Stars spurt aiming at playoffs " closed the scoring — one goal when his team was short- handed, - -the® other. into. an . empty net.— to pace New: - “with Kings goaltender Mario. York over Winnipeg. “Capligis 5 Whalers 2°) Demis Maruk scored once and collected two assists to’ pace a Washington offence that ran up a 40 lead in the first 24 minutes of play. Rockies 4 Rangers 3. Steve Tambellini, in his first game ‘ina Colorado - uniform, ‘scored -on .-a rebound with 1:01 left in the game to win .the game. for Colorado. Glenn Resch, acquired along with Tam- bellini-,in a trade with the : Islanders, faced only -nine Rew York shots in the’ ‘first _ periods. Conadiens 2 Penguins | Defetceman Rod Langway scored the winning goal for Montreal with less than six minutes remaining in the game... - Black Hawks 4-Kings 4 Rockie defenceman Larry | Murphy scored with 36 ~ seconds re in ‘the game to pull‘Los Angeles ‘aad’ the ‘rigtits fo amateur Ken Berry to Edmonton for ‘MacDonald and the rights to Swedish youngster Lars- * Gunnar Petersson. ‘ The: : ‘Canucks ’ are desperate for. production. on ": the power play and Mac- ’. Donald:. scored his first: *: Vancouver goal — and: 20th “of the season —in' Calgary on the power play. It was the ‘Canucks’ ‘first power-play goal in their last 22 situations with the man advantage. ~ MacDonald, 27, didn't “aceompany the Canucks back to Vancouver for even with Chicago. mat: point by Murphy tied him for - most points by a ‘rookie. de “fenceman =. 65 — and came: -Lessard_on the bench for an - extra attacker, ©. ., Bruins 4 Maple Leafs i Boston and Torouto took - turns sitting on Jeads before surrendering to a standoff. The Bruins jumped into a 2-0 first-period lead, but Torento" came back with fourstraight . “goals. The. Bruing’ then” : staged their own comeback, and Peter - equalizing. — - with scores by Stan Jonathan - McNab’: © practice Wednesday; he was given the day off to return to Edmonton and attend to personal alfairs following. the trade. “MacDonald is” a proven, 7 goal scorer and he's con- sistent,” said Canuck: coach | Harry Beale. “In three years . prior to‘last season's 46-goal effort, he had 34 goals each time (in the World Hockey Association) and that kind of consistency we. can Use. " “The. Canucks have’ been the New. Year. Rugged. wingers Stan Smyl and Curt Fraser. aren't scoring, while their onetime centre — ~ 4 : aideldined Aim for four lke “Thomas . Gradin ; — bas picked’ up his. scoring. _ output: ‘only since being |, Bwitched . to left wing.,. "MacDonald, ‘the Oiler captain | dintil traded, admits — be didn’t get along’ ‘well with * ~ Edmonton general manager- coach. Glen ° Sather, “MacDonald-that “a ‘fire hy-