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GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY
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Five Star - ELECTRONIC EDITION - * * * * *
================================================================
Issue 65 March 18, 1997 435K of thrills
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Deadline deals produce duds
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Jim Iovino
Every year the trading deadline arrives with hopes and dreams of
some blockbuster trade that could make or break a team's season.
And every year those dreams are usually shattered as the
big deals fall through and the deadline ends up possessing more
bark than bite.
This year was no different.
Sure, a number of contending teams made moves to strengthen
themselves down the stretch, but the big deals that could have
happened didn't. Felix Potvin didn't go to Philadelphia. Alexander
Mogilny didn't go to New York. The bold moves just weren't there.
Perhaps the biggest move on D-day was made by the Florida Panthers.
Having come up on the short end of the hockey stick in the Doug
Gilmour sweepstakes, the Panthers scrounged up a Maple Leaf leftover
in Kirk Muller. The Leafs sent Muller to sunny Florida for Jason
Podollan, a solid offensive prospect with both size and skills.
Like the rest of the Maple Leafs, Muller has had a terrible season.
The 31 year old hasn't been able to find his scoring touch this season,
potting just 20 goals for 37 points in 66 games. However, those numbers
placed him fourth on the team in scoring this season. Muller also had a
dismal -23 in the plus/minus category, second-worst on the Leafs behind
Dmitri Yushkevich.
However, Muller played better after Gilmour was traded. Perhaps that's
a sign that he's ready to break out of his season-long funk and become
a dependable contributor for the Panthers. Muller should fit in well
with Florida's defense-first system. Despite his ugly plus/minus rating,
Muller is a solid two-way player who's not afraid to stick his nose in
the corners and dig for loose pucks.
In acquiring Muller, the Panthers aren't sacrificing defense for offense.
However, they are sacrificing a piece of their future for a chance at the
Cup right now. Podollan is just 21 years old. He stands 6'1" and weighs in
at 192 pounds. He was an AHL All-Star this season in Carolina and he led
the WHL in post-season goals in last year's playoffs.
For the Leafs, getting Podollan helps out the youth movement significantly.
Not only will Podollan help down the road, it looks like he'll be ready to
make an impact in the big leagues next season, which is always a plus.
While Podollan is part of the Leafs future, it's quite obvious that Larry
Murphy is not. In a move that can't make Toronto GM Cliff Fletcher too
happy, Murphy's contract was bought out by the Detroit Red Wings. The
Leafs were hoping to get a prospect in return for the aging veteran
defenseman, but that didn't pan out. Murphy has really slowed down in
recent years, but the Wings are hoping they can squeeze in one last
postseason out of him. Since the Wings traded Paul Coffey earlier in the
year, they've lacked a good point man on the power play. Murphy
could fit in nicely.
The other Maple Leaf rumors that had Felix Potvin and Jamie Macoun heading
to Philly never did transpire before the deadline. Philadelphia was looking
to improve their goaltending and defense, but could only muster one trade
by 3 p.m. Tuesday. The Flyers picked up minor league defenseman Frantisek
Kucera from Vancouver for a seventh-round pick in this year's draft. Will
Kucera help the Flyers win the Cup? Doubt it. Will he see any playing
time? Highly unlikely.
Philadelphia was noticeably quiet on Tuesday. Maybe that's because Pittsburgh
Penguin GM Craig Patrick was tying up all the phone lines at the other end of
the state. Patrick pulled off three deals before the deadline. The Pens picked
up center Eddie Olczyk from Los Angeles for Glen Murray, Roman Oksiuta from
Anaheim for Richard "Dickie" Park, and Josef Beranek from Vancouver for future considerations.
Olczyk adds depth to the center position in the Burgh. Why do the Pens
need depth at center when they have Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Petr
Nedved and Stu Barnes? Well, if Lemieux misses a game, the Pens have to
shuffle things around a great deal, and using someone like Andreas Johansson
just won't cut in the playoffs. However, the Pens had to give up Murray, which
seems a bit steep for Olczyk. Sure, Murray's shot couldn't even hit Rita, let
alone her friends, but he was a grinding type of player that could be counted
on for a consistent effort game in and game out. Perhaps this move will free
up some playing time for Joey Dziedzic, who could become what Murray should
have been.
Did that make sense? Probably not. But neither did trading away lil'
Dickie Park! Park has been acclimating himself to the wonderful town of
Cleveland this season, but he's still a fan favorite in Pittsburgh. Park,
who is just 20 years old, has blazing speed and can be creative with the puck at
times, but his size will probably hold him back at the NHL level. However, perhaps
watching Paul Kariya in Anaheim will allow Park to see the light and become a solid
NHL player someday. You just gotta cheer for Dickie Park!
Whatever size Park is missing, Oksiuta surely has. Oksiuta, who is 6'3", 229
pounds, should fit in nicely down low on the Penguins power play. If Oksiuta's in
the middle, he could do the same kind of damage Kevin Hatcher did when he was used
in front of the net. Now Hatcher can go back to doing his job on the point alongside
Freddie Olausson and Jason Woolley, and the Pens' power-play unit could start to
dominate again. Oksiuta has been known to be a disturbance in the locker room
in the past, but if things work out, the 26-year-old right winger could find a
home at the Igloo.
Beranek is somewhat of a mystery. The 27-year-old left wing adds depth to the roster, but
there's no telling what he'll be capable of accomplishing with the Pens. Of course, the Pens do
need someone to take Dickie Park's place in Cleveland, don't they? It all makes sense now...
Hey everyone, Satan was traded. Not to be outdone by their rival Penguins, who picked
up a Roman, the Buffalo Sabres went all out and acquired Satan himself. Miroslav Satan,
that is. Ok, so his name isn't pronounced like the Devil's (it's SHA-tuhn), but it made for a good
transition, didn't it?
The Sabres acquired Satan (the hockey player) from Edmonton for prospects Barrie Moore
and Craig Millar. Given the chance, Satan could provide the Sabres with some scoring
punch. He netted 18 goals in 62 games last season, and can break out the funk when
necessary.
Edmonton made another move as well, sending defenseman Jeff Norton to Tampa Bay
for defenseman Drew Bannister and a sixth-round pick in this year's draft. Trading
Norton should free up some cash so the Oilers can re-sign either Bryan Marchment, Luke
Richardson, or both.
There's really no good reason for the Lightning to acquire Norton, but perhaps they think he can
show Roman Hamrlik a few tricks of the trade. The Bolts improved their defense some more by
snagging Jamie Huscroft from Calgary for goalie Tyler Moss. Perhaps LCS idol Johnny
Cullen demanded that the Bolts improve their defensive corps or he won't re-sign with them over
the off-season. Cullen's kooky like that...
The Flames were pretty busy before the deadline. They cut a major deal with the New York
Islanders, sending slumping center Robert Reichel to the Big Apple for Marty
McInnis, goalie Tyrone Garner and a sixth-round pick in 97. To put it simply,
Reichel blew this season in Calgary. Perhaps the expectations were a bit too much for him.
Perhaps he shouldn't have held out for so much money then. It was just a thought...
The acquisition of Reichel gives the Fishsticks a pretty good core of centers. They've got
Reichel, Travis Green and Bryan Smolinski in the middle. They also have Ziggy Palffy on wing
and Bryan Berard on the blue line. That's not a bad start. Look for the Isles next year.
Don't look for Derek King on the Island anymore. He was shipped off to Hartford for a
fifth-round pick. Let's hear it for Hartford! They made a move! Actually, the Whale also sent
Mark Janssens to Anaheim for some stuff and Gerald Diduck to Phoenix for
Chris Murray.
How did the Coyotes get Chris Murray? They snagged him and Murray Baron from
Montreal for Dave Manson. Manson has really struggled in his own end this season,
playing very undisciplined hockey. Well then, he'll fit in quite nicely on the Habs' blue line!
The Coyotes also picked up backup goalie Pat Jablonski from Montreal for a minor
leaguer. Perhaps Khabby will get a rest in net sometime soon. But then again, he might not...
Well, that about wraps up all of the big deals around the league at the trading deadline. There
were some other minor moves (like Chicago picking up Denis Chasse from Ottawa), so
look at the complete listing of deadline deals below.
Complete Transaction List:
The Florida Panthers acquired Kirk Muller, c, in exchange for
prospect Jason Podollan, rw.
The Pittsburgh Penguins traded Glen Murray, rw, to the Los Angeles
Kings in exchange for Eddie Olczyk, c.
Pittsburgh also traded Richard "Dickie" Park, c, to the Anaheim Mighty
Ducks in exchange for Roman Oksiuta, rw.
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Josef Beranek, c, from the Vancouver Canucks
for future considerations.
The Toronto Maple Leafs sold the contract of Larry Murphy, d, to the
Detroit Red Wings. The Leafs also acquired Kelly Chase, rw, from the Hartford
Whalers for an eighth-round draft pick in 1998.
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired Frantisek Kucera, d, from the
Vancouver Canucks in exchange for their seventh-round pick in the 1997 draft.
The Buffalo Sabres acquired Miroslav Satan, rw, from the Edmonton Oilers
in exchange for Barrie Moore, lw, and Craig Millar, d.
The Hartford Whalers acquired Derek King, rw, from the NY Islanders in
exchange for a 1997 fifth-round draft pick.
The Whale also traded Mark Janssens, c, to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in
exchange for Bates Battaglia and a 1997 fourth-round draft pick.
The Montreal Canadiens traded Pat Jablonski, g, to the Phoenix Coyotes
for minor-league defenseman Steve Cheredaryk. In a second trade with
Phoenix, Montreal sent Murray Baron, d, and Chris Murray, rw, to
Phoenix in exchange for Dave Manson, d.
The Phoenix Coyotes traded Chris Murray, rw, to the Hartford
Whalers for Gerald Diduck, d.
The Tampa Bay Lightning traded Drew Bannister, d, to the Edmonton Oilers
in exchange for Jeff Norton, d. The Bolts also acquired Jamie Huscroft, d,
from the Calgary Flames for Tyler Moss, g.
The Vancouver Canucks claimed Steve Staois, d, off waivers from the Boston Bruins.
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Marc Hussey, d, from the
Calgary Flames for Ravil Gusmanov, lw. They also acquired right
wing Denis Chasse, defenseman Kevin Bolibruck and a 1998 sixth-round
draft pick from the Ottawa Senators for right wing Mike Prokopec.
The New York Islanders acquired Robert Reichel, c, from the
Calgary Flames for Marty McInnis, lw; Tyrone Garner, g; and
a 1997 sixth-round draft pick.
The San Jose Sharks claimed Chris LiPuma, d, off waivers
from the New Jersey Devils.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Canucks and Rangers complete big deal days before deadline
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Carol Schram, Vancouver Correspondent
It has been a very unusual year in the NHL. Injuries, especially
to marquee players, are way up. Scoring is down. Goaltending is
superb. And general managers have been virtually paralyzed by the
new NHL salary structure. The owners had to lock players out in
1994 in order to achieve the latest Collective Bargaining
Agreement, but now the days are gone when trades were made based on
merit, value, or filling a hole on a particular team. Now,
salaries dictate that an inexpensive young prospect like Anson
Carter can be seen on par with a perennial All Star like Adam
Oates. Eventually, the new structure will settle down and deals
will probably return to more normal levels. For now, general
managers are afraid of giving more than they get and of ruining
their team's budget or salary hierarchy. Thus, the deals have been
few and far between this year.
In the week leading up to the March 18 trade deadline, the trade
wires were astonishingly quiet. After the inevitable Adam Oates and
Doug Gilmour moves, the only other deal of any significance was
ungraciously announced in the wee small hours of the morning,
eastern time. After dropping a 5-3 decision to the Detroit Red
Wings on March 8, the Vancouver Canucks held a press conference to
say that they had completed a deal to send Russ Courtnall and Esa
Tikkanen to the New York Rangers for Brian Noonan and Sergei
Nemchinov.
Both Courtnall and Tikkanen will be unrestricted free agents this
summer, and while the Canucks had tendered new offers to both
players, contract talks were not going well in either case and it
looked like the two would walk at the end of the year. The Canucks
are one of the deepest teams in the league at right wing, but the
Rangers are weak there and have reportedly been pursuing Courtnall
since last summer. At the time, they were said to have offered
Nemchinov, but wanted the Canucks to pick up some of Courtnall's
salary, so the deal fell through.
Russ Courtnall is a close personal friend of Wayne Gretzky. Both
have homes in the Sherwood Park area of Los Angeles and they play
golf together in the off-season. In fact, Courtnall was rumored to
have been an important good-will ambassador in Vancouver's attempts
to sign the Great One as a free agent last summer. After Gretzky
landed in New York, it seemed logical that Courtnall could end up
playing on the right side for the red white and blue -- either
after a trade, or by signing with the bottomless-pocketed Rangers
as a free agent this summer.
Courtnall was born in Duncan, British Columbia, on Vancouver
Island, and played his junior hockey for the Victoria Cougars. He
was drafted in the first round, seventh overall, by the Toronto
Maple Leafs in 1983. Known for his blazing speed and decent
offensive skills, Courtnall has worn out his welcome quicker and
quicker at each stop in his career. He lasted just over four
seasons in Toronto, then moved on to nearly four years in Montreal
before hooking up with the Minnesota/Dallas organization for almost
three years, then about two full seasons with the Canucks. Each
time Courtnall has been traded, he has made noises about how he
wasn't appreciated or used properly by the organization that he was
leaving.
Courtnall was acquired by the Canucks at the deadline two years ago
in exchange for left winger Greg Adams, minor leaguer Dan Kesa, and
a fifth-round draft choice. While Adams was a fan favorite and a
major-league hero from the Canucks' 1994 playoff run, the deal was
seen to be a good one for the Canucks, particularly because it
reunited brothers Russ and Geoff for the first time in their pro
careers, and in their home province, to boot. What should have
been a public relations dream quickly soured, however, when Geoff
signed with St. Louis as an unrestricted free agent in the summer
of 1995. Geoff's inability to come to terms with the Canucks also
seemed to turn Russ off on Vancouver's negotiating style, and while
the younger Courtnall was rumored to want to finish his career
here, the two sides couldn't reach a long-term deal and ended up
going through the arbitration process. Courtnall emerged with a
decent contract and his freedom at age 32, but was deeply upset by
some of the statements made by Canucks management during the
arbitration hearings. The wound would never really heal.
This season has been tough on Courtnall. He missed a couple of
months around Christmas time with a groin strain, and with his
reduced ice time behind Alexander Mogilny and Pavel Bure, he
managed to tally just nine goals in 47 games with the Canucks
before being traded. To make matters worse, his contract status
and imminent departure had been the subject of much gossip all
season long, and with rumors of internal strife playing a part in
the Canucks' problems this year, Courtnall was presumed by some to
be another fly in the ointment. This was the element that
disturbed him most once the trade was finally announced. The
Courtnall family is close-knit and Russ and Geoff's mom was largely
responsible for getting them through hockey after their father
committed suicide, so Russ was devastated that his mother, in
particular, would be subjected to rumors that he would be causing
trouble in the room or not trying his hardest on the ice.
No matter how much Courtnall denies being part of the problem,
there's little doubt about Esa Tikkanen's behavior in the room. A
Stanley Cup veteran with a world of success behind him, Tikkanen
was brought to the Canucks last year in an attempt to add
leadership and that winning attitude. It's widely acknowledged
that Tikk tends to march to his own drummer, but he never really
became a good fit for Vancouver.
After his glory years in Edmonton, Tikkanen was shuffled off to the
New York Rangers for Doug Weight, then moved to St. Louis with Mike
Keenan as part of the coach's mutiny after winning the Stanley Cup
in 1994. Early in the 1995-96 season, the Blues shipped their
declining asset to New Jersey for a draft choice, where it didn't
take Tikkanen long to clash with noted disciplinarian Jacques
Lemaire. After dressing for just nine games with the Devils,
Tikkanen was on his way to Vancouver for a second-round draft
choice.
The problems started immediately. First, it was rumored that
Tikkanen wouldn't report. Then, he wanted his contract
renegotiated. When he finally did get to Vancouver, he failed his
team medical, thanks to years of damage to his knees. After a
great deal of testing, rehab, and checking past medical records,
Tikkanen finally joined the team more than a month later,
announcing "Moses is here". The Canucks' fortunes did improve when
Tikkanen first took to the ice, and he was his usual formidable
shadow' self against Peter Forsberg in the playoffs. But the
situation turned really ugly this year at training camp, thanks to
an early clash with rookie coach Tom Renney over the coach's
banning of beer on post-game charters. "I'll get a doctor's note,"
quipped Tikk with his usual lack of respect for authority. Renney
was not amused.
When Tikkanen joined the club last season, Vancouver was believed to
be a good team with a missing superstar going through a period of
mediocrity. With the addition of Renney and the return of Pavel
Bure, the team's fortunes did not improve. For an aging player
looking to win one last Stanley Cup, this did not sit well with
Tikkanen. He stayed focused on winning, but pretty much decided
that Renney's methods weren't going to make it happen. It was not
unusual, during games, to see one group of players huddled around
Renney, listening to his instructions, while Tikkanen was
frantically talking and gesturing to the rest of the team,
explaining his ideas. While it may be true that Tikkanen is
gradually losing his physical abilities, there's no doubt that he
has an outstanding grasp of the mental side of the game.
Tikkanen's situation with the Canucks began to come to a head a
couple of months ago. Unhappy with the team's direction and
looking for a great new contract to start his free-agent years,
Tikkanen and his agent Rich Winter went public with the rather
acrimonious state of their negotiations to date. They said that, if
the Canucks did not make improvements and had no intention of
keeping Tikkanen beyond the end of the season, as their contract
offers had indicated, that they would prefer to see the player
traded. Tikkanen even threatened to withdraw his services until a
deal was made, although he did stay with the team until the bitter
end and even scored in his last game with a skate on his chest.
Despite Tikk's value as a hockey player, by this point it was clear
that Pat Quinn would probably be better off dealing the player out
of the Vancouver dressing room. The only problem was, the market
for soon-to-be-free-agent wingers with one knee and one bad
attitude is not that hot. Because of the Rangers' desperation to
land Courtnall, Pat Quinn was able to package the crazy Finn and
send him back to the site of his last Stanley Cup win, to play once
again alongside number 11 and number 99, and to be a smaller fish
in the bigger pond of the Big Apple. Having dealt with Tikkanen
before, the Rangers know exactly what they're getting, and if they
don't like it, they're free to go their separate ways at the end of
the year.
In exchange for a sum total of about 30 combined games from
Tikkanen and Courtnall, the Canucks acquired center Sergei
Nemchinov and right winger Brian Noonan. While Nemchinov may be
the playmaking Russian needed to center Bure and/or Mogilny, we'll
have to wait awhile longer before we find out the answer to that
question. In an eerie case of deja vu, Nemchinov was suffering
from a reported minor injury to his ribs when he was traded, but
his condition now appears worse than first expected. He has
already been out a week longer than the Rangers projected, and his
return is still not imminent. Some believe that, by acquiring
Nemchinov now, Pat Quinn was hoping to have a chance to try him out
with the Russians before deciding whether or not to offer him a
free agent contract for next season. As he sits on the shelf while
the season winds down, and Bure is also not expected back anytime
soon, even this minor objective may go unfulfilled in this
disappointing season.
Nemchinov was drafted by the New York Rangers in 1990 and joined
the team in '91. He got 30 goals in his first NHL season, but his
production has tailed off steadily since then. Of course,
searching for quality ice time behind guys named Gretzky and
Messier is no small feat, either. In recent years, Nemchinov has
been known for his defensive skills, which the Canucks can sorely
use. He is also one of the first Russians, along with Alexei
Kovalev, to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup -- following
the Rangers' nail-biting Game Seven victory over the Canucks in
1994.
Boston-born Brian Noonan may actually turn out to be a bit of a
sleeper in this deal. A Mike Keenan favorite, Noonan was also a
member of the '94 Cup-winning team, then was signed as a free agent
by Iron Mike for his St. Louis Blues before the 1995-96 season.
Earlier this year, Noonan was shipped back to the Rangers for
ex-Canuck Sergio Momesso, who continues to ride the pine more often
than not. Noonan is a physical, grinding right winger who almost
scored 20 goals once: his career high is 19 with the Chicago
Blackhawks in 1991-92, also under Mike Keenan. He was also drafted
in 1983, but while Russ Courtnall went in the top ten, Brian Noonan
went in the 10th round. Noonan is also a longer-term commodity.
While he does turn 32 this May, he has one more year remaining on
the deal he signed in St. Louis, so he's the only one of the four
players involved in this trade who are under contract past the end
of this season.
Despite the relative loss of talent for Vancouver in this deal, the
trade may not turn out to be all that bad for them. Certainly, the
Rangers have acquired a couple of pieces of the puzzle that could
help them significantly in their playoff run. They had also been
in a terrible slump before the trade, and the change seems to have
improved their fortunes. It's still way too early to truly judge
the impact of the deal for the Canucks. The trade coincided with
new injuries to Trevor Linden and Mike Ridley, so the team's
current depth at center is essentially zero. The big drop in
offensive talent level has forced the Canucks to revert to a
disciplined, defensive, no-nonsense kind of game, and Brian Noonan
has so far proven to be an admirable role model for this style of
hockey. He even managed to pot two goals, including a short-handed
marker, in Vancouver's only recent victory, against the Tampa Bay
Lightning.
Essentially, this is a deal that was made for short-term gain by
both teams. Nemchinov and Noonan may not be enough to get
Vancouver into the playoffs, but they may prove to be important to
the critical exercise of changing the team's chemistry for next
season. It is even more likely that hockey fans will be subjected
to Tikkanen's maniacal grin as he returns to the land of liberty
for what could be another convincing playoff run this spring, and
to Courtnall's blazing speed as he picks up perfect passes from his
neighbor Wayne Gretzky. It was evident that Canucks management had
to get Tikkanen out of Vancouver because of his crazy attitude,
although he always wanted to win. If the Chicago Bulls can find a
way to put up with Dennis Rodman's antics for the sake of his
rebounding skills, should a team looking to build towards a
championship be able to somehow see past their character players'
idiosyncrasies? It now appears to be up to the New York Rangers to
answer that question for this season.
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In The Box - Special Edition
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Winners and Losers on Deal Day
By John Kreiser
It's a ritual attuned to the coming of spring: The weather gets warmer and
Kirk Muller gets traded.
Unlike the last two seasons, though, this time Muller is in a position to
make a difference. By going to the Florida Panthers in one of the 14
deadline-beating deals on Tuesday, Muller not only leaves a Toronto team
that's been dreadful for most of the season, he gets to go to a contender
that desperately needs the kind of help he can provide.
At 31, Muller is on the downside of a fine career. He doesn't have the
offensive skills or the ability to be a physical presence on a nightly basis
that he did a few years ago. But he still has the drive and determination to
help the Panthers, who were in desperate need of help up front even before
Brian Skrudland's season ended with a knee injury.
No one questions Muller's toughness--anyone who comes back to score the
winning goal after leaving with a 25-stitch cut is tough enough to play in
any league. He's still good enough to have been a 20-goal man on a muddled
Maple Leaf team. Muller figures to make springtime in Miami a lot warmer for
the Panthers' first-round playoff opponents.
Not only did Florida land veteran help, GM Bryan Murray did it cheaply. All
it cost him was the difference between Muller's salary and that of
21-year-old Jason Podollan, who will get plenty of opportunity to play in
Toronto.
ANALYSIS: A big short-term gain for the Panthers as long as Muller stays
healthy; the Leafs dump salary and hope that Podollan can play.
The happiest man in the NHL today has to be Larry Murphy. Not only will he
not hear boos every time he touches the puck while playing at home, he's
going from a lottery team to a potential Cup finalist after being dealt from
Toronto to Detroit. The Leafs got left holding the bag on Murphy's big
contract when they acquired him from Pittsburgh in the summer of 1995; they
got rid of it on Tuesday by sending him to Detroit for the ubiquitous "future
consideration" -- and they're reportedly paying some of Murphy's 1997-98
salary in the bargain.
Skating-wise, Murphy's get-up-and-go has gotten up and left. This was a
liability on the lead-footed Leafs' defense; with the Wings, whose defense is
considerably swifter, Murphy, one of four 1,000-point defensemen in NHL
history, will be asked to use his puck-handling skills to quarterback the
power play and provide the offense that's been missing from the backline
since Paul Coffey was dealt in the Brendan Shanahan trade.
ANALYSIS: Good move for the Wings, who realized they were going nowhere
without a legitimate power play . Toronto clears more salary room. The big
losers may be fans at Maple Leaf Gardens, who will need a new target for
their catcalls. Maybe Kelly Chase, who came from Hartford for an
eighth-rounder, will do.
Pittsburgh GM (and now coach) Craig Patrick is among the better draft-day
dealers (anyone who can get Ron Francis and Ulf Samuelsson and not disrupt
the core of the team goes down in Let's Make A Deal Hall of Fame). He was
desperate to find some help for his flightless birds, who've been dead in the
water since play resumed after the All-Star break.
His best deal may have been getting center Ed Olczyk from Los Angeles for
Glen Murray. Olczyk is a great guy in the locker room and a usable one on the
ice; he can play anywhere up front, still has some hands at age 30 and gives
the Penguins someone other than their big guns who can put the puck in the
net. At age 24, Murray is a tease: Every now and then, he looks great; the
rest of the time, you're wondering why he's not in the IHL.
Patrick also added some depth by getting Roman Oksiuta from Anaheim for
20-year-old center Richard Park. Oksiuta has some scoring ability, but didn't
get along with coach Ron Wilson even before he got hurt.
ANALYSIS: You've heard of addition by subtraction: Getting Olczyk for Murray
is addition AND subtraction. Oksiuta can score, but this is his fourth team,
so you have to wonder about his attitude. Park gives the Ducks a potential
second-line center.
New York Islanders GM Mike Milbury has been trying to increase his team's
talent base without disrupting the young players he's building around. He may
have succeeded by sending Marty McInnis, an excellent all-purpose forward, to
Calgary for Robert Reichel. At 26, Reichel is just starting to scrape off the
rust he accumulated by playing in Germany last season; on Long Island, he'll
get all the ice time he can earn and a chance to play with Ziggy Palffy,
who's a bigger offensive force than anyone he worked with in Calgary. The
Flames get McInnis, who's gotten 20 goals this season, a sixth-round draft
pick, a goaltending prospect--and the money to try to keep Dave Gagner, who's
been their best player this season.
If Murphy is happy to be leaving town, Derek King is not. The Islanders sent
King, the senior member of the team but an unrestricted free agent this
summer, to Hartford for a fifth-round pick. King had expressed a desire to
stay with the Islanders, who at least were kind enough not to send him across
the continent.
ANALYSIS: Reichel is a more talented player than McInnis; if he plays that
way, the Islanders have helped themselves a lot. King could help the Whalers
make the playoffs, but don't be surprised to see the Islanders re-sign him
this summer. He was among the most respected players in the locker room, had
regained some scoring touch and was an experienced head in a young locker
room. At $2 million a season for Reichel, at least the Isles' new management
can show fans that it's willing to spend money.
Like Calgary, Edmonton's trade of Jeff Norton for Drew Bannister and a
sixth-round pick was more than a swap of defensemen. With Norton's $1.2
million salary off the books, GM Glen Sather has cleared salary room for the
player he REALLY wanted: defenseman Luke Richardson, who has become a key to
the Oilers' back line and is an unrestricted free agent this summer. Norton
could help the Lightning, but he's always been one of those players who
always looks like he should be more productive than he is. Bannister is a
highly regarded youngster who should get a chance with the Oilers.
The Oilers also send forward Miroslav Satan to Buffalo for a couple of
youngsters: left wing Barrie Moore and defenseman Jay Millar.
ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay GM Phil Esposito wanted to make the Bannister-for-Norton
deal last week but reportedly was overruled by top management. With the
Lightning fading like a summer shower, someone changed their mind. This deal
looks like a winner for Sather--even if Bannister does nothing, that's about
what he was getting from Norton, anyway ... and he clears room for
Richardson. Satan can play, but wasn't part of coach Ron Low's plans.
Bodies whizzed in and out of Phoenix, which got unused goaltender Pat
Jablonski from Montreal for a minor-league defenseman, air-mailed defenseman
Dave Manson to the Habs for defenseman Murray Baron and tough guy Chris
Murray, then sent Murray to Hartford for another defenseman, Gerald Diduck.
ANALYSIS: The Coyotes got some maturity on the blue line and an extra backup
goalie in Jablonski. Manson has been overrated for much of his career. Murray
helps Hartford make up for the toughness lost in trading Chase to Toronto and
Mark Janssens to Anaheim (for a fourth-round pick in 1998).
After all the talking was over, the Philadelphia Flyers made only one minor
deal, getting minor-league defenseman Frantisek Kucera from Vancouver. Rumors
had the Flyers seeking goaltenders like Felix Potvin from Toronto or Kirk
McLean from Vancouver, as well as a defenseman like Richardson or Toronto's
Jamie Macoun. But in the end, Bob Clarke stuck with the guys who've gotten
the Flyers to the top of the heap in the East. Clarke obviously thinks Ron
Hextall and/or Garth Snow can win a Cup. Clarke doesn't have much company in
this belief, so he'd better be right; another early KO and this team is
headed for a shakeup.
========================================================
World Domination Update, Vol.2 No.14
========================================================
by LCS: guide to hockey
World Domination ain't easy, it takes time. You know, it took
Larry King, the iron horse of broadcasting, years to reach stardom.
So how can we complain. Here is a recap of the latest from
the offices of LCS Guide to Hockey...
LCS on America Online
Over four weeks ago, LCS Guide to Hockey opened our new area on America Online.
It was supposed to be a festive occasion. Unfortunately, access problems to our
area has limited the amount of readers that could visit our new home on AOL. Until
today. We are now glad to announce that all the access problems our area has been
faced are solved. If you attempted to visit our site over the past four weeks, we
beg you to give it another go. You won't be disappointed.
To access our new AOL area, use keyword "LCS Hockey" or "LCS". We are also accessible
via various links throughout AOL, including the main Sports area.
On AOL, you will be able to find many exclusive features not available on our web site.
We provide daily recaps of NHL contests and news in the new Daily Extra section. If you like
exclusive weekly columns, we offer those, too. Our AOL coverage is the perfect compliment to
our web-based content. In fact, our web site can also be accessed from the new AOL area. If
you're on AOL, do us a favor and use it as your access point to the LCS web site. Hell, it
would even be great if you'd logon to AOL and spend 24 hours straight on our area. Show
AOL that you love LCS.
In addition to the new content, we also offer message boards and a chat room on AOL. On our
message boards, you can post your thoughts on various topics including current NHL events, the
Hartford Whalers, John Cullen and waffles.
Also be sure to take part in our chat room. Each week night, members of the LCS Guide to Hockey
staff will host chats on various topics. These topics are only suggestions, we prefer
to run our chat room as an open discussion where thoughts flow without hinderance. So,
talk about whatever you want. Here is the current chat schedule:
AOL Chat Schedule
Monday - Atlantic Division 11:00 PM to Midnight EST
Tuesday - Northeast Division 11:00 PM to Midnight EST
Wednesday - Central Division Midnight to 1:00 AM EST
Thursday - Pacific Division 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM EST
Friday - Trivia or Whatever! Midnight to 1:00 AM EST
We hope to see you online.
LCS: The Announcement List
Do you want to be reminded of future issues of LCS? If so, sign
up for the LCS Announcement List by sending an e-mail message to
zippy@psu.edu. The list will alert you to new issue releases,
features and news from LCS.
LCS: the hockey pool
January 14th marked the half-way point of the LCS pool. The top three
epoch finishers will be awarded prizes at the end of the season. Please
take time to find out how well your team is doing. The pool rules and
results are available from LCS: the hockey pool.
LCS: The Domain Name
Announcement In order to make accessing LCS easier for you, our valued
readers, LCS can now be found at http://www.lcshockey.com. Eventually
this will become our permanent address on the 'Net. But don't worry,
our old address at http://www.canadas.net/sports/Sportif/ will remain valid.
NHL Directory
An addition has been made to the LCS web site. To serve you, our valued customer
better, we have created the NHL Directory. A wealth of team and NHL
information is included in the directory, including: arena information;
team addresses, phone numbers and fax numbers; general manager, coach and
captain histories; and links to team records, retired jersey numbers, current
rosters and schedules.
LCS: Questions o' the Month
The Questions o' the Month have been a formidable challenge to all who
have dared solve their riddles. So difficult are these questions that
not a single soul was able to correctly all 10 Dragnet trivia
questions for the month of January. Two readers got nine-of-ten
correct, but it still ain't a perfect score. Once again we're disappointed
with you, our intelligent, valued readers. This month we're going with
another classic television program you all should know, Taxi.
If you answer all 10 questions right, you can win a free LCS T-shirt.
LCS: the t-shirt
Offical LCS t-shirts can now be purchased by the general public. The
shirts are 100% cotton and come in three colors (size XL only). All
shirts sport a spiffy LCS logo on the front. To find out how to order,
visit the LCS t-shirt page. Our supply of shirts is running low and
once they're gone this shirt design will never be available again.
Coming Soon!
A classic television spokesman, the opening of the LCS Hall of
Fame, and much, much more...
_____________________________________________________
CREDITS
Michael Dell........................Editor-in-Chief
Zippy the Wonder Chimp.................Computer Boy
Jim Iovino.............................Ace Reporter
Matthew Secosky.............................Chimp B
Dan Hurwitz.............Force for Cultural Hegemony
John Kreiser.....................Featured Columnist
David A. Feete......................Featured Writer
Viktor Malakoff...............Anaheim Correspondent
Matt Brown.....................Boston Correspondent
Valerie Hammerl...............Buffalo Correspondent
Tony Wong.....................Calgary Correspondent
Dan Glovier...................Chicago Correspondent
Matt Gitchell................Colorado Correspondent
Jim Panenka....................Dallas Correspondent
Dino Cacciola.................Detroit Correspondent
Simon D. Lewis...............Edmonton Correspondent
Eric A. Seiden................Florida Correspondent
Steve Gallichio..............Hartford Correspondent
Matt Moore................Los Angeles Correspondent
Jacques Robert...............Montreal Correspondent
David Ibrahim..............New Jersey Correspondent
David Strauss...............Islanders Correspondent
Alex Frias....................Rangers Correspondent
The Nosebleeders..............Ottawa Correspondents
Eric Meyer...............Philadelphia Correspondent
Jeff Brown....................Phoenix Correspondent
Joe Ashkar..................St. Louis Correspondent
Mark Spiegel.................San Jose Correspondent
Troy Ely....................Tampa Bay Correspondent
Jonah Sigel...................Toronto Correspondent
Carol Schram................Vancouver Correspondent
Jason Sheehan..............Washington Correspondent
Tricia McMillan...................AHL Correspondent
----------------------------------------------------
LCS Guide to Hockey, Issue 65, March 18 - April 1, 1997.
Email address: sportif@oak.westol.com Good ol' postal
address: 632 Hempfield Street, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Web Site: http://www.lcshockey.com/ open 24 hours a day.
AOL Keyword: "LCS" or "LCS Hockey", exclusive coverage.
------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
NHL Round-up
-------------------------------------------------------------
By LCS: guide to hockey
General NHL News
Howe Signs with Crunch
Hockey legend Gordie Howe, considered by many to be the greatest
player in the history of the sport, is returning to professional
hockey as a member of the Syracuse Crunch, the American Hockey
League team announced Friday. Howe, who retired from the National
Hockey League in 1980 at the age of 52, signed a tryout
contract with the Crunch, the top affiliate of the NHL's
Vancouver Canucks. He will begin training immediately and is
expected to make his American Hockey League debut when the team
hosts the Carolina Monarchs on Tuesday, April 1, one day after
Howe's 69th birthday.
All I have to say is that this better be an April Fools day joke. It is
silly to see a hockey icon like Howe attempting to play professional
hockey again, even if it is only for publicity.
Lindros is Drunk?
On March 5, the Philadelphia Flyers filed a lawsuit against a local
radio station after a talk-show host claimed that Eric Lindros sat out
a Feb. 16 game at Pittsburgh because he was drunk. The Flyers also
obtained an injunction against WIP Radio, from destroying or altering
tapes containing comments relating to Lindros' status for the Feb. 15-16
home-and-home series with Pittsburgh.
The Flyers have also decided to call an end to the team's involvement with the
station, which has broadcast Flyers' games for over 20 years.
Junior Goaltender Sets Record
On February 21, goaltender Ryan Venturelli of the Muskoka Bears scored two goals against
the Durham Huskies to set a new goaltender scoring record in the Metro Junior Hockey
League. The feat may also be a record in all of Canaidan Junior hockey or beyond.
Ventruelli scored twice in the third period -- at 8:55 and 10:34 -- while Durham had
pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker. The Muskoka Bears won the game
by a score of 11-6.
Playoff Schedule
Early last week, the NHL released the planned dates for the 1997 NHL
playoffs. This schedule depends on if all the series go seven games.
If a series ends early, games will be moved to earlier dates.
Conference Quarterfinals
Schedule A
Game 1 -- Wednesday, April 16
Game 2 -- Friday, April 18
Game 3 -- Sunday, April 20
Game 4 -- Tuesday, April 22
Game 5 -- Friday, April 25, if necessary
Game 6 -- Sunday, April 27, if necessary
Game 7 -- Tuesday, April 29, if necessary
Schedule B
Game 1 -- Thursday, April 17
Game 2 -- Saturday, April 19
Game 3 -- Monday, April 21
Game 4 -- Wednesday, April 23
Game 5 -- Saturday, April 26, if necessary
Game 6 -- Monday, April 28, if necessary
Game 7 -- Wednesday, April 30, if necessary
Conference Semifinals
Schedule A
Game 1 -- Friday, May 2
Game 2 -- Sunday, May 4
Game 3 -- Tuesday, May 6
Game 4 -- Thursday, May 8
Game 5 -- Saturday, May 10, if necessary
Game 6 -- Monday, May 12, if necessary
Game 7 -- Wednesday, May 14, if necessary
Schedule B
Game 1 -- Saturday, May 3
Game 2 -- Monday, May 5
Game 3 -- Wednesday, May 7
Game 4 -- Friday, May 9
Game 5 -- Sunday, May 11, if necessary
Game 6 -- Tuesday, May 13, if necessary
Game 7 -- Thursday, May 15, if necessary
Conference Finals
Schedule A
Game 1 -- Sunday, May 18
Game 2 -- Tuesday, May 20
Game 3 -- Friday, May 23
Game 4 -- Sunday, May 25
Game 5 -- Tuesday, May 27, if necessary
Game 6 -- Thursday, May 29, if necessary
Game 7 -- Saturday, May 31, if necessary
Schedule B
Game 1 -- Saturday, May 17
Game 2 -- Monday, May 19
Game 3 -- Thursday, May 22
Game 4 -- Saturday, May 24
Game 5 -- Monday, May 26, if necessary
Game 6 -- Wednesday, May 28, if necessary
Game 7 -- Friday, May 30, if necessary
Stanley Cup
Game 1 -- Tuesday, June 3
Game 2 -- Thursday, June 5
Game 3 -- Saturday, June 7
Game 4 -- Tuesday, June 10
Game 5 -- Thursday, June 12, if necessary
Game 6 -- Saturday, June 14, if necessary
Game 7 -- Tuesday, June 17, if necessary
NHL Lottery Draft
The NHL draft lottery to determine who gets the No. 1 overall pick will
be held May 18. The 10 teams that don't make the playoffs will
each get a weighted number of chances to win the lottery.
The team that finishes last overall will have the greatest chance of winning (30 per cent),
with the next nine teams all having diminishing shots at the top
pick (21 per cent, 15.1, 10.9, 8, 5.9, 4.2, 2.8, 1.6 and 0.5).
The club winning the draft drawing cannot move up more than four positions
in the draft order. That means only the five worst teams can
receive the first overall pick. Also, no team can move down more than
one position as a result of the lottery.
Hobey Baker Finalists
The NCAA recently announced the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker
Memorial Award, an award that recognizes the top college hockey player
in the U.S. The finalists are: Mike Crowley, University of Minnesota;
Jason Blake, North Dakota; Chris Drury, Boston University; Mike
Harder, Colgate; John Madden, Michigan; Brendan Morrison, Michigan; Randy Robitaille, Miami University; Martin St.
Louis, Vermont; Brian Swanson, Colorado College; and Todd White, Clarkson.
A selection committee making the final pick, which is to be announced
March 28 during the NCAA hockey championships in Milwaukee.
NCAA Division I Playoffs
Pairings for the 1997 NCAA hockey tourament are now finalized. Hockey's
version of March Madness will begin on March 21 in Massachusetts and
will conclude on March 29 in Milwaukee.
EAST REGIONAL
At The Centrum, Worcester, Mass.
First round
Friday, March 21
New Hampshire (28-10-0) vs. Colorado College (23-14-4), 5 p.m.
Vermont (22-10-3) vs. Denver (23-12-4), 8:30 p.m.
Second round
Saturday, March 22
Clarkson (27-9-0) vs. New Hampshire-Colorado College winner, 5 p.m.
Boston University (24-8-6) vs. Vermont-Denver winner, 8:30 p.m.
WEST REGIONAL
At Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Mich.
First round
Saturday, March 22
Cornell (20-8-5) vs. Miami, Ohio (26-10-1), 3 p.m.
Minnesota (27-12-1) vs. Michigan State (22-12-4), 6:30 p.m.
Second round
Sunday, March 23
North Dakota (28-10-2) vs. Cornell-Miami winner, 2 p.m.
Michigan (33-3-4) vs. Minnesota-Michigan State winner, 5:30 p.m.
FINAL FOUR
At The Bradley Center, Milwaukee
Semifinals
Thursday, March 27
Pairings TBA, 1 and 7:30 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, March 29
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
Firings...Hirings...Signings...etc...
Phoenix Signs J. Lemieux
The Phoenix Coyotes signed veteran free agent left wing Jocelyn Lemieux to
a contract for the rest of the 1997 season. This year Lemieux
played 28 games for Long Beach (IHL) and registered four goals and
10 assists. The nine-year NHL veteran has played in 566 NHL games with
St. Louis, Montreal, Chicago, Hartford, New Jersey and Calgary.
Police Blotter:
Darren Langdon -- Fighting
New York Rangers left wing Darren Langdon was suspended two games by
the National Hockey League for instigating a fight against the Los
Angeles Kings in Friday night's 6-2 victory. He received a minor
penalty for instigating, a major penalty for fighting and a
10-minute misconduct following a brawl with Kings left wing Matt
Johnson with 32 seconds to go in the second period.
1996-97 NHL Suspension
Date Player/Team/Length Opponent Reason
Mar 7 Darren Langdon Los Angeles Initiated
New York Rangers altercation with
2 games Matt Johnson
Feb 28 Bernie Nicholls Florida Flagrant cross-check
San Jose on Ed Jovanovski
2 games
Feb 26 J.J. Daigneault Referee Struck Don
Anaheim Koharski with his
10 games stick
Feb 25 Michel Petit Florida Kneeing
Philadelphia Johan Garpenlov
2 games
Feb 25 Donald Brashear Los Angeles blind side punch
Vancouver to Ian Laperriere
4 games
Feb 18 Brent Severyn Phoenix Initiating
Colorado altercation with
2 games Kris King
Feb 5 Matt Johnson San Jose Flagrant elbow
Los Angeles against Andrei
4 games Nazarov
Feb 5 Rob Blake San Jose High-sticking
Los Angeles incident against
4 games Shean Donovan
Feb 5 Tony Granato Los Angeles Cross-checking
San Jose Dmitri Khristich
4 games in back of head
Feb 2 Peter Bondra Florida Kneeing incident
Washington against Ray Sheppard
At least 1 game
pending hearing
Feb 2 Todd Harvey Buffalo Flagrant elbow
Dallas against Matthew
At least 1 game Barnaby
pending hearing
Jan 30 Sean O'Donnell Colorado Involved in
Los Angeles altercation on
1 game bench with
Valeri Kamensky
Jan 23 Jim Cummins Toronto Drawing third
Chicago game misconduct
1 game of the season
Jan 19 Craig Berube Ottawa Slashing
Washington Dennis Vial
2 games
Jan 11 Rich Pilon Pittsburgh Stick swinging
NY Islanders Mario Lemieux
2 games
Jan 7 Mike Craig Vancouver High-sticking
Toronto Mike Sillinger
2 games
Jan 7 Troy Mallette Dallas Flagrant elbow
Boston Grant Marshall
2 games
Jan 1 Keith Primeau Washington Slash
Hartford Joe Juneau
2 games
Dec 31 Greg Hawgood Edmonton Slash
San Jose Boris Mironov
2 games
Dec 6 Pavel Bure Buffalo Forearm blow
Vancouver Garry Galley
1 game
Nov 30 Guy Lapointe Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary assistant coach
2 games
Nov 30 Kevin Constantine Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary assistant coach
1 game
Nov 26 Grant Ledyard Florida Kneeing
Dallas Rob Niedermayer
2 games
Nov 26 Sasha Lakovic Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary
2 games
Nov 15 Mathieu Schneider Anaheim Flagrant elbow
Toronto Paul Kariya
3 games
Nov 1 Alexei Zhitnik Dallas High-sticking
Buffalo Jamie Langenbrunner
2 games
Oct 16 Daniel Lacroix Los Angeles Elbowing
Philadelphia Kevin Stevens
2 games
Oct 11 Brendan Shanahan Edmonton Cross-checking
Detroit Greg de Vries
1 game
Oct 8 Mark Messier Florida Checking from behind
NY Rangers Mike Hough
2 games
Oct 8 Louie DeBrusk Vancouver Slashing
Edmonton Dana Murzyn
4 games
Oct 7 Scott Stevens Detroit High-sticking
New Jersey Igor Larionov
1 game
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Remaining Schedule Analysis
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Steve Gallichio
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Steve Gallichio, our Hartford Correspondent,
compiled this data on the remaining schedules for every team in the NHL.
You want the facts? Well, this here is filled to the rim with brim, baby.
I don't even know what that means. Anyway, check out the numbers and see
for yourself which teams have the easiest roads to hoe in their quest for
a playoff spot. We'll post updates each week on the Web Extra.
This issue's edition is thru Monday, March 17.)
Legend
Pts: current points.
Record: duh...
GR: games remaining.
H: home games remaining.
R: road games remaining.
Overall Pct: current winning percentage.
Opponent Pct: average current winning percentage of remaining
opponents.
Vs Opponent Pct: average current winning percentage vs remaining
opponents.
All projections are derived by applying the current percentage against
the remaining games and adding to the current total [(1.0 - pct) for OppPct].
Eastern Conference
Overall Opponent vs Opponent
Pts Record GR H R Pct Proj Pct Proj Pct Proj
1. Philadelphia 88 39-21-10 12 5 7 0.629 103.1 0.466 100.8 0.556 101.3
2. Buffalo 85 37-21-11 13 4 9 0.616 101.0 0.479 98.5 0.671 102.4
3. New Jersey 88 38-20-12 12 5 7 0.629 103.1 0.455 101.1 0.579 101.9
4. Florida 80 32-23-16 11 5 6 0.563 92.4 0.478 91.5 0.547 92.0
5. NY Rangers 75 33-29- 9 11 7 4 0.528 86.6 0.543 85.1 0.561 87.3
6. Pittsburgh 71 32-30- 7 13 8 5 0.514 84.4 0.485 84.4 0.500 84.0
7. Hartford 64 27-33-10 12 5 7 0.457 75.0 0.466 76.8 0.559 77.4
8. Montreal 64 25-32-14 11 6 5 0.451 73.9 0.468 75.7 0.431 73.5
9. Washington 63 28-35- 7 12 8 4 0.450 73.8 0.492 75.2 0.441 73.6
10. Tampa Bay 61 27-35- 7 13 4 9 0.442 72.5 0.513 73.7 0.447 72.6
11. Ottawa 60 23-33-14 12 5 7 0.429 70.3 0.524 71.4 0.413 69.9
12. NY Islanders 58 24-36-10 12 6 6 0.414 67.9 0.457 71.0 0.397 67.5
13. Boston 57 24-38- 9 11 5 6 0.401 65.8 0.515 67.7 0.397 65.7
Pts Record Home Road Division Conf NonConf
1. Philadelphia 88 39-21-10 20-11- 5 19-10- 5 11-12- 2 25-17- 5 14- 4- 5
2. Buffalo 85 37-21-11 23- 8- 6 14-13- 5 16- 5- 2 27-12- 6 10- 9- 5
3. New Jersey 88 38-20-12 19- 8- 9 19-12- 3 11- 9- 4 24-13- 9 14- 7- 3
4. Florida 80 32-23-16 18-11- 7 14-12- 9 12- 9- 7 20-16-10 12- 7- 6
5. NY Rangers 75 33-29- 9 17-12- 5 16-17- 4 8-14- 6 20-19- 7 13-10- 2
6. Pittsburgh 71 32-30- 7 19-10- 4 13-20- 3 10- 7- 5 19-20- 6 13-10- 1
7. Hartford 64 27-33-10 20-13- 3 7-20- 7 12- 8- 3 20-20- 7 7-13- 3
8. Montreal 64 25-32-14 14-15- 6 11-17- 8 5-11- 7 12-22-11 13-10- 3
9. Washington 63 28-35- 7 16-14- 3 12-21- 4 13-12- 2 19-21- 6 9-14- 1
10. Tampa Bay 61 27-35- 7 13-17- 7 14-18- 0 12-12- 2 16-26- 4 11- 9- 3
11. Ottawa 60 23-33-14 12-17- 7 11-16- 7 7-11- 4 17-20- 8 6-13- 6
12. NY Islanders 58 24-36-10 16-16- 3 8-20- 7 13-12- 3 17-23- 6 7-13- 4
13. Boston 57 24-38- 9 12-17- 7 12-21- 2 7-15- 1 17-24- 5 7-14- 4
Remaining Games
Philadelphia
03/19 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
11/10 Home W 3-1
03/22 @ NY Islanders 7:00pm ET
10/12 Road L 1-5
11/04 Home L 3-4
11/27 Road L 1-4
12/19 Home W 5-0
03/23 Colorado 8:00pm ET
01/04 Road T 4-4
03/25 @ New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/07 Home W 3-1
02/08 Road L 2-4
03/05 Home L 1-3
03/29 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
10/30 Road L 2-4
11/14 Home L 2-5
01/11 Home T 3-3
01/29 Road W 2-1
03/09 Home W 5-0
03/30 @ St. Louis 7:00pm ET
12/21 Home W 4-0
04/01 Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/31 Road W 4-3
11/23 Road W 2-1
01/09 Home L 1-3
02/20 Road L 2-5
04/06 Ottawa 1:00pm ET
11/30 Road W 4-3
02/13 Home W 4-2
02/26 Road W 8-5
04/07 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
11/13 Road W 2-1
12/04 Road T 1-1
02/01 Home L 2-4
02/23 Home W 2-1
04/10 NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
11/13 Road W 2-1
12/04 Road T 1-1
02/01 Home L 2-4
02/23 Home W 2-1
04/12 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road L 5-6
01/14 Home W 3-2
02/06 Home W 9-5
04/13 New Jersey 7:00pm ET
10/07 Home W 3-1
02/08 Road L 2-4
03/05 Home L 1-3
Buffalo
03/18 @ Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
10/17 Home W 4-1
11/12 Road L 0-3
12/28 Road L 0-2
01/29 Home W 3-1
03/05 Home W 4-2
03/21 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
10/18 Road W 4-1
02/02 Home T 2-2
03/22 @ Florida 7:30pm ET
11/11 Home W 3-2
11/26 Road L 3-4
02/06 Home T 1-1
03/26 NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
11/30 Road W 3-2
01/15 Road W 2-1
02/21 Home W 5-2
03/28 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
10/12 Home L 1-6
03/30 @ Chicago 3:00pm ET
01/20 Home W 2-1
04/01 @ NY Rangers 8:00pm ET
10/27 Road L 4-6
12/13 Home L 0-3
04/02 Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/29 Home W 3-0
12/21 Road W 3-2
02/09 Home W 2-1
03/01 Road W 3-1
04/04 NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/27 Road L 4-6
12/13 Home L 0-3
04/07 @ Hartford 7:00pm ET
10/26 Home W 6-3
11/09 Road L 3-4
12/07 Road L 4-6
12/26 Home W 5-1
01/25 Home L 1-5
04/10 @ Boston 7:30pm ET
11/23 Road W 3-2
12/14 Road W 4-0
02/23 Home W 5-1
03/17 Home W 5-1
04/12 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/29 Home W 3-0
12/21 Road W 3-2
02/09 Home W 2-1
03/01 Road W 3-1
04/13 Washington 7:00pm ET
10/18 Road W 4-1
02/02 Home T 2-2
New Jersey
03/19 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
11/12 Home W 3-2
11/22 Home L 1-5
11/23 Road L 3-4
03/15 Home W 3-2
03/22 @ Pittsburgh 1:30pm ET
01/02 Home L 1-6
03/01 Home W 6-3
03/04 Road W 3-1
03/25 Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
10/07 Road L 1-3
02/08 Home W 4-2
03/05 Road W 3-1
03/27 NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/30 Home L 1-6
01/12 Road L 0-3
02/17 Road T 2-2
02/19 Home T 1-1
03/30 Los Angeles 1:00pm ET
01/21 Road W 4-1
04/01 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
11/12 Home W 3-2
11/22 Home L 1-5
11/23 Road L 3-4
03/15 Home W 3-2
04/04 Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road W 4-1
11/02 Home W 2-1
11/16 Home W 6-3
02/22 Road L 1-3
04/06 @ St. Louis 7:00pm ET
01/05 Home L 3-5
04/08 @ Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road W 4-1
11/02 Home W 2-1
11/16 Home W 6-3
02/22 Road L 1-3
04/09 @ Florida 7:30pm ET
12/03 Home W 2-0
02/07 Home T 2-2
02/20 Road T 2-2
03/17 Home L 1-4
04/11 Boston 7:30pm ET
10/29 Road L 2-5
12/12 Road W 7-4
01/14 Home W 4-2
04/13 @ Philadelphia 7:00pm ET
10/07 Road L 1-3
02/08 Home W 4-2
03/05 Road W 3-1
Florida
03/19 @ NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
11/15 Home T 3-3
12/05 Home W 4-2
12/23 Road W 4-3
02/15 Road L 0-1
03/11 Home W 3-2
03/20 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
10/23 Home W 5-2
12/19 Road L 2-5
03/22 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/11 Road L 2-3
11/26 Home W 4-3
02/06 Road T 1-1
03/27 Ottawa 7:30pm ET
10/23 Home W 5-2
12/19 Road L 2-5
03/29 Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
12/26 Road T 3-3
01/25 Home W 3-2
02/12 Home W 5-2
03/01 Road L 0-2
03/31 @ Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
11/09 Home W 4-2
02/18 Road L 2-4
04/02 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
03/15 Home T 3-3
04/05 @ Boston 1:30pm ET
01/23 Road W 4-1
01/30 Home W 3-1
03/09 Home L 1-3
04/06 @ Washington 1:30pm ET
11/07 Home W 4-2
11/18 Home L 2-4
12/28 Road T 1-1
02/01 Home L 1-3
04/09 New Jersey 7:30pm ET
12/03 Road L 0-2
02/07 Road T 2-2
02/20 Home T 2-2
03/17 Road W 4-1
04/11 Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
11/09 Home W 4-2
02/18 Road L 2-4
NY Rangers
03/19 Montreal 7:30pm ET
10/12 Road L 2-5
12/01 Home W 6-2
12/21 Road W 3-2
03/21 Detroit 7:30pm ET
03/01 Road L 0-3
03/24 Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
10/16 Home W 8-1
11/16 Road W 8-3
01/25 Road W 7-4
03/27 @ New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/30 Road W 6-1
01/12 Home W 3-0
02/17 Home T 2-2
02/19 Road T 1-1
03/29 @ Hartford 1:30pm ET
12/16 Home W 5-2
02/05 Home W 5-2
02/21 Road L 2-7
04/01 Buffalo 8:00pm ET
10/27 Home W 6-4
12/13 Road W 3-0
04/03 Boston 7:30pm ET
10/05 Road T 4-4
11/02 Road W 5-2
02/02 Home L 2-3
04/04 @ Buffalo 7:30pm ET
10/27 Home W 6-4
12/13 Road W 3-0
04/07 Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
11/13 Home L 1-2
12/04 Home T 1-1
02/01 Road W 4-2
02/23 Road L 1-2
04/10 @ Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
11/13 Home L 1-2
12/04 Home T 1-1
02/01 Road W 4-2
02/23 Road L 1-2
04/11 Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/20 Road L 2-5
11/04 Home L 3-5
12/31 Road L 2-4
01/08 Home L 3-4
Pittsburgh
03/18 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
10/17 Road L 1-4
11/12 Home W 3-0
12/28 Home W 2-0
01/29 Road L 1-3
03/05 Road L 2-4
03/20 Toronto 7:30pm ET
12/23 Road W 6-5
03/22 New Jersey 1:30pm ET
01/02 Road W 6-1
03/01 Road L 3-6
03/04 Home L 1-3
03/24 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/16 Road L 1-8
11/16 Home L 3-8
01/25 Home L 4-7
03/26 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
11/27 Home T 2-2
12/26 Home T 3-3
01/26 Road W 5-2
02/05 Road W 6-3
03/10 Home T 2-2
03/29 Los Angeles 1:30pm ET
12/10 Road W 5-3
03/31 Florida 7:30pm ET
11/09 Road L 2-4
02/18 Home W 4-2
04/03 Hartford 7:30pm ET
10/08 Road L 3-7
11/22 Road W 7-1
12/03 Home T 4-4
01/15 Road W 3-0
04/05 Ottawa 1:30pm ET
10/11 Road L 2-3
10/12 Home W 3-2
11/02 Home W 7-3
12/04 Road W 4-2
01/11 Road T 3-3
04/08 Boston 7:30pm ET
11/14 Road L 1-2
11/30 Home W 6-2
12/17 Home L 4-6
04/10 @ Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/05 Home L 3-4
11/08 Road T 5-5
01/04 Home W 7-3
04/11 @ Florida 7:30pm ET
11/09 Road L 2-4
02/18 Home W 4-2
04/13 @ Boston 1:30pm ET
11/14 Road L 1-2
11/30 Home W 6-2
12/17 Home L 4-6
Hartford
03/20 @ St. Louis 8:30pm ET
12/17 Home W 5-3
03/21 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
12/20 Home L 1-4
03/25 Colorado 7:00pm ET
11/16 Road T 4-4
03/27 @ Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
11/30 Road W 6-3
12/21 Home W 6-5
03/29 NY Rangers 1:30pm ET
12/16 Road L 2-5
02/05 Road L 2-5
02/21 Home W 7-2
04/02 Montreal 7:00pm ET
11/20 Home W 3-1
01/06 Road L 4-5
02/08 Road L 2-3
03/07 Home W 2-0
04/03 @ Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
10/08 Home W 7-3
11/22 Home L 1-7
12/03 Road T 4-4
01/15 Home L 0-3
04/05 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
11/20 Home W 3-1
01/06 Road L 4-5
02/08 Road L 2-3
03/07 Home W 2-0
04/07 Buffalo 7:00pm ET
10/26 Road L 3-6
11/09 Home W 4-3
12/07 Home W 6-4
12/26 Road L 1-5
01/25 Road W 5-1
04/09 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/23 Road T 3-3
12/28 Home W 3-2
02/15 Home W 2-1
02/16 Road L 2-4
04/11 @ NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
10/17 Road W 3-1
10/30 Home T 2-2
01/24 Home L 2-5
04/13 Tampa Bay 1:30pm ET
11/30 Road W 6-3
12/21 Home W 6-5
Montreal
03/19 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/12 Home W 5-2
12/01 Road L 2-6
12/21 Home L 2-3
03/22 Washington 7:30pm ET
11/15 Road L 1-3
11/30 Home L 0-2
03/24 Boston 7:30pm ET
11/21 Road W 6-2
12/04 Home L 3-4
01/09 Road L 4-5
01/11 Home W 6-3
03/13 Road W 3-0
03/26 Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
11/27 Road T 2-2
12/26 Road T 3-3
01/26 Home L 2-5
02/05 Home L 3-6
03/10 Road T 2-2
03/29 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
10/05 Home T 3-3
10/19 Road L 3-6
12/23 Home L 0-6
03/15 Home T 2-2
04/02 @ Hartford 7:00pm ET
11/20 Road L 1-3
01/06 Home W 5-4
02/08 Home W 3-2
03/07 Road L 0-2
04/05 Hartford 7:30pm ET
11/20 Road L 1-3
01/06 Home W 5-4
02/08 Home W 3-2
03/07 Road L 0-2
04/07 NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
01/04 Home W 3-1
02/17 Road W 4-1
04/09 @ NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
01/04 Home W 3-1
02/17 Road W 4-1
04/10 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
11/15 Road L 1-3
11/30 Home L 0-2
04/12 Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home W 6-5
01/14 Road L 2-3
02/06 Road L 5-9
Washington
03/19 New Jersey 7:30pm ET
11/12 Road L 2-3
11/22 Road W 5-1
11/23 Home W 4-3
03/15 Road L 2-3
03/21 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
10/18 Home L 1-4
02/02 Road T 2-2
03/22 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
11/15 Home W 3-1
11/30 Road W 2-0
03/25 St. Louis 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road W 6-4
03/26 @ Chicago 8:30pm ET
10/05 Home L 2-5
03/29 Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
10/30 Home W 4-2
11/14 Road W 5-2
01/11 Road T 3-3
01/29 Home L 1-2
03/09 Road L 0-5
04/01 New Jersey 7:30pm ET
11/12 Road L 2-3
11/22 Road W 5-1
11/23 Home W 4-3
03/15 Road L 2-3
04/03 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/27 Home L 1-2
01/15 Road L 1-5
02/18 Home L 1-6
04/06 Florida 1:30pm ET
11/07 Road L 2-4
11/18 Road W 4-2
12/28 Home T 1-1
02/01 Road W 3-1
04/10 Montreal 7:30pm ET
11/15 Home W 3-1
11/30 Road W 2-0
04/12 NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
11/02 Road L 1-6
11/29 Home L 0-2
12/07 Road L 0-2
03/02 Home L 0-2
04/13 @ Buffalo 7:00pm ET
10/18 Home L 1-4
02/02 Road T 2-2
Tampa Bay
03/19 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
12/12 Home T 2-2
03/21 @ Calgary 9:30pm ET
03/09 Home W 2-1
03/22 @ Vancouver 10:30pm ET
03/15 Home L 2-5
03/25 Ottawa 7:30pm ET
10/24 Home L 2-5
01/06 Road W 4-3
01/27 Road L 3-5
03/27 Hartford 7:30pm ET
11/30 Home L 3-6
12/21 Road L 5-6
03/29 @ Florida 7:30pm ET
12/26 Home T 3-3
01/25 Road L 2-3
02/12 Road L 2-5
03/01 Home W 2-0
04/01 @ Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
10/31 Home L 3-4
11/23 Home L 1-2
01/09 Road W 3-1
02/20 Home W 5-2
04/04 @ New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home L 1-4
11/02 Road L 1-2
11/16 Road L 3-6
02/22 Home W 3-1
04/05 @ NY Islanders 7:00pm ET
10/22 Road W 6-3
12/14 Home W 4-1
01/11 Home T 4-4
03/04 Road W 6-3
03/13 Home L 0-3
04/08 New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home L 1-4
11/02 Road L 1-2
11/16 Road L 3-6
02/22 Home W 3-1
04/10 Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
10/05 Road W 4-3
11/08 Home T 5-5
01/04 Road L 3-7
04/11 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/20 Home W 5-2
11/04 Road W 5-3
12/31 Home W 4-2
01/08 Road W 4-3
04/13 @ Hartford 1:30pm ET
11/30 Home L 3-6
12/21 Road L 5-6
Ottawa
03/20 Florida 7:30pm ET
10/23 Road L 2-5
12/19 Home W 5-2
03/22 @ Boston 1:30pm ET
11/09 Home L 3-4
01/01 Home W 3-2
01/13 Road W 4-3
01/22 Home L 1-4
02/04 Road W 4-3
03/25 @ Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/24 Road W 5-2
01/06 Home L 3-4
01/27 Home W 5-3
03/27 @ Florida 7:30pm ET
10/23 Road L 2-5
12/19 Home W 5-2
03/29 Montreal 7:30pm ET
10/05 Road T 3-3
10/19 Home W 6-3
12/23 Road W 6-0
03/15 Road T 2-2
04/02 @ Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/29 Road L 0-3
12/21 Home L 2-3
02/09 Road L 1-2
03/01 Home L 1-3
04/03 Washington 7:30pm ET
11/27 Road W 2-1
01/15 Home W 5-1
02/18 Road W 6-1
04/05 @ Pittsburgh 1:30pm ET
10/11 Home W 3-2
10/12 Road L 2-3
11/02 Road L 3-7
12/04 Home L 2-4
01/11 Home T 3-3
04/06 @ Philadelphia 1:00pm ET
11/30 Home L 3-4
02/13 Road L 2-4
02/26 Home L 5-8
04/09 Hartford 7:30pm ET
11/23 Home T 3-3
12/28 Road L 2-3
02/15 Road L 1-2
02/16 Home W 4-2
04/11 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
11/01 Home T 2-2
04/12 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/29 Road L 0-3
12/21 Home L 2-3
02/09 Road L 1-2
03/01 Home L 1-3
NY Islanders
03/19 Florida 7:30pm ET
11/15 Road T 3-3
12/05 Road L 2-4
12/23 Home L 3-4
02/15 Home W 1-0
03/11 Road L 2-3
03/22 Philadelphia 7:00pm ET
10/12 Home W 5-1
11/04 Road W 4-3
11/27 Home W 4-1
12/19 Road L 0-5
03/26 @ Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/30 Home L 2-3
01/15 Home L 1-2
02/21 Road L 2-5
03/27 @ Boston 7:30pm ET
03/06 Home W 5-2
03/15 Road L 2-5
03/29 Boston 1:00pm ET
03/06 Home W 5-2
03/15 Road L 2-5
04/02 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
12/21 Home L 2-3
04/03 @ St. Louis 8:30pm ET
01/20 Home L 4-6
04/05 Tampa Bay 7:00pm ET
10/22 Home L 3-6
12/14 Road L 1-4
01/11 Road T 4-4
03/04 Home L 3-6
03/13 Road W 3-0
04/07 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
01/04 Road L 1-3
02/17 Home L 1-4
04/09 Montreal 7:30pm ET
01/04 Road L 1-3
02/17 Home L 1-4
04/11 Hartford 7:30pm ET
10/17 Home L 1-3
10/30 Road T 2-2
01/24 Road W 5-2
04/12 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
11/02 Home W 6-1
11/29 Road W 2-0
12/07 Home W 2-0
03/02 Road W 2-0
Boston
03/19 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home L 1-2
03/22 Ottawa 1:30pm ET
11/09 Road W 4-3
01/01 Road L 2-3
01/13 Home L 3-4
01/22 Road W 4-1
02/04 Home L 3-4
03/24 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
11/21 Home L 2-6
12/04 Road W 4-3
01/09 Home W 5-4
01/11 Road L 3-6
03/13 Home L 0-3
03/27 NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
03/06 Road L 2-5
03/15 Home W 5-2
03/29 @ NY Islanders 1:00pm ET
03/06 Road L 2-5
03/15 Home W 5-2
04/03 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/05 Home T 4-4
11/02 Home L 2-5
02/02 Road W 3-2
04/05 Florida 1:30pm ET
01/23 Home L 1-4
01/30 Road L 1-3
03/09 Road W 3-1
04/08 @ Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
11/14 Home W 2-1
11/30 Road L 2-6
12/17 Road W 6-4
04/10 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/23 Home L 2-3
12/14 Home L 0-4
02/23 Road L 1-5
03/17 Road L 1-5
04/11 @ New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/29 Home W 5-2
12/12 Home L 4-7
01/14 Road L 2-4
04/13 Pittsburgh 1:30pm ET
11/14 Home W 2-1
11/30 Road L 2-6
12/17 Road W 6-4
Western Conference
Overall Opponent vs Opponent
Pts Record GR H R Pct Proj Pct Proj Pct Proj
1. Colorado 95 43-18- 9 12 6 6 0.679 111.3 0.484 107.4 0.671 111.1
2. Dallas 88 41-23- 6 12 6 6 0.629 103.1 0.441 101.4 0.697 104.7
3. Detroit 81 33-21-15 13 8 5 0.587 96.3 0.417 96.1 0.543 95.1
4. Phoenix 71 33-33- 5 11 4 7 0.500 82.0 0.499 82.0 0.500 82.0
5. Edmonton 71 32-32- 7 11 7 4 0.500 82.0 0.480 82.4 0.500 82.0
6. St Louis 69 30-32- 9 11 7 4 0.486 79.7 0.517 79.6 0.429 78.4
7. Anaheim 69 29-30-11 12 4 8 0.493 80.8 0.489 81.3 0.550 82.2
8. Calgary 68 30-34- 8 10 7 3 0.472 77.4 0.484 78.3 0.484 77.7
9. Chicago 68 28-31-12 11 7 4 0.479 78.5 0.474 79.6 0.453 78.0
10. Vancouver 62 29-37- 4 12 8 4 0.443 72.6 0.489 74.3 0.500 74.0
11. Los Angeles 59 25-37- 9 11 4 7 0.415 68.1 0.468 70.7 0.344 66.6
12. Toronto 58 26-38- 6 12 5 7 0.414 67.9 0.504 69.9 0.378 67.1
13. San Jose 53 23-39- 7 13 7 6 0.384 63.0 0.496 66.1 0.409 63.6
Pts Record Home Road Division Conf NonConf
1. Colorado 95 43-18- 9 23- 7- 5 20-11- 4 16- 6- 4 28-10- 4 15- 8- 5
2. Dallas 88 41-23- 6 21-11- 3 20-12- 3 12- 5- 2 26-13- 3 15-10- 3
3. Detroit 81 33-21-15 17- 9- 7 16-12- 8 7- 9- 4 17-17-10 16- 4- 5
4. Phoenix 71 33-33- 5 14-18- 5 19-15- 0 10- 6- 1 21-17- 1 12-16- 4
5. Edmonton 71 32-32- 7 19-13- 2 13-19- 5 11-13- 3 16-21- 5 16-11- 2
6. St Louis 69 30-32- 9 13-18- 3 17-14- 6 8-11- 4 23-22- 5 7-10- 4
7. Anaheim 69 29-30-11 20-12- 5 9-18- 6 9- 9- 6 16-17- 7 13-13- 4
8. Calgary 68 30-34- 8 19-13- 2 11-21- 6 13-12- 2 19-20- 4 11-14- 4
9. Chicago 68 28-31-12 12-18- 4 16-13- 8 6-10- 3 15-21- 6 13-10- 6
10. Vancouver 62 29-37- 4 16-15- 2 13-22- 2 10-13- 0 18-20- 3 11-17- 1
11. Los Angeles 59 25-37- 9 16-15- 6 9-22- 3 9-14- 3 15-23- 6 10-14- 3
12. Toronto 58 26-38- 6 16-17- 3 10-21- 3 5-10- 2 16-23- 3 10-15- 3
13. San Jose 53 23-39- 7 12-19- 3 11-20- 4 10-11- 0 17-22- 0 6-17- 7
Remaining Games
Colorado
03/18 Vancouver 9:00pm ET
10/19 Home W 9-2
10/23 Road W 4-1
12/11 Road W 6-1
03/03 Home W 5-1
03/21 Anaheim 9:00pm ET
10/10 Home T 6-6
11/03 Road T 1-1
02/02 Road W 5-2
03/09 Home T 2-2
03/23 @ Philadelphia 8:00pm ET
01/04 Home T 4-4
03/25 @ Hartford 7:00pm ET
11/16 Home T 4-4
03/26 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
11/13 Road W 4-1
12/17 Home W 4-3
03/16 Home W 4-2
03/29 Toronto 7:30pm ET
12/21 Home L 2-6
01/11 Road W 3-2
01/27 Road W 5-2
04/02 @ Calgary 9:30pm ET
10/22 Road L 1-5
12/14 Road L 1-4
12/23 Home W 4-3
01/02 Home W 3-2
03/12 Home L 2-3
04/04 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/08 Home W 6-0
11/06 Road W 4-1
02/01 Road L 1-2
04/06 Phoenix 9:00pm ET
11/08 Road W 4-1
11/20 Home W 6-0
02/13 Road W 3-2
04/09 San Jose 9:00pm ET
10/08 Home W 6-0
11/06 Road W 4-1
02/01 Road L 1-2
04/11 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
10/05 Road L 1-4
12/29 Home W 3-2
02/27 Home L 2-6
04/13 Los Angeles 9:00pm ET
12/07 Road L 2-4
12/28 Road W 5-2
01/29 Home W 6-3
02/11 Home W 3-1
02/25 Road L 1-3
Dallas
03/19 Phoenix 8:30pm ET
11/06 Road W 3-2
01/10 Home L 3-4
02/08 Road W 5-4
02/12 Home L 0-5
03/21 Hartford 8:30pm ET
12/20 Road W 4-1
03/23 @ St. Louis 7:00pm ET
11/03 Road L 3-6
12/11 Home T 5-5
02/06 Road L 4-6
03/05 Home W 3-2
03/30 @ Vancouver 5:00pm ET
10/17 Home L 1-6
11/19 Road L 0-2
12/13 Home W 2-1
03/31 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
11/17 Road W 7-3
02/23 Home W 6-1
03/07 Home W 2-1
04/02 NY Islanders 8:30pm ET
12/21 Road W 3-2
04/04 @ Anaheim 10:30pm ET
11/11 Road W 3-2
11/15 Home W 4-3
01/29 Home W 3-1
04/05 @ Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
01/27 Home W 7-2
02/09 Home W 2-1
02/17 Road W 2-1
04/07 @ Phoenix 10:00pm ET
11/06 Road W 3-2
01/10 Home L 3-4
02/08 Road W 5-4
02/12 Home L 0-5
04/09 Toronto 8:30pm ET
10/19 Home W 2-0
11/30 Home W 5-2
01/25 Road W 5-1
03/10 Road T 3-3
04/11 Colorado 8:30pm ET
10/05 Home W 4-1
12/29 Road L 2-3
02/27 Road W 6-2
04/13 Chicago 3:00pm ET
10/13 Road W 5-3
11/01 Home L 2-3
12/18 Road W 3-2
02/25 Road W 1-0
03/14 Home T 4-4
Detroit
03/19 Boston 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road W 2-1
03/21 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
03/01 Home W 3-0
03/23 @ Chicago 3:00pm ET
10/17 Road L 1-2
10/25 Home T 2-2
12/12 Home W 6-2
01/05 Road T 5-5
01/11 Home L 1-3
03/26 Colorado 7:30pm ET
11/13 Home L 1-4
12/17 Road L 3-4
03/16 Road L 2-4
03/28 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
10/12 Road W 6-1
03/30 Anaheim 3:00pm ET
11/24 Road L 1-3
03/02 Home T 1-1
03/12 Road L 1-2
04/01 St. Louis 7:30pm ET
02/01 Road W 4-1
02/04 Home T 1-1
02/22 Road T 2-2
04/03 Toronto 7:30pm ET
11/02 Road L 2-6
11/27 Home W 5-2
12/15 Home W 3-1
03/05 Road T 4-4
04/05 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
11/02 Road L 2-6
11/27 Home W 5-2
12/15 Home W 3-1
03/05 Road T 4-4
04/08 @ Calgary 9:30pm ET
10/11 Home L 1-2
12/18 Road T 3-3
02/19 Home W 4-0
04/09 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
10/09 Home W 2-0
12/10 Home T 0-0
12/22 Road W 6-2
04/11 Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/01 Road T 2-2
04/13 St. Louis 3:00pm ET
02/01 Road W 4-1
02/04 Home T 1-1
02/22 Road T 2-2
Phoenix
03/19 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
11/06 Home L 2-3
01/10 Road W 4-3
02/08 Home L 4-5
02/12 Road W 5-0
03/20 @ Chicago 8:30pm ET
01/02 Road W 4-2
02/06 Home W 3-2
03/02 Home L 0-4
03/08 Road W 2-0
03/22 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road L 2-5
11/16 Home W 3-2
12/14 Road W 5-3
12/20 Home W 5-2
03/27 Toronto 9:00pm ET
10/26 Road L 2-5
11/16 Home W 3-2
12/14 Road W 5-3
12/20 Home W 5-2
03/29 Edmonton 10:30pm ET
10/14 Home L 3-6
10/30 Road L 1-4
04/01 San Jose 10:00pm ET
10/10 Home W 4-1
01/13 Road L 4-5
03/14 Road W 4-1
04/03 @ Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
12/03 Home L 1-4
12/26 Road L 2-5
02/18 Home W 6-1
04/06 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
11/08 Home L 1-4
11/20 Road L 0-6
02/13 Home L 2-3
04/07 Dallas 10:00pm ET
11/06 Home L 2-3
01/10 Road W 4-3
02/08 Home L 4-5
02/12 Road W 5-0
04/09 @ Vancouver 10:00pm ET
12/27 Home W 7-4
01/25 Home W 4-0
02/27 Road L 2-6
04/11 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
10/14 Home L 3-6
10/30 Road L 1-4
Edmonton
03/19 Tampa Bay 9:30pm ET
12/12 Road T 2-2
03/23 Anaheim 3:00pm ET
12/01 Road L 2-4
02/08 Home L 1-2
02/17 Road L 1-5
02/26 Road T 3-3
03/24 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
11/29 Road W 4-2
12/28 Home W 5-3
01/11 Home L 1-2
01/29 Home W 3-1
03/28 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
11/29 Road W 4-2
12/28 Home W 5-3
01/11 Home L 1-2
01/29 Home W 3-1
03/29 @ Phoenix 10:30pm ET
10/14 Road W 6-3
10/30 Home W 4-1
03/31 Dallas 9:30pm ET
11/17 Home L 3-7
02/23 Road L 1-6
03/07 Road L 1-2
04/03 Chicago 9:30pm ET
11/03 Road L 2-4
11/19 Home T 4-4
01/08 Road L 1-4
04/05 Vancouver 10:30pm ET
10/06 Home W 2-0
11/01 Home L 4-5
12/23 Road W 7-0
04/09 Detroit 9:30pm ET
10/09 Road L 0-2
12/10 Road T 0-0
12/22 Home L 2-6
04/11 Phoenix 9:30pm ET
10/14 Road W 6-3
10/30 Home W 4-1
04/12 @ Vancouver 10:30pm ET
10/06 Home W 2-0
11/01 Home L 4-5
12/23 Road W 7-0
St Louis
03/20 Hartford 8:30pm ET
12/17 Road L 3-5
03/23 Dallas 7:00pm ET
11/03 Home W 6-3
12/11 Road T 5-5
02/06 Home W 6-4
03/05 Road L 2-3
03/25 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home L 4-6
03/27 Los Angeles 8:30pm ET
12/22 Home W 7-4
01/11 Road L 1-2
03/13 Road W 4-2
03/30 Philadelphia 7:00pm ET
12/21 Road L 0-4
04/01 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
02/01 Home L 1-4
02/04 Road T 1-1
02/22 Home T 2-2
04/03 NY Islanders 8:30pm ET
01/20 Road W 6-4
04/06 New Jersey 7:00pm ET
01/05 Road W 5-3
04/09 @ Chicago 8:30pm ET
10/06 Home L 1-4
10/24 Road L 4-6
12/13 Home L 1-4
12/26 Road T 4-4
02/17 Home W 4-2
04/10 Toronto 8:30pm ET
10/17 Home W 6-1
11/05 Road L 3-6
12/03 Road L 0-2
12/27 Home L 2-3
01/29 Road W 4-0
04/13 @ Detroit 3:00pm ET
02/01 Home L 1-4
02/04 Road T 1-1
02/22 Home T 2-2
Anaheim
03/19 Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
11/08 Home W 7-4
01/25 Road T 2-2
02/20 Road L 1-3
03/21 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
10/10 Road T 6-6
11/03 Home T 1-1
02/02 Home L 2-5
03/09 Road T 2-2
03/23 @ Edmonton 3:00pm ET
12/01 Home W 4-2
02/08 Road W 2-1
02/17 Home W 5-1
02/26 Home T 3-3
03/25 @ Calgary 9:30pm ET
10/27 Home L 1-4
12/20 Home W 7-0
01/15 Road L 1-2
02/09 Road L 1-6
03/16 Home T 2-2
03/26 @ Vancouver 10:00pm ET
10/30 Home L 3-6
01/06 Home L 1-5
01/12 Road W 3-2
02/15 Road L 2-4
02/23 Home W 5-2
03/28 @ Chicago 8:30pm ET
10/09 Road W 2-0
11/29 Home W 2-0
03/30 @ Detroit 3:00pm ET
11/24 Home W 3-1
03/02 Road T 1-1
03/12 Home W 2-1
04/01 Chicago 10:30pm ET
10/09 Road W 2-0
11/29 Home W 2-0
04/02 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/18 Home L 1-4
11/01 Home W 4-3
11/23 Road W 3-0
04/04 Dallas 10:30pm ET
11/11 Home L 2-3
11/15 Road L 3-4
01/29 Road L 1-3
04/09 Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
11/08 Home W 7-4
01/25 Road T 2-2
02/20 Road L 1-3
04/11 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/18 Home L 1-4
11/01 Home W 4-3
11/23 Road W 3-0
Calgary
03/19 San Jose 9:30pm ET
10/30 Road L 1-3
12/31 Home L 1-5
01/04 Road W 4-3
01/30 Home L 3-6
03/21 Tampa Bay 9:30pm ET
03/09 Road L 1-2
03/25 Anaheim 9:30pm ET
10/27 Road W 4-1
12/20 Road L 0-7
01/15 Home W 2-1
02/09 Home W 6-1
03/16 Road T 2-2
03/29 Vancouver 3:30pm ET
10/05 Road L 1-3
11/02 Road L 3-4
02/01 Home W 3-0
04/02 Colorado 9:30pm ET
10/22 Home W 5-1
12/14 Home W 4-1
12/23 Road L 3-4
01/02 Road L 2-3
03/12 Road W 3-2
04/04 @ Vancouver 10:00pm ET
10/05 Road L 1-3
11/02 Road L 3-4
02/01 Home W 3-0
04/06 Chicago 3:30pm ET
11/14 Road W 2-1
11/22 Home L 2-5
04/08 Detroit 9:30pm ET
10/11 Road W 2-1
12/18 Home T 3-3
02/19 Road L 0-4
04/11 @ Chicago 8:30pm ET
11/14 Road W 2-1
11/22 Home L 2-5
04/12 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
01/07 Home W 4-3
01/22 Road L 3-5
02/15 Home W 3-0
Chicago
03/20 Phoenix 8:30pm ET
01/02 Home L 2-4
02/06 Road L 2-3
03/02 Road W 4-0
03/08 Home L 0-2
03/23 Detroit 3:00pm ET
10/17 Home W 2-1
10/25 Road T 2-2
12/12 Road L 2-6
01/05 Home T 5-5
01/11 Road W 3-1
03/26 Washington 8:30pm ET
10/05 Road W 5-2
03/28 Anaheim 8:30pm ET
10/09 Home L 0-2
11/29 Road L 0-2
03/30 Buffalo 3:00pm ET
01/20 Road L 1-2
04/01 @ Anaheim 10:30pm ET
10/09 Home L 0-2
11/29 Road L 0-2
04/03 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
11/03 Home W 4-2
11/19 Road T 4-4
01/08 Home W 4-1
04/06 @ Calgary 3:30pm ET
11/14 Home L 1-2
11/22 Road W 5-2
04/09 St. Louis 8:30pm ET
10/06 Road W 4-1
10/24 Home W 6-4
12/13 Road W 4-1
12/26 Home T 4-4
02/17 Road L 2-4
04/11 Calgary 8:30pm ET
11/14 Home L 1-2
11/22 Road W 5-2
04/13 @ Dallas 3:00pm ET
10/13 Home L 3-5
11/01 Road W 3-2
12/18 Home L 2-3
02/25 Home L 0-1
03/14 Road T 4-4
Vancouver
03/18 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
10/19 Road L 2-9
10/23 Home L 1-4
12/11 Home L 1-6
03/03 Road L 1-5
03/20 San Jose 10:00pm ET
12/26 Road L 1-6
01/20 Home W 6-1
01/27 Home W 5-2
02/20 Road W 6-1
03/22 Tampa Bay 10:30pm ET
03/15 Road W 5-2
03/24 Los Angeles 10:00pm ET
01/02 Home W 4-3
01/07 Road L 2-6
02/22 Road L 0-4
03/01 Home L 0-3
03/26 Anaheim 10:00pm ET
10/30 Road W 6-3
01/06 Road W 5-1
01/12 Home L 2-3
02/15 Home W 4-2
02/23 Road L 2-5
03/29 @ Calgary 3:30pm ET
10/05 Home W 3-1
11/02 Home W 4-3
02/01 Road L 0-3
03/30 Dallas 5:00pm ET
10/17 Road W 6-1
11/19 Home W 2-0
12/13 Road L 1-2
04/04 Calgary 10:00pm ET
10/05 Home W 3-1
11/02 Home W 4-3
02/01 Road L 0-3
04/05 @ Edmonton 10:30pm ET
10/06 Road L 0-2
11/01 Road W 5-4
12/23 Home L 0-7
04/07 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
12/26 Road L 1-6
01/20 Home W 6-1
01/27 Home W 5-2
02/20 Road W 6-1
04/09 Phoenix 10:00pm ET
12/27 Road L 4-7
01/25 Road L 0-4
02/27 Home W 6-2
04/12 Edmonton 10:30pm ET
10/06 Road L 0-2
11/01 Road W 5-4
12/23 Home L 0-7
Los Angeles
03/19 @ Anaheim 10:30pm ET
11/08 Road L 4-7
01/25 Home T 2-2
02/20 Home W 3-1
03/22 San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/06 Home L 6-7
01/22 Road L 2-7
02/05 Road L 2-3
03/24 @ Vancouver 10:00pm ET
01/02 Road L 3-4
01/07 Home W 6-2
02/22 Home W 4-0
03/01 Road W 3-0
03/27 @ St. Louis 8:30pm ET
12/22 Road L 4-7
01/11 Home W 2-1
03/13 Home L 2-4
03/29 @ Pittsburgh 1:30pm ET
12/10 Home L 3-5
03/30 @ New Jersey 1:00pm ET
01/21 Home L 1-4
04/03 Phoenix 10:30pm ET
12/03 Road W 4-1
12/26 Home W 5-2
02/18 Road L 1-6
04/05 Dallas 10:30pm ET
01/27 Road L 2-7
02/09 Road L 1-2
02/17 Home L 1-2
04/09 @ Anaheim 10:30pm ET
11/08 Road L 4-7
01/25 Home T 2-2
02/20 Home W 3-1
04/12 San Jose 8:00pm ET
10/06 Home L 6-7
01/22 Road L 2-7
02/05 Road L 2-3
04/13 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
12/07 Home W 4-2
12/28 Home L 2-5
01/29 Road L 3-6
02/11 Road L 1-3
02/25 Home W 3-1
Toronto
03/19 Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
11/10 Road L 1-3
03/20 @ Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
12/23 Home L 5-6
03/22 Phoenix 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home W 5-2
11/16 Road L 2-3
12/14 Home L 3-5
12/20 Road L 2-5
03/26 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/22 Home W 4-3
12/17 Road W 6-3
03/01 Home W 3-2
03/27 @ Phoenix 9:00pm ET
10/26 Home W 5-2
11/16 Road L 2-3
12/14 Home L 3-5
12/20 Road L 2-5
03/29 @ Colorado 7:30pm ET
12/21 Road W 6-2
01/11 Home L 2-3
01/27 Home L 2-5
04/02 Florida 7:30pm ET
03/15 Road T 3-3
04/03 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
11/02 Home W 6-2
11/27 Road L 2-5
12/15 Road L 1-3
03/05 Home T 4-4
04/05 Detroit 7:30pm ET
11/02 Home W 6-2
11/27 Road L 2-5
12/15 Road L 1-3
03/05 Home T 4-4
04/09 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
10/19 Road L 0-2
11/30 Road L 2-5
01/25 Home L 1-5
03/10 Home T 3-3
04/10 @ St. Louis 8:30pm ET
10/17 Road L 1-6
11/05 Home W 6-3
12/03 Home W 2-0
12/27 Road W 3-2
01/29 Home L 0-4
04/12 Calgary 7:30pm ET
01/07 Road L 3-4
01/22 Home W 5-3
02/15 Road L 0-3
San Jose
03/19 @ Calgary 9:30pm ET
10/30 Home W 3-1
12/31 Road W 5-1
01/04 Home L 3-4
01/30 Road W 6-3
03/20 @ Vancouver 10:00pm ET
12/26 Home W 6-1
01/20 Road L 1-6
01/27 Road L 2-5
02/20 Home L 1-6
03/22 @ Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
10/06 Road W 7-6
01/22 Home W 7-2
02/05 Home W 3-2
03/24 Edmonton 10:30pm ET
11/29 Home L 2-4
12/28 Road L 3-5
01/11 Road W 2-1
01/29 Road L 1-3
03/26 Toronto 10:30pm ET
10/22 Road L 3-4
12/17 Home L 3-6
03/01 Road L 2-3
03/28 Edmonton 10:30pm ET
11/29 Home L 2-4
12/28 Road L 3-5
01/11 Road W 2-1
01/29 Road L 1-3
04/01 @ Phoenix 10:00pm ET
10/10 Road L 1-4
01/13 Home W 5-4
03/14 Home L 1-4
04/02 Anaheim 10:30pm ET
10/18 Road W 4-1
11/01 Road L 3-4
11/23 Home L 0-3
04/04 Colorado 10:30pm ET
10/08 Road L 0-6
11/06 Home L 1-4
02/01 Home W 2-1
04/07 Vancouver 10:30pm ET
12/26 Home W 6-1
01/20 Road L 1-6
01/27 Road L 2-5
02/20 Home L 1-6
04/09 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
10/08 Road L 0-6
11/06 Home L 1-4
02/01 Home W 2-1
04/11 Anaheim 10:30pm ET
10/18 Road W 4-1
11/01 Road L 3-4
11/23 Home L 0-3
04/12 @ Los Angeles 8:00pm ET
10/06 Road W 7-6
01/22 Home W 7-2
02/05 Home W 3-2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Playoff Picture Update
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell
With only one month left in the NHL's regular season, teams are
scrappin' like chimps trying to secure a spot in the postseason.
Wondering who's going to get in? Which teams will be left out in
the cold? Well, you've come to the right place. Because here at
LCS, we just don't care. So we're not scared to go out on a limb
and make predictions. Because, as always, we just don't care.
In fact, that's our official motto... "we just don't care." It
looks damn fine on a needle-point pillow.
Anyway, here's a quick update of the playoff races and where each
team stands. All records, stats, and stuff are through Monday,
March 17.
Eastern Conference
In the East, there really isn't one team that has its fate set in
stone. Although the conference does seem to be divided into
three sections. Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Buffalo are all
fighting for the top spot. Meanwhile, Florida, the Rangers, and
Pittsburgh should be able to settle within slots four through
six, while Hartford, Montreal, and Washington battle it out for
the final two openings. Tampa Bay and Ottawa remain involved,
but will have trouble getting into the big show.
1. Philadelphia Flyers (39-21-10, 88 points):
The Flyers appeared ready to run away with the Eastern
Conference, that is until the New Jersey Devils acquired Doug
Gilmour from Toronto. Since that time, the Devils have gone 9-2-
0 and have tied the Fly guys with 88 points, although Philly
still holds the tie-breaker with one more win.
GM Bobby Clarke pretty much gave the conference title to the New
Jersey Devils when he was unable to pull off a trade for a
premier goaltender. Neither Ron Hextall or Garth Snow are
Stanley Cup championship material. The Philly blue line is also
weak and could be exploited down low. John LeClair and Eric
Lindros are going to have a hard time getting this team past New
Jersey and deep into the playoffs.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Garth Snow:
With Hextall looking every bit the third post, the goaltending
chores will likely be on Snow's shoulders the rest of the way.
It'll be interesting to see if the Flyers stick with Snow or
switch back to Hextall's veteran experience for the postseason.
Not that it really matters, neither one is good enough to get the
club out of the East.
Likely Finish: Third.
2. Buffalo Sabres (37-21-11, 85 points): The
Sabres have an enormous 14-point lead over the Pittsburgh
Penguins in the Northeast Division, pretty much guaranteeing them
the number two seed. Sure, they're only three back of the Flyers
and Devils, but winning the conference might be a little too much
to expect from the overachieving bunch.
The Sabres have been relying on balanced scoring to carry the
offense while Dominik Hasek continues his collision course with
the Hart Trophy. Hasek has been incredible all season, but he's
going to eventually need some more offensive support. How much
longer can guys like Donald Audette, Derek Plante, and Mike Peca
carry the load? Balanced scoring is great and all, but the
problem is that it all tends to go cold at the same time.
Without a proven superstar to lead the way, and with Pat
LaFontaine's return from post-concussion syndrome doubtful, the
Sabres really shouldn't be able to score enough down the stretch
to challenge either Philly or New Jersey. Then again, the Sabres
are becoming good at doing the unexpected. So who knows?
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Derek Plante:
It's a given that Hasek is gonna be there. The Sabres are going
to need goals tho' and Plante will be called on to get the job
done. He is currently second on the club in goals with 26, one
behind Donald Audette. The zany thing is that all but two of his
goals this season have come at Marine Midland Arena. With
Buffalo playing nine of its final 13 games on the road, Plante is
going to have to score away from home for the Sabres to have any
chance in competing for the top spot.
Likely Finish: Second.
3. New Jersey Devils (38-20-12, 88 points): El
Diablo muy, muy bueno. The New Jersey Devils are the best team
in the Eastern Conference and the second-best club in the NHL,
behind only Colorado. The Devils have the best group of
defensemen in the league and Martin Brodeur is one of the top
three goaltenders in hockey. Barring injury, the Devils can plan
another trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Bill Guerin:
The wishful comparisons to Brendan Shanahan are starting to wear
a little thin. Guerin needs to crank it up and prove that he's
the star everyone thinks he should be.
Likely Finish: First.
4. Florida Panthers (32-23-16, 80 points): The
Panthers have been struggling over the past several weeks, but
still enjoy a five-point advantage over the New York Rangers for
fourth place. The club has been ravaged by knee injuries this
season and was handed a severe blow recently when Brian Skrudland
joined the injury ranks. The Panther captain will be sidelined
for the remainder of the regular season and at least the first
two rounds of the playoffs after spraining the MCL and partially
tearing the ACL of his right knee in a game against Calgary on
March 7. Without the inspirational leadership of Skrudland,
things could get ugly in South Florida.
The club tried to address the need for leadership by trading
Jason Podollan to the Maple Leafs in exchange for Kirk Muller.
If this was the Kirk Muller of four years ago this trade would be
incredible. Unfortunately, Muller isn't quite the player he once
was. After disappointing stints on Long Island and Toronto, a
strong effort as a Panther isn't exactly a guarantee. If his
head is right and he's ready to play, tho', Muller can be a
tremendous addition to the Panther lineup.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Rob Niedermayer:
Scott Mellanby and Ray Sheppard are the two major producers in
the Florida lineup, but they can't do it alone. If Niedermayer
is going to be a star in this league, now's the time for him to
step up and show some leadership skills in the absence of
Skrudland.
Likely Finish: Florida could hold on to its fourth spot,
but it'll be tough. Don't be surprised if the Rangers move on up
and the Cats finish fifth.
5. New York Rangers (33-29-9, 75 points): The
Blueshirts seemed to right the ship when they acquired Esa
Tikkanen and Russ Courtnall from Vancouver, stringing together a
quiet three-game winning streak. Then they go out and lose 4-3
to Ottawa at home on Monday night, March 17. That's nutty.
While that's hardly the consistency needed for a championship
team, the Rangers are still looking pretty good. Mark Messier is
healthy, Adam Graves is scoring goals, and Brian Leetch is his
usual self. The Rangers could also be in store for a strong
finish, with seven of their final 11 games at Madison Square
Garden.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Mark Messier:
People can talk about how good Wayne Gretzky has played this
season all they want, but Messier is the most important player on
the New York roster. When he's healthy the Rangers are a force.
When he isn't they're a below average club. He needs to avoid
injury the rest of the way for the Rangers to make an impact in
the postseason.
Likely Finish: Fourth. The Rangers are five points behind
the Panthers but should be able to overtake the Cats behind the
direction of Messier.
6. Pittsburgh Penguins (32-20-7, 71 points): The
Birds are just lucky they stockpiled the points in December and
early January. This team is looking terrible at the moment,
going 2-12-2 in its past 16 games, and it's all due to injuries.
Jaromir Jagr could miss another two weeks with his groin strain,
while Mario Lemieux has been bothered by a hip flexor and Ron
Francis is being slowed by a bad back. With a pretty comfortable
seven-point cushion over the final playoff spot, Pittsburgh might
be best to just sit out Francis and Lemieux over the next several
games in hopes of getting them back to full strength for the
postseason. It's unlikely that either Montreal or Hartford will
be able to challenge Pittsburgh's playoff life, although
Washington could get hot and knock the Penguins down to the seven
hole. Either way, Pittsburgh should be a lock.
The club did make a few deals at the deadline, acquiring Ed
Olczyk, Roman Oksiuta, and Josef Beranek while parting with Glen
Murray and Richard Park. The deals add some size and scoring
depth up front. The key will be if Beranek reports to
Pittsburgh, he's been playing over in the Czech Republic this
season unwilling to suit up for the Canucks. He could be a nice
fit with fellow countrymen Jaromir Jagr and Petr Nedved.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Kevin Hatcher:
With Lemieux, Jagr, and Francis all banged up, this would be a
good time for Hatcher to create some offense from the blue line.
He also needs to assert himself more in the defensive zone.
Likely Finish: Sixth.
7. Hartford Whalers (27-33-10, 64 points): Oh,
if only the playoffs started in November. The mighty sea mammals
roared out of the gate to an early lead in the Northeast Division
but have been on a steady decline ever since. Sadly, even Green
Peace would have trouble saving the Whale now. Hartford has
seven of its final 12 games on the road, where the team has gone
just 7-20-7. That spells trouble. Time to sharpen the harpoons.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Sean Burke: The
only hope Hartford has of seeing a playoff game in the Mall this
Spring is for Sean Burke to go kookoo for cocoa puffs and carry
the club on his back. There's been some hype that Burke could
get suspended for leaving the Hartford bench to rough up Dale
Hunter in a recent loss to the Capitals. If Burke does get the
book thrown at him, the Whale are beached.
Likely Finish: Lord knows LCS loves itself some Whale, but
it just doesn't look good. However, Hartford does have a few
things in its favor. First, they've played one less game than
Montreal. Second, they currently have two more wins than the
Habs, which would be the first tie-breaker. That might just be
enough to get them in. Eighth place sounds about right.
8. Montreal Canadiens (25-32-14, 64 points): The
Habs tried to upgrade their defense by swapping Murray Baron for
Dave Manson at the deadline. The only problem is that Manson has
one of the worst plus-minus ratings in the league and has been
criticized repeatedly for his poor play this year in Phoenix. He
should still add some bite to a rather soft Montreal blue line.
The big problem in Montreal at the moment is that flashy Finn
Saku Koivu is on the shelf for probably at least another week
with a shoulder injury. Without the creative little fella
dealin' the puck, the Montreal offense is only a shadow of its
true self. If Koivu doesn't come back strong, and fast, the
Canadiens could be cooked.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Jocelyn
Thibault: After being forced to share time with rookie
Jose Theodore for much of the season, Thibault has recently won
back his number one status in the Montreal net. He's been
playing extremely well of late and will have to be Montreal's
best player the rest of the way to get the Habs into the big
show.
Likely Finish: This team just isn't very good. Having
Koivu out certainly doesn't help matters. Also, this seems to be
the year for Original Six teams to miss the playoffs, with
Toronto and Boston already out and Chicago livin' on the edge.
So why should Montreal ruin the trend? The Habs are destined for
ninth place.
9. Washington Capitals (28-35-7, 63 points): Even
with Adam Oates, Rick Tocchet, and Bill Ranford on board, the
Caps are still one point out of a playoff spot. Don't sweat it.
The Caps will get in. They're just better than everyone else.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Adam Oates: The
Caps acquired Oates for a reason, to be the superstar center
they've never had. The Caps definitely have the talent to be a
force in the postseason. Now it's up to Oates to show them the
way.
Likely Finish: Seventh.
10. Tampa Bay Lightning (27-35-7, 61 points):
The Bolts gave it a good run, but it looks like their dreams of a
second straight playoff appearance are gone... solid gone. Yes,
despite having LCS heroes Johnny Cullen and Alexander "Knuckles"
Selivanov on the roster, the men with lightning bolts on their
pants seem to be just about done. They acquired Jeff Norton at
the deadline in hopes of sparking the power play, but it might be
too little too late. There's rumors that the players want coach
Terry Crisp to be fired and right now they're playing like it.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Daren Puppa:
Rick Tabaracci just looks spent. He's done everything in his
power to keep the Bolts competitive in the absence of Tampa's
number one puckstopper. However, now's the time for Puppa to
come riding in on his white horse and save the day. He's their
only shot.
Likely Finish: Eleventh.
11. Ottawa Senators (23-33-14, 60 points):
Considering that the Senators have been without two of their top
three defensemen in Sean Hill and Stanislav Neckar for almost the
entire season, it's really quite amazing that the club is still
alive in the playoff hunt. The fact that Steve Duchesne was not
traded shows that Ottawa is still serious about earning its first
playoff appearance. Will they be able to do it? Well, no... but
they gave it a good shot.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Ron Tugnutt:
With Damian Rhodes still out with a leg injury, it'll be up to
Tugnutt to backstop the club into the postseason. Is he up to
the task? Well, no... but he'll give it a good shot.
Likely Finish: Tenth.
12. New York Islanders (24-36-10, 58 points):
The Isles made somewhat of a surprise move by sending Marty
McInnis to Calgary in exchange for the underachieving Robert
Reichel. The 25-year-old Czech center was a two-time 40-goal
scorer for the Flames before leaving the club over a contract
dispute and playing in Germany last season. He's shown plenty of
rust this year with the Flames after returning to the fold.
However, he has top-shelf talent and could help the New York
offense next season. While some might think Reichel's
acquisition was a sign that the Isles were going to make a last
ditch effort for the playoffs, the fishermen also sent Derek King
packing to the Whale for only a fifth-round pick. So that pretty
much says that the Isles are ready to play out the string and
take their chances in the lottery.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Mike Milbury:
The Isles GM will need to put his thinkin' cap on in evaluating
talent over the next couple months in order to make New York's
two first-rounders count on Draft day.
Likely Finish: Twelfth.
13. Boston Bruins (24-38-9, 57 points): Boston's
consecutive playoff streak will come to an end at 29 years, as
the Bruins are all but an expansion team at the moment.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Jim Carey: The
games may be meaningless in the standings but Carey has to prove
himself to his teammates the rest of the way. He's had kind of a
rough start in Beantown and really hasn't lived up to his hype.
The sooner he can earn the respect of his teammates the better
for the Bruins in the long run.
Likely Finish: Thirteenth.
Western Conference
The top three spots in the West are pretty much decided, with
Colorado, Dallas, and Detroit rolling one through three in that
order. The four through eight spots are where things get
interesting. Phoenix, Edmonton, St. Louis, Anaheim, Calgary, and
Chicago could all either finish with home-ice advantage in the
first round or out of the postseason completely. That is some
wild, wild stuff...
1. Colorado Avalanche (43-18-9, 95 points):
Colorado's all good. Everyone is finely healthy and the club
looks poised for a repeat.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Joe Sakic: Joe
has looked a little rusty since returning from his lacerated calf
injury and needs to find his old stride before the second season
starts. The good news is that he bagged a hat trick two games
ago against Pittsburgh and seems to be getting stronger by the
passing day. If Colorado is going to win another Cup, Sakic will
have to lead the charge.
Likely Finish: First.
2. Dallas Stars (41-23-6, 88 points): Andy Moog
is still out of action with his back injury, throwing a monkey
wrench into Dallas' hunt of Colorado. Now seven points back of
the Avalanche and seven points ahead of the Red Wings, the Stars
are strongly rooted into the second slot in the West. The club
has two big scoring weapons in Mike Modano and Joe Nieuwendyk,
plenty of quality depth up front, and a dominating presence on
the blue line in the form of Derian Hatcher. The club's
Achilles' heel is goaltending. Moog and backup Arturs Irbe just
aren't strong enough to compete with the likes of Colorado and
Detroit over a seven-game series.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Arturs Irbe:
With Moog out, Irbe will be the man. The Stars really won't move
anywhere in the standings, but if Irbe can get hot he might bring
back memories of his spectacular 1993-94 season with the Sharks.
Irbe like wall... chomp, chomp, chomp... Irbe like wall.
Likely Finish: Second.
3. Detroit Red Wings (33-21-15, 81 points): It
sounds nutty, but the Wings are actually a better team this year
than they were last year when they set an NHL record with 62
regular-season wins. Detroit is physically stronger and has
amazing balance up front, with Brendan Shanahan, Steve Yzerman,
and Sergei Fedorov all skating on separate lines. Chris Osgood
is steady in net. The one problem that could doom Detroit is a
shallow blue line. After Vladimir Konstantinov and Nicklas
Lidstrom there just isn't a whole lot to strike fear in the
opposition. Things got so bad that Scotty Bowman talked Mike
Ramsey out of retirement in hopes of adding depth only to have
the 36-year-old blueliner last about a week before packing it in
again. The Wings attempted to address the situation by buying
Larry Murphy from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the deadline. Murph
is a great guy but his best days are behind him.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Sergei Fedorov:
Sergei has seen his ice time reduced greatly, mainly centering a
third line with Martin Lapointe and Tomas Holmstrom. While it's
damaged his scoring totals, the move has made the Wings a much
better team. Fedorov has been finding the net with regularity
the past few weeks. If he can keep the goals coming the Wings
will be tough to stop.
Likely Finish: Third.
4. Phoenix Coyotes (33-33-5, 71 points): It was
only a matter of time before the Coyotes started playing up to
their potential. And that day seems to be at hand. With Keith
Tkachuk scoring the big goals and Nikolai Khabibulin frustrating
opponents with his acrobatic saves in net, the Coyotes seem
primed for a strong finish. They made two big moves at the
deadline to bolster the defense by acquiring Murray Baron and
Gerald Diduck in separate deals that only saw Dave Manson leave
the Phoenix roster. Manson's departure could be one of those
addition-through-subtraction things, since he's been a major
disappointment this season.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Jeremy Roenick:
JR was picked up over the summer to be a game-breaker for
Phoenix. He hasn't exactly fit the bill to this point, but could
be a major impact player the rest of the way. If he's a true
superstar now's the time to prove it.
Likely Finish: Roenick will pick it up late and the
Coyotes will stay one step ahead of the pack. The desert dogs
will finish fourth.
5. Edmonton Oilers (32-32-7, 71 points): The Oil
have been running hot and cold yet remain in the thick of the
Western race. With Curtis Joseph between the pipes, Edmonton
should have enough to make its first playoff appearance since
1991-92. Doug Weight also seems to be heating up, while big
rookie Mike Grier continues to improve.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Curtis Joseph:
CuJo is an impressive last line of defense. It's just too bad he
gets called on to bail his club out so much. He could be wasted
by the time the postseason rolls around.
Likely Finish: The Oil has seven of its final 11 games on
home ice, where they've posted an impressive 19-13-2 record this
season. Behind CuJo's goaltending heroics, the Oilers will
probably finish fifth.
6. St. Louis Blues (30-32-9, 69 points): The
Blues are missing injured rookie sensation Jimmy Campbell. The
loss has made the St. Louis offense even more one-dimensional, if
that's possible. How the Blues finish is entirely up to the
dynamic duo of Brett Hull and Pierre Turgeon. If that wacky pair
can keep on truckin' with the goals, then things shouldn't be too
bad.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Grant Fuhr:
Sure, Hull and Turgeon have to keep scoring in order for the
Blues to win, but if Fuhr falters the club won't even be
competitive. It's all about Fuhr in St. Louis. If he doesn't
get the job done in net, no one else will.
Likely Finish: The Blues have seven of their final 11 at
home. But here's the zany thing. The Blue Note is actually 13-
18-3 at the Keil Center this year. That's not good. St. Louis
could be destined for the seven hole.
7. Anaheim Mighty Ducks (29-30-11, 69 points):
The Ducks are playing the best hockey in their young history,
rolling up a franchise best 11-game (6-0-5) unbeaten streak to
quack their way into the playoff hunt. To put it simply, Teemu
Selanne and Paul Kariya are the Ducks. Really, try to name five
other Anaheim players... good luck. While Selanne and Kariya get
all the hype, the true MVP in Anaheim may be goaltender Guy
Hebert. This guy has just been incredible. He hasn't had a
night off since the Carter administration and he routinely faces
40 shots a game. LCS is officially trying to start a grass-roots
campaign to get Hebert nominated for the Vezina Trophy. It'll be
hard with Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur, and Patrick Roy
providing stiff competition, but Hebert definitely deserves
recognition. Quack, quack, quack... nice save, dude... quack,
quack, quack.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Guy Hebert: If
he doesn't collapse from exhaustion, Hebert will be critical to
Anaheim's quest for post-season hockey on the Pond.
Likely Finish: The Ducks have big trouble ahead with
eight of their final 12 games on the road. A 9-18-6 record away
from the Pond isn't exactly the type of thing to brag about.
However, Selanne and Kariya are virtually unstoppable and Hebert
give the water fowl a distinct advantage in goal over the Blues.
The Ducks could squeeze into the sixth spot.
8. Calgary Flames (30-34-8, 68 points):
Surprisingly, Dave Gagner, who becomes an unrestricted free agent
at the end of the season, was not moved at the deadline. Instead
El Scorcho traded Robert Reichel to the Islanders in exchange for
Marty McInnis. Not only is it a salary dump, but McInnis is a
scrappy little player that can generate chances with his speed.
Unfortunately, it won't be enough to get the Flames into the
playoffs.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Trevor Kidd: If
the Flames are gonna make it, Kidd has to be the man in net. It
seems every time he appears ready to take the next step in his
journey to stardom Kidd suddenly puts together two or three
forgettable outings. He needs to be consistent night in and
night out if the Flames are to enjoy success.
Likely Finish: Dealing Steve Chiasson and Robert Reichel
sort of makes one believe that Calgary is looking forward to next
season. That's not really a bad idea. They'll slip out into
ninth.
9. Chicago Blackhawks (28-31-12, 68 points):
Things look kind of shaky in the Windy City at the moment, with
the Hawks technically out of a playoff spot since Calgary owns
the tie-breaker. But don't panic just yet, all you loyal
supporters of the tomahawk. The Blackhawks will come through and
grab the final playoff spot. You know why? Because if you do,
like, please let us know...
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Tony Amonte:
Amonte is the Chicago offense. He really is a legitimate Hart
Trophy candidate. Without Amonte, the Hawks would be taking up
residence in the NHL basement.
Likely Finish: Chris Chelios will return to action from
his knee injury and inspire the club to grab the final spot in
the West. And Amonte will keep doin' that whole skate-by-
everyone-really-fast-and-score-a-bunch-of-goals thing he does so
well.
10. Vancouver Canucks (29-37-4, 62 points):
Vancouver has to be the most disappointing team in the league
this year. Visions of Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilny teaming
up to bag a whole mess of goals danced through the heads of
hockey fans everywhere before the season started. Sadly, just
like LCS' original five-act play "Don Knotts: Misunderstood
Genius", those scenes were seldom witnessed by mortal eyes.
Now Bure is trying to recover from a whiplash injury and the
Canucks are floundering six points out of playoff contention. If
the Canucks were a horse they'd be on the backs of stamps right
about now.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Alexander
Mogilny: The only chance the Canucks have of making the
postseason is for Mogilny to go loopy and rattle of like 20 goals
in the final 12 games. Two words... not gonna happen.
Likely Finish: Tenth.
11. Los Angeles Kings (25-37-9, 59 points): The
biggest surprise out of LA recently is that Kevin Stevens and Ray
Ferraro still wear the black and silver. Eddie Olczyk was sent
packing to the Steel City for Glen Murray, but keeping the other
two costly veterans on a team that is at least another two
seasons away from competing really doesn't make a lot of sense.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Stephane Fiset:
Fiset can stand on his head the rest of the way and steal a few
more games for the royalty, thereby not making their final record
quite so poor. That's about all anyone can do at this point.
Likely Finish: Eleventh... unless they get caught up in
that whole East Coast - West Coast rap rivalry thing. A lot of
people don't know this, but coach Larry Robinson sang backup for
Tupac on "Me Against the World" under the name of DJ Love Daddy.
His work was just, well, how can I describe it? It was just
so... so... sookie, sookie now! I don't even know what that
means.
12. Toronto Maple Leafs (26-38-6, 58 points):
The good news for Toronto fans is that Wendel Clark and Felix
Potvin didn't get traded. The bad news is that the team still
has to play 12 more games.
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Steve Sullivan:
Sullivan was picked just because he's cool like that...
Likely Finish: Twelfth.
13. San Jose Sharks (23-39-7, 53 points): Is the
season over yet?
Key Performer Down the Stretch - Does it really
matter?:
Likely Finish: They'll be lucky to finish.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A Royal Celebration
--------------------------------------------------------------------
By Dan Hurwitz
Thirty years ago, the NHL doubled in size and added six teams.
Of the five still remaining from that bunch, one has decided to
call attention to that fact. So from Thursday until Saturday
this past week, the Los Angeles Kings had a gala 30th anniversary
celebration.
They pulled out all the stops. They invited former players back
for the events. They dressed up in their old uniforms and hosted
lunches, dinners, parties, and good ol' fashioned on-ice
performances to make the fans laugh and cheer. And, to really
celebrate thirty years of Kings hockey, they lost both games in
that span to fall dangerously close to playoff elimination.
It all began Thursday, March 13, when the Kings put on their
replica gold-on-purple jerseys when they hosted the St. Louis
Blues, a game they went on to lose. During the contest,
highlights of great moments in Kings history (a short tape) was
shown, and former Kings still active in hockey were given
a chance to say a few words on the screens.
Friday was a bit more fun. A big lunch event honoring the eighty
alumni and the current team took place, followed by a gala dinner
that evening.
Saturday afternoon, however, was when the stops were really
pulled. The parking lot of the Great Western Forum turned into a
big block party, complete with a roller-hockey/drills rink, a
"how fast is your slapshot" booth, four different radio stations
competing to see who could broadcast the loudest on their
portable speakers, and a veritable flea market of memorabilia.
There was a Hall-of-Fame display, including several old jerseys,
vintage goalie masks, and the actual Clarence Campbell bowl,
awarded each year to the Western Conference playoff champion, and
the highest honor the Kings had won.
And the fans, the real fans, scooped it up. Particularly
noteworthy was the way a truckload of autographed Marcel Dionne
sticks flowed like water, even at the price of $49.95. All
proceeds from these sales, plus the typically-priced sporting
event food, went to the Kings Care foundation, a charity the team
is particularly proud of sponsoring.
And what about those fans? Remarkably, they were hockey fans in
the truest sense of the term. Contrary to the column I wrote
earlier this season in which I described the typical Los Angelino
as being the antithesis of a good hockey fan, these people
certainly showed that the coolest sport on Earth is alive and
well in the southland. They weren't a crowd of fashionable stars
and "beautiful people." The only resemblance they had to
gangstas was the tendency of today's disgruntled youth to wear
the Kings' black-and-silver colors. Really, this crowd, with a
slightly different accent, would have fit in Buffalo,
Philadelphia, or even Toronto.
They were proud of the hideous uniforms their team used to wear.
They were excited to see former players, many of whom your
average hockey fan never heard of. Jerry Korab, Dale Rolfe and
Brian Glennie were just as welcome as Butch Goring, Charlie
Simmer and Larry Playfair. Lines of fans that spanned at least
three city blocks waited patiently to greet their former idols.
In that sense, the event was truly a success.
"I think it's great," said the television voice of the Kings, Bob
Miller. "I think it's a tremendously gracious gesture on the
part of these owners, who have only been here a year to realize
that a lot of the fans were around years ago."
It is that ownership change that may make the biggest difference
in bridging the gap between the flaws of the first thirty years
and the potential future of this franchise. Management and
ownership have long been criticized in Los Angeles, moreso and
more deservedly than in other hockey towns. Even Bruce McNall,
who guided the Kings to their finest hour, a Finals berth in
1993, was secretly a criminal, now imprisoned, who was
simultaneously laying the groundwork for the team's collapse with
his dishonesty and poorly advised moves.
Management, or at least past management, almost cost the Kings
one of the finest gems of the weekend. Marcel Dionne, whose
number 16 has been retired by the Kings, has had a miserable
relationship with the franchise ever since his trade to the
Rangers in the eighties. If not for the persistence of the
new owners and the urging of some of his former teammates,
Dionne, who ranks third all-time in goals and points in the NHL,
may not have returned for this celebration.
Instead, Dionne rejoined Charlie Simmer, now a color announcer
with the Phoenix Coyotes, and Dave Taylor, now the Kings'
assistant general manager and the fans' all-time favorite player
according to a recent poll, in a reunion of their famed
"Triple-crown line," the first forward combination in league
history to have all three members reach 100 points in the same
season.
The triple-crowners, as well as two full teams of fellow Kings
alumni, skated Saturday afternoon against the "Celebrity All-Star
Team." Headed by wanna-be hockey personality, Alan Thicke, who
wears number 98 1/2, this squad of cagey veterans could frighten
any club. Their goaltending tandem was made up of Chad Smith of
the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Keanu Reeves, and their skaters
included Max Headroom, himself, Matt Frewer, MacGyver, himself,
Richard Dean Anderson, and that dreamy Scott Wolf of Fox's "Party
of Five." Also along for the tilt was an actor looking to
recapture his own fifteen minutes of fame, "Slapshot's" "Killer
Carlson," Jerry Houser.
There were so many able-bodied Kings alumni around, the game was
divided into two thirty-minute sessions, each against half of the
alumni. I had a chance to talk to Jason Hervey, who skated for
the celbrities, before the game. Hervey is remembered by many as
Wayne Arnold, the rascally older brother from TV's "The Wonder
Years," but to me, he will always be remembered as the kid who
ended up with Pee-Wee Herman's bike in the Tim Burton classic,
"Pee-Wee's Big Adventure."
When asked if his team was just picking on a bunch of old men,
Hervey responded, "Geez, they'll probably smoke us."
You may wonder how a guy like Hervey, who isn't the biggest
bruiser in the world, became an ice warrior? As he explains it,
"I got into hockey because Luc Robitaille (now with the Rangers)
and Steve Duchesne (of the Senators) were my next door neighbors.
They were always telling me I should play hockey, so I started
playing hockey." Truly a Los Angeles success story.
Since Hervey is clearly hockey's best-kept secret, I asked him
his thoughts on the future of the game. Our chat immediately
went to one of the hottest issues, future expansion. "Do you
want me to tell you the number one place, and if it ever goes
there, I should own it, because I swear to God, I've said
this so many times?" was the challenge he placed to me. So I
bit, and he responded, "New Orleans. They only have one pro team
there, the Saints. The only other thing they have is the
Zephyrs, which is a triple-A baseball team."
So, that bit of prognostication aside, I took my seat in the
press box, and watched the contest. As the celebrities were
introduced, the various former Melrose Place, Beverly Hills
90210, and Party of Five cast members made the ladies swoon. But
the amazing thing was the response to such Kings veterans
as Taylor, Dionne, and goaltender and former general manager,
Rogie Vachon, all of whom received standing ovations.
During the game, I ran into "Cowboy" Bill Flett, who recorded the
first hat trick in Kings history. He was happy to be there for
this celebration, as well. "They're treating us real nice,"
Flett said of the new owners. He never was one for words.
When the celebrity game got under way, it was Jim Fox who stole
the show. Currently color announcer on Kings broadcasts, Fox had
a goal and an assist in the first five minutes. Just as Hervey
predicted, the old Kings were toasting the celbrities, and the
fans loved it. The alumni had built a 4-0 lead before Dave
Coulier, of "Full House" and "World's Funniest Home Videos"
got the celebs on the board. Then the game's intensity picked
up, when defenseman Gilles Marotte crushed Hervey. The referee,
Steve Dowling, who portrayed, you guessed it, the ref in all
three "Mighty Ducks" films, awarded a penalty shot to Hervey,
which was turned aside by Vachon, much to the delight of the
assembled crowd.
Frustrated, Hervey dropped his gloves and proceeded to attack
Marotte, whose teammates picked Hervey up and held him in the
air.
After Butch Goring, sitll wearing the same funky-looking helmet
that made him famous, scored on a backhand, the Celebrities made
a goaltending change, bringing in Keanu Reeves off the bench. On
the very same shift, Goring scored again, getting the fans to
chant, "Kee-a-nu." By the end of the first half, which became
the first game, the score was Kings 7, Celebrities 2.
Between periods, the Celebrity squad's management made a bold
move, and the entire Triple Crown line switched squads. This
made for a much better contest, and with a minute to play in the
half, the reset scoreboard read, "Kings 4, Celebrities 3."
Taking advantage of a clause that said movie stars can do
whatever they wanted, the Celebrities pulled their goaltender in
favor of...the entire bench. The Kings, meanwhile, realizing the
ref had clearly lost control of the contest, sent out two
goalies. With time winding down, Dave "Tiger" Williams of the
Kings decided to give the fans one more thrill, and dropped the
gloves for a real bare-knuckles brawl against some stuntman
the celebrities put in to do their dirty work.
The horn sounded and it was time to get back to the afternoon.
Perhaps the saddest moment was the entertainment which took place
between the exhibition and the Kings' real game against Calgary.
The arena's jumbotron television showed the Kings' finest hour,
their 1993 Game 7 win of the Western Conference Finals against
Toronto. Of that team, only defenseman Rob Blake still remains
with Los Angeles, yet the crowd went nuts for "Luuuuuuuuuc"
Robitaille and Kelly "Hruuuuuuudey." Even Wayne Gretzky, who
received mixed reactions in his return trips since leaving L.A.,
was cheered.
And finally, the events ended with the game against the Flames.
Again, the Kings came out in their old purple jerseys. And once
more, a celebrity took to the ice for a ceremonial "first
faceoff" between Blake and Flames captain Theo Fleury. "Jerry
Maguire" costar, the precocious Jonathan Lipnicke, dropped the
puck, and of course, it hit the top of Fleury's helmet in the
course of its two-foot drop to the ice.
Sadly, though, the evening ended with a 5-2 loss to the Flames,
which may well be one of the final nails in the coffin of the
Kings's season.
Perhaps, then, it is even more impressive on the part of
management and the fans, that the weekend was such a huge draw.
There has not been much to cheer for since the Spring of '93.
But the fans' show of support for this franchise speaks volumes
for the Kings' place in the hearts of Los Angeles.
When that rebuilding process finally takes off, just wait, 'cause
it's gonna be huge.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rivers Runnin' Strong in Worcester
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Tricia McMillan, AHL Correspondent
Former St. Louis coach/GM Mike Keenan's mood swings are legendary
throughout hockey and Keenan was particularly rough on younger
players, often shuttling them back and forth between the NHL and
the minors daily and demoting players on a whim. Blues
defenseman Jamie Rivers wound up on the wrong side of a bad night
for Keenan and found himself in the AHL with the Worcester
IceCats after only one game in the NHL...and he thinks that's the
most beneficial thing that could have ever happened to his
career.
"I think it's been the best thing for me to spend a year and a
half in the minors and learn the game," says Rivers, who turned
22 Sunday. "About a year and a half ago, when I first got sent
down here [to Worcester], I would have disagreed but...my
development has been very fast down here because of the coaching
and the guidance in the AHL, the tough schedule and the stuff
like that. I think anybody who's going to play in the NHL for a
number of years should have a small stint in the minors and
they'll have a longer career in hockey."
But being sent to the AHL wasn't something Rivers expected after
a superlative training camp with St. Louis. "It was pretty
disappointing. I had a really good preseason, I played really
well and they said I had a spot on the team. Then we played one
game in Washington and lost 2-1 or something like that," he
explains.
Actually, the Capitals celebrated Opening Night by blasting the
Blues 4-1 and Keenan placed the blame on his rookie defenseman,
putting him on a plane to Worcester immediately after the game.
"Mike Keenan, that's the way he works, when they lose you gotta
make a change. The young guys who don't have that much
experience are the ones that got to make the change," notes
Rivers matter-of-factly. "I needed a year or so in the minors to
really develop my game on the pro level as far as defensively so
I think that might have done me a world of good."
Keenan proceeded to interrupt Rivers' development at Worcester
with brief callups but Rivers managed to learn anyway, scoring 52
points with the IceCats last season, including 45 assists, and
appearing in the AHL All-Star game both last season (with the
U.S. based teams) and this season (with the Canadian team). He
also scored his first NHL goal in his most recent stint in the
NHL last month, but was returned to the AHL after the Blues
acquired Chris MacAlpine.
"[The Blues] just want me to keep working hard and keep learning
the game defensively," says Rivers. "After my last stint up
there, which was 14 games, they said they were pretty happy with
things, said that I'd pretty much done everything that they'd
asked of me, and now I have to come down and keep putting it into
practice down here in Worcester."
Rivers, a native of Ottawa, had been a true standout with the
OHL's Sudbury Wolves, setting an Ontario League record for points
from a defenseman during the 1993-94 season with 121 points; 89
of those points were assists, also a record. A third-round pick
of the Blues in the 1993 draft, Rivers was a two-time OHL
All-Star and had a total of 257 points in his outstanding
four-year career with Sudbury, but still had to learn to adjust
to differences in the pro game.
"It's more of a team game up here [in the AHL], in juniors if
you've got four or five good players you rely on those guys to
play through most of the season, using the same guys on the power
play and playing 40 minutes a game, and basically they run the
team. Coming up here... not one line can do it for you every
night, they might be your most offense on the team but they're
not going to be able to come in game in game out for you. I
think it's more of a concept of hard work and teamwork," he
explains.
During his time in Sudbury, Rivers also played for the Canadian
World Junior team in 1995 in Calgary, notching six points in
seven games and winning a gold medal with the team. Rivers'
favorite moment in his career to date came during that series of
games.
"The biggest [moment] so far in my career has been scoring the
game-winning goal against Team Czechoslovakia in the World
Juniors a couple years ago, which might have helped us win the
gold medal," he says.
"A tie would have put us in a tough position, but I'm in front of
20,000 fans in Calgary scoring the game-winning goal. I'll tell
you there's no better feeling in the world than to have all those
people cheering, especially being in Canada and stuff like that.
I could have been hit by a bus and I would have got up and skated
away, it was so unbelievable for me," he remembers.
There were some practical aspects to playing in the tournament
though. "I think [international play] helps you use your skills
more than anything," explains Rivers. "It's not a rough and
tumble game, there's a lot of skating, a lot of passing, and if
you run around and try to hit somebody you're going to get caught
out of position. European players are so skilled they're going
to capitalize on a two- or three-on-one, so I think that helps as
far as using my skills."
Given his enthusiasm for just about everything, it isn't too
surprising that Rivers never followed a particular player or even
a particular team until he was a teenager. "I never really had
one favorite player," he says. "I had a favorite team, the
Philadelphia Flyers, when Ron Hextall was a rookie, from that
point on I liked the Flyers quite a bit, but never really had one
favorite player."
However, he does know which NHL player he'd like to emulate on
the ice. "I'd like to be like a Chris Chelios, an
offensive-minded defenseman. He's pretty solid back there, pretty
physical, he's not really liked by other teams. I'd like to
pattern myself after Chris Chelios."
Whether or not Rivers becomes disliked by opposing players, he is
a true fan favorite. Despite his frequent comings and goings from
the league, he has become one of the most popular players in the
entire AHL, even with opposing fans. Rivers has never missed an
opportunity to sign autographs and chat with fans; for that
matter, he's never missed a opportunity to chat with anyone. If
you want to find Rivers at a game, just look for the crowd of
people. He's in the middle somewhere.
With such a pleasant and easy-going personality, one would have
to wonder how Rivers got along with Keenan at all, and he says
that's something a lot of people ask him. But Rivers is generous
to the coach who first put him in an NHL game.
"[Keenan]'s tough on a guy mentally... I think he's helped me
really, he was tough on me, he expected hard work day in day out.
He put me back in the minors when some teams might not have and I
think he's added years onto my career because of that," says
Rivers. "I think I'm going to play a lot longer just because of
my knowledge of the game, instead of falling into bad habits
right away or maybe losing my confidence and getting burned up
there a lot."
Given that Keenan never let Rivers stay in one place for very
long and handled all St. Louis prospects in that manner, that's
quite a compliment. But Rivers has also gotten a look at the
post-Keenan Blues and he thinks they'll be just fine.
"As far as things without [Keenan] now, it's a little less of a
circus up there...it's always controversy around Mike, whatever
he did in St. Louis for some reason... first of all with Brett
Hull and then getting Gretzky and losing Gretzky, there's been a
lot of things that have happened, some of the trades like
Shanahan and stuff he's taken some heat for. I think
right now Coach Quenneville's doing a good job up there. He's got
Mike Keenan's team basically, probably not a team that Joel
Quenneville would have signed or drafted or anything like that,
but he's doing pretty well."
Rivers is also in an unusual and potentially awkward position
regarding his coach in Worcester, Greg Gilbert, who happened to
be one of Rivers' teammates in St. Louis last season. It isn't
often a player is coached by a former teammate, let alone mere
months after playing together, but Rivers says he and Gilbert
have an understanding of the situation and work well together.
"It was a little funny at first, I remember talking to Greg at
the training camp this year...we were just talking about it a
little bit, laughed about it. It's been pretty good, he's not an
unfair guy by any means so...it doesn't matter whether you played
with him or not. He's fair, he expects hard work, he's got a job
to do just like we do. Having played with him makes it tough
because I know him a little better, but as far as anything else
it's been pretty easy...he's a player's coach and any time you
get a guy like that it's pretty easy."
"Jamie's a very solid offensive and defensive player and he's
learned a lot this year by playing a defensive game in his own
end," says Gilbert, who also stresses the fact he treats Rivers
no differently than the other players just because they were
teammates.
Although Rivers has been recalled to St. Louis for several games,
he's been very productive in Worcester as he is among the
IceCats' team leaders in scoring, with seven goals and 26 assists
so far. And whether he goes back to the Blues or stays with the
IceCats for their Calder Cup run, Rivers should be around NHL
blue lines for a long time.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Malarchuk Ends Retirement
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Jason Sheehan, IHL Correspondent
Life at the ranch apparently isn't something former NHL
goaltender Clint Malarchuk has in his immediate plans.
Following Las Vegas Thunder goalie Parris Duffus' promotion to
the Phoenix Coyotes a couple weeks ago, Malarchuk was asked to
lace up the skates and take his pads out of the closet one last
time.
Without hesitation, the 35-year-old goalie bid farewell to his
horses in exchange for the rapid and brutal pace of the IHL.
Malarchuk, who has served as the Thunder's Assistant GM and
analyst on radio broadcasts, rushed out of retirement in
mid-February without giving it much thought. Team management
(mainly Coach Chris McSorley and GM Bob Strumm) asked him if he
could play in an emergency situation. Malarchuk, without
hesitating, agreed. But at the time it looked like he'd only be
with the club for three games.
"I'm always willing," said Malarchuk, who is the only player to
have his number retired in the team's four-year history. "I've
got the spirit of fun in me, so what the hell."
When Duffus left and backup Igor Galkin was sent back to Flint of
the Colonial Hockey League, Malarchuk had a feeling his days
spent worrying about getting a perfect tan were over.
"Yeah, I knew [a return had been] talked about," Malarchuk said.
"It had been talked about for about a week; that if we couldn't
get a competent backup for Parris (Duffus), I might have to come
in and play for awhile until we could find one. And then it came
that we lost both the backup and Parris so consequently I came
into an emergency situation."
With the Thunder in drastic need of a backup goaltender,
Malarchuk's initial three-game contract has risen to 25-games.
With Coyotes backup goalie Darcy Wakaluk on the shelf for an
extended period of time, Duffus has been asked to stay an extra
month. So instead of trying to sign another goaltender, which is
next to impossible with the playoffs nearing, the Thunder is
relying on Malarchuk to keep the team afloat, just in case
starter Andre Racicot is bitten by the injury bug.
"At first it was three [games]," Malarchuk chuckled. "So, I'm
moving up and making progress."
He may have been laughing up a storm when reminiscing about his
new contract. Malarchuk, however, must have felt a little wet
behind the ears when he made his return in a relief appearance
Feb. 21 against Michigan. He came in for a struggling Racicot
4:37 into the second period but exited approximately four minutes
later, allowing one goal on four shots.
His short and only appearance this season surely wasn't a walk in
the park. Yet, he realizes it will take time and hard work to
get back into game shape.
"I did alright," Malarchuk said. "[The goal I allowed] was a
rebound goal, so what do you do?
"I'm out of shape. But I can get by."
It's been over a year since Malarchuk last occupied the Thunder's
net. And that was on the night when his name was risen to the
rafters. To commemorate his retirement and fill up the building
on a week night, he decided to play briefly that night, and
stopped all three shots.
Now, fresh out of retirement for a second time, Malarchuk feels
like he's still in training camp, although the regular season
ends next month. As a result of being out of action for an
extended period of time, he is experiencing difficulties
readjusting to the speed of the game.
"Those pucks aren't any softer than when I left the game before,"
he said.
He may feel like a cube of ice dissolving rapidly as the
hot-desert sun melts the earth. Everyone skating circles around
him in practice is in mid-season shape, while Malarchuk is trying
to resiliently keep up. But through thick and thin, Malarchuk
isn't the type of player that is about to quit. He's made of
tough stock and will throw his body around like an angry Las
Vegas cabby if given the chance. In tight situations, he
is the type of player that helps a team win championships.
The Thunder, obviously, aren't asking Malarchuk to
single-handedly bring a Turner Cup to Las Vegas. They are
thrilled to have his leadership on the bench, instead of in the
press box announcing games.
At this stage in his career, Malarchuk is relying on adrenaline
to get him through the remainder of the season. When commenting
about his sub-par performance last month, he talked about the
intense speed that flashed before his eyes in the form of the
opposition.
"I didn't even have time to say ['oh my god']," he said. "It was
just too quick."
He's also learned that the fast-paced wars of the IHL cannot be
compared to life at his Canuck Ranch.
"There, I can go at my own speed," Malarchuk said, thinking about
the good old days of fun and relaxation. "Here, the play dictates
speed."
Does "The Cowboy" have any plans of returning to action next
season?
"No," Malarchuk boldly stated. "Not right now. I've got one day
at a time here with practice. I'm just trying to survive."
=================================================================
An LCS Road Trip -- Toronto Style
=================================================================
by Jim Iovino
You're a college student at a school nestled in the mountains of
central Pennsylvania in the middle of winter. There are sheep to
the left of you, cows to the right and cold winds, snow and road
salt everywhere else.
Then along comes spring break, which means a road trip to get away
from all of the farm animals and cold weather. Where do you go?
Do you travel to the fun and sun of Cancun or Ft. Lauderdale?
Well, if you're a member of LCS: guide to hockey who goes to Penn
State University, you escape the wintertime blues by heading not
south, but north to the frozen tundra of Toronto. Yes, Toronto, as
in Canada. The Great White North.
No one ever said we were very bright.
But despite the laughter and ridicule, we (Zippy, Matthew, Stat
Girl and myself) made our journey north. Our mission consisted of
several goals -- going through the turnstiles at Maple Leaf Gardens
to watch a Leafs game, visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame, and eating
donuts and drinking coffee at Tim Horton's.
Mission accomplished.
The following is both a recap of our good times over break and a
guide to those of you, our valued readers, who are considering a
road trip of your own to the beautiful city of Toronto.
The Arrival
If you're heading to Toronto from the United States, take note: When
you get to the border, you'll have to stop and be interrogated by an
inquisitive Canadian border guard. He or she will ask you a bunch of
questions about where you are from, where you are going, and some
other technical stuff. The lady who was questioning us asked if we
would like to declare anything. I declared that I liked waffles.
Important note No. 1: Border guards don't have senses of
humor.
If your story doesn't jive, if you look like a criminal or if the
nice guard lady doesn't appreciate your quick wit, you'll have to
break out the heavy artillery -- your birth certificate (the one
with the raised seal), some form of photo ID and any tattoos that
are on your buttocks. They don't actually ask you for the last
one, but it is implied that you show it anyway. Trust us. If you
want to get into Canada, you've got to show the goods.
Once you get by the border guards, you're home free on the QEW.
Canada is yours for the taking. All of the Cuban cigars you can
inhale! Yee-haw!!!
The city of Toronto is pretty easy to navigate. I mean, if the four
of us can find our way deep into the heart of the city without
getting lost, it must be a piece of cake. We decided to stay at
the Days Inn, which we knew was on the same street as Maple Leaf
Gardens. Pretty cool, eh? Well, when we found Carleton Street and
the Days Inn, we realized our hotel is smack up against Maple Leaf
Gardens. That deserves a "wow."
After checking in, we rushed over to the arena to purchase tickets
and check out the oldest hockey arena in the NHL. Important note
No. 2: Despite having a terrible season, Toronto Maple Leaf tickets
are still almost impossible to get. In Pittsburgh, a student
can walk up to the Civic Arena gates less than an hour before game
time and get the best seat in the house for just 15 bucks. That's
just not going to happen in Toronto. So if you want to go to a
Leafs game, buy your tickets way in advance, just like the staff of
LCS did. Umm...yeah, that's it. Once again, no one ever said we
were real bright.
So if you check the box office and they don't have any seats left
to sell you, you have a couple options. You could walk around
town, listen in on people's conversations and mug someone who you
think would have a ticket. But some people would frown on that.
They always bring up that morals thing. Another thing we found out
about Toronto was that there are a lot of nice guys who walk around
the city offering you tickets to the game, even if you didn't ask
for one. That's odd. The arena tells you they don't have any
tickets to sell you, but these nice guys on the streets have a
fistful. Hmm...
Maple Leaf Gardens
Well, once you get a ticket, it's time to enjoy the game. Maple
Leaf Gardens might be old, but it is a great place to watch a
hockey game. We had no troubles with lines entering the arena and
the path to our section was well marked. Every seat in the place
is a good one, as well. I didn't notice any obstructed view seats,
and you can see all of the action even from high in the Grey
section, where our seats were.
The Leafs were battling an Original Six rival, the Chicago
Blackhawks, the night we were in town. There's nothing better for
a true hockey fan than a game like this, even if the game lacked
its share of big stars. A year ago, the game would have featured
the likes of Doug Gilmour, Jeremy Roenick and Ed Belfour. This
year, however, those players are gone, and in there place are some
of the newer stars of the game, Mats Sundin and Tony Amonte. And
the young talents didn't disappoint. Sundin scored a power play
goal on a beautiful deflection, while Amonte set up the game winner
by the Great Gazoo (Denis Savard) as the Hawks defeated the Leafs
in what might have been Toronto's last chance to get in the playoff
race.
It has been said for years that there's nothing like seeing a hockey
game at Maple Leaf Gardens. Until I actually did it myself, I took
that message with a grain of salt. But once I got inside the
Gardens, I realized it was true.
It's not just about watching the Leafs on home ice. There's much
more to it than that. It's about screaming "Go Leafs go!" with
everyone else in the arena. It's about the history of players and
great moments that have happened on the very same ice that Felix
Potvin is making saves on today.
And it's about being surrounded by some of the greatest and most
knowledgeable hockey fans in the world. Just listening to the
conversations going on around our seats told us we weren't in any
ordinary hockey rink. There were no annoying conversations about
the explanation of icing. Nor were there any drunks slurring
loudly all they know about hockey, which usually isn't much. Just
informed fans talking about the game they grew up with; their
country's national pastime. Kudos to the fans around us for making
the game an enjoyable one.
But not everything was perfect at Maple Leaf Gardens. When Matthew,
our designated drinker, visited the concession stand during the
second intermission he was ruthlessly denied his God-given right to
purchase his favorite beverage. It seems the lady pouring the frothy
goodness didn't like his Pennsylvania driver's license. Now see, the
legal drinking age in Canada is 19. Matthew is 22. There were
several teenagers sitting beside us who had fake Canadian ID's that
were able to buy beverages, but poor Matthew was shot down.
Important note No. 3: If you are from the States and want to get a
Molson Export at Maple Leaf Gardens, take your birth certificate (the
kind with the raised seal, of course...).
The Hockey Hall of Fame
After a terrific evening at the Gardens, our mission the next day
was to infiltrate the Hockey Hall of Fame, located just a few
blocks away from the arena. The original Hall of Fame, which
opened in 1961, was located on Toronto's Canadian National
Exhibition grounds. But in 1993 the Hall relocated to its present
location on the corner of Front and Yonge Streets. Part of the
current Hall of Fame used to be the head office of the Bank of
Montreal, but I'll have more on that later.
In all honesty, the Hockey Hall of Fame is a great place to visit
for all hockey fans; the young, the old, and even those of us in
between. The cost to for an adult to visit the Hall is just $9.50
in Canadian funds (at the time this was written, the American
dollar was worth somewhere between $1.30 and $1.40 in Canadian
money). Seniors and children 13 and under get in for $5.50. So
really, a trip to the Hall of Fame won't break the budget like an
NHL game might.
Once inside the Hall, prepare to be overwhelmed by a plethora of
hockey jerseys, trophies, pucks and anything else that could be of
some interest to a fan of the game.
After you pay to get in, you walk toward the turnstiles to enter.
As you do, you can see a big screen TV ahead playing some of the
best moments in the history of the NHL. The TV is part of the
Great Moments Zone of the Hall. Unfortunately, as I gazed ahead to
see some old clips of Wayne Gretzky as an Oiler, I missed looking
at the rest of the Great Moments Zone to the left and to the
right. Make sure you don't do the same.
The History Zone is next. It displays the changes in both uniforms
and equipment from last century to the present. Several cool
things to look at in this section are the old wool jerseys players
used back in the day, some of the somewhat newer jerseys that
aren't in existence any more (including the original Vancouver
Canuck jerseys) and hockey equipment that is cut in half to show
exactly what it's made of.
After passing through the equipment display, you head on through the
Marquee Zone. A must see in this area is the goalie mask display.
>From Ed Belfour to Jacques Plante to Darren Pang, the Hall has the
history of the goalie mask covered. Also cool in this area is a
statue of Ken Dryden in his famous stance -- Ken has his glove and
blocker resting on his stick as he watches the game. Good stuff.
Next up is the Dressing Room Zone, which is a replica of the
Montreal Canadiens dressing room in the Montreal Forum. It was
pretty cool to walk around the room and touch everything while a
nervous Hall employee tried to make sure we didn't take any
uniforms, equipment or tape. It's always good to make the guys
work for their money.
>From the dressing room you can either head to the Theatre, which
plays hockey movies, or to the International and North American
Zone. The Theatre wasn't open when we cruised through, and we
didn't think they were going to show Strange Brew anyway, so we
headed to the second choice. The International Zone had many
jerseys from different European teams, including a Jari Kurri
jersey which looked swell. The North American Zone had some other
interesting jerseys from minor league teams. There was also some
touch-screen computer terminals, but they looked complicated. And
since we were on spring break we didn't really feel like thinking,
so we passed the display up. But who knows, it might be to your
liking, so give it a try if you want to.
After that we headed on over to the Broadcast Zone. Here you can
see how a producer puts a hockey broadcast together. Now, I'm a
Communications major, so I found the stuff a little bit
interesting, but I doubt that most people will. However, there is
a real cool part to this zone which allows you to call a moment in
a game yourself. I chose Mario Lemieux's Canada Cup goal. I
announced the play in my best Pittsburgh accent, including a
reference to the infamous Chauncy's Bar. Quite entertaining. Of
course you can't get a copy of the call, but the memory can still
be with you forever, or something like that.
Once you get past the Broadcast Zone, you finally get to see the
pride and joy of the Hockey Hall of Fame. No, it's not the Stanley
Cup. It's Johnny Cullen's All-Star Game Jersey! Yes, the hero of
all from ages eight to 80 has found a place in the Hall of Fame
alongside some of the other great players who were selected to
represent their teams in the mid-season classic. See, and you
thought it was just LCS: guide to hockey that was obsessed with the
man. The whole hockey world adores good ol' Johnny Cullen!
The Hall of Fame also has some fun games for kids. As hard as it
may be to believe, sometimes the kids just aren't impressed with a
Cullen jersey. Of course those kids are under the age of eight.
But for those few young punks, the Hall entertains with an
assortment of hockey challenges. A kid can try to hit different
corners of a net, become computerized and stop shots in a video
game, or try to stop Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier as they fly
down ice and shot pucks at a net. Don't worry moms and dads,
little Kenny won't get any teeth knocked out -- the pucks aren't
real.
Now see, that was plenty of action to cover the cost of admission,
but the best event is yet to come. The Great Hall is home to the
hardware NHL players strive for year after year. From the Vezina
Trophy to the Lady Byng Trophy to the Stanley Cup, the Great Hall
is home to more gold and silver than Jaromir Jagr's neck.
The drama unfolds as you walk up the stairs leading to the Great
Hall, which is the part of the Hall of Fame that used to be the
bank. When entering you see the Stanley Cup ahead of you, and if
you look up you can see a beautiful stained glass dome which lights
up the entire room. The Stanley Cup is the climax of any visit to
the Hall, and there might not be a better setting to see the trophy
than in this room.
The Hockey Hall of Fame is definitely a must-see for any hockey fan,
and I definitely encourage you to go see it. There's plenty of
things to see and do at the Hall of Fame, much more than I described
here, so start planning your trip now!
Odds and ends
*If you want to buy some cheap NHL merchandise while you're in
Toronto, look no further than Yonge Street. There are plenty of
hockey stores on both sides of the street, so just start at one end
and work your way down to the other. I picked up a swell Oiler
jersey that I couldn't find in my area, and the cost was decent as
well.
*When you think of subways, you probably think of the dirty, grimy
New York City subway system. The Toronto subway is nothing like
it. If you've got time to waste, check it out. Some of the walls
are painted to look like Maple Leaf and Canadien players, and there
are pictures hanging up throughout of current Maple Leafs stars
like Felix Potvin. And, believe it or not, no one has tried to put
a graffiti mustache on The Cat. Now that's a city with class!
---------------------------------------------------------------
Search for Badaboum Update
---------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell
Well, there's nothing new to report on the Badaboum front. Our
search has continued over the past few weeks without any luck.
Don't sweat it, tho'. We'll keep it truckin' 24-7-365 until
something turns up. If Badaboum's out there, we'll find him.
Or, you know, like maybe we won't. Never can tell with this sort
of thing.
Anyway, without Badaboum around to be the official mascot of LCS,
that leaves quite the void in the ol' plans for world domination.
After all, how can we be expected to take over the world if we
don't have a mascot? I mean, what would we put on all the bumper
stickers, T-shirts, and lunch boxes?
Mascots have always played an important role in popular culture.
Who can think of cereal without Lucky the Leprechaun, the Trix
Rabbit, or Cap'n Crunch coming to mind? Where would McDonald's
be without the services of Ronald McDonald and crew? And it's
almost impossible to imagine heroine being as popular as it is
today without the tireless work of Kenny, the Strung Out Koala
Bear.
So LCS obviously needs a mascot. When Badaboum is found he will
take over the gig, but until that glorious day comes we need a
replacement. With that in mind, it gives LCS: Guide to Hockey
great pride to introduce its new mascot: Carl, the
Retarded Space Goat!
Yes, Carl, the Retarded Space Goat, is sure to bring a smile to
anyone's face with his wacky high jinks and irreverent approach
to life here on Earth. Granted, Carl is, shall we say, slow?
Shall we say retarded? We shall say retarded. That's why he was
left behind while his space goat brothers are out soaring the
stars looking for new worlds to conquer.
This technologically advanced race of goats originally came to
Earth looking for some rest and relaxation before attempting yet
another galactic conquest in the far off reaches of outer space.
Looking upon our planet as sort of an intergalactic Club Med, the
goats landed and immediately headed to all the local sorority
houses and night clubs in hopes of a good time. Unfortunately,
Carl got separated from the fellas when he went off to find some
aluminum cans to chew. Becoming sleepy after only a few moments
of activity, Carl had to take a nap before trying to rejoin his
pals. By the time he woke up and found his way back to the
landing zone, his buddies were already amidst the heavens. Now
Carl is left stranded on an alien planet without any hopes of
returning home. Woe is Carl.
It would indeed be a tragic tale except for one thing... Carl is
retarded! He's too damn dumb to realize what happened to him!
He doesn't know that he's destined to live his remaining years on
a strange and distant land. Hell, he's lucky if he knows he's
alive at all. He's just that stupid.
When asked to comment on his predicament, Carl had this to say:
"Turnips is tasty." Now what the hell does that mean?
As you can see, being mentally slow, physically lazy, and unable
to communicate well with others, Carl is the perfect mascot for
LCS: Guide to Hockey.
Badaboum, wherever you are, we're still holding the job for you.
But the world can rest at ease in the knowledge that Carl is here
holding down the fort until that time. LCS: Guide to Hockey and
Carl the Retarded Space Goat... truly a match made in Hartford.
As always, if you or someone you love has spotted Badaboum, please
write to us at sportif@oak.westol.com and let us know.
Thank you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT EDITOR's NOTE - READ THIS, PEPE - IMPORTANT - FREE BEER
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Because of our publishing deadline, these team reports do not include
analysis of all the transactions that occured on tuesday. The reports
only list transactions and updated rosters. Please see the features in
this issue for a complete trade recap.
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA PANTHERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Doug MacLean
Roster: C - Kirk Muller, Brian Skrudland, Rob Niedermayer, Martin Straka,
Chris Wells. LW - Johan Garpenlov, Dave Lowry, Bill Lindsay,
Mike Hough, Radek Dvorak, David Nemirovsky. RW - Scott Mellanby,
Ray Sheppard, Jody Hull, Tom Fitzgerald. D - Robert Svehla, Gord
Murphy, Ed Jovanovski, Paul Laus, Terry Carkner, Rhett Warrener,
Per Gustafsson. G - John Vanbiesbrouck, Mark Fitzpatrick.
Injuries: Johan Garpenlov, lw (MCL, eight weeks); Brian Skrudland, c
(MCL and ACL, out for the season); John Vanbiesbrouck, g (shoulder,
day-to-day); Martin Straka, c (pulled groin, day-to-day).
Transactions: Returned Geoff Smith, d, to Carolina (AHL). Returned
Craig Fisher, c, to Carolina (AHL). Recalled Steve Washburn, c, from
Carolina (AHL). Recalled Craig Martin, rw, from Carolina (AHL) and
loaned him to the IHL San Antonio Dragons. Acquired Kirk Muller, c,
from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Jason Podollan, rw.
Game Results:
3/05 Phoenix L 3-0
3/07 Calgary L 3-1
3/09 Boston L 3-1
3/11 NY Islanders W 3-2
3/13 Vancouver W 5-4
3/15 Toronto T 3-3
TEAM NEWS by Eric Seiden
"It's a hockey night in South Florida, and here come your Panthers,"
screamed the announcer. But it wasn't with enthusiasm because there was
little to be enthusiastic about as the injury ridden Panthers failed to
impress anyone coming off a multiple-game losing streak on the road. A
two-week homestand was supposed to be the cure-all but it wasn't.
The biggest news for the team was that captain Brian Skrudland will likely
miss the remainder of the season with two right knee injuries both sustained
at the same time. The Panthers have been cursed with knee injuries this
season, and having two in one player while rare anywhere else, probably
isn't a surprise to fans here in Florida, The Knee Injury State.
Skrudland injured his knee in the first period of a game on March 7
against the Calgary Flames. Today's MRI revealed a Grade 3 sprain of the
medial collateral ligament and a partial tear of the anterior cruciate
ligament. (MCL and ACL in case there's a Panther fan left who hasn't
earned a medical degree yet from reading all the reports so far...)
The team said he will be out a minimum of eight weeks, which means the
Panthers would not only have to make it into the Eastern Conference Finals
but also have Skrudland's rehabilitation go exceedingly well to see him
again before next season. It's a loss the team can ill afford because he is
our team leader to say the very least. The Panthers just don't fare well
when he's out.
Reuters reports on Brian: "Though he has just five goals and 13 assists for
18 points in 51 games this season, Skrudland provides Florida with one of
the league's best faceoff men and a defensive presence at center, not to
mention his leadership in the clubhouse."
An additional "A" was given to Tom Fitzgerald and no replacement captain has
been found in the absence of Brain Skrudland. The official team position is
that Brian Skrudland is the team captain and will remain so. The Panthers
have had only one team captain since they were founded. Skrudland was
elected by a majority team vote.
Local Miami Herald columnist Greg Cote makes a plea to Murray not to make a
desperate trade, something local fans have to agree with. In the Panthers'
skunk slump, they're showing signs of panic, and one hates to make a panic
trade because they tend to come back to haunt a team.
One has to start with the Coyote game. And it's one of the ugliest places
one could ever hope to begin. We sucked. I mean really sucked. And I say "we"
because not only did the team suck, but the fans did too.
First, for the record Chris Wells was the only bright spot on the ice during
that game. At least he TRIED. And considering what the rest of the team did,
he gets an "A" in this reporter's book. He busted his ass for the team and
nobody tried to help. The team came out sucking and when that wasn't good
enough, they swallowed.
The Beezer was good. Of the three goals, only one was his fault. To fault
an outstanding goalie for one goal is not necessary.
Ed Jovanovski was especially tragic. Rather than turnover the puck in the
neutral zone with an errant pass, he just passed it right to the opponent
to save them the trouble of having to steal it.
When the game was over (I mean "over" as when the final whistle blew -- the
game was over after the first period) and I left, there were maybe
2000 people left in the arena. That is an unacceptable behaviour for any
fan to show. Nobody should walk out on their team like that.
The last half of the third period, people started applauding when the Cats
made a mistake. They were booed off the ice at the end, and frankly THEY
DESERVE IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EVEN TRY. So what's the problem? Coaching.
Yes, coaching. After the Tampa shutout a few days before, it was obvious
there is a serious malaise on the team. Obviously the coach didn't find it
or correct it. This led to our second shutout in a row. A team that has no
confidence is a problem. It is the coach's responsibility to fix it.
"We deserved to be booed" read the headline in the Miami Herald on 3-6-97.
That headline was spoken by Goalie John Vanbiesbrouck who actually had a
pretty decent night along with Chris Wells and Craig Fisher. Coach Doug
"Verbal Abuse" MacLean said, "It's as bad as we've been all season. A poor,
poor performance, to say the least."
"Against Phoenix it was the Panthers that looked like Coyotes, specifically,
Wile E. Coyotes playing with ACME stick and skates." said columnist David J.
Neal.
"Panthers secret plan: lull opponents to sleep." -- Dan Le Batard; Dan goes
on to say that Florida never took enough shots to wake Nikolai Khabibulin.
Which may be true because Khabibulin said, "It may have been the easiest
shutout of my career." Now that ought to have been enough wake the
Sun-napping Kitties up. Sure enough coach Doug MacLean taped that quote to
the locker of every player.
Scott Mellanby, "We're trying to do too much individually. Sometimes it can
be detrimental." Scott is big with understatement apparently.
And despite all this griping by fans, players, and media, the Panthers are
still WAY better than the other expansion teams. Look at Tampa, Anaheim,
Ottawa, and San Jose. The Panthers are doing much better. And they're no
worse than last year's Stanley Cup Finalist team. And it's not the infamous
Trade either. It just feels bad, but it's not as bad as it feels. Don't
forget it. At least South Florida has a team to watch; think of poor
Winnipeg, Minneapolis, and other ex-NHL cities.
Finally on to the Flames. First, the score is deceiving. The final Flame goal
was an empty-netter with a few seconds on the clock. Secondly, the Panthers
played. They even played WELL except the last 7.5 minutes. And the Panthers
scored their first goal in eight periods of hockey. Yeah, eight periods.
Sickening factoid, isn't it?
Ed Jovanovski was much improved. That is to say he was average, which for
him is an improvement. Steve Washburn looked good. Rob Niedermayer was a
healthy scratch with a leg bruise from the previous game, despite numerous
press reports he was seen with a famous super model.
It is becoming an apparent Panther tradition that one player has to REALLY
SUCK BADLY every night. The clear winner was Per Gustafsson who was replaced
by his evil twin Apricot. (If you didn't laugh at this, never speak to me
again.) He made too many mistakes to count.
The game highlight was Rhett Warrener's TKO of Ed Ward of Calgary. It may
have been one of the shortest fights in Panther history. Rhett hit him once,
twice, and then the third decked the guy. Rhett skated off the ice with
pride to a loud ovation. Though I'm not personally a fight fan, something
of beauty should be recognized.
Against the Bruins, Mark Fitzpatrick in net was fine. (One goal was an
empty-netter). The Bruins lost two to video review so it could have been
much worse for the hapless Panthers.
Steve Washburn scored his first NHL goal and the team's only goal. The
shot-on goal count was higher again but nothing in the net still. Laus
returned, Fitzgerald returned from brief injuries. Per Gustafsson was still
out of form but was improved over the previous game.
Once again the glass broke delaying the game for 10 minutes, and another
time the clip holding the glass broke causing a stoppage while it was
re-attached. All the problems are around the penalty boxes. Apparently
they have a real problem there because this is the third major stoppage
for glass problems in the past ten weeks.
The rude-ass comment of the day was made before the game when Coach Doug
MacLean said "We're playing people who probably aren't good enough to be
playing." Sure, Dougie, the fans know this, but did you have to SAY it
publicly? How many people on our team are going to be demoralized and think
it's them? Thanks for the confidence boost coach; as if the team needed help
like this. Geeze.
For the Islanders game what was there to say but WELCOME BACK PANTHERS.
Chris Wells is becoming really good in the faceoffs, where he is filling in
for Brian Skrudland. The team may have found his niche. Now if the team
could get some speed into him, he'd be pretty good. Back from the dead
prize to Per Gustafsson who was MIA the last few games, his body which
was taken over by aliens returned and was doing much better.
Tommy Fitzgerald played on and off with his bad ankle. The fans all
appreciate his effort but wish he'd miss a game or so and get it properly
healed instead of 'almost' better and keep re-injuring it.
BOZO PLAY OF THE YEAR AWARD: Eddie Jovanovski gets beat by an Isle who is
heading right for the goal (I'm willing to let Eddie slide on getting beat
because it wasn't really his fault -- in fact he played ok), Beezer
steps up to stop the shot (which would have been an easy save) and what
happens? Eddie clobbers The Beezer and the Isle gets an empty-netter while
Eddie and Beezer lie prone on the ice. The game is stopped for five minutes
while Beezer received medical attention. Fortunately he's able to resume
play. The Panthers wouldn't learn until later that The Beezer sustained a
serious injury from the hit.
Against the Canucks, Ray Sheppard got a beautiful HAT TRICK and Chris Wells
scored a wonderful goal -- the second of his career! Ray's Hat Trick put
him at his 299, 300, and 301st career goals.
Rob Niedermayer missed in front of the net on a clear breakaway. The
Panthers were wasted from behind on a breakaway and got a rare penalty
shot. Robbie took it, but missed the net by just a tad.
Great game really, though. Beezer seemed a bit slow though he claims to be
sore from Eddie's hit earlier in the week.
Svehla and Mogilny played each other in the game. Everyone knows it's been
rumoured they were to be swapped right after the game. So it's not likely
the rumour is true and the way Mogilny played the Panthers don't want him.
As the trade deadline approaches it looks like the Panthers won't go after
Mogilny.
A forgettable game against the Maple Leafs ended in a 3-3 tie. The Beezer
sat it out due to soreness in his shoulder caused by the Jovanovski hit.
RANDOM NOTES:
MELLANBY HITS 100 TWICE: For the second time in one week Scott
Mellanby has scored his 100th goal. Yes, you read it right. Apparently
last week's announcement that his goal was the "100th goal of his career
as a Panther" was one short. I don't make it up: I just report it. Twice.
TRADE RUMOUR OF THE WEEK: Kirk Muller to Florida for Dvorak.
Also heard Mogilny for Svehla. Don't hold your breath for either one.
SIT ON IT: In order to rest key players, Doug MacLean is continuing
the rotation of a night off for defenseman, each night seeing one
defenseman warm the bench.
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NEW JERSEY DEVILS
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Head Coach: Jacques Lemaire
Roster: C - Doug Gilmour, Bob Carpenter, Bobby Holik, Denis
Pederson, Peter Zezel. LW - Dave Andreychuk, Steve Thomas, Valeri
Zelepukin, Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo, Patrik Elias. RW - Bill
Guerin, John MacLean, Randy McKay, Reid Simpson. D - Scott
Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko, Lyle Odelein, Shawn
Chambers, Dave Ellett, Kevin Dean. G - Martin Brodeur, Mike
Dunham.
Injuries: None.
Transactions: Chris LiPuma, d, was claimed off waivers by the
San Jose Sharks.
Game Results:
3/04 at Pittsburgh W 3-1
3/05 at Philadelphia W 3-1
3/08 at Islanders L 5-1
3/09 at Buffalo W 4-1
3/11 Edmonton W 6-1
3/13 Hartford W 6-0
3/15 Washington W 3-2
TEAM NEWS by David Ibrahim
All of you who love controversy and get a sadistic kick out of
seeing a team struggle down the stretch can stop reading now: I
have virtually nothing to say that is negative about the New
Jersey Devils. The naysayers who were opposed to the acquisition
of Doug Gilmour have been silenced as the Devils have gone 9-1-0
since his arrival. In the last five weeks, this team has gone
from fourth in the Atlantic Division to a tie for first, burying
the Rangers and Panthers far behind and catching up to Philly, a
task that seemed impossible three weeks ago.
The Devils began a four-game road swing in Pittsburgh and ended
up taking a 3-1 decision in a penalty filled game that saw Mario
Lemieux frustrated once again by his favorite referee, Paul
Stewart. Lemieux yapped at Stewart all night and finally got a
misconduct for arguing a five-minute boarding major called
against teammate Garry Valk. Lemieux did not return for the
remainder of the game and the Devils cruised the rest of the way.
The next night at Philly, the Devils fell behind then shut the
Flyers off completely. The Flyers were without Lindros, but it
still wasn't easy on the Devils defense. A scare was thrown into
the team at the end of the game when Doug Gilmour got hit in the
left eye when the puck popped straight up off someone's stick.
Gilmour suffered lacerations above and below the eye, but no
damage to the eye itself. He would miss the next three games
because of the injury.
The first game without Gilmour was a flop, as the Devils never
bothered to show up on the island as the Islanders buried backup
Mike Dunham early in a 5-1 loss. The next night was a different
story as the Devils dominated the Sabres in a 4-1 victory. Two
nights later with Gilmour still out of the lineup, the Devils
scored five times in the first, on the way to a 6-1 victory
against Edmonton. After the first, the Devils spent just about
the entire game trying to set up Dave Andreychuk for his 500th
career goal without luck.
Later in the week against Hartford, Gilmour returned and assisted
on the winning goal in the first as the Devils crushed the Whale
6-0. Randy McKay was the star as he scored his first pro hat
trick, this after he had been hit in the face with the puck in
the first period and was bleeding like a fountain.
On Saturday, Washington played the Devils tough, but Dave
Andreychuk's 500th career goal off a Guerin rebound and crafty
plays by Doug Gilmour pulled the Devils out of it with a 3-2
victory.
This whole team has picked up its level of play since the arrival
of Gilmour, and proved it could still be a powerhouse with him
out of the lineup. Gilmour has 12 points in seven games with NJ
and is a +11, compared to his -4 with Toronto. The Devils, near
last in scoring in the NHL before Gilmour, have averaged over
four goals per game since hes been here and has risen to 17th
overall in team scoring. That coupled with the best defense and
arguably the league's best goalie is going to be a difficult task
for any team to match in the playoffs.
Brodeur's game has been astounding since the All-Star break: he
leads the NHL with a 1.95 GAA, is tied for first in shutouts with
six, is in the top five in wins with 32 and is also near the top
in save percentage. Does anyone hear George Vezina calling?
Devils fans do, and it looks like Lord Stanley might be
making his second trip to the Meadowlands in three years.
Off the Boards
* Bill Guerin tied his career high in goals with his 25th vs.
Hartford.
* Forward Reid Simpson sneezed so hard during the Devils/Capitals
game that he ruptured a blood vessel in his eye.
* The Devils play the Flyers in Philly on the last day of the
season in a game that could decide the Atlantic Division
champion.
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NEW YORK ISLANDERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Rick Bowness
Roster: C - Travis Green, Bryan Smolinski, Robert Reichel, Derek Armstrong,
Claude Lapointe. LW - Niclas Andersson, Brent Hughes,
Paul Kruse. RW - Zigmund Palffy, Dan Plante, Randy Wood,
Steve Webb, Todd Bertuzzi. D - Scott Lachance, Dennis Vaske,
Richard Pilon, Bryan McCabe, Kenny Jonsson, Bryan Berard,
Doug Houda, Jason Holland. G - Eric Fichaud, Tommy Salo.
Injuries: Dennis Vaske, d (recovering from concussion, has
resumed skating and may return March 22).
Transactions: Traded Derek King, rw, to the Hartford Whalers in exchange for
a 1997 fifth-round draft pick. Acquired Robert Reichel, c, from
the Calgary Flames for left wing Marty McInnis, goaltender Tyrone
Garner and a 1997 sixth-round draft pick. Recalled left wing
Ken Belanger from Kentucky (AHL).
Game Results
3/04 at Tampa L 6-3
3/06 Boston W 5-2
3/08 Devils W 5-1
3/11 at Florida L 3-2
3/13 Tampa Bay W 3-0
3/15 at Boston L 5-2
3/16 at Chicago L 5-4
TEAM NEWS by David Strauss
A few weeks ago, before a crucial stretch of five games in nine days,
with the Islanders five points out of a playoff spot, GM Mike Milbury
told the press that the next five games would tell him whether to make a
trade focusing on making the playoffs this season, or to make a trade
focusing on improving the team in the future. After those nine days
ended, the team was...five points out. So Milbury waited. And now, two
weeks later, the team is...five points out. The Islanders have jumped
in and out of the playoff race with increasing restlessness. Coach Rick
Bowness and his team have been in and out so many times they're starting
to remind people of Richard Simmons on the Howard Stern Show. ("I'm in!
I'm out! I'm in! I'm out!..." Oh, nevermind.)
But the indecision regarding this season has seemed to handcuff
Milbury. He seems inclined to trade some veterans for the future, but
doesn't want to do so when it still seems the team has a chance at the
playoffs. Derek King, in his 10th season with the Isles, will be an
unrestricted free agent after the season, and rumors have him going to
Florida or Calgary, both after veteran help on the power play. Marty
McInnis, former US Olympian, is also rumored to be on the block. Bryan
Smolinski, obtained from the Penguins earlier in the season for Darius
Kasparaitis, is also rumored to be available.
The problem, it seems, is that everyone calling Milbury is after one of
his prized youngsters -- defensemen Bryan Berard or Bryan McCabe, goalie
Eric Fichaud, or one of his top picks in the upcoming draft. Everyone
is also asking about former first-round pick Todd Bertuzzi, who appears
to have stopped his sinking ship by scoring four times in the last six
games and playing a physical, solid game.
Milbury seems very reluctant to part with either of the two first-round
picks, maintaining that they are the answer to his team's lack of depth
up front. Rumored deals including the trading of Felix Potvin or
another veteran goalie to the Island for one of those picks are so
ludicrous they make me laugh. HA! (Well, actually, that was more of a
guffaw.)
One rumor that made sense was a trade of Center Travis Green with one of
those picks to Phoenix for center Jeremy Roenick. (Perhaps too much
sense...it's unlikely the Coyotes would give up Roenick for so little,
despite his failures to fit into the system, and his horror at how bad
that Phoenix jersey is.)
Of course, the Islanders themselves still maintain the team has a shot
at the playoffs, and Isles fans are truly torn between wanting a playoff
berth and the potential of two top picks. Joe Thornton and Patrick
Marleau would look REAL good in that original logo next season, for
sure.
"We're not underachievers," Bowness said after a practice this week. "We
haven't underachieved all year. We're coming out of this season knowing
we've improved, knowing that we've made tremendous strides. But
regardless, even if you play up to your potential, it's still
disappointing if you don't make the playoffs. The goal of 26 teams going
into the year is to make the playoffs, so when you don't, you have to be
disappointed. Some of the teams that won't make it have underachieved.
They should have made it. If we don't make it, no one's going to say we
underachieved, that we `should have made it.' No one thought we were
going to be in the hunt to begin with, and we are."
But asked if he and his players could find solace in being in the hunt
only to fall short in the end, Bowness said: "Solace? You don't want
solace. When you're this close, you want to get in."
The season has been a strong improvement from last year. The Isles
finished 1996 at 22-50-10, and have already surpassed their point total
from last season. They reduced their league-leading 528 man-games lost
to injuries last season, which included eight concussions, to less than
100 games lost so far this season, and most of those from Dennis Vaske.
McInnis has 20 goals, King 22 and though Zigmund Palffy has struggled in
the second half due to a shoulder injury, he has 37. Goalies Tommy Salo
and Eric Fichaud have lowered the team's goals-against average from 3.75
last season to 2.94.
It hasn't been enough. Milbury has had his hands tied by the
improvement that is good but not good enough, and yet too much.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK RANGERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Colin Campbell
Rosters: C - Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Esa Tikkanen, Mike
Eastwood. LW - Adam Graves, Luc Robitaille, Darren Langdon, Bill
Berg, Sylvain Blouin. RW - Niklas Sundstrom, Russ Courtnall, Pat
Flatley, Shane Churla, David Oliver, Ryan VandenBussche, Alexei
Kovalev. D - Brian Leetch, Ulf Samuelsson, Jeff Beukeboom, Bruce
Driver, Doug Lidster, Alexander Karpovstev, Eric Cairns. G -
Mike Richter, Glenn Healy.
Injuries: Alexei Kovalev, rw (torn anterior crucuiate ligament,
out for the season). Luc Robitaille, lw (broken foot, out 4-6
weeks).
Transactions: Peter Ferraro, rw, recalled from Binghamton(AHL).
Traded Sergei Nemchinov, c, and Brian Noonan, rw, to Vancouver
for Esa Tikkanen, c, and Russ Courtnall, rw. Returned Chris
Ferraro, c, and Peter Ferraro, rw, to Binghamton(AHL).
Game Results
3/06 at Los Angeles W 6-2
3/07 at Anaheim L 5-2
3/09 at San Jose W 2-1
3/12 Washington W 3-2
3/14 at Ottawa W 4-3 OT
TEAM NEWS: Alex Frias, NY Rangers Team Correspondent
The Rangers are finally beginning to show opponents a
personality, a frightening one at that. One that out-muscled the
scrappy Capitals and rebounded from two one-goal deficits to beat
the Senators in overtime.
There is enough confidence and depth to overcome the loss of Luc
Robitaille, who will miss at least the next four weeks with a
broken foot, as they have Esa Tikkanen to slide up to the second
line and play with his old Edmonton buddy, Wayne Gretzky.
Smith Finally Pulls Trigger: With limited resources at his
disposal, GM Neil Smith pulled the trigger on a deal he hopes
gives his sputtering team a boost going into the playoffs.
Swinging a deal with the Vancouver Canucks, Smith brought back
'94 playoff S.O.B. Esa Tikkanen along with speedy Russ Courtnall
for Sergei Nemchinov and Brian Noonan.
The trade helps both teams as the Rangers get faster and bit
grittier. The Canucks get a natural center who can play with
either Mogilny or Bure, and get rid of two players who have been
griping about their contracts.
In effect, the deal can be broken down into two one-for-one
swaps. In the first - the exchange of right wingers Courtnall
and Noonan - the Rangers give up some size and defensive
responsibility for a speed demon with a better finishing touch.
In the second - the trade of Nemchinov for Tikkanen - the Rangers
give up a dependable center for one of the game's best agitators.
Of the four players, only Noonan has a contract after next season
as the other three all become unrestricted free agents at
season's end. And the Rangers have no intention of making any
commitments just yet. Tikkanen, 32, is playing with ravaged knee
ligaments what will require reconstructive surgery and really can
no longer be considered a solid two-way 25-goal player. The
31-year-old Courtnall has a better chance of re-signing with the
team, as he's been a fairly reliable mid-20-goal scorer
throughout his career despite not approaching the 36-goal output
he had in 1992-93 with Minnesota.
Tikkanen comes to the Blueshirts with 12 goals, 27 points and 66
penalty minutes while Courtnall had nine goals and 28 points with
48 games. Courtnall's numbers suffered due to the fact that he
was relegated to third-line duty with Bure and Mogilny ahead of
him in Vancouver's depth chart at wing and the 19 games missed
with a groin strain.
Luc Breaks Foot: Luc Robitaille suffered a broken foot
stepping off the team bus upon its arrival at the Corel Centre.
The break might just have been a good one for Robitaille, who
wants to remain a Ranger and will be impossible for Neil Smith to
deal before Tuesday's 3 p.m. trading deadline. He will miss four
to six weeks.
Struck on the left instep by a shot from a teammate in the home
victory over Washington, Robitaille originally was diagnosed with
just a bruise when X-rays revealed no fracture. And he took part
in the morning skate expecting to play.
But he said he heard a "crack" when he stepped off the bus. And
then he could hardly skate in the pregame warmup. X-rays taken
there revealed a break and an Ottawa team doctors surmised that
he had aggravated a stress fracture that didn't show up on
earlier pictures.
When Alexei Kovalev went down for the season with a knee injury
eight weeks ago, his legion of supporters said: Now we'll see
just how valuable he is. And the same proclamation applies now
that Robitaille is gone for the rest of the regular season: Now
we'll see.
Now we'll see whether Robitaille really was doing less with the
tremendous opportunity of playing on Gretzky's left wing that
another player could. Either that or we'll see that for all his
physical shortcomings, Robitaille's work this season was not so
easy for another winger to reproduce.
But one things for sure, we will see.
Langdon Suspended: As expected, Darren Langdon was
suspended two games for leaving the bench during the 6-2 victory
over the Kings to start a fight with Matt Johnson as the Kings
left wing was scuffling with Messier.
I've got to give Langdon mad props for wanting to protect his
captain, but he's got to think about the team first. Hopefully
Langdon will take that into consideration come playoff time.
Ferraro Bros., Together Again: It took 67 games, but the
Ferraro brothers were finally getting their big chance. If Peter
provided the kind of jump Chris had shown since being called up
from Binghamton, the Long Island twins may have realized their
dream of playing together in the NHL.
"I'm happy for him. He's been playing well," Chris Ferraro said
of Peter, a right wing. "We always have hope and keep working.
We were a little disappointed when we first got sent down (after
the preseason) but the worst thing you do is sulk."
However, with the acquisition of Tikkanen and Courtnall, the
Ferraro brothers dream was short-lived as both were returned to
Binghamton.
Game Recaps
Mar. 6, beat Los Angeles 6-2: Six different Blueshirts
scored, as the Rangers built a four-goal lead and cruised to a
6-2 win, breaking a seven-game road winless streak. Messier
collected three assists and Gretzky, Sundstrom, Leetch and Chris
Ferraro each had a goal and an assist.
Mar. 7, lost to Anaheim 5-2: Adam Graves 200th career
goal wasn't enough to get the win as the Rangers fell to 1-1 in
their three-game road trip. The Ducks' two stars were the stars
of the game as Selanne had two goals and Kariya had another.
Mar. 9, beat San Jose 2-1: Richter had 28 saves and
Sundstrom scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, as the
Rangers held on for their third win in four games. Robitaille
got the other goal as the Rangers completed their three-game West
Coast road trip 2-1.
Mar. 12, beat Washington 3-2: Fighting for their turf
like a team that suddenly understood the importance of its work
and the lateness of the hour, and after twice fighting back to
tie the game, the Rangers pounded out a critical 3-2 victory when
Messier hammered a power-play goal through goaltender Olaf
Kolzig.
Messier's goal tied him with Mike Bossy for 10th on the all-time
goal-scoring list at 573.
Mar. 14, beat Ottawa 4-3 OT: Niklas Sundstrom again was
the extra-session hero, as he had been 11 days before, ripping a
30-foot slap shot past Ron Tugnutt 1:24 into OT to give the
Rangers a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators at the Corel
Centre. Actually, Adam Graves was the game-long hero. The
selfless left wing pumped home all three Rangers goals in
regulation - the third to tie the game for a third time with just
4:08 left in regulation and a mere 19 seconds after Ottawa had
taken a 3-2 lead on the second goal of the night put into the
visitors' net by one of their own defensemen.
Graves' 26th, 27th and 28th goals surpassed Ron Greschner for
13th place on the Rangers' all-time list with 181.
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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
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Head Coach: Terry Murray
ROSTER: C - Eric Lindros, Rod Brind'Amour, Dale Hawerchuk, Joel
Otto, Daniel Lacroix, Vaclav Prospal. LW - John LeClair, Dan
Kordic, Shjon Podein. RW - Mikael Renberg, Pat Falloon, John
Druce, Trent Klatt, Dainius Zubrus, Scott Daniels. D - Eric
Desjardins, Paul Coffey, Petr Svoboda, Chris Therien, Karl
Dykhuis, Kjell Samuelsson, Janne Niinimaa, Michel Petit, Darren
Rumble. G - Ron Hextall, Garth Snow.
Injuries: Trent Klatt, rw (sustained a concussion Mar 9,
sidelined day-to-day); John Druce, rw (suffered a lacerated leg
Mar 2, sidelined day-to-day); Kjell Samuelsson, d (sustained a
ruptured disk in his back, required surgery, sidelined
indefinitely); Dale Hawerchuk, c (sustained a pulled groin Mar
2, sidelined day-to-day); Petr Svoboda, d (sustained a pulled
groin Mar 13, sidelined day-to-day).
Transactions: March 2- recalled Neil Little, g, from Philadelphia
(AHL); March 4 - returned Neil Little, g, to Philadelphia (AHL);
March 6 - recalled Vaclav Prospal, c, from Philadelphia (AHL);
March 9 - recalled Colin Forbes, lw, from Philadelphia
(AHL); March 14 - returned Colin Forbes, lw, to Philadelphia
(AHL); March 18 - acquired Frantisek Kucera, d, from the Vancouver
Canucks in exchange for their seventh-round pick in the 1997 draft.
Game Results:
03/05 New Jersey L 3-1
03/08 at Pittsburgh L 3-2 OT
03/09 Washington W 5-0
03/11 at Buffalo L 3-2 OT
03/13 Edmonton W 5-4 OT
03/15 Buffalo L 7-5
TEAM NEWS by Eric Meyer
Fell On Black Days...
Hmm....not sure how to approach this section. The Flyers haven't
had a go of it this rough since early on in the season before the
days of Eric Lindros and the reunification of the Legion of Doom.
All right...let's see what we can do...
What else can you really say, but that this team has hit a slump;
minor as it may be. Losers of four out of their last six games,
Philly's record over this past two-week stretch goes a little
deeper than just box scores and numbers. First of all, just look
at the four losses; all against top flight, Eastern Conference
talent.
Yes, so what if Pittsburgh is in a bit of a slump; it wasn't long
ago that they were tearing apart the Northeast Division in a
first place struggle with Buffalo. And speak of the devil, err,
Devils, a sound 3-1 beating of the Flyers (03/05) on CoreStates
Center ice left players, coaches and fans wondering if the orange
and black is going to be able to overcome the playoff clutch and
grab style of such Atlantic Division competition like the Devils
and Panthers.
And speak of the devil, err, Buffalo, the Sabres twice took care
of the Flyers over this past two-week span, once in OT in
Buffalo, and once tearing the orange and black a new one on
CoreStates Center ice, 7-5.
Take a minute to look back at the game results. Notice the
two OT losses the Flyers suffered. Now consider that in their
previous twelve overtime appearances this season, the Flyers had
a stellar 2-0-10 record.
So what's going on here? Except in the case of New Jersey, one
can't really say that it's been a lack of scoring. What you can
say, is that the netminding and the defense has begun to show
some gaping holes. Yes, injuries are always going to play a
factor, so the loss of Karl Dykhuis, Kjell Samuelsson and Petr
Svoboda will have an impact, but the problem goes deeper than
injuries. For with the exception of the 5-0 shutout over
Washington where the defense played a spectacular game, limiting
the Caps to just 15 shots, the Flyers defense has spent most of
the past two weeks often trailing the play, on their heels or on
their asses. In their last twelve games, the Flyers have yielded
41 goals (yipes!).
And what about that Flyers goaltending? If I hear about Felix
Potvin coming to the Flyers one more time I think I'm going to
barf (but I'll address final trade rumors later). With the
exception of Washington, Ron Hextall has been as close to
dreadful as one can get over the past few weeks. And as much as
one can make excuses about shotty defense in front of the net,
Ron Hextall has not "stood on his head" and really saved the
Flyers from the grips of defeat for a good while now. In fact,
shots that earlier in the season weren't getting by, are starting
to find their way into the back of the net behind Mr. Hextall.
Watch Your Mouth Young Man...
His name is Craig Carton. He is a radio personality on local
Philadelphia Sports Radio Station 610 WIP AM. And on February
28th he dropped the bomb.
Carton reported over the airwaves what numerous unnamed sources
had previously told him: that Eric Lindros did not miss the front
end of a home-and-home series with Pittsburgh on February 15th
with a back injury as reported by the Flyers organization, but
rather was too hung over from a previous evening of heavy
drinking.
On March 5th, the Flyers fired back at their flagship station by
filing a lawsuit against Carton and the station claiming libel.
WIP, which is owned by Infinity Broadcasting, has one year left
on their contract with the Flyers, but have been offered a buy
out by the team.
Flyers President Ed Snider has gone on record as saying that he
does not want this lawsuit to end in a settlement, citing this
incident as the final straw in a series of remarks made on WIP
that had previously been swept under the rug. In effect, it
appears that this lawsuit might be made to teach WIP a lesson of
sorts.
"Our players give too much to this community to be subjected to
the false and malicious attacks regarding their character that
are constantly made by WIP," Flyers President Bob Clarke said.
Officials at WIP did not want to comment on the situation, citing
station policy not to comment on pending lawsuits.
Last Call for the Rumor Express...
How many of you saw Flyers GM Bobby Clarke on SportsCenter up in
Toronto taking in a Maple Leafs - Dallas Stars game? Why is it
that all trade rumors seems to originate from Toronto? Does
Toronto (the same city that originiated the Ed Belfour to Philly
trade rumor) have anything better to do with their time than to
create trade rumors? That being said, I will run, down one final
time, some of the trade rumors I have heard, coming out of
Philadelphia.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Terry Crisp
Roster: C - Brian Bradley, Chris Gratton, John Cullen, Daymond
Langkow, Allen Egeland. LW - Paul Ysebaert, Shawn Burr, Rob
Zamuner, Jason Weimer, Rudy Poeschek, Patrick Poulin, Brent
Peterson, Jeff Toms. RW - Brian Bellows, Alexander Selivanov,
Mikael Andersson, Paul Brousseau. D - Roman Hamrlik, Bill
Houlder, Cory Cross, Dave Shaw, Igor Ulanov, Jeff Norton, Jay
Wells, Jamie Huscroft. G - Daren Puppa, Corey Schwab, Rick
Tabaracci.
Injuries: Paul Ysebaert, rw (returned March 8 after missing nine games
with a groin strain); Patrick Poulin, lw (suffered knee injury March 6,
sidelined indefinitely, placed on IR March 6); Alexander Selivanov, rw
(underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, sidelined indefinitely, placed on
IR Feb. 25); Jay Wells, d (suffered sprained knee Feb. 5, sidelined
indefinitely, placed on IR Feb. 5); Brian Bradley, c (suffered wrist
injury Jan. 9, sidelined indefinitely, placed on IR Jan. 9).
Transactions: This is supposed to come out before the trade deadline,
so like, I have to pretend that the Bolts didn't acquire Jeff Norton, d,
from Edmonton in exchange for Drew Bannister, d. Keep it quiet.
Acquired Jamie Huscroft, d, from the Calgary Flames for
Tyler Moss, g.
Game Results:
3/04 at Islanders W 6-3
3/06 Phoenix L 5-0
3/08 Boston L 6-4
3/09 Calgary W 2-1 OT
3/13 Islanders L 3-0
3/15 Vancouver L 5-2
3/16 Toronto L 3-1
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
The men with lightning bolts on their pants were ready to make a
push to the playoffs. They were in the top eight and were coming
home for a six-game homestand. It was all good. That is until
they dropped five of the six games. Yeah, that'll suck.
The Bolts are now tenth in the Eastern Conference with a record
of 27-35-7, good for 61 points; three behind both Hartford and
Montreal for the final playoff spot. They have 13 games left on
the slate, with nine of those contests on the road. You might
think that sounds like a problem. And, well, you'd be da man...
because them boys in big trouble.
To make matters worse, LCS hero Alexander "Knuckles" Selivanov is
out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Sometimes... sometimes life just ain't fair. Excuse me a
moment... it's tough to type through the tears... okay... I think
I'm alright... let's continue.
Tampa did get some good news when Daren Puppa returned to the ice
for a conditioning stint with Carolina of the AHL. Puppa stopped
19 shots in earning a 4-3 win over Adirondack in his lone start
before returning to Tampa Bay. He's expected to join the club on
their three-game Western road trip that will see the squad stop in
Edmonton (March 19th), Calgary (21st), and Vancouver (22nd).
About the only chance Tampa has of making the playoffs is if
Puppa returns and just goes buckwild between the pipes.
Otherwise, the Bolts are as finished as a white suit on a sissy
who's been wrestlin' a half-breed in pig slop.
Well, Troy Ely, our Tampa Bay correspondent is still missing, so
I'm pretty much tapped out as far as Bolt news goes. If you live
and Tampa and would like to write about the Bolts in Troy's
absence, just send me some of that email at
sportif@oak.westol.com.
In the meantime, let's think of things that rhyme with Tampa Bay.
Let's see...
Sunny day
Pay to play
This idea is gay
I'd like to runaway
But I can't because my life is one big miserable waste of time,
seemingly doing nothing more than waiting for the icy cold hand
of Death to take me home and ease the pain from my meaningless
existence... but I digress.
Chicken fillet
Lunch tray
Drab grey
oh, f*** it... where's that damn bottle...
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Jim Schoenfeld
Roster: C-Adam Oates, Andrei Nikolishin, Dale Hunter, Kevin Kaminski.
LW- Steve Konowalchuk, Michal Pivonka, Joe Juneau. RW-Peter Bondra, Rick
Tocchet, Kelly Miller, Todd Krygier, Mike Eagles, Craig Berube. D-Mark
Tinordi, Calle Johansson, Sylvain Cote, Brendan Witt, Ken Klee. G-Bill
Ranford, Olaf Kolzig.
Injuries: Phil Housley, d (groin strain, 2 weeks); Kelly Miller, rw
(shoulder, day-to-day); Todd Krygier, lw (wrist, day-to-day); Joe
Reekie, d (broken heel,1-2 weeks); Sergei Gonchar, d (Grade II sprain in
left knee, 3-5 weeks).
Transactions: Sent Eric Charron, d, to Portland (AHL). Sent Pat Peake, rw,
to Portland on a reconditioning assignment. Recalled Richard Zednik, rw,
from Portland. Sent RW Richard Zednik, rw, to Portland. Sent Andrew
Brunette, lw, to Portland. Sent Yogi Svejkovsky, lw, to Portland.
Game Results:
3/04 Calgary W 2-1
3/06 Colorado W 6-3
3/09 at Philadelphia L 5-0
3/11 Vancouver W 4-1
3/12 at NY Rangers L 3-2
3/15 at New Jersey L 3-2
3/16 Hartford W 5-3
TEAM NEWS by Jason Sheehan
To Gel or Not to Gel; That Is the Question
The main question being asked around the Washington Capitals' locker
room and rinks around the NHL is this: has the trade that sent Adam
Oates, Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford to the Capitals helped?
The answer: kind of.
Oates and company have performed well, but the Capitals remain one point
out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
Although the 4-3-0 mark Washington has earned since the trade looks
unimpressive, the new core of talent is not to blame.
Oates, who has played seven games with his new team, has three goals and
three assists. He has also helped the Capitals suddenly become one of
the best teams for winning faceoffs in the league. He is wearing No. 77
in honor of former teammate and longtime friend Ray Bourque.
Tocchet, on the other hand, has dressed in five games and has two goals
and a pair of assists. Ranford, meanwhile, has been everything GM David
Poile expected him to be, allowing only one soft goal and making big
saves at opportune times. With the exception of a 5-0 loss in
Philadelphia, Ranford has kept the Capitals within striking distance in
every game.
Washington, as a whole, has experienced success at home by winning its
last four games, but has dropped three straight on enemy ice.
Why? Because the Capitals' new stars haven't had time to gel. No one
have a need to worry if Poile pulled off this blockbuster deal in the
middle of the season. But with only 12 games left and the Capitals
fighting for every last point, the time to gel is now.
The Capitals tried to quicken this process by getting accustomed to each
other after a 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers March 12. Coach Jim
Schoenfeld gave his team the next day off, and allowed his team to wander
to Broadway for a couple plays.
Did it work? Once again, kind of. After dropping another 3-2 game to
the first place New Jersey Devils at the Meadowlands, Washington
returned home in a must-win situation against Hartford (who at the time
led the Capitals by three points). It was a proverbial four-point game
the Capitals knew they had to win.
And they did win; with flying colors. The Capitals scored three
first-period goals and soared to a quick 4-1 lead. They held on for an
impressive 5-3 win to position themselves within one point of the Whalers
and Montreal Canadiens.
The Whalers were playing their fourth game in five nights. They played
as hard as could be expected and pushed the Capitals to the edge all
afternoon. But they were sapped of all the energy they had in their
reserve banks when Capitals right winger Peter Bondra blasted a rocket-
like slap shot past Sean Burke with only three-tenths of a second left
in the first period.
Later in the game, Capitals captain Dale Hunter collided into Burke
when he was playing the puck behind the net. Referee Dan Marouelli
didn't call a penalty, ruling that Burke inadvertently boxed Hunter out.
Burke was visibly upset over the no-call and let his actions be known a
few minutes later after Konowalchuk buried a shot into an empty net. As
the Capitals gathered together to celebrate the goal, Burke leaped off
the bench and punched Hunter in the back of his head. Burke, like
Hunter, wasn't penalized but should be expecting a call from the NHL
later this week.
According to NHL rules, any player that leaves the bench for the purpose
of getting involved in an altercation receives an automatic 10-game
suspension. Nothing has happened yet, as of March 17th.
Same Old Problems Get Solved, While New Problems Emerge
A high-flying win against the Whalers was impressive. But the Capitals
are still having the same problem that has plagued this franchise since
its inception; a lack of scoring. The Capitals haven't scored more than
three goals in a loss since January. As a result, Washington usually
finds itself losing close games by the scores of 3-2 and 2-1.
This problem hasn't changed with the additions of Oates and Tocchet.
For example, the Capitals were at the wrong end of 3-2 losses at New
York and New Jersey.
But the skilled playmaker and power forward have changed at least one
aspect for the Capitals. Washington used to have a miserable time
against the Western Conference, but are now handling its traveling
guests with relative ease. The Capitals have won three straight against
the West, defeating Calgary, Colorado and Vancouver (all at USAir
Arena).
Yet, the Eastern Conference has been giving the Capitals fits for the
first time this season. Philadelphia, the Rangers and New Jersey (all
Atlantic Division foes) sent the Capitals to the visitors' locker room
in a miserable state of mind.
The Capitals will either live or be buried by the East before the season
comes to a close. The bulk of their remaining 12 games will be played at
home against Eastern Conference opponents.
Revolving Door of Injuries
A Capitals' article that doesn't discuss injuries would be like a dream
come true for Schoenfeld. But in reality, that would be living in a
Disney film.
Just when it looked like the injury list was finally shrinking (not
"Honey, I Shrunk the Kids"), it received a bit of fresh blood. The
durable Kelly Miller strained his shoulder against Vancouver March 11th
and hasn't returned since. He is listed as day-to-day.
Left wing Todd Krygier also spiraled to the injury list with a sore
wrist. This has been a recurring problem for Krygier. He missed most
of December and January with an identical injury. But it's not expected
to be as serious this time around.
Just when defenseman Phil Housley came out of his season-long slump, he
strained his groin a couple minutes after scoring a first-period goal on
March 16th against Hartford. He is expected to miss the next two weeks
of action.
While a few players have their names inked on this horrific list, the
Capitals have seen three players get healthy (keeping a weird type of
balance in check).
Winger Pat Peake was deemed healthy enough to play for the first time
since shattering his heel in the playoffs last season. It was the first
time an injury of this type has occurred in the NHL, so a return date
was never written in stone. Until now. Peake was sent to the Capitals'
AHL affiliate in Portland in an effort for him to get back into game
shape and make sure his heel is ready to go.
You never can tell with Peake. He is a guy that always finds a way to
get injured. Six weeks ago, he broke his hand while moving his 48-inch
television set. The wheels got stuck in the carpet and as it was
falling, Peake lunged forward and ended up with a broken hand for his
efforts. Schoenfeld may soon buy a bubble for him to live in.
Left Wing Chris Simon, who had missed the last two months with back
spasms, made a return to the Capitals' lineup just in time to get
clobbered by Philadelphia. Simon, one of the NHL's elite big men, has
improved with each game he's played. He has hopes of helping the
Capitals move on to the second season using his rugged style of play as
his greatest asset.
Center turned left wing Joe Juneau was chomping at the bit to play
alongside Oates. When Oates laced up the skates March 4th, Juneau
pulled himself off the injured list and started the game on a line with
Oates and Krygier. (See stat of the week for Juneau's great game
against the Avalanche).
Stat of the Week
That didn't take too long, did it?
Juneau earned four assists for the first time in his career when the
Capitals buried the Avalanche 6-3 on March 6th. His favorite target of
the night was Peter Bondra (42 goals), who scored four goals.
The Capitals also scored three power-play goals on only six attempts.
And this great feat was earned against the NHL's best penalty killing
unit. Unfortunately, they haven't scored on the power play since.
All You Need to Know
The Capitals trail the Whalers and Canadiens for the eighth and final
playoff spot by one point with only 12 games left to play. Eight of the
12 games will be played on home ice.
================================================================
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHEASTERN DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BOSTON BRUINS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Steve Kasper
Roster: C - Anson Carter, Jason Allison, Jozef Stumpel, Ted Donato,
Brett Harkins, Trent McCleary. LW - Troy Mallette, Brett Harkins,
Rob Dimaio. RW - Steve Heinze, Sandy Moger, Sheldon Kennedy, Jeff Odgers,
Landon Wilson, Tim Sweeney, Jean-Yves Roy. D - Ray Bourque, Don Sweeney,
Kyle McLaren, Jon Rolhoff, Dean Chynoweth, Barry Richter,
Dean Malkoc. G - Jim Carey, Rob Tallas.
Injuries: Steve Heinze, rw (torn MCL, hip and groin strain, 6-8
weeks); Ted Donato, c (broken finger, indefinite); Trent McCleary, c
(knee sprain, indefinite); Sandy Moger, rw (broken finger, indefinite).
Transactions: Sent Anders Myrvold, d, to Providence of the AHL.
Called up Brett Harkins, c, from Providence of the AHL.
Steve Staois, d, claimed off waivers by the Vancouver Canucks.
Game Results:
3/06 at NY Islanders L 5-2
3/08 at Tampa Bay W 6-4
3/09 at Florida W 3-1
3/12 at Hartford L 6-3
3/13 Montreal L 3-0
3/15 NY Islanders W 5-2
3/17 at Buffalo L 5-1
TEAM NEWS by Matt Brown
With only 11 games remaining in this most frustrating of seasons, the
Boston Bruins are still hugging the bottom of the NHL. The prospects of
them moving up the food chain before April seem pretty bleak. An
optimistic Bruins fan, prior to his evening medication, might mention
that the team is about to go on a tear like last year and take 10 of 11
games, gain 20 points in the standings, and storm into the playoffs for
the 30th year in a row.
A more sedate fan might point out that even such a heroic effort would
still leave the team with a 34-37-9 record, good for only 77 points (a
mere coincidence), well below .500. This would be their worst finish
since 1966-67, and probably still short of a playoff berth, unless three
or four teams decide to take a pre-playoff jaunt to the Bermuda
Triangle.
After a shaky first couple of games, post-trade, the new kids on the
team proved themselves to be worthy of notice. Jim Carey backstopped
the Bruins to a monster of a comeback win over Tampa Bay in Florida,
then positively shut down the Florida Panthers the next day. Now,
admittedly both of these teams are not at their peak form, but
back-to-back wins are nothing to sneeze at during a season like this.
Anson Carter showed what he was made of during these games. Carter had
two goals against the Bolts, and his excellent penalty killing in tandem
with Sheldon Kennedy has been a very pleasant surprise. Kennedy has
scored twice short-handed while teamed with Carter, and they seem to have
a feeling for each other’s style even after just a few shifts together.
It hasn’t been so easy for Jason Allison. Although he scored a goal
against Tampa Bay, his first as a Bruin, he also missed some time
because of a reaction to medicine, and his play has not seemed as
spirited as Carter’s. Of course, a good part of the problem is that the
team doesn’t really have enough depth at the wing positions to make more
than one or two centers happy and productive on any given night.
The Bruins arrived home to New England flying high after these two wins,
only to crash and burn against the Whalers and the Canadiens. At
Hartford, the Bruins looked more like Mall rats than Rinkrats, letting
the Whalers have their way in a 6-3 Hartford win.
The following night, the Bruins outshot the Canadiens, but couldn’t dent
the suddenly decent Joceyn Thibault, who pitched his first shutout of
the season.
The Bruins next avenged a recent loss by manhandling the Islanders at
the Fleetcenter. But then, playing in the Jumbotron make-up game
(rescheduled because of the scoreboard accident in Buffalo), the team
displayed the same lack of finishing and the same lack of backchecking
that has gotten them where they are today: last place.
Realistically speaking, from this point the club will do well to average
.500 for their remaining games, given the opposition. No one, not even
optimistic coach Steve Kasper, could have expected the team’s new
members (acquired in the trade with Washington that sent the "Gang of
Three" - Adam Oates, Rick Tocchet, and Bill Ranford - into exile) to
spark a playoff drive.
Jim Carey, Anson Carter, and Jason Allison were not brought to Boston to
save the season, and nobody in Bruins management is even trying to
peddle that jive. They were acquired to remove salary, age, and dissent
from the locker room.
In fact, the most recent spin, imparted by none other than the Big Nacho
himself, concessionaire extraordinaire Jeremy Jacobs, owner and
perpetrator of the Boston Bruins, is that the Gang of Three guys had
soured the locker room from the start of the season.
Jacobs spoke out recently in a rare interview with the Boston Globe’s
Kevin Paul Dupont, who is affectionately known as "the Shill" among the
more opinionated Bruins fans.
Now if you grant this line of reasoning about these three veterans,
please explain how Jacobs can credit GM Harry Sinden for waiting until
now, when the season is toast, to fix the problem. Either Jeremy has
swallowed the Harry Sinden story hook, line, and sinker, or Harry has
pictures of Mr. Jacobs in a compromising position with a rib-roast on
the Legends Club buffet table. Well, there is a third possibility -
that Jeremy Jacobs implicitly trusts Harry Sinden with the hockey club
and Delaware North Corporation’s money.
The reason? He knows that Harry won’t spend it. Jacobs states that
"Harry Sinden can spend whatever it takes to put that team out there."
But that is like making Don Cherry the chairman of a committee
nominating European players for the Hockey Hall of Fame. Harry would
have a harder time if Jacobs required him to spend $15 million
more, than if he gave him permission.
Still, even though he is not happy with the season, Jacobs is quite
satisfied with Bruins management. "I think the moves that were made
were correct." He grants that the moves were made too late, but that’s
okay, because Harry and assistant GM Mike O’Connell are "the braintrust"
according to Jacobs, who goes on to call Harry "amazing. The best in
the league."
Of course, NHL experts seem to disagree with him, just slightly. This
year’s Toronto Sun experts’ poll ranked Harry dead last among NHL
General Managers. They coincidentally put Steve Kasper right alongside
his mentor as the worst coach in the NHL.
"Brainrust" would be closer to the truth. Mr. Jacobs insults the
intelligence of Bruins fans by expecting them to believe that his whole
crew has anything other than profitability in mind. After all, it is
just a coincidence that missing the playoffs will probably cost the
Bruins $3.5 million or so in revenue and luxury box pre-paid fees. Gosh,
wasn’t that just about the amount they saved by unloading the Gang of
Three? Funny how that works.
In explaining why the Bruins payroll is among the lowest in the league,
Jacobs hauls out the old canard that you can’t buy a winner. He
mentions the payrolls of St. Louis (well, one point for Jeremy) and
Pittsburgh, whom you might recall won a cup or two on the backs of some
pretty highly-paid players. Then he says "Even the Rangers, the epitome
of someone buying a team, and they've got nothing to show for it."
Jeremy conveniently forgets that the Rangers won a Stanley Cup in 1994,
and unlike his team, actually have a chance to win another this year.
All in all, the article is one long sorry excuse. But the worst insult
is saved for the end, when Jacobs drags out the old "entertaining"
argument. Here is where his true colors shine through. Jacobs refers to
the Bruins as a product. Perhaps it is just common business parlance,
like "the product on the ice." But when he says it, it sounds so cold,
like one of his so-called "jumbo" hot dogs.
An NHL Team should be a different sort of thing. After all, do people
give standing ovations to Mr. Clean? Do they claim to bleed Wheaties
and Milk? Do they buy season tickets to End-Dust? Do they have an
internet mailing list for Toilet Duck? Well, maybe yes to the last one,
but the point is that the Bruins are far more than a product.
The message that comes through loud and clear from Jacobs is "This is
only a business, and I am in it for the profit." The Bruins are no more
than a good excuse for a parking garage and an upscale hot dog stand to
this man.
Injury Update
Ted Donato, who is the Bruins' leading goal scorer (25), had his finger
broken by a slash, and he will be out at least two weeks with a broken
finger suffered against the Panthers Sunday.
Not to be outdone, Sandy Moger, the incredibly brittle man, managed to
get his finger broken also. Are these guys wearing mittens? Moger is
working on his third major injury of the season, having lost games
earlier in the year with a broken foot and a broken elbow.
Wacky Rumor
Finally, there is no truth to the rumor that the Bruins are in secret
negotiations with the Penguins, and are pulling out all stops to get
Greg Johnson. Why, you ask? So they can have a "Presidents Line" --
Kennedy-Carter-Johnson. But the trade was nixed, because Harry said
they could do perfectly well with the players they had - Kasper could
send out Landon Wilson to complete a Chief Executive Trio.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BUFFALO SABRES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Ted Nolan
Roster: C - Michael Peca, Derek Plante, Brian Holzinger, Wayne
Primeau. LW - Brad May, Miroslav Satan, Michal Grosek, Rob
Ray, Ed Ronan. RW - Dixon Ward, Donald Audette, Jason Dawe,
Matthew Barnaby. D - Alexei Zhitnik, Garry Galley, Darryl Shannon,
Jay McKee, Mike Wilson, Bob Boughner, Richard Smehlik.
G - Dominik Hasek, Steve Shields.
Injuries: Andrei Trefilov, g (shoulder, indefinite); Pat
LaFontaine, c (post-concussion syndrome, indefinite); Anatoli
Semenov, rw (shoulder, 5 weeks); Mike Wilson, d (strep throat,
1 week).
Transactions: Sent Charlie Huddy, d, to Rochester (AHL). Sent
Vaclav Varada, rw, to Rochester (AHL). Sent Barrie Moore, lw, to
Rochester (AHL). Traded Barrie Moore, lw, and Craig Millar, d, to
the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Miroslav Satan, rw.
Game Results
3/05 Pittsburgh W 4-2
3/06 at Montreal T 3-3
3/09 at New Jersey L 4-1
3/11 Philadelphia W 3-2 OT
3/15 at Philadelphia W 7-5
3/17 Boston W 5-1
TEAM NEWS by Valerie Hammerl
The Sabres have only two losses since the All-Star game. That says a
lot about a team whose star center has missed virtually the entire
season, and who has lost numerous others to injury. They weren't
expected to be in the running for the playoffs. Instead, they are
edging toward first place in their conference.
The Sabres took on division rival Pittsburgh, who was trying to catch up
ground in the division race. Forced to go without Mario Lemieux and
Jaromir Jagr, the Penguins were going to need a big game. They were
close, but Buffalo expanded their 3-2 lead to two goals when Pittsburgh
pulled the goaltender and Alexei Zhitnik scored for Buffalo.
On to the Molson Centre. Montreal managed to tie the Sabres, but they
also managed to bruise the ribs of goaltender Dominik Hasek.
Enter New Jersey. Hasek's injury forced the Sabres to start backup
netminder Steve Shields. Shields wasn't stellar, and the rest of the
team didn't pick up the slack, despite the absence of Doug Gilmour,
and the Sabres found themselves down 4-1.
Philadelphia used to be a place of fear for the Sabres. Ghosts of the
Broad Street Bullies, and a Stanley Cup finals loss in 1975 were vivid
for many Sabre teams. Not this one. The Sabres took on the Flyers in
Marine Midland Arena, and made Eric Lindros look like a fool. Michael
Peca scored an overtime game-winner after Lindros coughed up the puck
to diminutive Donald Audette while deep in his own zone. Although
Lindros tried to justify his play, even his coach considered it poor
judgement. And Michael Peca? He boldly stated that Lindros was
perhaps showboating, and that Lindros can be sulky, can play chippy.
Bold words with the Sabres in Philadelphia four days later.
The Sabres took the challenge to heart, and stepped forth with five
goals in the first period alone. Philadelphia goaltender Ron Hextall
was chased out of the net after allowing four goals on the first seven
shots on net -- all in the first 11 minutes of play. Garth Snow allowed
one more per period, but the Flyers could only manage five goals against
Steve Shields. The goalfest included Wayne Primeau's first goal of the
season and marked the Sabres' 1000th NHL game.
* Center Pat LaFontaine has been cleared for non-contact practices.
* The Sabres have outshot their opponent only nine times, five of them
in the month of January.
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HARTFORD WHALERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Paul Maurice
Roster: C - Andrew Cassels, Keith Primeau, Jeff O'Neill, Kent
Manderville. LW - Geoff Sanderson, Derek King, Steven Rice,
Paul Ranheim, Stu Grimson, Jeff Daniels. RW - Kevin Dineen,
Nelson Emerson, Sami Kapanen, Robert Kron, Chris Murray. D -
Glen Wesley, Adam Burt, Steve Chiasson, Kevin Haller, Curtis
Leschyshyn, Alexander Godynyuk, Marek Malik. G - Sean Burke,
Jason Muzzatti.
Injuries: Jeff Brown, D (back surgery [23 October], out for
regular season); Curtis Leschyshyn, D, (abdominal trauma [7
March], day - to - day); Sami Kapanen, RW, knee [15 March],
day - to day);
Transactions: 18Mar97: Derek King, LW, acquired from New York
Islanders for 1997 fifth-round draft pick. Mark Janssens, C,
traded to Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Bates Battaglia, LW, and
1998 fourth-round draft pick. Gerald Diduck, D, traded to
Phoenix Coyotes for Chris Murray, RW. Kelly Chase, RW, traded to
Toronto for 1998 eighth-round draft pick; 15Mar97: Jeff Daniels,
LW, recalled from Springfield (AHL); 14Mar97: Nolan Pratt, D,
returned to Springfield; 08Mar97: Nolan Pratt, D, recalled from
Springfield; 07Mar97: Kevin Brown, RW, assigned to Springfield.
Marek Malik, D, recalled from Springfield; 05Mar97: Steve
Chiasson, D, and conditional 1997 third-round draft choice
acquired from Calgary Flames for Hnat Domenichelli, LW, Glen
Featherstone, D, 1997 second-round draft choice, and 1998
third-round draft choice.
Game Results:
03/05 Calgary W 2-0
03/07 Montreal W 2-0
03/08 at Toronto T 1-1
03/12 Boston W 6-3
03/13 at New Jersey L 6-0
03/15 Edmonton L 4-2
03/16 at Washington L 5-3
TEAM NEWS by Steve Gallichio
Never let it be said that life following the Whalers is
calm, peaceful, or placid.
This time around, it's mostly the usual suspects: major
trades, a struggle for their playoff lives, franchise relocation
upheaval, and the bi-weekly Sami Kapanen knee injury.
General Manager Jim Rutherford burned up the phone lines
over the past two weeks, producing one major trade with Calgary
for defensemen Steve Chiasson, as well as four more draft day
deals, to modify the face of the team as it tried to hang on
with extended fingernails to one of the final two Eastern
Conference playoff spots.
The first deal was to strengthen Hartford's defense at the
potential expense of a piece of the team's future. The Whalers
sent rookie Hnat Domenichelli, along with journeyman defenseman
Glen Featherstone and draft picks, to the Flames for Chiasson,
29, and smaller draft picks.
The move heavily solidifies the Whalers' present, with
Chiasson sliding in as one of the team's top two defensemen. He
has played nearly 30 minutes in some of his games with Hartford,
and is the team's leading scorer since his acquisition.
The cost is the potential upside of Domenichelli, 21. The
rookie winger from Edmonton was heavily coveted by the Flames
since his days as Jarome Iginla's linemate in Kamloops.
But despite finishing as the third leading scorer in the
WHL last season (and a first team All Star), Domenichelli could
never crack the Hartford lineup for an extended stretch this
season - a lineup that has had a terrible time scoring goals.
Privately, Whaler insiders have doubts as to Domenichelli's
ability to become an NHL star as his skills (speed, shot) and
junior stats would suggest. Even more, Domenichelli's lack
of size would hurt him in the middle of the rougher Eastern
Conference wars.
Time will certainly be the truest judge of this trade. But
the fact was that Domenichelli wasn't helping the team now, nor
maybe next season either. And facing psychological pressure of
five non-playoff seasons, Rutherford needed to do something to
prove to both the team's veterans, as well as the long suffering
fans, that the prospect game that has eluded the team for years
meant less than the impact that current day success would have on
the attitude of the team for the future.
But with the dearth of scoring on the team (two goals or
fewer in 12 of the past 15 games), Rutherford was forced to move
at the trade deadline to acquire some front line scoring. He
found a willing partner in Mike Milbury, dealing a fifth-round
pick to Milbury's Islanders for former 40-goal scorer Derek King.
King had become expendable because of his age (30), and his
impending unrestricted free agency. But the pick was a small
price to pay for the 11-year veteran, even if he is just a
rental.
The remaining deals involved mostly role players. Phoenix
called, dangling young tough guy Chris Murray and looking for
blue line help. See ya, Gerald Diduck. Diduck never came close
to producing like a player making $1.2 million should, and he
had two years left on his free agent contract he signed with
Hartford before last season. With Chiasson, Kevin Haller, and
Curtis Leschyshyn acquired this season, and Jeff Brown due back
from surgery soon, the Whalers seemed more than happy to buy
Diduck airfare out of town.
With Murray in the fold, Kelly (the Mouth) Chase was
dumped to Toronto for half of a ripped up train ticket stub.
Finally, five-year Whaler Mark Janssens was dealt to the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for marginal prospect Bates Battaglia
and a 1998 draft pick. Janssens saw his ice time reduced
considerably after the recall of Kent Manderville midway through
the season, and had his agent shopping him around the league
without Rutherford's permission. Janssens requested a trade,
and Rutherford obliged.
On the Kapanen front, the Whalers' sparkplug winger is now
sidelined with his fifth knee injury of the season. He began
by missing much of training camp with an injury suffered during
World Cup play. A Brent Pederson knee check tore a ligament and
put him out for 17 games in December and January. He suffered
an aggravation of the injury just four games later, missing
another ten contests.
Kapanen lost several more games after getting piled on
against Chicago in late February, before this latest injury,
which was the result of an awkward spill after being hooked down
from behind last Saturday against Edmonton.
The injuries have been especially bothersome in that the
second-year winger has established himself not only as a top
flight defensive forward, but also as a tremendous sparkplug on
the team. His loss becomes more damaging each time, because
each previous return proved more than the last just how valuable
he is to the team.
In a related story, there has yet to be any confirmation to
the report that the Whalers have asked sophomore center Jeff
O'Neill to enter the Live Organ Donor Program, offering up his
knee in transplant for Kapanen's use.
It appears that the Hartford arena situation is finally
crawling to a resolution. Whalers owner Peter Karmanos met
with Connecticut Governor John Rowland three times in the past
two weeks, at which meetings Rowland formally offered to build
the Whalers a $150-million arena in downtown Hartford.
Karmanos must now decide if the Whalers can survive on the
revenue streams offered by the proposed arena, taking into
account the inability of the team to enhance their local
television and radio contracts to a level even close to that
of most NHL teams.
What may be the final obstacle is how the team and the state
will be able to deal with the projected losses the team would
incur while waiting two to three years for the new arena to be
built. At average losses of $15 to $20 million per season, this
could amount to anywhere from $30 to $60 million in losses by the
time the team could stop the bleeding with the new building.
Mitigating this is the fact that, outside of Nashville, very
few cities hoping to lure the team have luxuro-arenas already in
place. The two biggest suitors, St. Paul and Columbus, Ohio,
each have tentative, but not guaranteed, plans in place to
produce an NHL-class facility for the Whalers to relocate to.
But even if those cities proceed at their expected pace, the
franchise still would have to survive in outdated facilities
for two or three seasons in either city. This could work to
Hartford's advantage in holding on to the team.
Karmanos is expected back in town within the next week to
ten days to provide an answer to Rowland's proposal, and, if
necessary, conduct more negotiations.
Or, to start packing the boxes.
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MONTREAL CANADIENS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Mario Tremblay
ROSTER: C - Saku Koivu, Marc Bureau, Darcy Tucker, Vincent
Damphousse. LW -Shayne Corson, Martin Rucinsky, Benoit Brunet,
Scott Thornton, Terry Ryan, Brian Savage, Pierre Sevigny. RW -
Mark Recchi, Stephane Richer, Turner Stevenson, Valeri Bure.
D - Vladimir Malakhov, Jassen Cullimore, Dave Manson,
Stephane Quintal, Patrice Brisebois, Peter Popovic, David
Wilkie. G - Jocelyn Thibault, Jose Theodore.
INJURIES: Scott Thornton, lw (left knee wounded, 2 weeks); Saku
Koivu, c (sprained left shoulder, 1 week).
TRANSACTIONS: 03/07 - Francois Groleau demoted to Fredericton
(AHL); 03/04 - Sebastien Bordeleau sent back to Fredericton in
wake of the return of Corson and Bureau; 03/18 - Traded Pat
Jablonski, g, to the Phoenix Coyotes for minor-league
defenseman Steve Cheredaryk. Announced Steve
Cheredaryk will report to Fredericton (AHL). Traded
Murray Baron, d, and Chris Murray, rw, to the Phoenix Coyotes
for Dave Manson, d.
GAME RESULTS:
03/05 Colorado L 7-3
03/05 at Hartford L 2-0
03/06 Buffalo T 3-3
03/10 at Pittsburgh T 2-2
03/13 at Boston W 3-0
03/15 Ottawa T 2-2
TEAM NEWS by Jacques Robert
Champions of... Missed Opportunities
Remember: a year ago, Montreal Canadiens ghosts had just moved
out of the old Forum. At the time, the former Montreal legends
were being assigned to the brand new Molson Center. The exploits
of Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, "Butch" Bouchard were supposed
to be inspiring for the 96-97 young Habs. But, it seems that as
the Canadiens' season is winding up, Canadiens legends haven't
shown up yet in the dressing room to deliver a message which
sounds like this: Please, go out of your way to make the
playoffs! You guys have the responsibility to carry on the
Montreal legend. Should that message be delivered any time soon,
would it change anything to the current situation? Hum... Too
soon to be called, yet.
Worst penalty-killing unit in the League
Let me get that straight! Les Canadiens have no business
participating in the postseason. Management keeps eluding the
possibility of a trade that may be boosting the Habs performances
whereas the Washington Capitals stepped in when acquiring major
players like Oates and Ranford. Last week, Leaf Felix Potvin was
even rumored to be traded to Montreal for goalie Thibault, but it
turned out to be just a rumor. Well, needless to say that players
need to be backed up by the direction of the team, still,
Koivu & co are left in a total disarray. Ok, they are greatly
responsible for the current situation. For instance, they are the
worst penalty-killing unit in the NHL. And against Colorado, it
was pretty obvious.
However, this game was one of great importance. Not only was
Patrick Roy back in Montreal for the first time since that
infamous 11-1 loss to Detroit (Dec.2nd '95) that lead to his
trade to Denver, but Mario's Boys were being offered an
opportunity to have their confidence restored against
one of the best NHL clubs. Well, all was set up to put the city
on fire.
But, the outcome of the game was a great deal of disappointment.
Half way through the game, Montreal was down by two goals. So,
the usual scenario was played out as Jocelyn Thibault was being
yanked 12 minutes into the second period and replaced by
Theodore. Recchi had this to say after the game: "Our penalty
killing let us down. You're not going to come back against
Colorado when they get a lead like that."
At this stage of the week, Montreal shared the 8th and final spot
along with the Whalers that had beaten The Calgary flames (2-0).
Needless to say that Montreal was off to a huge weekend with...
Hartford and Buffalo back to back. Those games didn't bring in
oxygen in the Canadiens' entourage. Against Hartford, despite the
good performance Thibault posted, the defensive unit was as ugly
as ever. As a result, Montreal was virtually out of the playoffs
slipping into the 10th spot behind Washington that had two games
in hand.
Defencemen Baron and Cullimore: Pathetic!
Fortunately, the Habs (11-22-8 against Eastern Conference teams)
tied the home game against Buffalo. Still, Mario's boys could
have gotten away with the victory if Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek
hadn't stopped a penalty shot (see details below). This game
proved that goaltending is definitely not the biggest concern of
Tremblay. For the second time around, goalie Thibault deserved to
be the starter while defencemen Baron and Cullimore showed how
pathetic they are while being on the ice on each of the three
Buffalo goals. However, Habs rallied late in the third to salvage
a point.
If Montreal eventually makes it into the postseason, no doubt the
game versus Pittsburgh will be remembered as the one that put Les
Canadiens back on track. While Brisebois returned from injury
(Islanders Jan.4) after two months of absence, Koivu was assigned
to Team Clinic. However, Tremblay got the best out of his players
as they tied the game, 2-2. Stephane Richer scored the tying goal
with just over two minutes left in 3rd period.
Tremblay: "Thibault is my #1 goalie for the rest of the season."
Undoubtedly, Montreal is in the final process of regaining
confidence. At last, Jocelyn Thibault, recorded 35 saves, picked
up the team's first shutout of the season, as the Habs defeated
Boston 3-0 at the FleetCenter.
This shutout didn't come as a big surprise though, since Thibault
was ensured, by his coach, that he was the #1 goalie for the
remainder of the season. The confidence is there in the Montreal
net. So, for the first time in five games the Canadiens moved
then into sole possession of the eighth and final Eastern
Conference spot.
For how long? As all serious contenders (Lightning/Caps/Whalers)
for the 8th playoffs spot had lost before Habs entertained Ottawa
last Saturday, Montreal had, undoubtedly, a golden opportunity to
take advantage of the situation. Alas, Habs were held to two
goals by the Senators who tied this important game. By the way,
Montreal missed an opportunity to move into sole possession of
the 7th spot. Disappointing... once again.
QUOTES OF THE WEEK:
"I'd like to coach the Canadiens for... ten years." - Mario
Tremblay.
" Gordie Howe back on the ice? Completely ridiculous! He must be
out of his mind." - "Rocket" Richard
ON MY NOTE PAD:
When things go wrong...
After eleven seasons in the NHL, veteran Vinnie Damphousse missed
a penalty shot for the first time ever in his career against
goalie Dominik Hasek (Sabres). When things go wrong, nothing goes
half wrong, he! Coincidentally, it was the second penalty shot
Hasek faced in two weeks.
But, on Feb. 27 he was then beaten by Devil John MacLean.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
OTTAWA SENATORS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Jacques Martin
Roster: C - Alexei Yashin, Radek Bonk, Shaun Van Allen, Bruce
Gardiner, Sergei Zholtok. LW - Shawn McEachern, Tom Chorske,
Randy Cunneyworth, Dennis Vial, Denny Lambert. RW - Daniel
Alfredsson, Alexandre Daigle, Andreas Dackell, Phil Crowe.
D - Steve Duchesne, Sean Hill, Stanislav Neckar, Frank Musil,
Lance Pitlick, Jason York, Wade Redden, Janne Laukkanen, Radim
Bicanek. G - Damian Rhodes, Ron Tugnutt, Mike Bales.
Injuries: Damian Rhodes, g (bruised calf, Feb 23 - day-to-day);
Sean Hill, d (torn ACL, out for season); Stanislav Neckar, d
(torn ACL, out for season); Dennis Vial, lw (finger surgery Jan
20, out indefinitely);
Transactions: March 12 - Returned Jason Zent, lw, to Worcester
(AHL)' March 18 - Traded right wing Denis Chasse, defenseman
Kevin Bolibruck and a 1998 sixth-round draft pick to the
Chicago Blackhawks for right wing Mike Prokopec.
Game Results
03/05 at Anaheim L 4-1
03/06 at San Jose L 2-0
03/08 at Los Angeles L 3-1
03/10 at Phoenix W 4-1
03/13 NY Rangers L 4-3 OT
03/14 at Montreal T 2-2
TEAM NEWS by The Nosebleeders
And Now For Something Completely Different!
Before we indulge ourselves into this week's edition of "How The
Ottawa Senators Shot Themselves In The Foot", we thought we
should start off with a story a little more off-the-wall and fun.
And, hey, it has absolutely nothing to do with Randy Sexton...
which is always a good thing...
Let's go back a few years. It's 1905, and the Ottawa Silver
Seven, led by Frank "One-Eye" McGee, have just successfully
defended their Stanley Cup championship, sideswiping challenges
from the likes of the Winnipeg Rowing Club, Toronto Marlboros,
Montreal Wanderers and the Brandon Wheat Kings.
No sooner had the glorious Barber Poles finished sipping from the
Cup, than a new challenge had arisen - a team from Dawson City,
Yukon (get out your atlas and look WAY up) had rubbed their
collective noses at Ottawa, claiming they could snatch the Silver
Pooper-Scooper from the Seven.
Not one to back down, the Silver Seven accepted their challenge,
set for March in Ottawa. The Dawson City Nuggets thus set out to
travel the 4,000 miles by dogsled and train. Exhausted by the
trek and hampered by poor ice conditions (the puck once fell into
a hole in the ice and was never recovered!), the Nuggets were
humiliated by the Silver Seven in two straight games, including a
23-2 thrashing in the series finale. In that game, McGee set a
record which still stands today: 14 goals in one game, against
Dawson's 17-year-old goaltender Albert Forrest.
Today, 92 years later, a group of hardy Dawson City boys have
heard the calling of their forefathers and have accepted a
rematch challenge against the Ottawa Senators Alumni. The game
is set for March 23 in Ottawa, with the winner taking home
$25,000 in Yukon gold to donate to the Canadian Special Olympics.
Even more interesting is the fact that the Nuggets will retrace
their ancestors footprints, travelling the cross-continent route
by dogsled, snowmobile, ferry and train - only to arrive in
Ottawa two days prior to their historic rematch.
Among the Senators Alumni are former Senior League players from
the 1940s and 50s (when the Sens left the NHL in 1933, they
continued to operate in the minors), as well as modern alumni
like Brad Marsh and first team captain Laurie Boschman.
Odds have the Senators Alumni coming out on top. But then again,
with "Molasses" Marsh back behind the blue line, Dawson could
pull out the upset.
We'll keep you posted on what happens in the next issue of LCS.
Betcha Didn't Know
The Silver Seven's victory marked their third straight Stanley
Cup championship - the first pro team ever to "three-peat" in any
North American sport.
West Coast Disaster
We've said it all year long - the Senators are one tough team to
figure out. Coming off impressive performances against powerhouse
teams like the Avalanche and Flyers, the Senators next faced a
four-game West Coast swing that would take them through Anaheim,
San Jose, Los Angeles and Phoenix. Although the gruelling travel
schedule posed an impediment (that sarcastic laughter you hear is
coming from a couple of gravesites in Dawson City), the Sens
nevertheless looked forward to this road trip as a means of
jumping back on the playoff bandwagon. Collectively, the Ducks,
Sharks, Kings and Coyotes are 108-136-30 for 246 points - not
exactly barn burning stats. Although the Ducks and Coyotes were
possible problems, Ottawa smugly believed that the Sharks and
Kings were an easy four points.
Yeah, right. Read on, dear followers, read on. But, note,
reader discretion is advised. Those with weak stomachs should
log off immediately.
That's Disssssssssspicable!
Prior to the Ducks game, Sens star defenceman Steve Duchesne went
down with back spasms and had to be helped from the ice.
Scratched from the game, it was a sign of things to come.
Ignoring the soothsayers, Sens head coach Jacques Martin
nevertheless reminded his players prior to the game to avoid
making dumb, costly errors. "Don't let them have any breakaways"
he was heard yelling throughout practice. Proving that they all
had cauliflower stuffed in their ears, the Sens went out and
fumbled their way to a devastating 4-1 loss, which - surprise,
surprise - included giving up a key breakaway goal to Selanne to
break the scoreless tie.
The Sens started out strong, peppering Ducks tender Guy Hebert
with a flurry of shots. However, most were from outside the
asteroid belt or terrible angles, allowing Hebert to keep the
Sens off the scoreboard long enough to cue the Ducks three-goal
second period outburst that sealed the win. On the Quackers
third goal, Sens goalie Ron Tugnutt made the initial save off
Brian Bellows, only to see Alexei Yashin kick the puck into the
open net. Game over.
In the end, Hebert stopped 39 of 40 shots (Ducks had 19 shots),
with Tom Chorske the lone Senator to bulge the twine. Paul
Kariya iced the game with an empty-netter, his 100th career NHL
goal (already?!?).
A Reconciliation...I Guess
Despite his insistence, injured captain Randy Cunneyworth (LCS
Senator player-of-the-year '95-96) and according to many the
"heart and soul" of the team, did not accompany the team on this
Western trip. Alexei Yashin, who two years ago was 'dressed
down' prior to a Florida game by Cunneyworth for his listless
play - the result of which exploded into an off-ice feud between
Yashin, his agent Mark Gandler and the Sens organization - was
overheard mumbling "I wish I could see Cunneyworth in the
dressing room right now because he could help."
Upon hearing that, Cunneyworth got all misty eyed. "It means a
lot to me. There were times when we didn't see eye to eye".
Everybody - group hug!
Shark Bait
With little time to drown their sorrows, the Sens next travelled
to San Hoser to face the pitiful Sharks. If ever there was a
crucial time to pick up two points, this was it. The Sharks
entered the game 10 points out of the playoff in the Western
Conference with 51 points - worst in the league (but, sadly, only
four behind the Senators).
Sitting in their dressing room, the Sens learned that Washington
had already won their game earlier in the day, moving into a
three-way tie for the final playoff spot with Hartford, Montreal
and Tampa Bay - four points up on the Sens. The Islanders also
won, edging to within one point of the Sens for 11th place.
Desperate for the win, Martin juggled his lines, including
slapping Daniel Alfredsson, Sergei Zholtok and Alexandre Daigle
together. Hoping that would spark some life in their dying
offense, Martin could only look in disgust as his Senators were
blanked 2-0.
Although Sharks goalie Ed Belfour put in a solid performance, the
Sens could only blame themselves for the loss. Coming into the
game, Ottawa's power play was a pitiful 2-for-20 in their last
six games. Rugged winger Denny Lambert gave the Sens plenty of
opportunities to erase this black mark, drawing the Sharks
into four minors. But again without anchorman Steve Duchesne,
who sat out the game with back spasms, the Sens could not
capitalize, finishing 0-for-7 on the night.
Just Who Is This Guy?
Former Sens draft pick Steve Guolla set up Tony Granato's goal
that sealed the Sharks win. About a month ago, if you will
recall, it was Guolla that popped home two goals in less than
five minutes to help his San Jose Sharks earn a 3-3 tie against
Ottawa at the Corel Centre.
So - would the person in the Sens front office who was
responsible for letting Guolla go please stand up and accept the
public ridicule you so justly deserve? He may not be racing up
the NHL's scoring ladder, but he seems to take great joy in
toying with the Senators' playoffs hopes.
Off To LA-LA Land
If you are one of those people that rely on stats to predict the
outcome of a game, then let us oblige you and see if you can
predict what happened in Inglewood, CA, the Sens next stop on
their chartered "Derailment Tour".
Coming into their game at the Late Western For-Ho-Hum, the Sens
were riding a 1-5-1 record in their last seven games. 0-for-2 so
far on their Western road swing, the Senators sported an ugly
1-9-1 lifetime record in the Golden State. And how about that
offense? Who-wee, hotter than a California summer afternoon -
TWO, yes folks, TWO whole goals in their last three games!
So, how did you make out? If you guessed that Ottawa once again
blew it, then congratulations, you've won a season's supply of
Tylenol, official headache medicine of suffering Senator fans.
Once again trying to get something going, coach Martin shuffled
his lines. At breakfast he had individually met with several
players to pump some pep in 'em.
And once again, Ottawa ignored thier master's wise words. Los
Angeles jumped out to an early 2-0 first-period lead on goals by
Ian Laperriere and Ray Ferraro, and it was all that they would
need en route to a 3-1 win.
Ottawa could have been playing a rag-tag collection of Canadian
Tire Industrial League Old-Timers for all we care, they still
would have lost. There was little urgency to their play, despite
learning that Montreal and Hartford had each earned a tie earlier
in the day, while the Islanders had hop-scotched over Ottawa with
a 5-3 win over New Jersey.
As for their power play? Don't go there, my friend. The
Sens ran their futility streak to 0-for-20, despite having a
two-man advantage for 72 seconds early in the second period.
Once again, Ottawa ran into a hot goaltender. First Hebert, then
Belfour, now Byron Dafoe (how embarrassing...). Dafoe stopped
44-of-45 shots, many of them excellent scoring chances, with the
only goal coming off the stick of Daniel Alfredsson midway
through the second. Alfredsson's goal, by the way, was
his first in seven games.
So Khabby Together....Bah-Bah-Bah-Bah...
So typical of their precision timing, Act IV of the Senators
Western Death Swing had Ottawa entering Phoenix at the same time
that the Coyotes were playing their best hockey of the season.
Coming into the game, Coyotes goaltender extraordinaire and NHL
player-of-the-week, Nikolai Khabibulin, was riding an amazing
three-game shutout streak, which saw him go a total of 198
minutes and 19 seconds without giving up a goal (NHL's first
triple shutout since 1988). Rumours have it that Khabby was
inspired to become a goalie after reading Russian legend
Vladislav Tretiak's autobiography. Given Nikolai's performances
to date, you can see the influence.
Anyway, that, coupled with Ottawa's putrid play of late, led
everyone and their mothers to believe that this had all the
makings of another ugly defeat. Right? Wrong!
Backed by a solid performance from goalie Ron Tugnutt and the
inspired play of Janne Laukkanen and Alex Daigle, the Sens jumped
out to a 3-0 lead and hung on for a convincing 4-1 victory.
Shabby-bulin's shutout streak was snapped just five-and-half
minutes into the game (204 minutes, 13 seconds was the total
streak to be EXACT). Steve Duchesne caught the Coyotes defence
napping after feeding a breakaway pass to Daigle. Using Radek
Bonk as a decoy (hmmm, so he's not completely useless after
all..), Daigle snapped a shot to Khabi-brutal's stick
side to make it 1-0.
The victory was crucial to the Sens playoff hopes, allowing them
to pull within four points of Tampa Bay, who owned the eighth and
final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Not Quite Frank McGee, But We'll Take Him
Yashin's goal was his 31st of the season, breaking his own modern
club record of 30. Congratulations, Alexei, but it kinda puts
Frank McGee's "14 goals in one game" record into perspective,
doesn't it?
You Take it! No, You Take It! I Couldn't, You Take It...
For the first time in eons, the Senators showed that they could
play as a TEAM. That was no more evident than in the closing
moments of the game, when Shaun Van Allen passed the puck off to
Daniel Alfredsson for a easy empty-netter despite the fact that
Van Allen could have easily scored himself. Attaboy, Shaun!
Trivia Time
Prior to Yashin, who held the modern Senators record for most
goals in a season? Answer at the end of this column.
Digging A Shallow 'Graves'
The Sens' road trip thus ended with a 1-3 record as they return
for two big games in two nights against two Eastern Conference
rivals. First up - the New York Rangers.
The Rangers entered the game on two-game winning streak and
having won four of their last five as they begin to gear it up
for the playoffs. The Corel Centre was a sellout for the Rangers
who now include the ex-Edmonton trio of Wayne Gretzky, Mark
Messier and Esa Tikkanen. Messier entered the game tied for 10th
on the all-time leading goal-scorer list with Mike Bossy (573).
The Rangers entered the game with the league's best power play -
the Senators as the league's least penalized team.
Randy Cunneyworth returned, after breaking his cheekbone against
the other New York team Feb 28th, sporting a brand new face
guard.
Ottawa outplayed the Rangers in the first period but came away
behind 1-0. Alexei Yashin set up two quick goals and the Sens
went ahead 2-1. Overall, Yashin played a great game including
winning faceoffs against both Gretzky and Messier and outplaying
them when they faced each other on the ice. A late Ranger goal
on a quick rush tied the game at 2-2.
Ottawa again outplayed the Rangers in the third. Leading 3-2,
the Sens had held the Rangers to one shot until 15:52 when Adam
Graves tied it and completed his hat trick (Messier assisted on
all three). The game went into overtime where a Niklas Sundstrom
blast - that should have been stopped - won it for the Rangers.
A Little Snarky, Aren't We?
After the loss to the Rangers, Tugnutt was so ticked off that he
refused to talk to reporters. One reporter shouted "At a loss
for words, Ron?" to which Tugger 'politely' responded "That's one
way to $@#%^%$^! put it."
Some Free Advice
Rangers defenceman and (ahem) Lady Byng candidate Ulf Samuelsson
lines up and schmucks Alex Daigle as he entered the Rangers zone
with his head down. Daigle is knocked dizzy and lies on the ice
for awhile. Although he managed to get up and return to the game
a little later, nobody on the Senators tries to revenge the hit.
You can bet that had that happened to any other team, Ulf would
have been watching the rest of the game from a hospital bed.
Important game or not, a team should always protect its stars.
Having an enforcer come out and pummel Ulf would have sent the
crowd and the team into a frenzy, just enough to possibly spur
them on to an upset.
Instead, the Sens once again reinforced their 'pansy' image to
the league, saying in the process "Hey, you wanna run at Yashin,
Alfredsson, Daigle? Go ahead, it's open season." MESSAGE TO
GAUTHIER: GET AN ENFORCER!
The Trade Rumours, My Friend, Are Blowing In The Wind...
With the trade deadline upon us (or passed, depending on when you
read this), trade talk has heated up quite a bit around the
league. Here in Ottawa, Sens GM Pierre Gauthier has kept
relatively mum on the subject, denying any possible trade
scenarios despite recent suspicious visits to the Corel Centre
by rival GMs. Some whimpers have the likes of Radek Bonk, Steve
Duchesne, Alexandre Daigle, Frank Musil and Tom Chorske packing
their bags for teams headed to the playoffs.
The most popular Senator name being dropped these days is Steve
Duchesne. A solid defenceman, leader and power-play anchor,
Steve would fit in quite nicely with teams looking to boost their
drive for Lord Stanley's silverware. The fact that Duchesne
carries a $2-million price tag that is up for renewal come
end of season has also fuelled speculation that Gauthier may want
to part with him. Ironically, the most interest has come from
St. Louis, the same team that traded Duchesne to Ottawa two years
back. Some preposterous rumours have Duchesne and Bonk going to
the Blues for Stephan Matteau, Igor Kravchuk and defenceman Chris
McAlpine (do we look that stupid to you?!?).
Trading Duchesne, who has said that he wants to stay in Ottawa,
may make sense for next season. After all, the Sens defence has
played well this year despite losing two stars in Sean Hill and
Stan Neckar. Their return next season, coupled with the arrival
(hopefully) of Chris Phillips and the further maturing of
Laukkanen, York and Redden may make guys like Duchesne
expendable, although a power-play quarterback is not something
that you just give away. But for now - with Ottawa still in the
playoff race - trading a leader like Duchesne may be the final
nail in the team's coffin.
If Gauthier is set on trading Duchesne, then he should do so
straight up - a one-for-one deal that will land Ottawa a proven
goal-scorer with plenty of fuel left in his tank. Prospects may
be enticing, but it won't help the Sens playoff hopes nor will it
have an immediate bearing on season tickets sales for next year
(please see: Rod Bryden).
It's all in your hands, Pierre. That's why they pay you the big
bucks.
An Afternoon of Hope
After the Ranger loss the playoffs looked like a dim hope. But
alas the gods of the NHL (and we hear that one of them is coming
back to play - everyone say it together - Gordie Gordie Gordie)
shined upon the Senators.
The afternoon of the Montreal game the three teams (Tampa Bay,
Washington, NY Islanders) separating the Sens from Montreal and
Hartford, and the 8th playoff sport, had all lost.
So Habby Together (Part Deux)
The Sens entered the Habs game trailing Montreal by six points
with two games in hand; what an opportunity to get back into
things. Sens coach Martin entered the game two wins away from
100, while the Sens entered the game with a 2-0-1 record on the
season against the Habs. A sold out Molson Centre (21,273) and a
national Hockey Night in Canada audience was on hand for this one
as the Sens opened up a 1-0 lead on a nice feed from Alexandre
Daigle to Shaun Van Allen. For the Sens this represented the
13th straight goal against the Habs. The teams then went into
the land where the "also-rans" live and the game was a back-and-
forth series of misplays and chaotic defense. Bruce Gardiner,
with some fancy stickhandling in front of Thibault, tied the game
at two midway in the third, 28 seconds after Marc Bureau had put
the Canadiens ahead 2-1.
Both teams had plenty to gain from a victory but the Canadiens
had more to gain from a tie than the Sens; thus one would have
expected the Sens to come out in the overtime just flying. They
didn't and were outshot 4-0 but held on for the 2-2 tie.
More Trade Rumours For Ya!
With the return date of Rhodes unknown (he will not be with the
team on their upcoming road trip), and strong rumours that the
Canadiens are looking to deal goalie Jocelyn Thibault, tongues
wagged that the two teams were discussing a trade scenario that
included Thibault and Ottawa's Alexandre Daigle. One may recall
that when first drafted, the Canadiens had highly coveted
Alexandre Daigle, even offering then GM Randy Sexton as many as
six NHL calibre players and cash.
Ballet On Ice
The Sens-Habs game had only four minor penalties called. A sharp
contrast to the rough stuff that took place at the end of the
Sens 6-0 victory the last time they faced the Habs. Were the
Sens intimidated by that? Who knows, but starting off the game by
getting something going may have put any doubt to rest. MESSAGE
TO GAUTHIER: GET AN ENFORCER!
Our Two Cents Worth
The Senators end this two-week stretch second to last in the East
but only six points out of a playoff spot with 13 games
remaining. "We've got to put a streak together", smartly noted
one Senator player. Let's see if they can do it.
Nosebleeder prediction: if Yashin and Alfredsson get hot, and
Washington stays in the daze they are in (it must be shock after
getting such a great gift from Boston's Mr. Sinden), the Sens
will be there.
Drumroll Please...
It's trivia answer time!
Bob Kudelski scored 23 goals for the Sens, before being traded in
the 1993-94 season to the Florida Panthers for (gasp, choke,
ackk) Evgeny Davydov and Scott Levins. The Randy Sexton legacy
continues to haunt us... we'll get over it some day.
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PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
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Head Coach: Craig Patrick
Roster: C - Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Petr Nedved, Stu Barnes,
Eddie Olczyk, Josef Beranek. LW - Alex Hicks, Joe Dziedzic,
Alek Stojanov, Garry Valk. RW - Jaromir Jagr, Greg Johnson, Roman Oksiuta, Joey
Mullen. D - Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Hatcher, Chris Tamer,
Fredrik Olausson, Jason Woolley, Francois Leroux, Craig Muni,
Neil Wilkinson, Ian Moran. G - Tom Barrasso, Ken Wregget,
Patrick Lalime.
Injuries: Jaromir Jagr, rw (groin, indefinite); Mario Lemieux, c
(hip flexor, one week); Neil Wilkinson, d (adbominal strain, day-
to-day); Francois Leroux, d (flu, day-to-day); Alek Stojanov, lw
(groin, day-to-day); Tom Barrasso, g (shoulder, out for season).
Transactions: Traded Richard "Dickie" Park, c, to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks
in exchange for Roman Oksiuta, rw. Traded Glen Murray, rw, to
the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Eddie Olczyk, c. Acquired
Josef Beranek, c, from the Vancouver Canucks for future considerations.
Game Results
3/04 New Jersey L 3-1
3/05 at Buffalo L 4-2
3/08 Philadelphia W 3-2 OT
3/10 Montreal T 2-2
3/12 at Phoenix T 5-5
3/14 at Colorado L 6-3
3/16 at Dallas L 6-2
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
Yeah, it was EJ's fault. In the seven games since Penguin owner
Howard Baldwin had Eddie Johnston whacked, the Pens have gone 1-
4-2 with Craig Patrick at the helm. Yeah, it was all EJ's fault.
No doubt. All EJ.
The Arctic Birds are now 2-12-2 in their past 16 games. Let me
check, but I don't think that's too good... gimme a second...
yup, just like I thought, that's not too good. Pittsburgh's
overall record is 32-30-7, good for 71 points and sixth place in
the Eastern Conference. Luckily, all the teams chasing the Birds
have been just as bad lately. Hartford and Montreal are
currently tied for the seventh spot with 64 points each, with
neither one showing any signs of catching Pittsburgh.
Looking at the playoff picture, finishing in sixth place really
wouldn't be a bad thing for the Pens. That would seemingly line
them up for a first-round matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers,
who will be hard pressed to fight off New Jersey for the number
one seed down the stretch. Philly has worked the Pens at times
this season, but the Flyers' defense and goaltending is extremely
vulnerable. Of all the top teams, the Birds would have the best
chance against the Flyers.
Lemieux's Hip Flexor Ain't No Joke: When Mario Lemieux
didn't return for the third period of a 3-1 loss to New Jersey at
home on March 4, the official word was that the big guy sat out
the final period with a hip flexor injury. However, word on the
street was that Mario was throwin' such a fit after referee Paul
Stewart whistled him for a 10-minute misconduct in the second
period, that he simply didn't feel like playin' anymore.
It's hard to believe, but there was actually a growing sentiment
that Mario just didn't want to play. This feeling was bolstered
when Mario sat out the next night's loss at Buffalo. The big guy
returned for home games against Philadelphia and Montreal before
the club headed west on a three-game trip through Phoenix,
Colorado, and Dallas.
Mario was a bad man against the Coyotes, recording three assists
including setting up the game-tying goal in the final minute with
the goaltender pulled. In Colorado, however, things didn't go as
well. Mario accidentally collided with Garry Valk in the first
period and the collision seemed to aggravate the hip flexor. He
tried to play through it the rest of the game but spent the last
half of the second period in the locker room and almost the
entire third period on the bench. He would then sit out the 6-2
loss in Dallas two nights later. So that pretty much puts those
doubts about the injury to rest.
LCS finds it hard to believe that people still question Lemieux's
dedication to the game after all he's been through. It's really
quite silly. Anyway, the injury will likely keep Mario on the
shelf when they take the Civic Arena ice on Tuesday night to
battle the Sabres. He is expected back when the Leafs come to
town on Thursday, March 20.
Colorado Fans Pay Tribute: While Mario was sitting at the
end of the Penguin bench in the third period, unable to play and
with the game's outcome already settled, the Colorado Avalanche
paid a really nice tribute to him. The Avs realized that this
would probably be Mario's last appearance in Colorado and asked
the fans to join in thanking him for all his super fantastic
career. The fans responded with a rousing standing ovation. Aw,
that was just swell. Mario showed his appreciation by standing
and waiving to the crowd in thanks.
Jagr Update: Jaromir's recovery from his groin injury is
rollin' right on schedule. He could be back near the end of next
week, but the Pens might as well just keep him out until the
postseason, so long as they're all good in the playoff picture.
Lalime Back in Action: Patrick Lalime started the game in
Dallas on March 16, it was his first start in over two weeks.
Once again, things didn't go too well for the wonder kid. After
allowing a goal to Mike Modano in the first period on seven
shots, Lalime was thrown to the wolves by his teammates when the
Stars were given permission to blast 25 shots on net in the
second period. The result was a four-goal middle frame that
sealed the win for Dallas.
Ken Wregget replaced Lalime at the start of the third period in
hopes of sparking the team, but he felt a twinge in his left
hamstring after yielding a goal to Neal Broten. Wregget was
lifted for precautionary measures and Lalime came back in to
close things out, stopping both shots he faced over the final 11
minutes.
Wregget is expected to sit out Tuesday night's game against the
Sabres in order to not take any chances with the leg. Lalime has
enjoyed success against the Swords in the past, making 21 saves
in posting a 2-0 shutout against the hairy behemoths on December
28.
While he did allow five goals to Dallas, Lalime could hardly be
blamed. He actually looked better than he has recently, standing
taller and more confident in net early. Maybe a second straight
start against the Sabres will be just what the doctor ordered.
Finally! Good ol' Joey Mullen finally bagged his 500th
career goal on March 14 in Colorado. The season-long struggle,
which at times made the milestone look out of reach, was ended
when Joey redirected a Chris Tamer slap shot behind Patrick Roy
for his fifth goal of the season. Mullen became the 25th player
in NHL history to reach 500 goals, edging New Jersey's Dave
Andreychuk by a day, and he's also the first American born player
to ever achieve the prestigious mark.
Mullen had some added pressure placed on his shoulders the
morning of the game. Former Nordique great Michel Goulet is
trying to get a jersey signed by all the 500-goal men in NHL
history and sent it down to the Penguin locker room in order to
have Mario Lemieux and Mullen sign it. Joey was reluctant to
sign the sweater before actually reaching the milestone and
wanted to wait until after the game, but Penguin equipment man
Steve Latin wasn't real eager to have the jersey hangin' around
in the locker room in case something happened to it, since it's
kind of valuable and all. After a little persuasion, Mullen
decided to sign the jersey that morning and be a mission man
against the Avalanche that night. Mission accomplished.
Congrats from all of LCS on the accomplishment, Joey. We knew ya
could do it. Hell, I even won a bet! You da man.
System? What? Where?: Craig Patrick's new system of
play seemed like a winner in his first four games behind the
bench, as the Pens looked strong despite going just 1-2-1. Then
came the three-game trip out West. The Pens went 0-2-1 on the
journey, allowing 17 goals in the three games and yielding an
average of 43.6 shots a contest. Now that's good defense.
Patrick's system calls for the defensemen to be aggressive in the
neutral zone, stepping up to challenge the opposing puck-carriers
before they gain center red. It is then the responsibility of
the forward hanging high to have his defender's back, going into
the corners on defense and controlling the puck after it gets
dumped. On offense, the whole point is to be patient with the
puck in neutral ice and convert off the turnovers of the
opposition.
And things worked well for a little bit. Then the other teams
seemed to catch on. Clubs have been dumping the puck into the
corner where the forward is covering and forechecking hard, often
generating turnovers of their own. And more times than not the
Penguin defenseman aren't being aggressive enough in the neutral
zone, allowing the opposing forwards to gain center red before
dumping the puck. So to put it simply, um, the system like ain't
workin' and stuff. Might be time to go back to the ol' drawing
board with this one.
Defense Banged Up: Chris Tamer and Neil Wilkinson both
returned to the lineup not too long ago and they both went out of
action together again last week. Tamer went out with a hip
flexor in the same game as Lemieux and missed the outings against
Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Montreal. He also didn't join the
club on the flight out west, missing the first game of the trip
in Phoenix. However, after skating without pain back in the
Burgh, Tamer took a solo flight to join the club in Colorado and
he played that night against the Avalanche.
Meanwhile, Wilkinson has been out the last several games and
remains sidelined with a recurrence of the abdominal injury that
forced him out earlier in the year. He's pretty much day-to-day.
Jason Woolley and Fredrik Olausson also missed periods of time
over the past two weeks with groin injuries but are back in the
lineup and goin' strong.
Offensively Impaired: The once potent Pittsburgh offense
has gone ice cold in the absence of Jagr and the lingering
injuries to Lemieux and Ron Francis, who is hampered by a sore
back. The Birds have scored four or more goals only twice in the
past 15 games, the first being a 4-2 win over Florida on February
18 and the second being the 5-5 tie in Phoenix on March 12.
Colorado has also overtaken the Penguins for the top spot in
goals-scored in the league with 240 to Pittsburgh's 238.
Droughts Ended: The main reason for the offense being so
pitiful is that a number of big-name players were suffering
through goal-less droughts all at the same time. However, most
of them came to an end over the past two weeks. Kevin Hatcher
and Stu Barnes accounted for both goals in Pittsburgh's 2-2 tie
with Montreal on March 10, ending Hatcher's 18-game dry spell and
Barnes' 11-game cold snap. That's right, cold snap.
Francis ended a 12-game goal-less streak of his own in Colorado
on March 14 and Petr Nedved finally ended a 14-game hunger with a
goal in Dallas on March 16.
Short Game Recaps
March 4, lost to New Jersey 3-1: It was Craig Patrick's
first game behind the bench and the Pens responded with a gutty
effort against the Devils. The Birds' hopes were crippled, tho',
when Mario Lemieux left in the middle of the second period after
getting a 10-minute misconduct from referee Paul Stewart after
Mario took umbrage with a five-minute major boarding call against
Garry Valk. Lemieux left and never returned, sitting out the
third period with his bout with the ol' hip flexor injury.
Doug Gilmour blew the game open for the Devils when he snuck out
of the penalty box and scored a brilliant backhand breakaway goal
to give El Diablo a 2-0 lead they'd never relinquish. Jeff
Christian had his first career NHL goal to account for the
Pittsburgh offense.
March 5, lost at Buffalo 4-2: The Penguins played another
inspired game, but were cheated out of at least a tie by the
punk-ass goal crease rule. Trailing 3-2 in the final moments of
the third period, Glen Murray wristed what should have been his
second goal of the game past Dominik Hasek to apparently tie the
game at 3-3. Unfortunately, Petr Nedved's skate was about an
inch in the crease on the other side of the net, completely away
from the play. With the goal waived off, the Sabres breathed a
sigh of relief and sealed the win with an empty-netter by Alexei
Zhitnik. Aside from Murray, Joe Dziedzic also scored for the
Birds.
March 8, beat Philadelphia 3-2 in OT: Fredrik Olausson
wristed a Ron Francis pass over the glove of Garth Snow just 19
seconds into overtime to give the Penguins a thrilling come-from-
behind win over the Fly guys. Garry Valk and Glen Murray also
scored for the Birds, who earned Craig Patrick his first win
behind the bench.
March 10, tied Montreal 2-2: With spirits soaring after
the win over Philly, the Penguins seemed poised to win their
second straight game after leading the Canadiens 2-0 with just
three minutes left in regulation. That's when the Habs woke up.
Montreal coach Mario Tremblay rolled the bones and decided to
pull Jocelyn Thibault with about 2:30 left on the clock. His
club responded by scoring twice with the extra attacker, the
second by Stephane Richer in the final minute.
Mario Lemieux should have made the score 3-0 earlier in the game
when he banked a shot from behind the net off Thibault for an
apparent goal, only to have it taken away by the punk-ass goal
crease rule. It seemed Petey Nedved had his skate in the crease
again. Of course, it doesn't matter that he had absolutely no
bearing on the play and didn't come anywhere close to interfering
with Thibault, the goal was still forgotten. Yeah, that's good
for hockey.
March 12, tied at Phoenix 5-5: This was quite an
entertaining game. The two clubs went back and forth all night,
with Stu Barnes tying the game in the final minute with Wregget
on the bench for an extra attacker. Lemieux set up the tying
goal by faking a slap shot in the high slot to draw goaltender
Nikolai Khabibulin out of his net before slipping a perfect pass
through defenseman Teppo Numminen down low to Barnes, who didn't
even have to move his blade to deflect the puck home. It was
Barnes' second goal of the night and Alex Hicks, Valk, and
Olausson also scored for the black and gold.
March 14, lost at Colorado 6-3: Joe Sakic and Peter
Forsberg pretty much carried the Avalanche to victory. Sakic
notched a hat trick and Forsberg added a goal and two assists to
spell doom for the Birds. Olausson, Francis, and Mullen had the
Pittsburgh goals, with Mullen's being his 500th.
March 16, lost at Dallas 6-2: The Pens were without
Lemieux and played all drunk-like in the second period, allowing
25 shots in the middle frame. Six different players scored for
the Stars while Nedved and Darius Kasparaitis did the honors for
the Pens.
Upcoming Games: The Pens have three straight home games
against Buffalo (March 18), Toronto (March 20), and New Jersey
(March 22), then it's off to the road for games against the
Rangers and Canadiens before returning home to host the Kings and
Panthers.
=================================================================
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
WESTERN CONFERENCE
CENTRAL DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Craig Hartsburg
Roster: C - Alexei Zhamnov, Kevin Miller, Denis Savard, Jeff
Shantz, Brent Sutter, Steve Dubinsky, Kip Miller. LW - Murray
Craven, Bob Probert, Jim Cummins, Ethan Moreau, Dave Chyzowski,
Eric Lecompte. RW - Tony Amonte, Eric Daze, Darin Kimble, Sergei
Krivokrasov, Ulf Dahlen, Denis Chasse. D - Chris Chelios, Gary
Suter, Steve Smith, Eric Weinrich, Cam Russell, Keith Carney,
Enrico Ciccone, Michal Sykora. G - Jeff Hackett, Chris Terreri.
Injuries: Steve Smith, d (sore back, day-to-day); Jeff Shantz, c
(sprained knee, out until late March); Chris Chelios, d (slightly
strained left knee, day-to-day); Michal Sykora, d (bruised
shoulder, day-to-day).
Transactions: Acquired Marc Hussey, d, from the Calgary Flames for
Ravil Gusmanov, lw; acquired Denis Chasse, rw, Kevin Bolibruck, d,
and a 1998 sixth-round draft pick from the Ottawa Senators for Mike
Prokopec, rw.
Game Results:
3/05 at Vancouver T 1-1
3/08 Phoenix L 2-0
3/10 Vancouver T 2-2
3/12 at Toronto W 3-2
3/14 at Dallas T 4-4
3/16 NY Islanders W 5-4
TEAM NEWS by Jim Iovino
Early in the season, it looked like the Chicago Blackhawks had no
chance at all of making the playoffs. The team looked to struggle
in scoring even one goal a game. Tony Amonte was the Hawks lone
offensive threat, unless you count James Black, and we're not. The
goaltending situation was in shambles due to a heated battle for
playing time between Eddie Belfour, who was having a terrible
season despite a solid defense in front of him, and Jeff Hackett,
who's star has been rising ever since he arrived in Chicago.
Yes, ladies and gents, the Blackhawks were hurtin' big time. Bob
Pulford tried to remedy the situation early by sending holdout
Jeremy Roenick to Phoenix for Alexei Zhamnov, but when Zhamnov
arrived he seemed to catch the same scoring disease that the rest
of the team had. It wasn't until Ed Belfour was traded to San Jose
did things start looking up for the Hawks.
Ulf Dahlen stepped right in alongside Amonte and Zhamnov, giving
Chicago at least one solid scoring line. Another line consisting
of Bob Probert, Brent Sutter and Jim Cummins molded together around
the same time and even if they didn't score much, they created
havoc in the offensive zone. Michal Sykora, who also came over in
the Belfour deal, found a home in the deep Blackhawk defensive
corps and contributed immediately. And Jeff Hackett left no doubt
as to whether he could be a number one goaltender in the NHL. His
goals-against average has hovered around the 2.00 mark for most of
the second half of the season.
With all of that said, the Blackhawks have found themselves back in
the hunt for a playoff spot. At press time, the Hawks were tied for
the eighth spot in the West with Calgary. It's been remarkable that
a team that was so bad at the beginning of the season could turn
things around this much by the end of it. Of course, this is the
Western Conference. It seems like any team that can put together a
three-game winning streak could climb into the fourth spot in the
conference. The trouble is not many teams can do it.
The Blackhawks have been one of the few teams fighting for a playoff
spot in the West to be playing outstanding hockey of late. Chicago
has lost just once in its past seven games, a tough 2-0 shutout by
Nikolai Khabibulin and the Phoenix Coyotes. Just six days earlier
the Hawks shut out the Coytoes, 4-0.
Besides that win, the Hawks also beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in
Maple Leaf Gardens, 3-2, tied the Dallas Stars, 4-4, and squeaked
past the Islanders in Chicago, 5-4. And the man who lead the Hawks
in both games was none other than Tony Amonte.
The man with the flowing locks set up Denis Savard for the winning
goal against the Leafs. Amonte sped down the right side of the ice
into the Leafs zone, stopped on a dime and gave a Leafs defender
nine cents change. Amonte then wound up for a slap shot, but at
the last second faked it and sent a beautiful pass to Savard
cutting down the slot, who put the shot past Felix Potvin for his
second goal of the game.
The win virtually shot down any hopes of the Leafs making the
playoffs. Going into the game, the Leafs were still just eight
points back of the Hawks in the standings. If Toronto won, they'd
only be six points back, but the loss put them a full 10 points
behind in the standings. Season over for Toronto.
Four days later, Amonte was at it again, this time against the
Islanders. Amonte registered a hat trick in front of the home fans
in the 5-4 win. On the season, Amonte has scored 37 goals and 66
points in 71 games. He's also a +32. And all of this has come
without much help from his linemates for most of the early part of
the season. Amonte is definitely the team's MVP, and if the Hawks
make the playoffs, perhaps he should get more than a mere mention
when voting for the Hart Trophy begins.
However, not everything over the past two weeks has been rosy. The
shutout loss to the Coyotes was obviously a disappointment. But
the Hawks also tied the Vancouver Canucks twice in five days, 1-1
and 2-2. Vancouver hasn't been setting the house on fire of late,
so the Hawks really could have come out of the two games with two
wins instead of two ties. What also hurts is that the Canucks are
fighting for the same spots in the West as the Hawks are. The two
points Chicago could have gotten from both games might be the
difference at the end of the season between heading to the
postseason or getting in a few more rounds of golf.
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DALLAS STARS
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Head coach: Ken Hitchcock
Roster: C-Mike Modano, Todd Harvey, Guy Carbonneau, Joe Nieuwendyk,
Neal Broten, Bob Bassen. LW-Dave Reid, Greg Adams, Benoit Hogue,
Brent Gilchrist, Bill Huard. RW-Pat Verbeek, Jamie Langenbrunner,
Jere Lehtinen, Grant Marshall, Mike Kennedy. D-Derian Hatcher,
Craig Ludwig, Darryl Sydor, Grant Ledyard, Mike Lalor, Richard
Matvichuk, Sergei Zubov. G-Arturs Irbe, Andy Moog.
Injuries: Jere Lehtinen, rw (torn MCL in right knee, day-to-day);
Brent Gilchrist, lw (groin strain, two weeks); Andy Moog, g (back
strain, one week); Richard Matvichuk, d (groin strain, day-to-day)
Transactions: Recalled Manny Fernandez, g, from Michigan (IHL).
Game Results:
3/05 St. Louis W 3-2
3/07 Edmonton W 2-1
3/10 at Toronto T 3-3 OT
3/14 Chicago T 4-4 OT
3/16 Pittsburgh W 6-2
Team News by Jim Panenka
Damn the Torpedoes
That's right, Chester; I said full speed ahead! The Dallas Stars
have had a relatively light schedule in March. But even with the
added time between games, the Stars are still squeaking by the
opposition and collecting points along the way.
Dallas now has 41 wins, 6 ties for 88 points. This total is good
for first in the division, second in the conference, and second in
the league, by this reporter's calculations.
The team has clinched a playoff berth, and the Stars have just
extended their current home unbeaten streak to seven games with
Sunday's win over the Penguins.
If it ain't broke...
The trading deadline has come with little notice in Dallas. General
Manager Bob Gainey is in the envious position of not needing, or
wanting, to change a thing.
The team is playing so well together that making any changes would
be unwise, and could disrupt the good thing the Stars players have
going this season.
Dallas is now one of only two clubs in the league that have 20 or
more wins both at home, and on the road. The actual record is
22-11-2 at home, and 20-12-3 on the road, which is good for the
third best road record in the league. And, those 20 road wins are a
Stars franchise record.
Just as the scoring has been spread equally amongst the players, so
have the wins been spread equally across the home/road record.
And, since the Stars have earned enough wins to secure a spot in the
playoffs, it is almost mandatory that the team stay on the current
course to shoot for a likely home-ice advantage.
The club took care of all the necessary transactions last summer,
the last being the big Kevin Hatcher to Pittsburgh for Sergei Zubov
trade.
And, good fortune came Dallas' way when Neal Broten became available
for a song off of waivers. Broten's addition gave Dallas more depth
to an already pretty deep club, which is a good thing.
The Stars are going to need absolutely all of that depth for the
duration. The mighty Avs of Colorado continue to dominate the
Western Conference. They are the only other team in the league to
have 20 or more wins, along with Dallas. Gunning for a first place
finish overall, at the end of the regular season, may be an
unrealistic aspiration for the Stars.
Dallas' focus now must turn to winning every last regular-season
game in order to preserve the lead over Detroit. The Stars
currently enjoy a seven-point advantage over the surging Red Wings.
Scotty Bowman is blowing playoff smoke to the media, so it is
obvious things must be going well in the Motor City.
Things are going well enough to have Bowman expecting his club to
sustain the momentum from the long winning streak that our friends,
the Avalanche, just happened to snap on Sunday.
Bowman was recently quoted as stating that he hopes his Red Wing
team will build a surge towards the conclusion of the season, to
take into the playoffs. Dallas will need to continue playing their
level best if they hope to hold the Wings at bay.
Da Stars a Squeakin'
In the last five games, the Stars have been winning points, but just
barely. Well, barring the 6-2 win over the Penguins on March 16, of
course.
Two of the games saw the Stars winning by a single point, (3-2 and
2-1 against St. Louis and Edmonton, respectively) and two games saw
Dallas tying the opponent (3-3 and 4-4 against Toronto and Chicago,
respectively).
While this isn't exactly bad, since the club is actually not losing,
it does indicate a possible lack of focus that coach Hitchcock will
need to address.
The Stars' head coach expressed his concerns following the March 16
win over Pittsburgh by saying:
"I still don't think we're playing as well as we're going to have to
down the stretch."
"But when you win 6-2, you've got to be pretty happy," added
Hitchcock.
But, Hitch has made it very clear that he will take whatever steps
necessary to shake up the team and remind them of what is truly
important. To this end, Hitch is performing his coaching duties
perfectly.
Hitch shares credit with the players in maintaining the
determination to win at all costs, the determination that has
brought the club to this point. They acted in concert to keep
winning despite an injury-depleted roster, and a gaggle of
opponents who were gunning to take an 'elite' team down with them.
Broken record(s)
But, Dallas has continued to win and win. The team has set another
record by recording 40 wins in just 67 games. This is the fastest
that any team in Stars franchise history has reached the forty-win
mark.
And, the team is also just one win shy of tying the club record of
42 wins is a single season, recorded in 1993-1994.
Not to mention that the club is now 18 games over .500, which is the
highest since 1983.
The Stars have defined the word team with their strong play and
commitment to each other.
One only has to take a quick look at the +/- records for each
player, and the fact that the scoring has been spread more or less
equally amongst the team, including the defense.
There wont be any extremely large individual scoring records in
Dallas. Mike Modano will more than likely capture the goal-scoring
title with around 40 goals.
Mike Modano, Super Star
While scoring a projected 40 goals is pretty much meager compared to
league leaders, Modano is still having one of his finest campaigns
ever. Mighty Mo has emerged out of the shadows to claim the title of
legitimate superstar.
Your humble author uses Eric Lindros as an example. Lindros is the
team's leader. The club does not play as well or as hard without
him. While he does not lead the league in all stats, he is the
player with the largest impact on his team. He has superior skills
and is an effective two-way player. He can score goals really good
like.
Any one of the prior definitions fits Modano. So, if Lindros
qualifies as a superstar, than so does Mike Modano.
Mo leads the team and the league in game-winning goals with a total
of nine. The ninth goal also matches a franchise record for
game-winning tallies.
Modano leads the team in scoring with 31 goals, 37 assists for 68
points. Once he does break the 70-point barrier, he will equal a
club record of six 70-point seasons.
His 68 points places him in the lower half of the top-25
league-leading scorers.
The most improved, and telling, of all of Modano's statistics is his
plus-minus. Modano is currently among the league-leaders, at a +31.
That +31 even betters all of the Stars' defensemen, which are having
a stellar season of their own. Darryl Sydor has the next-highest
rating of a +28. And, the +31 also puts Modano in the company of
Brendan Shanahan and Sergei Fedorov.
Earlier in his career, Modano was looked at as a soft, flashy
offense-only player, and had a lower level of respect than his
talent normally commanded.
After the franchise moved to Dallas, Gainey forced his
defense-first style into Modano's play. Modano eventually
integrated solid two-way skills into his play.
And now that he has a pair of wingmen that are capable of scoring
with him, and help from three other dangerous lines, Modano has
concentrated on making other teams pay for any mistakes while he is
on the ice. Mo is among the league-leaders in short-handed goals
with a total of four.
How big of an impact player is he to Dallas? When he scores, the
Stars are 30-6-5. When he doesn't score, Dallas' record is 9-17-1.
Riding Roughshod
Modano's linemates on the Stars leading line are Greg Adams and Jere
Lehtinen. This line is dangerous at any given time.
Adams still owns the third-highest number of goals scored for Dallas
with 17, even after missing more than a month with differing
injuries. Gus scored off of a thread-the-needle pass from his
captain, Derian Hatcher while throwing his body at the net, during
the 6-2 win against Pittsburgh on March 16. This proves Adams is
back in the saddle, and his injuries are no longer a concern. "OT
Adams" is a known playoff performer. His skills will help insure a
successful post-season. Adams has 17 goals, 10 assists, and is a
+18.
Modano's other wingman, Jere Lehtinen, has quietly worked his way
into a solid candidacy for the Selke Trophy. The Stars' offense
went into major imbalance when Lehtinen was sidelined recently with
a knee injury.
Modano had to be temporarily placed at the wing while Lehtinen and
Adams were both on the shelf. When Adams recently came back, and
Lehtinen was cleared to play, Hitchcock wasted no time in reuniting
the team's most potent and dynamic line.
Lehtinen came back in and out of the lineup several times. During
his first game back on March 5 against St. Louis, Lehtinen
demonstrated how valuable he is to the team by scoring the
game-winning goal and an assist, along with finishing the night
with a +2. The goal was Lehtinen's first of the year. Lehtinen has
23 assists, 10 goals, and is also a +18.
The three have combined for 128 points so far. Even with Lehtinen
still injured, the Stars' first line still had a major impact on
the team's last victory, a 6-2 blowout of the Mario-less Penguins.
Todd Harvey filled in the gap left by Lehtinen's absence. Harvey has
played intelligently on this line, and has helped Modano and Adams
maintain their striking power.
Both Modano and Adams scored goals during the March 16 game. Modano
struck first by bagging his thirty-first goal unassisted, only
seven minutes in. This goal set the tone for the rest of the game.
Modano's line came out strong early, and eventually dominated every
line combination the Penguins could throw at them.
Three minutes and fifteen seconds into the second period, Darryl
Sydor continued the scoring by whirling around and stuffing a low
shot past Lalime.
Next, Benoit Hogue scored the eventual game-winner, a goal that
Modano assisted on, for his second point of the night.
Within four minutes of Sydor's first goal, Greg Adams scored the
Stars' third goal of the period. The goal originated off of a
beautiful feed from Derian Hatcher, after Todd Harvey sprung
Hatcher up for the rush.
The Stars absolutely dominated Pittsburgh, and peppered Lalime with
a season-high 25 shots. Only three of the Stars eighteen players
that skated in the second period didn't get a shot on goal in the
period.
The game was mostly over by the time the third period began. And,
although Modano didn't score the game winner, he did assist on it.
Mike Modano has fulfilled the role expected of him when he was
drafted by Dallas. He and his teammates will have a major impact in
the playoffs.
Other News:
* Andy Moog has been sidelined for a week or two ith a back injury.
In his place, Arturs Irbe has been starting.
Since the usual backup Roman Turek was also injured, the Stars were
forced to call up Manny Fernandez from the Michigan K-Wings.
Fernandez has yet to see any playing time, since Irbe has continued
to play with the confidence he has needed. Irbe has been quoted as
saying he is as confident now as when he helped lead the San Jose
Sharks on an impressive playoff run a few years back.
The Stars have played well in front of him, and for now, everything
seems stable between the pipes for Dallas.
The Stars have continued a trend from last year by dressing an
unusually-high number of goalies at four.
* Brent Gilchrist re-aggravated a groin strain, joining Richard
Matvichuk, who has been sidelined with the same type of nagging
strain. Matvichuk is expected back into the lineup within three
games.
* Defenseman Darryl Sydor continues to have a career-high season.
Syd has scored ten points in the last seven games. He has already
set career-high marks for points (41), and assists (34), and is one
goal away from tying his career best of eight.
His 41 points places him approximately tenth overall on the
defenseman's top-scoring list. He is also a +28.
Sydor leads the Stars in power-play points with 2 goals, 19 assists
on the man-advantage.
Sydor's most-overlooked claim to fame is that he has the
third-longest active streak in the NHL. Syd has played 299
consecutive games, and is one of only two players to have played in
every Stars game this season.
* Joe Nieuwendyk has the fifth-best shooting percentage in the
league at 17.9% (as of March 15).
* Sergei Zubov's 37 points place him in a three-way tie for fifth
place on the team's scoring leaders list. He has already tied his
career record for goals in a season with 12.
* Neal Broten continued to rub dirt in the Kings' face by scoring
his seventh goal of the season on March 16 against Pittsburgh.
When Neal scored the game-winning goal on March 7 against Edmonton,
it was Broten's eleventh point in fourteen games for Dallas. He
previously had four points in eighteen games with LA.
Broten is still the Star's All-Time leader in games played (986),
points (864), and assists (591). He will have the chance to pad
those numbers considerably in the post-season.
* Mike Lalor just recently returned off of the IR list.
* Defenseman Dan Keczmer is doing a great job in helping to pull up
the slack while Richard Matvichuk is recovering from a groin
strain.
The leaders:
Player Pts.
------------------
1) Modano 68
2) Verbeek 48
3) Nieuwendyk 46
4) Sydor 41
5) Hogue 37
Zubov 37
Langenbrunner 37
* Scary fact: (for the opposition)
The Stars now have ten players with considerable Stanley Cup finals
experience.
Neal Broten, Guy Carbonneau, Craig Ludwig, Mike Lalor, Andy Moog,
Sergei Zubov, and Joe Nieuwendyk have all won at least one Stanley
Cup Championship.
Mike Modano, Greg Adams, and Darryl Sydor have all previously played
in a Stanley Cup Finals series.
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DETROIT RED WINGS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Scotty Bowman
Roster C - Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Igor Larionov, Kris
Draper. LW - Brendan Shanahan, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Martin Lapointe,
Tim Taylor, Tomas Holmstrom. RW - Doug Brown, Mathieu Dandenault,
Darren McCarty, Kirk Maltby, Joey Kocur, Tomas Sandstrom. D - Nicklas
Lidstrom, Bob Rouse, Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Fetisov, Larry
Murphy, Jamie Pushor, Brian Glynn, Aaron Ward, Anders Eriksson. G -
Mike Vernon, Chris Osgood, Kevin Hodson.
Injuries: Mathieu Dandenault, rw/d (bruised ribs, sidelined one
week and placed on IR March 10); Mike Vernon, g (achy all over,
day-to-day).
Transactions: Bought the contract of Larry Murphy, d, from the
Toronto Maple Leafs; Mike Ramsey, d, retired the the 18th and
final time.
Game Results:
3/05 at Toronto T 4-4
3/08 at Vancouver W 5-3
3/10 at Los Angeles T 3-3
3/12 at Anaheim L 2-1
3/15 at San Jose W 7-4
3/16 at Colorado L 4-2
TEAM NEWS by Dino Cacciola
Left Wing Unlocked?
Acquiring the best overall regular season record in NHL history last
season, the Red Wings credit the "Left Wing Lock" with their
success. The system, a Swedish innovation, has pretty much been
put to the test this season.
It seems as though the opposition has figured out how to stop or
overcome this system. All you really had to do was watch the Wings
against Colorado and the Devils the past two seasons in the
playoffs to know it can be done. The Wings scoring has come from
the left side this season and attention to the defensive system has
been pushed aside because of that. The Wings are ranked second in
goals against and this with the "LOCK" not fully in effect. It
does explain the team's league-leading 15 ties though. Squandering
leads and not being able to clamp on to victories is the outcome of
not adhering to the system. Those ties, albeit better than losses,
converted to victories would mean a division or conference
title.
Assistant head coach Barry Smith will be returning shortly from his
coaching duties in Sweden after their playoffs have ended. Perhaps
he went back to check on the inventor of the Left Wing Lock and
possibly get some answers on how to perfect it?
A local Detroit sports radio station is selling "Screw Lemieux"
T-shirts. The shirts feature the word Lemieux with a screw in the
letters of the word. It is very popular and obviously relates to
last year's incident in the playoffs when Claude "the fraud"
injured Kris Draper in a cowardly act.
Rumor-mill-ville has the Wings interested in obtaining a stay at
home defensemen for the playoff run. The repeated names are Luke
Richardson and Bryan Marchment. It is highly unlikely that Slats
would give up either before the playoffs anyway. In any talks the
Wings have had, the name most requested is that of young defensemen
Anders Eriksson. Red Wing management does not want to give up on
the promising player at all. Let's hope they do before this team
ages and cant make a run anymore. The time is now to make the push
for Lord Stanley. 1955 was a long time ago.
GAME RECAPS
Kissing your sister
TORONTO - Mats "who exposes the week glove hand" Sundin scored his
goal 35th goal with 88 seconds left to lift the Toronto Maple Leafs
into a 4-4 tie with the Red Wings. Detroit had two excellent
scoring opportunities in the final minute. With about 30 seconds
left, Felix Potvin made a glove save on Brendan Shanahan's slap
shot from the slot. With five seconds left, Bob Rouse tipped a shot
past Potvin from the top of the crease, but Jason Smith barely
swept the puck off the goal line for the save.
After the victory Kirk Muller said, "They're a great team and for
us, it's great for our confidence. We need every point we can get."
Actually Kirk, you need some draft picks and some players; the
points are too late! Tee time for you buddy.
The tie extended Detroit's unbeaten streak to a season-high nine
games (5-0-4). "We just took it for granted that we'd win," Chris
Osgood said. "We learned a lesson from this, that we have to play
more desperate with a one or two-goal lead." Such the philosopher
eh?.
Unbeaten in 10
VANCOUVER -- Brendan Shanahan scored his 42nd goal and set up
another as the Wings extended their unbeaten streak to a
season-high 10 games. Rare goals from Marty Lapointe, Tomas
Holmstrom, and Igor Larionov as well as a late insurance tally from
Nick Lidstrom helped seal the victory over the listless Canucks.
Mike Vernon made only 17 saves, but stretched his personal unbeaten
stretch to five games (2-0-3). The Wings out shot Vancouver 29 to
20.
"They played hard. They've got a good team, they played very well
in the second period," Canucks winger Martin Gelinas said. "We made
a comeback in the third, but too little, too late. They outworked
us and Vernon made some key saves and that was the difference
tonight." I couldn't have said it better myself. The game wasn't
as close as the score indicates. The Wings had the better quality
scoring chances in every period.
Kissing your other sister
INGLEWOOD - Ray Ferraro's breakaway goal past Ozzie with 7:38 left
in regulation capped a three-goal comeback as the Los Angeles Kings
rallied for a 3-3 tie against the Wings, who are unbeaten in 11
straight games and blew another third period lead.
Too little too late as the Red Wings dominated the overtime, taking
six of the seven shots taken, and had several good scoring
opportunities in doing so. But Kings goaltender Byron Dafoe stopped
Darren McCarty's wraparound attempt with 2:42 left and gloved Slava
Kozlov's slap shot from the high slot with 35 seconds to play.
"We had a lot of chances to win the game,
the guy (Dafoe) played a great game," Bowman said. "We had a lot of
chances, I was very satisfied with that side of the game, we had
chances two to one. We're playing good hockey, we aren't giving up
a lot." Well a tie on the road isn't bad, but the Wings must learn
how to sit on a lead and stop blowing games. They out shot the
upstart Kings 43 to 26.
Road trip wasn't what its all quacked up to be
ANAHEIM - Aging sniper Jari Kurri obtained his 1,669th career point
with 4:27 left in the second period to end the Wings 11-game
unbeaten streak. With Anaheim on a two-man advantage, Teemu
Selanne scored his team leading 43rd goal for a 1-0 lead 70 seconds
into the second period. That was enough to cap the game for the
Ducks. Sergei Fedorov scored his 25th goal for Detroit's lone
tally. Not bad for a third line center? Guy Hebert blanked 38 of
39 Detroit shots in the game.
"We certainly had enough
chances," said Bowman. "I felt our goalie played well, too. I
thought tonight's game we played much better than the previous two
times we met this team." No duck soup for you!
JAWS
SAN JOSE - Sergei Fedorov (who?) had two goals and an assist and
the Red Wings turned back a third-period rally to hand the San Jose
Sharks their fourth straight loss, 7-4. What a bite! The Wings
collected four power-play goals and a shorthanded tally to improve
to 2-1-2 on their six-game road trip. In their last 13 games the
Wings are 7-1-5. They have come within five points of the first
place Stars in the Central (Norris) Division.
"I thought Sergei was top-notch tonight," the oft-quoted Scotty
Bowman said. "His shots had a lot on them and he was really driving
to the net." Perhaps Sergei realizes that playing good will mean
more ice time? What a concept!
"We've given one game away and have let several teams back when
we're up two or three goals," said tough guy Darren McCarty, who
had a goal and an assist. "Everything isn't as easy (as it
seems)."
"We battled and they have a good hockey team. Every time we got
close to them they got another goal," said San Jose coach Al Sims.
Cliche, cliche, cliche!
Added Sims, "We thought we could be physical. We're a bigger team
than they are and they've got soft forwards. We thought we could
compete with them." Thems there fightin' words, homey! Marty
McSorley tried to fight with Darren McCarty, but Darren refused due
to the brace he is wearing on his wrist from an earlier injury.
That would have been a big Mac fight if they went at it! Pun
intended.
Snowed!
To end a long road trip the Wings were playing their second game in
less than 24 hours. The Red Wings and the Avalanche played in a
penalty marred event. Colorado's special teams capitalized to
seal the victory. They had two power-play goals in 10 chances and
scored two shorthanded as well.
Adam Deadmarsh has become a nemesis against the Wings. He has 7
points in the last two games that he has faced the Wings. Detroit
was out shot for the first time in a long time, 32 to 26. It's
rather hard to get a rhythm flowing when the whole game is spent on
the power play or shorthanded.
"It was a chippy game, power plays basically carried the game, but
it was a good game," said captain Steve Yzerman; "We took some dumb
penalties, but both teams did. I'm disappointed we lost, but hard
fought playoff type games are great for your team."
The league sent an official to speak to both teams before the game to
make sure all went smoothly regarding the Draper - Lemieux
reunion.
Claude Lemieux and Kris Draper had words but nothing came of it.
The turtle, I mean Claude Lemieux seemed to be rather oblivious to
whatever Drapes had to say as he was skating off for serving a
misconduct penalty. The rematch is coming up next week; stay tuned,
same time, same bat channel!
Brendan "Primeau who?" Shanahan scored his league leading 18th
power play goal and 44th goal of the season. Fedorov "Mr.
invisible" has emerged as of late and continued to post numbers by
scoring in his third consecutive game. It was his 28th goal of the
season. The Wings end their road trip with a 2-2-2 record.
On deck
The next two weeks begins with a home game with the Boston Bruins,
then off to MSG to see the Messier Rangers. Then the appetizing
Norris-rival Blackhawks will host the Wings for a possible
pre-playoff matchup. Then the main event when Claude and the Lanche
sweep into Joe Louis Arena. The young Buffalo Sabres come to town
and finally the Wings will try to beat the Mighty Ducks (I still
hate that name!).
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX COYOTES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Don Hay
Roster: C - Jeremy Roenick, Cliff Ronning, Craig Janney, Mike
Stapleton, Bob Corkum. LW - Keith Tkachuk, Darrin Shannon, Kris
King, Jim McKenzie, Igor Korolev, Jocelyn Lemieux. RW - Mike
Gartner, Shane Doan, Dallas Drake. D - Teppo Numminen, Oleg
Tverdosky, Norm Maciver, Brad McCrimmon, Jeff Finley, Jim Johnson,
Jay More, Murray Baron, Gerald Diduck, Kevin Dahl. G - Nikolai
Khabibulin, Darcy Wakaluk, Pat Jablonski, Parris Duffus.
Injuries: Darcy Wakaluk, g (arthroscopic surgery on right knee for
second time in a month, sidelined 1-2 more weeks).
Transactions: Sent Deron Quint, d, to Springfield (AHL); signed
Jocelyn Lemieux, lw, for rest of season; acquired Pat Jablonski, g,
from the Montreal Canadiens for Steve Cheredaryk, d; acquired
Murray Baron, d, and Chris Murray, rw, from the Montreal Canadiens
for Dave Manson, d; traded Murray to the Hartford Whalers for
Gerald Diduck, d.
Game Results:
3/05 at Florida W 3-0
3/06 at Tampa Bay W 5-0
3/08 at Chicago W 2-0
3/10 Ottawa L 4-1
3/12 Pittsburgh T 5-5
3/14 at San Jose W 4-1
TEAM NEWS by Jeff Brown
Khabibulin Sets Fire on Ice
Had Phoenix Coyotes head coach Don Hay been asked what his team
needed most heading into last week's three-game road trip, he would
have said something along the lines of "We need a solid effort for
60 minutes of each game," or "We need to work hard and take
advantage of our opportunities," or even "We have to do our best to
come away with some points at this stage of the season." An "all
of the above" would have been the most prophetic response, as the
Coyotes, led by goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin, played their best
hockey of the season in shutting out Florida, Tampa Bay and
Chicago.
The shutout run started in Miami, where the patient Panthers were
devoured by the Dogs defense. The Coyote blueliners allowed only 14
shots to slip through to Khabibulin, including just eight over the
final two periods.
"We really tried to stress defense tonight. Our goal was playing a
solid road game," Hay said.
Jeremy Roenick's short-handed breakaway goal at 15:38 of the first
period was all the Coyotes needed in this one. Roenick was fed a
clearing pass from Dave Manson and moved in all alone on Panther's
goalie John Vanbiesbrouck, who was caught doing his best Leaning
Tower of Pisa impersenation as J.R. wristed home his 20th of the
season. It was also Roenick's seventh game-winning goal of the
season, tying him for second-best in the league. Fellow Coyote
forwards Mike Gartner and Cliff Ronning added tallies in the second
period to close the book on the Panthers. The Coyotes took the
season series from the defending Eastern Conference champions,
1-0-1.
According to Khabibulin the Panthers didn't play much like
champions.
"It was probably the easiest game I've ever had, they didn't have
more than two scoring chances, maybe they had just one," Khabibulin
said. "I wish every night could be like this."
Khabibulin's wish came true the very next night in Tampa Bay.
Looking for some revenge after being embarassed by the Lightning
2-0 at home on Feb. 4, the Dogs played another solid defensive game
in front of Khabibulin. All 30 shots were turned away as Khabby
recorded his fifth shutout of the season and the Coyotes breezed to
a 5-0 win.
"He's been consistent all year long, he's had a lot of minutes
lately and will be one of the star goalies in the NHL in the
future," Hay said.
Khabibulin's cause was helped early on by Craig Janney, who scored
his 11th goal of the season just 7:43 into the game. Power-play
goals from Dallas Drake and Mike Gartner added to the lead in the
second period, and were sandwiched around an Oleg Tverdovsky blast
from the point that beat Rick Tabaracci high to the glove side.
All three Coyotes goals came within a three-minute span, chasing
Tabaracci from the pipes. Corey Schwab replaced the Lightning
starter for the third period.
With his goal in the second period, Mike Gartner moved within five
goals of the NHL's elite 700 club. It was also his 30th goal of
the season, a feat he has accomplished in 17 of 18 seasons in the
league. Gartner added the exclamation point with his second goal
of the game at 1:56 of the third period, thus snapping the
Lightning's seven-game unbeaten streak.
So with both Florida teams left in the dust, the Nikolai Khabibulin
Travelling Road Show moved onto Chicago to face a struggling
Blackhawks team. The Hawks had only lit the lamp eight times in
the previous six games, going 1-3-2 in that span. This was
definitely not the time to be facing the red hot Khabibulin, who
ironically hadn't been scored upon since the last time these teams
had met March 4 in Phoenix.
What became even more ironic as the game went on was the Blackhawks
had shutout the Coyotes 4-0 that night. Goals by captain Keith
Tkachuk and Mike Stapleton would be the difference in this game, as
Khabibulin made 28 saves en route to his third consecutive and
sixth shutout of the season. Both feats turned out to be franchise
records, and for his efforts he was named NHL Player of the
Week.
"Three shutouts in a row, that's really something. And at this time
of the year, we need efforts like that." said Hay, who no longer
has to worry about his team's depth in net.
Khabibulin has started 27 consectuive games since replacing injured
Darcy Wakaluk between the pipes. With Wakaluk still nursing his
surgically repaired knee it could be a while before Khabibulin gets
a breather.
"I get enough days off to rest when we don't play," Khabibulin
said. "The way I have been playing, hopefully it will help me play
the next few games."
Senators override Khabibulin's rule
Perhaps a rest is what Nikolai Khabibulin should have gotten when
the Coyotes returned home to face the Ottawa Senators. Riding a
three-game shutout streak back into America West Arena, the Coyotes
fell into old habits, playing down to (and predictably under) the
level of their opponent and losing another embarassing home game,
4-1.
Khabibulin's shutout streak was snapped early on in the first
period by Alexandre Daigle, who netted his 24th goal of the season
with a wrist shot from the left circle.
"I thought if it's over, it's over, it was gonna happen some day
anyway," Khabibulin said.
The monumental streak lasted 198 minutes and 19 seconds over a span
of five games. Alexei Yashin, Steve Duschene and Daniel Alfredsson
each added a goal and an assist for Ottawa, who is battling for the
last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Only a late third-period goal from defenseman Jim Johnson kept the
Coyotes from falling victim to their own specialty of late. It was
only Johnson's third goal of the season and first since Dec. 27,
1996.
Entering this game the Coyotes were one-game under .500 in the
Western Conference standings, a spot they've become quite familiar
with this season. Eleven times this season they have reached the
"one game under" plateau but only once have they won the game in
order to break even.
"The only roll this team knows is the one we eat at the pre-game
meal," said assistant captain Kris King. "We've got to be
consistent, we go out on the road and play the kind of hockey that
this team is capbale of, 20 guys contributed and we played like a
team. We come home and we didn't play smart."
Goals for Kids
The Phoenix Coyotes held their first annual Family Carnival last
weekend to benefit the Goals for Kids Foundation, the official
charity of the hockey club. The Carnival, hosted by the wives of
the Coyotes players, provided a special opportunity for fans of all
ages to meet the players and staff on a personal level. The
players were on hand for autographs and even took some time in the
dunking booth to raise money. There were also carnival rides,
games, food and various merchandise being auctioned off, with all
proceeds going to Goals for Kids, a charity which supports children
in the community. In all, the afternoon event raised over
$50,000.
Coyotes Manager for Media Relations, Jeffrey Hecht, was extremely
pleased with the first-year event.
"It was a huge success. Having planned for 3,500 to 4,000 people,
we were amazed that over 8,000 turned out for the event," said
Hecht. "This is a great indicator that future events will be
welcomed in the community."
Upcoming
The Coyotes have 11 games remaining, all against teams from the
Western Conference and only four on the schedule at home. An
important three-game road trip kicks off this week against Dallas,
Chicago and Toronto. The Dogs return home March 27th to face the
Maple Leafs.
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ST. LOUIS BLUES
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Head Coach: Joel Quenneville
Roster: C - Pierre Turgeon, Craig MacTavish, Harry York, Jim
Campbell. LW - Geoff Courtnall, Tony Twist, Stephane Matteau, Scott
Pellerin, Mike Peluso. RW - Brett Hull, Joe Murphy, Brian Noonan,
Steve Leach. D - Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, Igor Kravchuk, Marc
Bergevin, Trent Yawney, Ricard Persson, Chris McAlpine. G - Grant
Fuhr, Jon Casey.
Injuries: Jim Campbell, rw (surgery to repair severed ligament in
right hand, out until lat March); Steve Leach, rw (left ankle
surgery, out indefinitely).
Transactions: Recalled Jon Casey, g, from Worcester (AHL); signed
free agent Pavol Demitra, f, to a multi-year contract; reassigned
Libor Zabransky, d, to Worcester.
Game Results:
3/05 at Dallas L 3-2
3/09 Edmonton L 4-1
3/11 at San Jose W 4-3
3/13 at Los Angeles W 4-2
3/14 at Anaheim T 4-4
3/17 at Phoenix L 3-2
TEAM NEWS by Joe Ashkar
As the race of a playoff spot tightens in the Western Conference,
the St. Louis Blues don't need to panic, but they better watch the
standings as teams from below are slowly sneaking up on them. The
Blues have fallen to the sixth spot in the Western Conference with
69 points, a tie with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. They are just
two points behind the Phoenix Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers but have
only a one-point lead on the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames
who are tied for the last post-season spot.
When the Blues ended a recent road trip with a 3-2 loss to the
division leading Dallas Stars and lost their only home game in a
span of three weeks to the Edmonton Oilers, the result was a
team-record seven-game winless streak including five consecutive
losses. During that span, the team dropped from the fourth to the
seventh spot in the tight Western Conference standings.
There was nothing better than California sunshine to halt their
worst skid in a decade.The Blues regrouped and benefited from a
four-game western road trip where they started by feasting on the
Sharks in San Jose, posting a 4-3 victory.
Pierre Turgeon led the way by scoring two goals and assisting on
the other two. Defenseman Chris Pronger was dominant in the defense
end while contributing offensively with a goal and an assist.
Sniper Brett Hull chipped in with an assist to extend his
point-scoring streak to seven games.
The Sharks came out flying early and took a 1-0 lead at the first
intermission. The Blues made the necessary adjustments in the second
period and scored a season high two power-play goals by Chris
Pronger and Geoff Courtnall to take a 2-1 lead.
Just 57 seconds into the third period, the Sharks tied the game 2-2
on a goal by Jeff Friesen and seemed to have shifted the momentum
of the game in their favor but Pierre Turgeon silenced the loud
crowd with his 21st goal of the season to put the Blues ahead for
good. Turgeon later put the game away with his second goal of the
night before the Shaks finalized the scoring 4-3.
Two nights later, the Blues stormed into Los Angeles and handed the
Kings an embarassing 4-2 defeat on home ice. The Kings were
sporting their purple and gold uniforms from their inaugural season
while the Blues played in their white home jerseys. The Blues
dominated the game from the minute the puck was dropped until the
late minutes of the third period. Brett Hull recorded his 39th goal
of the season and Momesso got his first of the season as the Blues
built a 2-0 lead and never looked back.
Stephane Matteau ended a 24-game goal scoring drought with a
shorthanded goal to increase the lead to 3-0 and Pronger capped the
Blues scoring with his career-high ninth goal of the season. The
Kings ruined Fuhr's shutout late in the third period with two
meaningless goals.
Less than 24 hours later, the Blues took on the hottest team of the
league, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and their nine-game unbeaten
streak. Despite playing their third game in four nights, the Blues
battled back all night long from goal deficits to come up with a
4-4 tie.
In a wacky first period, the Blues and Ducks traded goals back and
forth with the Ducks taking a 3-2 lead at the first intermission.
The Ducks capitalized on their first man advantage of the game to
take a 1-0 lead on a long slapper by defenseman Dimitri Mironov.
Robert Petrovicky tied the game with a fluke goal two minutes later
as he was trying to center the puck to Hull in the slot.
The Ducks restored their lead at 11:17 after a Blues turnover in the
neutral zone. Stephane Matteau dropped an errant pass which was
picked up by Joe Sacco to start an two-on-one rush. Brian Bellows
took Sacco's pass and wristed the puck past Fuhr to give the Ducks
a 2-1 lead.
On their first power play of the game, the Blues tied the game 2-2
as Pronger extended his goal-scoring streak to three games and
fifth goal in his last six games. Hull picked up his second assist
of the game on the play. On the ensuing faceoff, the Ducks skated
down the ice and regained their lead when Bellows beat Fuhr from
the right of the crease at 13:50 on a setup by Sean Pronger.
In contrast to the first period, both teams seemed a little
tentative through the first 10 minutes of the second period. The
first scoring chance of the period came when Mironov attempted to
slap a rebound past Fuhr from point-blank range but the Ducks
defenseman fanned on the shot.
Another fluke goal allowed the Blues to tie the game 3-3 at 13:38.
Hull wristed a shot from the left circle that eluded Hebert's
glove. The goal was Hull's 40th of the season.
The saga continued three minutes later when the Ducks scored again
to take a 4-3 lead into the third period on a goal by Steve
Rucchin.
The Blues put pressure on the Ducks in the third period and battled
through tight forechecking and trapping defense. They were rewarded
for their hard work with 3 minutes and 42 seconds left in the game
when Joe Murphy ended a treatuous 18-game goal scoring drought to
tie the game 4-4 with only his 15th goal of the season.
On the last game of a successful four-game road trip, the Blues
suffered a tough defeat to the Phoenix Coyotes. The result was a
four-point swing in favor of Phoenix who jumped two points ahead of
the Blues in the standings.
The Blues played catchup all night long after falling behind 2-0 in
the first period. Keith Tkachuk gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead on
their third shot of the game with his 41st goal of the season.
Jeremy Roenick scored a back-breaking goal with 1:19 left in the
first period.
The Blues battled back and tied the game with goals in the second
and third periods. Brett Hull made it 2-1 at 3:44 of the second
period with a power-play goal a 3:44 of the second period with his
41st goal of the season. Hull also his current league-leading point
scoring streak to 10 games.
Mike Peluso capped the comeback a minutes and six seconds into the
third period when he tied the game on a Mario Lemieux-like play
from behind the net. Peluso shot the puck at the net from behind
the goal line deflecting it off a Coyote's skate and into the net
for only his second goal of the season.
Jeff Finley ruined the Blues' hard comeback five minutes later and
the Coyotes held off a late charge by the Blues to hold on to a 3-2
victory.
The Blues head back to St. Louis where four out of their next five
games on home ice at Kiel Center.
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TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
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Head Coach: Mike Murphy
Roster: C - Jamie Baker, Darby Hendrickson, Steve Sullivan, Brandon
Convery, Jason Podollan. LW - Fredrik Modin, Wendel Clark, Todd
Warriner, Mark Kolesar. RW - Mats Sundin, Sergei Berezin, Tie Domi,
Mike Craig, Zdenek Nedved, Mike Johnson, Kelly Chase. D -Matt Martin,
Jamie Macoun, DimitriYushkevich, Mathieu Schneider, Craig Wolanin,
Tom Pederson, Greg Smyth. G - Felix Potvin, Marcel Cousineau.
Injuries: Mathieu Schneider, d (abdominal surgery, out for season);
Kirk Muller, c (sore ankle, bumps and bruises, day-to-day).
Transactions: Signed Mike Johnson, rw, out of Bowling Green; signed
Warren Norris, c, out of the University of Massachussetts (Amherst)
and sent him to St. John's (AHL); sent Nathan Dempsey, d, to St.
John's; recalled Brandon Convery, lw, from St. John's; sent Scott
Pearson, lw, sent to St. John's; recalled Greg Smyth, d, and Matt
Martin, d, from St. John's; sent David Cooper, d, to St. John's;
traded Kirk Muller, c, to the Florida Panthers for Jason Podollan,
c; sold the contract of Larry Murphy, d, to the Detroit Red Wings;
acquired Kelly Chase, rw, from the Hartford Whalers for a 1998
eighth-round draft pick.
Game results:
3/03 Boston W 4-2
3/05 Detroit T 4-4
3/08 Hartford T 1-1
3/10 Dallas T 3-3
3/12 Chicago L 3-2
3/15 at Florida T 3-3
3/16 at Tampa Bay W 3-1
TEAM NEWS by Jonah Sigel
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE
Rarely do statistics lie. Given that, let's take a look at some
numbers. Would you believe that only seven wins separates Detroit
and Toronto? Given that, how would an additional 14 points (seven
wins X two points each) help Toronto in their hunt for the
playoffs? Well, as we sit at press time, the Buds have 58 points
-- add the 14 and they would have 72. Those 72 points do not aide
the Leafs too much. The Red Wings have 81 points, so the Leafs
would still trail the Wings by nine points.
So the Leafs problem is more than just wins; to be honest it comes
down to ties and losses. As of Jan. 28, the Leafs had yet to earn
a tie. Today they have just six compared to the Wings 15 and the
Blackhawks 12 (who happen to be 10 points up on the Leafs). Only
the San Jose Sharks have more losses (39) than the Leafs (38).
Take into account that in the Leafs last seven games, they have
four ties, and the answer to their season of woes is obvious.
On March 12, the local media built up that night's game versus
Chicago as the game of the year for the Leafs. It was a rare
four-point opportunity for the Leafs to catch one of the teams
ahead of them. After playing relatively well in the past few
games, expectations were high at least for a good effort against
the long-time rivals. Instead the Buds came out flat. They had
little effort at all with the exception of perhaps Tie Domi, who
seems to be the only Leaf who can consistently put forth an honest
effort. Yup, the Leafs stunk out the joint once again and it
appears their slim playoffs hopes went with the loss.
However, as is so often the case with the Leafs, just when you think
they may not win another game, they put together a string of decent
games and walk away from a seven-game stint with a "Leaf-impressive"
2-1-4 record. If the Leafs were able to put that same record together
over an entire season they would finish with a very respectable 23
wins, 12 losses and 47 ties, or 93 points! Unfortunately, the Leafs
have been unable to put together a 93-point season in quite some
time.
With so little time left in the season, it appears that one can only
find solace in that for the first time in a long while there appears
to be a concrete plan in place which includes some young talent.
While the trade of Doug Gilmour saw the departure of a possible
future Hall of Famer, the Leafs received what appears to be some
young talent who may one day be able to help the team. Sullivan,
Smith and McCauley will all be heavily relied upon. Sundin is closing
in on a 100-point campaign. Fredrick Modin, Sergei Berezin, Darby
Hendrickson and Todd Warriner each at times have shown that they can
all play in the NHL. Adding Smith to a defensive core that includes
Wolanin, Schneider, and Murphy (unless he gets dealt), Macoun (likely
to be dealt), Yushkevich (also likely to be dealt) gives the Leafs a
much more impressive blue line than the one they had opening day.
Perhaps of most importance is the fact that the Leafs are starting
to once again stock their system with young players. In the past
couple of weeks the Leafs have added two college players who were
free agents. Wayne Norris was a senior playing at Umass (Amherst)
and Mike Johnson was also a senior from Bowling Green. Speculation
was growing for weeks that the Leafs were after the coveted
Johnson, battling several other NHL clubs for his services. Norris
was a surprise. When word surfaced that the Leafs had signed a
college free agent, most people believed that they must have added
Johnson, but rather it was Norris. Norris, a native of St. Johns,
was immediately sent to the Rock to join the Leafs farm team.
Johnson was signed sealed and delivered hours after Bowling Green
was eliminated from CCHA playoffs. He dressed and started for the
Leafs against Tampa Bay in the Leafs 3-1 victory. He skated on a
line with Steve Sullivan and Wendel Clark. Johnson was impressive
in his debut in that he did not look at all phased by his rapid
promotion. He did not cough up the puck, nor did he make any stupid
mistakes that have killed the Buds all year.
DEADLINE STUFF
At print time there is less than 24 hours prior to the Tuesday
deadline at 3 p.m. General Manager Cliff Fletcher has made it
clear that he has three untouchables: Sundin, Schneider and Domi.
Noticeably absent from this list is Potvin who happens to be at the
center of all trade speculation.
For the first time in years, Fletcher is in the driver's seat in
regard to deals. He has claimed that he would be content to end
the season with the squad he has, but would listen to offers for
anybody but the aforementioned untouchables. As playoff contenders
try to secure a shot at the Cup this year, it appears that the
Leafs have some commodities for the would be Cup hopeful. Muller
is rumored to be at the top of several teams' wish lists including
the Rangers, Flyers, and Panthers. The Penguins have their eyes on
Clark and possibly Murphy. Wendel could also end up in Dallas or
Vancouver. The Red Wings seem to be interested in Murphy, too.
Macoun and Yushkevich could be headed to Philly and Tampa,
respectively. It appears that Fletcher is looking for draft picks
and prospects for all of the above. The Potvin rumors are much
more intriguing. The Canadiens and the Flyers admittedly have
shown interest in the 25-year-old goaltender with names like Recchi
and Renberg being thrown around.
THIS AND THAT
With the dealing of Fletcher and his handling of the sex scandal, it
appears Fletcher may have saved his job...Funny how the media can
change the look of things, going into the Leafs-Hawks game they were
undefeated in X # of games, after the game they were winless in
five...Coaches being watched in the minors include Steve Ludzik of
the Detroit Vipers (IHL)...Speaking of the Vipers, they are about to
become the only known professional team to have three consecutive
100-point seasons, with the first year being an expansion year...The
Toronto Raptors appear to be slowly progressing on the Air Canada
Center. An arena the Leafs vow they will never play in. The Leafs
are busy trying to purchase land in the GTA for a new arena, so it
appears that the Raptors and the Leafs will build two independent
arenas.
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TEAM REPORTS
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
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ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS
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Head Coach: Ron Wilson
Roster:C - Steve Rucchin, Kevin Todd, J.F. Jomphe, Sean Pronger,
Mark Janssens, Richard Park. LW - Paul Kariya, Ted Drury, Shawn
Antoski, Brian Bellows, Joe Sacco, Ken Baumgartner, Warren Rychel.
RW - Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Peter LeBoutillier. D - Dave Karpa,
Bobby Dollas, Dan Trebil, Dmitri Mironov, Darren Van Impe, Jason
Marshall, J.J. Daigneault. G - Guy Hebert, Mikhail Shtalenkov.
Injuries: J.F. Jomphe,c (abdominal strain, day-to-day); Shawn
Antoski, lw (hernia surgery, indefinite).
Transactions: 3/07: activated David Karpa, d, from IR; 3/08:
assigned Ruslan Salei, d, to Las Vegas (IHL) and Nikolai Tsulygin,
d, to Baltimore (AHL); 3/18: acquired Richard Park, c, from the
Pittsburgh Penguins for Roman Oksiuta, rw; acquired Mark Janssens,
c, from the Hartford Whalers for Bates Battaglia, lw, and a 1997
fourth-round draft pick.
Game Results:
3/05 Ottawa W 4-1
3/07 Rangers W 5-2
3/09 at Colorado T 2-2
3/12 Detroit W 2-1
3/14 St. Louis T 4-4
3/16 Calgary T 2-2
TEAM NEWS by Viktor Malakoff
FIT TO BE TIED
Perhaps they didn't learn their lesson last year, when they failed
to qualify for the playoffs on a "most wins" tiebreaker, but the
Ducks are treading on thin ice. And while it's hard to find fault
with a league-best 11-game unbeaten streak (6-0-5), the trend
toward ties has to be troubling to Ducks followers. While Winnipeg,
tied with the Ducks in overall points, aced them out of the final
playoff spot last season, the Ducks could face a similar fate at
the hands of any number of teams in this year's tightly-bunched
Western Conference.
As this issue of LCS goes to press, the Ducks hold the No. 7 seed in
the West. They are tied in overall points with St. Louis and
Phoenix, but slip to No. 7 because the Coyotes (32) and Blues (30)
each have more wins than Anaheim (29). Even Calgary, who played the
Ducks to a draw on March 16 and currently holds the eighth and
final playoff spot, has one more win than does Anaheim. When you
consider that last season the Ducks were one win away from the
playoffs -- and just two points away from home-ice advantage -- you
understand why all these sister-kisses are causing so much angst
around The Pond.
GUY THE KEY
And yet, things could be worse. While the unbeaten streak has
continued, it has been in the wake of some sloppy defensive play.
The Ducks surrendered one-goal, third period leads in consecutive
games against the Blues and Flames, wasting valuable opportunities
to break out of the Western playoff logjam. And that they have
surrendered an average of 38 shots per game over the past two weeks
is a testament to the continued superb, often game-saving play of
goalie Guy Hebert. To chants of "Gh-eeee" from Anaheim's sellout
crowds, Hebert has run up a .944 save percentage over the course of
the 11-game run.
Apologists would note that most of the shots Hebert faces are
perimeter jobbies, but that discounts the very real trouble Anaheim
has when the puck is in their own end. They have been wanting for a
dependable center to take defensive zone faceoffs, which more often
than not end up with rubber flying Hebert's way. The truth is that
the team has to tighten up in front of Hebert if he is to survive
the remainder of the regular season, much less potential and -- for
the first time in their four-year history -- anticipated playoff
action.
TRADE TALK
While some followers had been clamoring for the Ducks to make a move
before the trading dealine, the team seemed happy to stand pat. GM
Jack Ferreira, never one to trade for the sake of trading -- or just
to pacify the fans -- is also not one to sacrifice the future for a
short-term gain. And the unbeaten streak has left everyone in the
executive suite, and the locker room, feeling pretty comfortable
about the team's chemistry. Also, J.J. Daigneault's impending return
from his 10-game suspension for abuse of an official, after just two
games in an Anaheim uniform, should inject some of the defensive
stability the Ducks need. The rearguard's return, said coach Ron
Wilson, will be "just like a trade."
As for landing a scorer to augment the top line of Kariya, Rucchin
and Selanne, it's simply not going to happen. The Ducks are
counting on their veterans -- Brian Bellows, Jari Kurri, Kevin Todd
and Joe Sacco -- to step it up come playoff time and take some
pressure off the big boys. Keep in mind that playoff games are
peppered with timely goals from unlikely sources, a philosophy that
suits Anaheim to a T -- since any goal besides one from Kariya,
Selanne, Rucchin or defenseman Dimitri Mironov amounts to one from
an "unlikely source."
In fact, the only semi-serious trade talk heard around The Pond
recently was Assistant GM David McNab's query as to whether anyone
was willing to trade two ties for a win and a loss. Now there's a
deal that could help out the Ducks.
DOWNSTREAM
After wrapping up the homestand with a huge game against crosstown
rival Los Angeles, the Ducks embark on a six-game road trip, all
against Western Conference foes. The roadie is their longest of the
season, and needs to be one of their best. Although they are 1-0-2
off The Pond during the current unbeaten streak, the Ducks are just
9-18-6 overall on the road. They need to do significantly better
than that if they are to hold or improve their position, especially
since the trip includes games against Edmonton, Calgary and Chicago
-- against whom the Ducks are jockeying in the playoff race. If the
team can go .500, the postseason should be a cinch; if they do
better, home ice becomes a distinct possibility.
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CALGARY FLAMES
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Head Coach: Pierre Page
Roster: C - Dave Gagner, Corey Millen, Cory Stillman, Aaron
Gavey. RW - Theoren Fleury, Jarome Iginla, Ron Stern, Ed Ward,
Sandy McCarthy. LW - German Titov, Marty McInnis, Jonas Hoglund,
Todd Hlushko, Mike Sullivan, Hnat Domenichelli. D - James Patrick,
Glen Featherstone, Tommy Albelin, Joel Bouchard, Todd Simpson, Cale
Hulse, Zarley Zalapski, Yves Racine. G - Trevor Kidd, Dwayne
Roloson.
Injuries: James Patrick, d (underwent knee surgery Dec. 12 to
repair torn ligament in left knee, out for season); Zarley
Zalapski, d (suffered bruised knee Oct. 6, underwent knee surgery
to repair torn ligament in right knee, out for season); Sandy
McCarthy, rw (underwent ankle surgery Jan. 24, returned March 5
after missing 23 games); Aaron Gavey, c (neck strain, placed on
injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 28, day-to-day); Jamie
Huscroft, d (suffered lacerated forearm March 4, returned March 12
after missing three games); Cale Hulse, d (suffered bruised ankle
March 1, returned March 12 after missing four games); Todd Hlushko,
lw (suffered concussion March 16, day-to-day).
Transactions: recalled Jamie Allison, d, from Saint John (AHL),
March 3; traded Steve Chiasson, d and a 1997 third-round draft
choice to Hartford for Hnat Domenichelli, c/lw, Glen Featherstone,
d, a 1997 second-round pick and a 1998 third-round pick, March 5;
sent Jamie Allison, d, to Saint John, March 14; Traded Jamie
Huscroft, d, to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Tyler Moss, g; traded
Marc Hussey, d, to the Chicago Blackhawks for Ravil Gusmanov, lw;
traded Robert Reichel, c, to the New York Islanders for Marty
McInnis, lw, Tyrone Garner, g, and a 1997 sixth-round draft pick.
Game results:
3/04 at Washington L 2-1
3/05 at Hartford L 2-0
3/07 at Florida W 3-1
3/09 at Tampa Bay L 2-1
3/12 at Colorado W 3-2
3/15 at Los Angeles W 5-2
3/16 at Anaheim T 2-2
TEAM NEWS by Tony Wong
Two Weeks at a Glance:
At the outset of the road trip, the Flames were prepared for the
worst. Page and the rest of the Flames management repeatedly made
a point of "how tough" the upcoming 16-day road trip would be. At
times it was difficult to decide whose pleading was more heartfelt,
Page's daily pleas or those of the local politicians up for
re-election. Based on the media response, i.e. "Flames Forced into
16 Day, 7 Game Road Trip by Brier", "Flames Embark on Grueling 16
Day Road Trip", at least we know who was more convincing...
Well the guys didn't need to worry. Going in with the third-worst
road record in the league, the Flames came home with a 3-3-1
record. Never ones to take the easy way out, two of Calgary's wins
came against formidable home teams, Colorado and Florida. In all
three wins, the Flames were rewarded for handily outworking their
opposition. A fourth win was only denied by the spectacular play
of Corey Schwab in Tampa Bay.
However in the wacky Western Conference, consistency means
nothing. While a 3-3-1 record was good enough to improve the
Flames from eighth to sixth last issue, the identical record
resulted in a drop in the standings from sixth back down to eighth
(tied with Chicago) this time around!
Our travel log begins in Washington. With Washington playing their
customary stifling defense, the Flames could not generate any
offense and mustered only 21 shots on Ranford. With the Calgary
offense non-existent, Adam Oates scored in his first game as a
Capital at 2:40 into the second period to lead Washington to a 2-1
victory.
In Hartford, the offensive drought continued, as the Whalers won
2-0. While Sean Burke stopped all 28 Flames shots, Trevor Kidd was
just as sharp, stopping all 28 HARTFORD shots. However Kidd wasn't
quite as lucky on the two taken by the Flames. On the first goal,
Tommy Albelin showed his prowess with his backhand as he swiped at
a Keith Primeau wraparound and put the puck past Kidd. The Whale
"scored" again when Mike Sullivan neatly deflected Andrew Cassels'
cross-ice pass with his skate past a bewildered Trevor Kidd. Well,
better now than in the playoffs... However the game did have a few
bright spots. The game marked the return of Sandy McCarthy, after
missing 23 games with a broken ankle. After the game, Hartford
sent Hnat Domenichelli and Glen Featherstone to Calgary for Steve
Chiasson and a swap of draft picks.
Next stop, the Sunshine State. Against Florida, the Flames
"Out-Panthered" the Panthers. Solid goaltending and some
disciplined, hard-working play by everyone else resulted in a 3-1
win. Dwayne Roloson made 27 saves and Dave "unrestricted free
agent" Gagner scored a pair of goals to lead the way.
Down the road in Tampa Bay however, it was a different story
altogether. While the Flames elevated their game a few notches,
they didn't count on Corey Schwab having the best game of his
career. Schwab made 44 saves and unfairly kept the Flames off the
scoresheet for the first 52 minutes. Schwab made more than a dozen
spectacular saves to rob a swarming Flames team. After a backhander
by Jonas Hoglund finally tied the game, the Lightning got a lucky
bounce off a blocked shot to score the winning goal in overtime.
The loss spoiled an otherwise dominant performance by Flames team
as a whole.
After three days off, the Flames turned on the tap again and came
out with fire in their eyes against a disinterested Colorado team.
The result was a surprising 3-2 win over the Stanley Cup
champions. Ronnie Stern played the hero, as he scored two goals to
lead the attack.
Against Los Angeles, it was once again the same story. The Flames
showed up with paint peeling intensity for a third straight game,
that translated easily into a win. Tied in the third, Fleury
scored a highlight-reel goal to put the Kings away. Two empty net
goals in the last minute made the final score 5-2.
Last stop, Anaheim. With the Ducks on a ten game undefeated streak,
the Flames did what they had to -- stop Kariya and Selanne. Though
the Dynamic Duo had 13 shots between them, Kidd was able to keep them
off the scoresheet. At the other end, the Flames pounded out 43
shots at Guy Hebert. Unfortunately, he was up to the task. The
result? A 2-2 tie.
Overall, the Flames played like a scary team, much better than the
3-3-1 record would indicate. Tough, disciplined play with intensity
were the watchwords for the last five games. Interestingly, their
success came without too much of the "clutch and grab" which Page
swore he needed to instill. So not only were the Flames
successful, they were entertaining and FUN to watch. Even more
encouraging was the fact that the Flames played two of the best
teams in the league to a standstill in their own rinks. In doing
so, Calgary has issued notice that they are NOT a desired first
round playoff match-up. But again, we're getting ahead of
ourselves. Let's remember that the Flames need to MAKE the
playoffs first...
Chiasson Trade
The trade: Defenseman Steve Chiasson and a 1997 third-round draft
choice to Hartford for center/left winger Hnat Domenichelli,
defenseman Glen Featherstone, a 1997 second-round pick and a 1998
third-round pick.
Synopsis: Hartford trades youth and draft picks for a solid, mobile
defenseman to help make the playoffs this year.
Why Hartford made the trade: With Washington on their heels fresh
from the Adam Oates deal, Hartford needed to make a move to
challenge for a playoff spot. At 6'4", 215 pounds, Featherstone
was a big, tough defenseman, with limited mobility. However his
knack for taking dumb penalties made him an expendable loose
cannon. In Domenichelli, the Whalers gave up a talented youngster
blessed with speed and skill, who may have developed into a star.
However blessed with a variety of these small speed/skill players
(see Steve Rice, Robert Kron, etc.) and currently occupying the
fourth line, Domenichelli was not going to be a factor in making
this year's playoffs.
In Chiasson, Hartford gets a solid veteran defenseman with mobility
who can anchor the defense, move the puck out of the Whaler's zone,
help out on the powerplay and provide some leadership for a young
team. With Coffey gone and Brown injured early, getting someone to
move the puck quickly out of the Whaler's zone has been a task.
Why Calgary made the trade: With season-ending injuries to Zalapski
and Patrick early in the year, Calgary was forced to play a plethora
of rookie defensemen. Along the way, the Flames discovered a lot of
them could actually play. With Zalapski and Patrick returning next
year and a bunch of talented youngsters, someone had to go. At 29
and the owner of a $1.55 million dollar long-term contract, Chiasson
was the obvious choice.
In Domenichelli, the Flames get Jarome Iginla's junior linemate,
whom they have lusted over since landing Iginla. With 59 goals in
62 games in his last year in junior, Hnat has shown that he can put
the puck in the net. In the short term however, while the Flames
wait for him to develop his NHL scoring touch, Domenichelli adds
some speed up front, an element that has been missing at times this
year.
Featherstone and the added draft picks are strictly gravy.
Featherstone is an adequate defenseman who will add an dimension of
size to the Flames. It's surprising that Hartford would throw in
such a useful commodity. Featherstone will fit in nicely until
Zalapski can return to full time duty next year.
Who won the trade: With this trade, Al Coates shows that he learned
something from Cliff Fletcher's years in Calgary -- how to rip
someone off. By unloading Chiasson, Coates freed up $1.55 million
while getting high quality prospects (Domenichelli, 1997
second-round draft pick, 1998 third-round pick) in return. To top
it off, Coates also got a big, tough defenseman in Featherstone, a
somewhat rare commodity. Featherstone will be useful for clearing
the front of the net, if nothing else. Even if Domenichelli never
develops into a star, Coates is still ahead on the bottom line,
saving valuable salary dollars. With the extra money, perhaps
Coates will come to his senses and make a serious offer to Dave
"unrestricted free agent but also the Flames MVP this year"
Gagner. Keep up the good work Al!
For Hartford, the trade works if the Whalers make the playoffs.
Rutherford is simply betting that Domenichelli doesn't become a
star. Unless Domenichelli does, people will soon forget who was
dealt and only remember that Rutherford dealt some "prospects" to
make the playoffs.
Welcome back Sandy
When Sandy McCarthy returned to the line-up on March 5th, no one
cheered louder and longer than Theoren Fleury. Physically abused
in McCarthy's absence, Fleury production suffered without the big
lug. How much does McCarthy's presence mean to Fleury? Since
Sandy's return, Fleury's been a little more like the Fleury of old,
with six points (three goals, three assists) in six games. More
importantly, Fleury's started to become more active again, egging
on and irritating opponents. Aahhh, I can hear Theo sniping right
now...
Glad to have you back Sandy .
Roloson Update
For all those who were worried that the Flames would allow Dwayne
Roloson to become a restricted free agent, worry no more. With
Kidd on a hot streak, getting Roloson in on nine of the 26
remaining games seemed tough four weeks ago. Seems we
overestimated Kidd's hot streak. Since then, Roloson has appeared
in nine of 16 games and lo and behold, with 26 games under his
belt, can no longer become a restricted free agent! Woo-hoo!
Let's hear it for the repression of the free market! Hey -- at
least Al Coates is happy...
Upcoming games:
3/19 San Jose
3/21 Tampa Bay
3/25 Anaheim
3/29 Vancouver
A month ago, we said, "If the Flames can play .500 hockey over the
next four weeks while on their road trip, they deserve to make the
playoffs. Is that a realistic goal? Maybe."
Well the answer is clearly yes, as the Flames have done just that,
going 6-6-2. We here at LCS stick by our word. Thus, the Flames
deserve to make the playoffs. Now if Chicago would just drop off
the face of the earth, we'd be cookin'...
In any case, the Flames have earned a break. With only four games
on tap over the next two weeks, all at home against sub .500 teams,
the Flames can rev up and make a run at the playoffs. If Calgary is
serious about doing something in the playoffs, Dave "hey we need
you and we don't care if you're an unrestricted free agent next
year" Gagner and the boys need to sweep all four games at home.
Too much to ask? If Calgary is planning to do more than just
appear in the playoffs, they need to show that they can win at home
against teams with equal or inferior talent. If the story that Page
has been preaching to the press ("oh we've grown together as a team
being on the road these last 16 days...") is true, they should have
no trouble. Let's just hope the coach isn't just selling us snake
oil.
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COLORADO AVALANCHE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Marc Crawford
Roster: C - Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Stephane Yelle.
LW - Valeri Kamensky, Yves Sarault, Rene Corbet, Eric Lacroix. RW -
Claude Lemieux, Adam Deadmarsh, Keith Jones, Scott Young, Mike Keane.
D - Sandis Ozolinsh, Sylvain Lefebvre, Uwe Krupp, Adam Foote, Alexei
Gusarov, Jon Klemm, Brent Severyn, Aaron Miller. G - Patrick Roy,
Craig Billington.
Injuries: None.
Transactions: Loaned Yves Sarault, lw, to Hershey (AHL) for
conditioning purposes.
Game Results:
3/05 at Montreal W 7-3
3/06 at Washington L 6-3
3/09 Anaheim T 2-2
3/12 Calgary L 3-2
3/14 Pittsburgh W 6-3
3/16 Detroit W 4-2
3/18 Vancouver W 4-2
TEAM NEWS by Baba Booey
Ho-hum... Two more weeks have passed and the Colorado Avalanche are
still cruising along as the top team in the entire league. The Avs
have lost just twice in the team's last nine games. During that
time they've taken out both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red
Wings with ease. Those teams are considered two of the best
challengers trying to take the Avs Stanley Cup away.
Colorado destroyed the Penguins, 6-3, behind a hat trick from Joe
Sakic, who is still trying to get up to speed following his leg
injury earlier in the season. The win over the floundering Penguins
clinched not only a playoff berth, but also the division title, for
the Avs.
Two nights after the win against the Pens, the Avalanche
buried the Wings, 4-2. The highlight from this game was the fact
that Claude Lemieux played for the first time
against the Wings since he clobbered Kris Draper into the boards in
the playoffs last year. The two exchanged words during the game,
Lemieux received some face rubs from several Wings, but nothing
major came about.
So with the Avs in total control of things in the league, all they
have to do now is play through the rest of the season and not get
anyone seriously injured. Currently, the Avs have no significant
injuries. And I'm sure head coach Marc Crawford would like to keep
it that way. Sure, the Avs played incredible hockey despite
missing all of the team's top stars at some point or another during
the season, but the playoffs are a different story. To go all the
way to the Stanley Cup, a team has to be healthy.
Looking at the rest of the regular season schedule, the Avalanche
have 11 games to play. Four of those games are against cupcakes --
Toronto, San Jose (twice) and Los Angeles. The Avs play three big
games during the last weeks of the season, as well -- at
Philadelphia March 23, at Detroit March 26 and at Dallas on April
11, the second to last game of the season. If Colorado somehow
slumps late in the season, the Dallas game could have great
implications in the final overall standings.
But then again, when have the Avalanche slumped this season? That
scenario might be highly unlikely.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
EDMONTON OILERS
----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Ron Low
Roster: C - Doug Weight, Jason Arnott, Todd Marchant. LW - Dean
McAmmond, Rem Murray, Ryan Smyth, Mats Lindgren. RW - Mariusz
Czerkawski, Mike Grier, Petr Klima, Andrei Kovalenko, Kelly
Buchberger, Louie DeBrusk. D - Kevin Lowe, Luke Richardson, Bryan
Marchment, Jiri Slegr, Boris Mironov, Donald Dufresne, Drew
Bannister, Daniel McGillis, Greg de Vries. G - Curtis Joseph, Bob
Essensa.
Injuries: Todd Marchant, c (concussion March 9, day-to-day);
Andrei Kovalenko, rw (returned from hip-pointer March 15, sidelined
one week); Dean McAmmond, lw (back strain March 1, sidelined
indefinitely); Donald Dufresne, d (fractured foot Feb. 17,
sidelined indefinitely); Bryan Marchment, d (returned March 8 from
rib injury, missed eight games); Boris Mironov, d (re-injured
abdominal/groin strain March 7, day-to-day).
Transactions: Joe Hulbig, lw, called up from Hamilton (AHL) March
1, sent back on March 15; Sent Sean Brown, d, to Hamilton March 4;
traded Miroslav Satan, lw, to the Buffalo Sabres for Barrie Moore,
lw, and Craig Millar, d; assigned Barrie Moore to Hamilton;
acquired Drew Bannister, d, and a 1997 sixth-round draft pick from
the Tampa Bay Lightning for Jeff Norton, d.
Game Results:
3/04 Los Angeles W 4-1
3/07 at Dallas L 2-1
3/09 at St. Louis W 4-1
3/11 at New Jersey L 6-1
3/13 at Philadelphia L 5-4 OT
3/15 at Hartford W 4-2
TEAM NEWS by Simon D. Lewis
Playoff Race or Turtle Derby
No one in the bottom half of the old Western Conference is exactly
tearing up the league as the playoffs approach. The Oilers had a
pretty comfy position just a few short weeks ago, but now they're
right back in the middle of the pack. Playing .500 hockey has kept
them in fourth place since no one else is really asserting
themselves.
The road trip from hell is over with the boys in blue skating away
with four of a possible 10 points. The win in Hartford on the 15th
was a real must. If they'd lost that one there was a real chance
that their oh-so-very fragile bubble might have burst.
Injuries have not been a factor for much of the season, but the last
month has seen the team come up limping on a few fronts. Jason
Arnott needed to step up and make a difference when Kovalenko and
Weight were both injured, but the best you could rate his
performance is a C+. He did, however, score the winner against the
Whalers.
The guy that's really making an impression is rookie Mike Grier.
He's getting lots of ink in the States for being an African
American in the NHL. Here in Edmonton he's getting the ink for his
play. He's popping in goals with some regularity. Playing on Doug
Weight's wing doesn't hurt, but that doesn't account for the
physical presence he brings to every game. There are quite a few
defencemen around the league who have learned that when Mr. Grier
arrives he brings a payload. His dad is the Grier who is the
director of player personnel for the New England Patriots. I think
young Mike is bringing some football attitude to his hitting game
in pro hockey. Two words describe his play: power forward. Oh
yeah! He backchecks and looks good in his own end.
Hey, Joe!
Joe Hulbig spent six games up with the big team during the recent
spate of injuries. Wearing number 17, Hulbig showed some good wheels
and a fair physical side to his game. In Hartford, he made Sean
Burke make a good save in the first period. Now that Kovalenko's
back in the lineup Joe's off to Hamilton. It's been a long time
for the Oiler faithful waiting for this guy, and he didn't
disappoint. Look for him next year for sure.
The Roommate from Hell
Ryan Smyth, rookie Oiler sensation, injured his nose when he had an
argument with a goal post in Philly. The swelling has caused some
problems for Smitty's roomie, Bryan Marchment. Seems like Ryan now
snores.
"He sounded like Fred Flintstone, you know where he's trying to
suck a cat through a window," Mush said. "I was doing everything.
Banging the phone on the table, putting a pillow over his head.
He'd doze off for half and hour and be back at it."
The Audience is Listening
Overheard on the Oilers broadcast from St. Louis the other day: the
organist playing the theme from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Is that a comment on the futility of the Blues' quest for the
Cup?
A Class Act
Take a close look at the Flames sweaters (that's right all you
Americans - sweaters not jerseys) the assistant captains have little
"A"s on theirs that look just like the old Atlanta Flames logo.
This writer likes the nod to tradition. There should be more stuff
like this in the NHL.
While I'm on the Subject
Can we agree that, while the USA is the World Cup champion, it's a
Canadian game? Here's a vocabulary tip for y'all. It's a dressing
room, not a locker room. You won't find lockers in a dressing
room.
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LOS ANGELES KINGS
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Head Coach: Larry Robinson
Roster: C - Roman Vopat, Ray Ferraro, Ian Laperriere, Dimitri
Khristich. LW - Vladimir Tsyplakov, Matt Johnson, Jeff Shevalier,
Kai Nurminen, Craig Johnson, Kevin Stevens, Dan Bylsma. RW - Brad
Smyth, Vitali Yachemenev, Glenn Murray. D - Doug Zmolek, Rob Blake,
Aki Berg, Sean O'Donnell, Mattias Norstrom, Philippe Boucher,
Steven Finn, Jan Vopat. G - Byron Dafoe, Stephane Fiset.
Injuries: Yanic Perreault, c (kidney surgery, out for season); Ian
Laperriere, c (reconstructive shoulder surgery, out for season).
Transactions: Jamie Storr, g, sent to Phoenix (IHL); acquired Glen
Murray, rw, from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Eddie Olczyk, c.
Game Results:
3/04 at Edmonton L 4-1
3/06 New York Rangers L 6-2
3/08 Ottawa W 3-1
3/10 Detroit T 3-3
3/13 St. Louis L 4-2
3/15 Calgary L 5-2
TEAM NEWS by Matt Moore
After raising hopes of an actual playoff appearance this year, the
Kings returned to their normal selves, only winning once during a
five-game homestand. Any momentum gained during the five-game win
streak has been lost and most observers are pretty much resigned to
another year of a lottery pick. Now the only fun in watching the
Kings is keeping an eye on the St. Louis Blues score, praying that
they lose so that the Kings, who own the Blues first-round pick,
will have two lottery picks. One can only hope...
Rob Blake and Sean O'Donnell returned from injuries and promptly
led the Kings to severe thrashings from Edmonton and the Rangers.
Those were the games they lost. Only by the grace of God and Byron
Dafoe were the Kings able to salvage points from the Ottawa and
Detroit games, with Dafoe only allowing four goals on 88 shots.
For those games Dafoe should receive combat pay with the amount of
pucks flying at him.
This has been one of the most frustrating aspects of the Kings. At
any time they seemingly can go out and totally outplay any other
team in the league, such as the third period versus Detroit, where
the Kings physically dominated the Wings, forcing Detroit back on
their heels. However the Kings will then go out and play some of
the most god-awful hockey imaginable (34 shots in two periods vs.
Ottawa), so bad that junior teams from Canada could play as
well.
The rest of the league is looking at the Kings like a school of
piranha look at a wounded cow in the water. With the trade
deadline rapidly approaching, four players (Ed Olczyk, Ray Ferraro,
Kevin Stevens, and Rob Blake) are being mentioned as victims, with
Ferraro being the favorite in going. Since this season is pretty
much a wash-out, the Kings should pretty much take any trade
involving Olczyk, Ferraro, or Stevens, since they are only figuring
into the Kings current plans of having older players baby-sit the
young pups until they (the pups) can do it on their own. Who
knows, maybe the Kings can get another first-round pick...
The Kings celebrated their 30th birthday this past week during the
games against the Blues and Flames. The players wore replica 1967
"Forum Blue" and gold uniforms during those games. Although they
played like the 1967 team, the sweaters looked pretty darn good.
Hopefully the Kings will go back to a similar style in the future,
because it sure would be nice to see hockey fans wear Kings stuff
instead of gang members.
The new owners of the Kings have shown that the Kings organization
is changing its ways toward former players during this
celebration. In the old days, especially under Bruce McNall, the
team never tried to build a history like that of the Habs or Leafs,
instead choosing to throw players to the side after their playing
days. But now they are trying to show off the greats of the past
using players such as Tiger Williams, Rogie Vachon, and the Triple
Crown Line of Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, and Charlie Simmer.
But this past week has brought up the question that nobody has a
good answer to: Why the hell isn't Rogie Vachon in the Hall of
Fame? The guy has 355 career wins (more than Billy Smith or Ken
Dryden), 171 of which were with the Kings. Rogie also had 32
shutouts and a 2.86 GAA while with the Kings, who weren't exactly
the most defensive oriented team in the league at the time. The
man quite simply was one of the best goaltenders of his time, and
it is an embarrassment that he is not in the Hall.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SAN JOSE SHARKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Al Sims
Roster:
C - Jeff Friesen, Bernie Nicholls, Ron Sutter, Darren Turcotte,
Dody Wood. LW - Viktor Kozlov, Tony Granato, Tim Hunter, Steve
Guolla, Bob Errey, Ville Peltonen. RW - Shean Donovan, Owen
Nolan, Andrei Nazarov, Todd Ewen. D - Doug Bodger, Marcus
Ragnarsson, Todd Gill, Al Iafrate, Greg Hawgood, Mike Rathje,
Marty McSorley, Vlastimil Kroupa. G - Eddie Belfour, Kelly Hrudey.
Injuries: Bernie Nicholls, c (surgery to repair hernia, out for
season). Al Iafrate, d, (inflamed sciatic nerve and appendicitis,
surgery performed for both, out for season). Dody Wood, c,
(sprained wrist, day-to-day).
Transactions: Assigned Chris LiPuma, d, to Kentucky (AHL). LiPuma
claimed off waivers by New Jersey Devils. Recalled Ville Peltonen,
lw, from Kentucky.
Game Results:
3/03 at NY Rangers L 5-4 OT
3/06 Ottawa W 2-0
3/09 NY Rangers L 2-1
3/11 St. Louis L 4-3
3/14 Phoenix L 4-1
3/15 Detroit L 7-4
TEAM NEWS by Mark Spiegel
On Monday of last week, with his team having sunk to last place in
the league, Sharks' General Manager Dean Lombardi came out swinging
in support of his head coach. "As long as I'm here he'll be here,"
Lombardi firmly stated.
Lombardi also made clear he wasn't going to make any major changes
in the roster before the trading deadline. "(We are) trying to build
a champion, not go for quick fixes. If I wanted to look good (now)
and save my butt I'd trade my top draft pick for somebody."
The next night on the ice against the Blues, the Sharks followed
this announcement with one of their more undisciplined efforts of the
season. After the game veteran Bernie Nicholls was livid, "(We are)
the worst disciplined team in the league. It's a losing attitude
here. It creeps around and soon even the disciplined players are
undisciplined."
Later in the week, on Thursday, an entire team meeting was held,
with Lombardi, players and coaches present. I'm sure it wasn't to
hand out bonus checks.
Not exactly developments that will give season ticket holders that
all-around warm, fuzzy feeling.
Lombardi and Sims are clearly feeling some pressure. Some of it
they have brought on themselves by their earlier statements. A year
ago Lombardi promised to have the Sharks turned around in "six
months." When he was hired, Sims boldly stated that he was "hired to
be fired. Losing was not an option."
No sane person expected a Stanley Cup run, but I don't think last in
the league was expected.
With former GMs John Ferguson and Don Maloney hired during the
off-season and currently on the payroll, replacements for Lombardi
are ready and waiting.
Would Darryl Sutter, originally considered for the head coaching
job, and knowing his brother Ron is playing with the Sharks, be
willing to swoop in and take over the reins? You have to believe
that the coach/player communications would be greatly improved with
the two brothers involved.
So would the Sharks be better off making changes like these?
I'm not sure, but if team President Greg Jamison is doing his job
he's thinking about this. When you're dead last in the league
standings you either have to think about how to improve or resign
yourself to becoming the Chicago Cubs of the NHL...no
championships, but those wonderful fans just keep coming, in
Chicago anyway.
Game Recaps
On the ice the Sharks have for all practical purposes put themselves
out of the playoff running, going 1-5-0 over the last two weeks.
Against the Rangers in New York, the Sharks fought back from a two
goal deficit to tie the game up at 4-4, with less than a minute
left. Then, just over a minute into overtime, the Rangers Niklas
Sundstrom was left alone in front of the Sharks net for a pass from
Luc Robitaille for the winning goal. Lack of communication, and/or
maybe ankle and hernia pain, led to both Bernie Nicholls and Vlasti
Kroupa chasing Robitaille at the side of the Sharks net, while
abandoning Sundstrom.
Finally back home from their Eastern road trip, the Sharks got their
first shutout since the 1994-95 season, and the first shutout for new
netminder Eddie Belfour, when they blanked the Ottawa Senators, 2-0.
The game started out with Senator Denny Lambert running around the
ice doing his impersonation of a Charlestown Chief, well, until first
Owen Nolan and then Todd Ewen reminded Denny he was in the NHL. The
Sharks shutdown the Senators' power play on all seven chances, and
scored on their own first power play to pocket a rare win.
Playing the Rangers again, this time at the Tank, a 2-1 loss seemed
to finally end any optimist's hopes of putting together a
season-ending winning streak. If the Sharks were frustrated it was
illustrated in highlight-reel fashion when Marty McSorley gave his
former teammate Mark Messier a pounding in the second period. The
Sharks outshot the Rangers 11-2 in the third period, but just
couldn't get anything past World Cup goalie Mike Richter.
Two nights later Brett Hull and the St. Louis Blues came to town.
The Sharks held Hull to a single assist, but were burned by Pierre
Turgeon who netted two goals and two assists in leading the Blues to
a 4-3 win.
The Sharks took the lead, at 6:15 of the first, with rookie Steve
Guolla's ninth goal of the season. Guolla, who fired a shot past
Blues netminder Grant Fuhr from the center of the right circle,
had picked up the puck after Marty McSorley and Bob Errey had broken
up a St. Louis pass coming out of the Blues zone.
Before the first period would end, two goals would be nullified by
the in-the-crease rule, one each for both teams.
In the second period the Blues scored on two of five power play
opportunities to take the lead, 2-1. The Sharks tied it up at 2-2
to start the third period when Jeff Friesen notched his 23rd goal
of the year by knocking in the rebound from a Marcus Ragnarsson
shot. Ragnarsson's shot had been deflected onto the Blues net by
Owen Nolan.
St. Louis took the lead for good five minutes later when Pierre
Turgeon, gathering in the puck behind the San Jose net, skated in
front of and across the entire Sharks crease, before finally
outracing Eddie Belfour to the far post for a backhander.
Turgeon added a second goal when he was left undefended in the
slot and glided in to fire a one-timer past Belfour.
A blast from the blueline by Owen Nolan, originally credited to Todd
Gill, brought the Sharks to within two goals, but they could get no
closer and ended up losing 4-2.
Kelly Hrudey was in the net for the Sharks on Friday night for a
game against the Phoenix Coyotes. Jeremy Roenick started the
scoring when he shot a rebound in off Hrudey's glove, after Kelly had
made the initial save on a slap shot from Oleg Tverdovsky.
Mike Rathje played his first game coming off I.R. and delivered
several big hits. Poor ol' Mike Gartner found out the hard way just
how big and sturdy Rathje is when Gartner, thinking he could repay
Rathje for mowing him over earlier, bounced off the young Sharks'
defenseman like a ping pong ball, even after taking a running start.
The Coyotes built-up a three goal lead early in the second period on
goals by Dallas Drake and Shane Doan. Drake's goal was setup by
Roenick who had intercepted a San Jose clearing pass just inside the
Shark blueline. Doan was left alone in front of the Shark net and
put only his fourth goal of the season past Hrudey at 17:23 of the
period. The Sharks lone goal was scored by Tony Granato, who beat
cleanly beat Nikolai Khabibulin after receiving a nice pass from
behind the net by Darren Turcotte. Final score Phoenix 4, San Jose
1.
The next night the Sharks faced the Detroit Red Wings in a nasty
game that saw a total of 73 penalty minutes called. Detroit jumped
to a 3-1 lead, in the first period, on the strength of special
teams play and didn't look back. San Jose managed to get within a
goal early in the second, but another Wings power play goal minutes
later ended the Sharks charge.
Defensive lapses by the Sharks led to the first two Red Wing goals.
Darren McCarty scored the first goal on the power play when he was
left all alone in front of Eddie Belfour and snapped a loose puck,
low past the Shark netminder. Midway through the first period, with
the Sharks on the power play, the San Jose pointman lost control of
the puck, turning it over to Sergei Fedorov who fed Bob Rouse on a
two-on-one breakaway for a 2-0 Detroit lead.
A rash of penalties followed three minutes later, with first the
Wings and then the Sharks filling up their respective sin bins. The
Sharks took the first advantage of the ongoing special teams
situations when Jeff Friesen scored when his centering pass/shot
deflected in off Konstantinov's skate. Officially unassisted,
Jeff got the puck after Vlasti Kroupa fought for the puck behind
the Detroit net. With 2:29 left in the first, Sergei Federov put the
Wings back to a two goal lead, with a one-timer power play goal,
after a cross-ice pass from Slava Kozlov.
In the second the Sharks again got within one goal of the lead when
Jeff Friesen scored his second goal of the game, and 25th of the
season, on a nice setup by Viktor Kozlov and Marty McSorley. Kozlov,
maneuvering behind the Detroit net, fed a pass to McSorley pinching
in from his defensive position. Marty found Jeff all alone in front
of the Wings' net and Jeff wasted no time with a quick wrister past
Osgood.
Brendan Shanahan ended the scoring in the second period, when he
fired a slap shot that managed to sneak through Belfour's pads and
trickle across the goal line.
In the third, the Sharks and Wings combined for five goals on just
12 shots, ending it at 7-4 Wings. Joey Kocur started the scoring,
receiving a setup from Draper on a two-on-one breakaway at 1:11. The
Sharks seemed to develop a little life and scored the next two goals,
both on the power play. With Kocur in the box on a roughing call,
Andrei Nazarov picked up the puck behind the Detroit net and fed Tony
Granato in front. Osgood stopped Tony's shot, but gave up the
rebound to Darren Turcotte who banged it in for the Sharks third
goal.
Rookie Steve Guolla scored his 10th goal, in his 30th game, just
under seven minutes later, deflecting a Turcotte slap shot past the
Detroit goalie. Bob Errey, while not getting an assist, did an
excellent job of screening the Detroit goalie. A tactic not used
very often by the Sharks this season.
Back to a one-goal deficit and back to special teams. An
interference penalty on the Sharks put the Wings back on the power
play and solidly back in the lead. Federov skated across the San
Jose slot and one-timed a pass from Fetisov past the Sharks goalie.
Ten seconds later, Slava Kozlov got the backbreaker when his shot,
from nearly behind the goal line deflected in through the Sharks
netminder for a final 7-4 Red Wing victory.
Day 41 Matt Johnson Death Watch
Turns out the league's reason for the light punishment handed-out to
Kings' winger Matt Johnson for his cheap shot elbow-to-the-eye hit on
Andrei Nazarov is that "we didn't see it!" Johnson was given a
four-game suspension, while Nazarov missed 14 games.
NHL Senior V.P. Brian Burke, during an interview between periods,
said no film of the hit, poke and jab was available. Because of this
he had to make his ruling based solely upon the supervisor's report.
Since the incident, a few well-meaning Kings fans have asked me to
cut good ol' Matt some slack.
You see, according to these fine folks, Matt is only the second
generation of his family to walk on his hind legs. That he can
skate at all is a minor miracle.
Now you readers can ask anyone and I'm sure they'll tell you that we
here as LCS have never been the types to discourage quadriped to
biped transition. Hell, everyone at LCS looks forward to the day
when good ol' Zippy the Wonder Chimp walks sans knuckles so that we
can send him out for pizza.
That said I've just got to say that in this case it's just not
working out...go back to all fours, Matt.
Black and Blue Sharks
Both Planet Al Iafrate and Bernie Nicholls went under the knife for
repairs that have ended the season for both of them.
Iafrate, out since the first week of February, had hoped that rest
and rehabilitation would end the sciatic nerve problem that has
bothered him since an early January hit from behind. The Planet
often had to stand on the bench between shifts to avoid the pain
that sitting caused. Just a few days after the back surgery, Al
had to return to the operating table due to appendicitis. Since
the operations the Planet has been pain-free, resting and looking
forward to rehab.
Bernie Nicholls, who had been gutting it out since December while
playing with a fractured right ankle, also had to make a trip to
the operating table. During a routine examination, team doctors
discovered internal bleeding due to a hernia. Nicholls, who
not only played in his 1,000th game this season, but also passed
Bobby Hull on the all-time points scoring list, was successfully
operated on last Saturday.
Winger Andrei Nazarov returned to the lineup for the game against
the Blues. Nazarov, out with a fractured cheekbone since February
5th, will have to play with a full-face shield for the remainder
of the season. "I don't like it, but I played with one five years
ago in Juniors so I know what it's like. (You have to) just get
used to it blocking your view down at your skates," lamented
Nazarov.
Also finally back is defenseman Mike Rathje. Originally injured
in the November 1st game against the Avalanche, Mike eventually
had to undergo surgery to repair a groin tendon that had separated
from the bone.
Darren Turcotte missed the St. Louis game. No...it wasn't
another dreaded Q-tip attack. Darren apparently attended a few
sessions of Q.P.A. (Q-tip Puncturees Anonymous) because he seems
to have that problem licked. Tuesday, Darren had a case of the
flu and was just too busy throwing up to play.
This and That
The Sharks placed defenseman Chris LiPuma on waivers as part of
returning him to the Kentucky Thoroughblades of the AHL. Saturday
the New Jersey Devils claimed LiPuma. LiPuma, originally signed
by Tampa Bay as a free agent, is in his fifth professional season,
having played in 64 NHL games.
Sharks goaltending prospect Jonas Forsberg is in San Jose and
working out with the team. Forsberg's Swedish team has finished
its season so the Sharks brought Forsberg over to substitute for
Eddie Belfour when the Eagle skips practices or pre-game skates.
While ineligible for the NHL this season (didn't sign a contract
before the season started) Forsberg could be signed and sent
to Kentucky to play in the AHL this season.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Tom Renney
Roster: C - Trevor Linden, Mike Ridley, Mike Sillinger, Scott
Walker, Sergei Nemchinov; LW - Martin Gelinas, Markus Naslund, Gino
Odjick, Donald Brashear, David Roberts; RW - Pavel Bure, Alexander
Mogilny, Brian Noonan, Troy Crowder; D - Jyrki Lumme, Dana Murzyn,
Bret Hedican, Chris Joseph, Dave Babych, Adrian Aucoin, Leif Rohlin,
Mark Wotton, Steve Staios; G - Kirk McLean, Corey Hirsch, Mike
Fountain
Injuries: Sergei Nemchinov, c (sprained ribs Feb 28, day-to-day);
Kirk McLean, g (broken finger March 3, day-to-day); Pavel Bure, rw
(whiplash March 3, at least two weeks); Trevor Linden, c (cracked
ribs March 8, day-to-day); Mike Ridley, c (back trouble March 10,
day-to-day); Jyrki Lumme, d (charleyhorse March 13, day-to-day);
Troy Crowder, rw (returned from torn rib cartilage March 10, missed
19 games); David Roberts, lw (returned from hip flexor March 10,
missed 12 games; returned to injured list March 13)
Transactions: Esa Tikkanen, lw, and Russ Courtnall, rw, traded to
New York Rangers for Sergei Nemchinov, c, and Brian Noonan, rw,
March 8; Lonny Bohonos, c, recalled from Syracuse (AHL) March 5,
returned to Syracuse March 8, recalled back to Vancouver March 10,
returned to Syracuse March 15; Bogdan Savenko, rw, reassigned from
Syracuse to Quebec (IHL) March 7; Mike Fountain, g, recalled from
Syracuse March 8, re-assigned to Syracuse March 12, recalled back to
Vancouver March 14; Troy Crowder, rw, recalled from Syracuse March
10; Mark Wotton, d, recalled from Syracuse March 14, returned to
Syracuse March 15; Larry Courville, lw, returned to Syracuse March
15; traded Josef Beranek, c, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for future
considerations; Traded Frantisek Kucera, d, to the Philadelphia
Flyers for a seventh-round pick in the 1997 draft; claimed Steve
Staios, d, off waivers from the Boston Bruins.
Game Results:
3/03 at Colorado L 5-1
3/05 Chicago T 1-1
3/08 Detroit L 5-3
3/10 at Chicago T 2-2
3/11 at Washington L 4-1
3/13 at Florida L 5-4
3/15 at Tampa Bay W 5-2
TEAM NEWS by Carol Schram
Well, the most recent Canuck news is about as good as it gets. On
Saturday March 15, Vancouver finally won its first game of the
month, with a convincing victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
New addition Brian Noon has played well since his arrival, and the
rest of the team has been performing with improved grit and
intensity.
More good news: a number of Vancouver's injured core players could
be back in the lineup as early as Tuesday, when they wrap up their
five game road trip trying not to be swept in their season series
with Colorado.
And one final optimistic thought: once that game in Denver is
finished, the worst of the team's travel for the season will be
over and Vancouver can concentrate on bearing down on conference
rivals on their home turf, jockeying for playoff position.
That's where the pretty picture crumbles. As of March 17, Vancouver
sits tenth in the Western Conference standings a full six points
from a playoff berth with twelve games to go. To put that in
perspective, the team is just nine points from finishing last in the
league and grabbing a good shot at Joe Thornton in this year's deep
entry draft; just seven teams currently have less points. As for
playoff position, the Canucks are 2-6-2 in their last ten games. The
only teams with worse records over that stretch are Pittsburgh
(1-7-2), San Jose (2-7-1), and Ottawa (also 2-7-1). Anaheim has
recently ridden an 11-game unbeaten streak to 7th place in the
conference, and Calgary, Phoenix, and Chicago have all maintained
.500 or better records (as have the Kings and the Leafs hot on
Vancouver's heels). Right now, it looks like in order for the
Canucks to make the playoffs, the teams that have to fall are
Edmonton currently in 4th place with 71 points and St. Louis, who
are now in a three-way tie for 5th with 69 points, but who have also
been showing a downslide in recent weeks.
The past two weeks have been very tough for Canadian Pacific hockey
fans. After a humiliating home shutout loss to the lowly Los
Angeles Kings to start off the month, spirits were low as the team
boarded Air Canuck for a quick visit to Denver. After battling the
Avalanche hard in the first round of last year's playoffs,
Vancouver has yet to steal even a point from the Stanley Cup Champs
this season, and their latest encounter got off to the same kind of
start. In recent days, Colorado had been having trouble with their
offense, and Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg had been unable to
rediscover their scoring touches since returning from injury.
Naturally, a visit from the Canucks proved to be a perfect cure, as
both star centers put shots past McLean in the first period. The
Canucks got on the board with a fluky Trevor Linden goal with six
seconds to go in the period, then battled hard throughout the
second, with only Patrick Roy standing in the way of their
efforts. It was all downhill in the third, however, as Forsberg
tallied his second of the night in the first minute and the
Avalanche picked up two more goals en route to another devastating
5-1 win. It was another two points gone, but the post-game news
got worse. Kirk McLean had managed to injure a finger on his
blocker in practice that day. The finger was later revealed to be
broken, and while McLean has been a trouper since then and seems
constantly close to being ready to return, Corey Hirsch has started
the next six games and it is still unclear when Captain Kirk will
be able to step back between the pipes. Also, Pavel Bure took a
hit into the boards in the second period of that game, aggravating
the neck and shoulder condition that has been bothering him all
season. After returning to Vancouver and being examined by team
doctors, Bure finally admitted that "it hurts all the time". He
was officially diagnosed with whiplash and put on the injury list
for a minimum of two weeks. If Vancouver's playoff chances
continue to look as bleak as they do now, there is no way that the
Russian Rocket will be rushed back into the lineup again.
The small silver lining to Bure's injured status was an opportunity
for Vancouver to recall sniper Lonny Bohonos from Syracuse in time
for Wednesday's game against the injury-riddled Blackhawks. It was a
close-checking, defensive affair, and after falling behind 1-0, Esa
Tikkanen managed to pot the only Vancouver marker of the night to
salvage a tie. Nevertheless, Bohonos and fellow-Crunchman Larry
Courville led the team with workmanlike efforts, helping out on
defense and playing a physical style of hockey rarely seen in GM
Place this year, while Corey Hirsch was both impressive and lucky in
the Canuck net.
Vancouver's biggest asset going into their next game against Detroit
was Tom Renney's heretofore undefeated record against Scotty Bowman,
the winningest coach in hockey. So far this season, the Canucks have
beaten the Red Wings twice and tied them once, but such records are
surely meant to be broken. On this night, the Wings simply
outclassed Vancouver. The straw that broke the camel's back was a
five minute second period power play, when Scott Walker took one for
the team for the second Saturday in a row, and the man advantage
failed to click for the second Saturday in a row. Igor Larionov
potted a short-handed marker to move the score to 4-0 en route to an
easy 5-3 win for the Wings, but once again, the big news came after
the game.
While Esa Tikkanen and Russ Courtnall were two of the brightest
offensive lights the Canucks could put on the ice for this game,
the loss was followed by a press conference announcing that a deal
had been reached earlier in the day to send the pair of
soon-to-be-free-agents to the New York Rangers, in exchange for
Brian Noonan and Sergei Nemchinov. News of the deal had been
leaked to the players ahead of time, so Tikkanen's shorthanded goal
and Courtnall's two assists in the third period all bore a distinct
tarnish once it was learned that these would be their last-ever
points as Canucks.
News of the trade was met with mixed emotions around Vancouver.
While Tikkanen's malcontent status was far from a secret, his
playoff experience and five Stanley Cup rings will still be
missed. For Russ Courtnall, the deal was even tougher to take. He
had been rumored to be headed for the Big Apple for Nemchinov since
last summer, and will be happy to be playing with golfing buddy
Gretzky, but Courtnall remained disappointed at being shipped away
from his home region, and was particularly hurt by implications in
the local media that he, too, was a bad apple in the dressing room.
He seemed to feel that, as another future free agent, he was being
unfairly lumped in with Tikkanen, and was particularly upset by the
effect that all the negative speculation was having on his mother
and other family members in the area.
One other important incident marked the Detroit game: Trevor
Linden left the game in the second period and did not return,
fueling speculation that he, too, could be on the next plane
outtahere. Turned out that Linden took a hit to the ribs during the
game, and the former Ironman is now back on the shelf for the
second time this season.
In one week, the Vancouver Canucks had been transformed from a
highly-skilled offensive squad with a weak work ethic into a bunch
of no-name grinders exemplified by new addition Noonan, a Mike
Keenan/lunchpail kind of guy. Without Bure, Linden, Courtnall,
Tikkanen, McLean, and Mike Ridley (suddenly out of the lineup with
more back troubles), a new look Canuck team took to the ice Monday
at the United Center in Chicago. Dave Roberts was forced back into
the lineup after missing nearly a month with a hip flexor injury,
and in the first period the Canucks' new power play unit of
Roberts, Bohonos, and Markus Naslund struck for two goals on the
way to another tie against the Hawks. Once again, the game was
marked by its physical style, and with solid netminding again from
Hirsch, the grinders were able to work hard enough to grab a point
against a team they desperately need to catch.
With such a depleted lineup, though, it was too much to ask for a
repeat effort the next night in Washington. Vancouver started off
well enough and played a good first period, but by the end of the
second, they were in a 2-0 hole. The Canucks simply ran out of gas
as new Capitals Tocchet and Oates led their team to a 4-1 win and
the Canucks' winless streak stretched to six games.
Prospects looked a little brighter for game three of the road trip,
when the opponents would be not the surging Capitals, but rather
the struggling Florida Panthers. Again, Vancouver came out with a
good effort and the game was tied at two by the end of the first
period, but then adversity stepped in the way. Eight minutes into
the second period, Bret Hedican put the puck past John
Vanbiesbrouck. Could it be? Did the Canucks actually have a
lead?? No wait there's Mark Faucette headed for that infernal
phone. What's that? The toe of Martin Gelinas' skate was in the
crease? Well, maybe it was and maybe it wasn't, but Vancouver has
been a victim of this insane rule so many times this season that
you'd think they'd stop getting so emotional about it. Naturally,
they did get upset, and the Panthers took advantage right off the
face-off with a goal from noted sniper Chris Wells, his second of
the season, just nine seconds later. Florida managed to build
their lead to 5-2 by the end of the period although, to their
credit, the Canucks mounted a third period comeback on two goals by
Lonny Bohonos to get close, but not close enough for a point.
Naturally, another game meant another injury. The depleted forward
lines led Tom Renney to dress seven defensemen in Washington and
Florida, although Leif Rohlin has a groin strain. Good thing,
though. In the second period, Jyrki Lumme got hammered into the
boards at the players' bench. Since someone had neglected to
properly latch the gate, he was caught on the sharp corner, and is
currently listed as day-to-day with a charleyhorse. This led
Renney to summon Leif Rohlin from the trainers' room to fill in for
Lumme for the rest of the game, injured or not.
The situation improved on Saturday when the Canucks lined up for an
early afternoon game in Tampa Bay their first-ever visit to the
ostensibly cursed new Ice Palace. Rumor has it the Lightning can't
win here. Luckily for the Canucks, on this day, the rumor was
right on the money. As the lunchbucket brigade continued, this
time it was Brian Noonan's turn to step to the fore with two
goals. The Canucks finally played a team below them in the
standings there aren't many of those left -- and they managed to
beat them handily. The team fired 48 shots at an old nemesis from
Calgary, Rick Tabaracci, and built a 5-0 lead before surrendering a
couple of token goals in the third period. But again, the game was
not without controversy. Roman Hamrlik lived up to his name,
hammering rookie Larry Courville into the boards in the first
period. Courville was bleeding and disoriented as the Czech
defenseman headed off to the penalty box to serve a minor penalty
for an infraction that some believe should warrant a suspension.
Do all teams catch bad breaks like Vancouver seems to, or is this
another one of the occupational hazards of hiring a rookie coach
with no NHL experience on or off the ice?
Remarkably, throughout this very bleak period, Tom Renney has
escaped the majority of the criticism. Last year, Rick Ley was the
whipping boy for this gang of underachievers. The fact that
Renney's results have been no better has led to the conclusions
that this team may simply be 'uncoachable'. Does the fault for
that lie with the players and their money-grubbing bad attitudes,
or with Pat Quinn, who somehow managed to miss out on the critical
chemistry' component when assembling this bunch of apparent
ne'er-do-wells??
OTHER NEWS
The Syracuse Crunch have come up with an innovative way of sprucing
up their roster, which has been depleted by injuries and call-ups
by the Canucks.
On March 31, his 69th birthday, Mr. Hockey Gordie Howe will report
to the Crunch, and he is expected to suit up April 1 for Syracuse's
game against the Carolina Panthers. Howe is currently a Wisconsin
resident, and will spend the next two weeks skating in Florida to
try to get his legs into game shape.
Howe has an ongoing relationship with the Crunch and President
Howard Dolgon. He made a promotional appearance on Dolgon's behalf
before the Crunch's first season in 1994-95, and was named honorary
captain for the team's first-ever home game. This latest idea
began to come together in January, when Dolgon approached Howe
about making another promotional appearance. Originally, Gordie was
just going to take the pre-game warm-up, but he decided that, if he
was going to go that far, he might as well play in the game.
There has been some speculation that this may be an April Fool's
joke, given the game day. Probably more accurate is the thought
that Gordie has been put up to this by his wife and manager,
Colleen. There was some fuss years ago about Howe being the only
NHL player to play in five decades. While this latest peccadillo
doesn't put him back at the NHL level, it certain generates some
publicity around the Howe name, and Gordie's probably making a few
bucks, as well as putting some money in the pockets of the Crunch
and focusing the spotlight both on the team and on the AHL.
Interestingly, this story parallels another Canuck-related event
out of Sweden from the past week. Former Canuck Thomas Gradin now
serves as a scout in his home country, and was recently out looking
for players to suit up for the Vasteras IK team in Sweden. When he
was unable to find anybody up to his standards, Gradin decided to
lace up the skates himself. After not playing a league game for
seven years, word is that Gradin looked pretty impressive.
With the current dilution of the NHL talent pool, maybe the Canucks
would be well-served to raid the world's retirement homes and
old-timer's games in search of aging talent to boost their
fortunes. The way things are going, next year's All Star Heroes of
Hockey game may uncover as many prospects as the World Junior
Championship. Gary Lupul, where are you?
Speaking of Syracuse, it's been a crazy couple of weeks in
Crunch-land. Larry Courville, Lonny Bohonos, and Mark Wotton have
all been returned to the farm team for the time being, as AHL clubs
must submit their playoff rosters and anyone who's not currently
with the organization won't be allowed to appear in post-season.
After the trade deadline, Vancouver will be free to recall any of
these players, although with the Crunch's recent poor record,
Syracuse hockey fans are indignant about giving up their few
remaining stars on an already injury-riddled club.
Courville has been with the big squad since February 10. In fifteen
NHL games this season, he has one assist and seven penalty minutes,
seeing mostly spot duty on the third and fourth line. Lonny Bohonos
has made an impact in his most recent series of appearance with the
Canucks. He played a physical, disciplined game in Vancouver's 1-1
tie with Chicago on March 5th, then was returned to the Crunch, only
to be recalled after the Courtnall/Tikkanen trade. Bohonos dominated
the first period of his first game back, again against Chicago,
tallying a goal and an assist, both on the power play, to help the
Canucks to a 2-2 tie. He also tallied an assist on Vancouver's only
goal against Washington, and had two goals against Florida. Although
he was held off the score sheet in the team's victory against Tampa
Bay, he has been Vancouver's most consistent offensive threat over
the past two weeks. As for Mark Wotton, he was recalled last week to
fill for an injured Jyrki Lumme, since Leif Rohlin is suffering a
groin strain and Tom Renney has been dressing seven defensemen in
recent days. Wotton recorded an assist and was +2 in Tampa before
heading back to the Crunch.
Mike Fountain's situation is a little different. He is on emergency
recall, filling in for Kirk McLean, who's nursing a broken finger.
Mac hurt himself in practice before the Colorado game on March 3, but
backed up Corey Hirsch the next two games before Fountain was
recalled on March 8 to warm the bench. Following the March 12
contest against Washington, Founts again returned to Syracuse, as
McLean was rumored to be pretty much ready to go. He filled the
backup role March 13 in Florida, but realized his finger was still
too sore. Fountain was recalled again on Friday, but showed up with
the flu, so McLean once again became the "less sick" of the two, and
played the backup role for Saturday's game in Tampa. Fountain is
rumored to be feeling better, and should resume his strenuous
sitting-on-the-bench duties Tuesday in Colorado.
================================================================
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Next Issue: April 1, 1997
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NHL STANDINGS March 18, 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Conference
Northeast Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
x-Buffalo 70 37 22 11 85 210 178 23-8-6 14-14-5
Pittsburgh 70 33 30 7 73 243 236 20-10-4 13-20-3
Hartford 70 27 33 10 64 194 219 20-13-3 7-20-7
Montreal 71 25 32 14 64 215 245 14-15-6 11-17-8
Ottawa 70 23 33 14 60 193 206 12-17-7 11-16-7
Boston 71 24 38 9 57 206 254 12-17-7 12-21-2
Atlantic Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
x-Philadelphia 70 39 21 10 88 236 184 20-11-5 19-10-5
x-New Jersey 70 38 20 12 88 198 161 19-8-9 19-12-3
Florida 71 32 23 16 80 192 168 18-11-7 14-12-9
NY Rangers 71 33 29 9 75 229 200 17-12-5 16-17-4
Washington 70 28 35 7 63 179 197 16-14-3 12-21-4
Tampa Bay 69 27 35 7 61 187 217 13-17-7 14-18-0
NY Islanders 70 24 36 10 58 192 208 16-16-3 8-20-7
Western Conference
Central Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
x-Dallas 70 41 23 6 88 215 171 21-11-3 20-12-3
Detroit 69 33 21 15 81 221 165 17-9-7 16-12-8
Phoenix 71 33 33 5 71 204 213 14-18-5 19-15-0
St Louis 71 30 32 9 69 209 218 13-17-3 17-15-6
Chicago 71 28 31 12 68 186 180 12-18-4 16-13-8
Toronto 70 26 38 6 58 204 238 16-17-3 10-21-3
Pacific Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
y-Colorado 71 44 18 9 97 244 173 24-7-5 20-11-4
Edmonton 71 32 32 7 71 221 215 19-13-2 13-19-5
Anaheim 70 29 30 11 69 203 201 20-12-5 9-18-6
Calgary 72 30 34 8 68 191 202 19-13-2 11-21-6
Vancouver 71 29 38 4 62 220 244 16-15-2 13-23-2
Los Angeles 71 25 37 9 59 188 233 16-15-6 9-22-3
San Jose 69 23 39 7 53 177 231 12-19-3 11-20-4
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
z - Clinched conference title
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYOFF STANDINGS March 18, 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EASTERN CONFERENCE GP W L T PTS MaxPt Magic# Div# Out#
x-Philadelphia 70 39 21 10 88 112 -2 24
Buffalo 70 37 22 11 85 109 1 12
x-New Jersey 70 38 20 12 88 112 -2 24
Florida 71 32 23 16 80 102 6
NY Rangers 71 33 29 9 75 97 11
Pittsburgh 70 33 30 7 73 97 13
Hartford 70 27 33 10 64 88 22 24
Montreal 71 25 32 14 64 86 22 22
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Washington 70 28 35 7 63 87 23 23
Tampa Bay 69 27 35 7 61 87 25 23
Ottawa 70 23 33 14 60 84 26 20
NY Islanders 70 24 36 10 58 82 28 18
Boston 71 24 38 9 57 79 29 15
WESTERN CONFERENCE GP W L T PTS MaxPt Magic# Div# Out#
y-Colorado 71 44 18 9 97 119 -9 -4
x-Dallas 70 41 23 6 88 112 0 19
Detroit 69 33 21 15 81 107 7
Phoenix 71 33 33 5 71 93 17 25
Edmonton 71 32 32 7 71 93 17 25
St Louis 71 30 32 9 69 91 19 23
Anaheim 70 29 30 11 69 93 19 25
Calgary 72 30 34 8 68 88 20 20
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago 71 28 31 12 68 90 20 22
Vancouver 71 29 38 4 62 84 26 16
Los Angeles 71 25 37 9 59 81 29 15
Toronto 70 26 38 6 58 82 30 14
San Jose 69 23 39 7 53 79 35 11
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
z - Clinched conference title
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHL LEAGUE LEADERS March 18, 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG
------------------ ------------- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ----
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 64 44 61 105 23 57 13 1 6 1 269 16.4
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 70 43 49 92 18 26 10 1 7 2 252 17.1
JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 57 45 42 87 20 40 10 2 6 1 212 21.2
WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 71 20 66 86 17 26 5 0 2 1 255 7.8
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 70 46 39 85 37 56 9 0 4 2 283 16.3
MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 70 37 46 83 6 53 6 3 7 1 252 14.7
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 68 44 37 81 30 122 20 3 7 2 285 15.4
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 57 34 46 80 25 6 11 3 7 0 286 11.9
MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 63 34 43 77 17 88 7 5 8 1 211 16.1
BRETT HULL ST LOUIS 70 41 35 76 7- 10 12 2 5 2 280 14.6
ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 70 21 55 76 1- 12 2 2 5 0 146 14.4
STEVE YZERMAN DETROIT 69 16 59 75 24 76 4 0 2 0 200 8.0
RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 69 22 52 74 7 12 7 1 2 0 156 14.1
ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 68 37 36 73 12 39 5 4 5 0 252 14.7
PIERRE TURGEON MTL-STL 67 22 50 72 4 12 5 0 6 1 189 11.6
PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 54 21 51 72 26 59 5 2 3 0 155 13.5
DOUG GILMOUR TOR-N.J 69 20 52 72 4 52 3 1 1 0 119 16.8
VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MONTREAL 71 23 48 71 8- 72 7 2 2 1 207 11.1
DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 69 18 53 71 1 74 4 0 2 0 200 9.0
KEITH TKACHUK PHOENIX 70 41 29 70 4-185 7 1 4 1 250 16.4
BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 71 18 52 70 32 34 8 0 1 0 224 8.0
MARK RECCHI MONTREAL 71 31 38 69 5- 2 7 2 2 0 166 18.7
PETER BONDRA WASHINGTON 66 42 26 68 6 66 10 4 3 1 269 15.6
MIKE MODANO DALLAS 69 31 37 68 31 42 9 4 9 1 255 12.2
JOE SAKIC COLORADO 54 20 47 67 4- 24 9 1 4 0 230 8.7
--- DEFENSEMEN SCORING LEADERS ---
PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG
------------------ ------------- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ----
BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 71 18 52 70 32 34 8 0 1 0 224 8.0
SANDIS OZOLINSH COLORADO 69 20 38 58 9 74 10 0 3 1 208 9.6
NICKLAS LIDSTROM DETROIT 68 13 38 51 14 30 6 0 1 0 191 6.8
OLEG TVERDOVSKY PHOENIX 71 9 41 50 3- 26 3 1 1 0 128 7.0
RAY BOURQUE BOSTON 54 17 29 46 5- 18 6 1 2 1 202 8.4
KEVIN HATCHER PITTSBURGH 68 13 33 46 14 91 7 0 1 0 161 8.1
ERIC DESJARDINS PHILADELPHIA 70 11 32 43 19 48 4 1 1 0 159 6.9
DMITRI MIRONOV PIT-ANA 65 11 31 42 12 99 2 1 2 0 150 7.3
DARRYL SYDOR DALLAS 70 7 34 41 28 49 2 0 2 0 108 6.5
+BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 70 7 34 41 4 82 3 0 0 0 151 4.6
ROBERT SVEHLA FLORIDA 71 13 27 40 6 74 5 0 3 0 139 9.4
CHRIS CHELIOS CHICAGO 64 9 31 40 10 100 2 0 1 0 170 5.3
LARRY MURPHY TORONTO 69 7 32 39 1 20 4 0 0 1 137 5.1
+JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 65 4 34 38 10 48 1 0 2 0 119 3.4
--- INDIVIDUAL LEADERS ---
-- GOAL SCORING -- -- ASSISTS --
NAME TEAM GP G NAME TEAM GP A
------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ----------- -- ---
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 70 46 WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 71 66
JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 57 45 MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 64 61
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 64 44 STEVE YZERMAN DETROIT 69 59
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 68 44 ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 70 55
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 70 43 DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 69 53
PETER BONDRA WASHINGTON 66 42 RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 69 52
BRETT HULL ST LOUIS 70 41 DOUG GILMOUR TOR-N.J 69 52
KEITH TKACHUK PHOENIX 70 41 BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 71 52
ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 68 37 PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 54 51
MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 70 37 PIERRE TURGEON MTL-STL 67 50
TONY AMONTE CHICAGO 71 37 TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 70 49
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 57 34 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MONTREAL 71 48
MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 63 34 JOE SAKIC COLORADO 54 47
GEOFF SANDERSON HARTFORD 70 32 PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 57 46
MIKE MODANO DALLAS 69 31 MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 70 46
ALEXEI YASHIN OTTAWA 70 31 JOZEF STUMPEL BOSTON 67 44
MIKE GARTNER PHOENIX 71 31 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 63 43
MARK RECCHI MONTREAL 71 31 ERIC LINDROS PHILADELPHIA 44 42
RYAN SMYTH EDMONTON 71 31 JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 57 42
-- POWER PLAY GOALS -- -- SHORT HAND GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP PP NAME TEAM GP SH
------------------ ------------ -- -- ----------------- ----------- -- --
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 68 20 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 63 5
RYAN SMYTH EDMONTON 71 15 SHELDON KENNEDY BOSTON 45 4
KEITH JONES WSH-COL 68 14 TRENT KLATT PHILADELPHIA 64 4
ANDREI KOVALENKO EDMONTON 63 13 PETER BONDRA WASHINGTON 66 4
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 64 13 MICHAEL PECA BUFFALO 67 4
MIKE GARTNER PHOENIX 71 13 ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 68 4
RAY SHEPPARD FLORIDA 57 12 TODD MARCHANT EDMONTON 68 4
PETR NEDVED PITTSBURGH 65 12 MIKE MODANO DALLAS 69 4
BRETT HULL ST LOUIS 70 12 ADAM GRAVES NY RANGERS 71 4
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 57 11
DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTTAWA 64 11
DINO CICCARELLI TAMPA BAY 65 11
GERMAN TITOV CALGARY 69 11
GEOFF SANDERSON HARTFORD 70 11
-- POWER PLAY ASSISTS -- -- SHORT HAND ASSISTS --
NAME TEAM GP PPA NAME TEAM GP SHA
------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ------------ -- ---
DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 69 29 RAY BOURQUE BOSTON 54 5
SANDIS OZOLINSH COLORADO 69 26 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 63 5
JOE SAKIC COLORADO 54 24 ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 70 4
OLEG TVERDOVSKY PHOENIX 71 24 MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 64 3
WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 71 22 BERNIE NICHOLLS SAN JOSE 65 3
JASON ARNOTT EDMONTON 60 21 DAVE ELLETT TOR-N.J 66 3
RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 69 21 MICHAEL PECA BUFFALO 67 3
NICKLAS LIDSTROM DETROIT 68 20 ROB ZAMUNER TAMPA BAY 69 3
PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 54 19 MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 70 3
+JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 65 19 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MONTREAL 71 3
DARRYL SYDOR DALLAS 70 19 BILL LINDSAY FLORIDA 71 3
-- POWER PLAY POINTS -- -- SHORT HAND POINTS --
NAME TEAM GP PPP NAME TEAM GP SHP
------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ------------ -- ---
SANDIS OZOLINSH COLORADO 69 36 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 63 10
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 68 34 MICHAEL PECA BUFFALO 67 7
JOE SAKIC COLORADO 54 33 RAY BOURQUE BOSTON 54 6
DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 69 33 ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 70 6
JASON ARNOTT EDMONTON 60 30 MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 70 6
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 64 30 ADAM GRAVES NY RANGERS 71 6
RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 69 28 SHELDON KENNEDY BOSTON 45 5
DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTTAWA 64 27 JEREMY ROENICK PHOENIX 61 5
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 70 27 ROB DIMAIO BOSTON 63 5
WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 71 27 BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 68 5
OLEG TVERDOVSKY PHOENIX 71 27 ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 68 5
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 57 26 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MONTREAL 71 5
NICKLAS LIDSTROM DETROIT 68 26
-- GAME WINNING GOALS -- -- GAME TYING GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP GW NAME TEAM GP GT
------------------ ------------ -- -- ------------------ ---------- -- --
MIKE MODANO DALLAS 69 9 ADAM GRAVES NY RANGERS 71 5
MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 63 8 STU BARNES FLA-PIT 70 3
RAY SHEPPARD FLORIDA 57 7 13 PLAYERS WITH TWO
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 57 7
JEREMY ROENICK PHOENIX 61 7
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 68 7
KEITH JONES WSH-COL 68 7
MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 70 7
BILL GUERIN NEW JERSEY 70 7
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 70 7
MIKE GARTNER PHOENIX 71 7
-- SHOTS --
NAME TEAM GP S
------------------ ------------ -- ---
THEOREN FLEURY CALGARY 72 304
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 57 286
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 68 285
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 70 283
BRETT HULL ST LOUIS 70 280
-- SHOOTING PERCENTAGE (MIN 69 SHOTS) --
NAME TEAM GP G S PCTG
------------------ ------------ -- --- --- -----
MIKE RIDLEY VANCOUVER 64 20 71 28.2
JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 57 45 212 21.2
ANDREI KOVALENKO EDMONTON 63 29 140 20.7
NIKLAS SUNDSTROM NY RANGERS 71 23 118 19.5
JOE NIEUWENDYK DALLAS 54 27 139 19.4
-- PLUS/MINUS --
NAME TEAM GP +/-
------------------ ------------ -- ---
VLAD. KONSTANTINOV DETROIT 66 37
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 70 37
DAVE ANDREYCHUK NEW JERSEY 70 35
MIKAEL RENBERG PHILADELPHIA 69 33
BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 71 32
TONY AMONTE CHICAGO 71 32
--- GOALTENDING LEADERS ---
(MIN. 22 GPI)
-- GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS GA AVG
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- --- -----
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 58 3290 107 1.95
JEFF HACKETT CHICAGO 33 1991 69 2.08
ANDY MOOG DALLAS 45 2549 91 2.14
MARK FITZPATRICK FLORIDA 27 1497 54 2.16
J. VANBIESBROUCK FLORIDA 49 2860 108 2.27
-- WINS --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS W L T
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- -- -- --
PATRICK ROY COLORADO 56 3339 35 12 7
DOMINIK HASEK BUFFALO 61 3675 35 17 9
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 58 3290 32 12 11
MIKE RICHTER NY RANGERS 53 3115 29 19 5
ANDY MOOG DALLAS 45 2549 28 12 3
CURTIS JOSEPH EDMONTON 61 3460 28 25 7
GRANT FUHR ST LOUIS 63 3653 28 24 9
-- SAVE PERCENTAGE --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS GA SA SPCTG W L T
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- --- ---- ----- -- -- --
JEFF HACKETT CHICAGO 33 1991 69 973 .929 15 15 3
DOMINIK HASEK BUFFALO 61 3675 143 1979 .928 35 17 9
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 58 3290 107 1385 .923 32 12 11
GUY HEBERT ANAHEIM 59 3457 150 1921 .922 25 22 11
PATRICK ROY COLORADO 56 3339 129 1651 .922 35 12 7
-- SHUTOUTS --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS SO W L T
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- -- -- -- --
CHRIS OSGOOD DETROIT 42 2459 6 21 11 8
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 58 3290 6 32 12 11
PATRICK ROY COLORADO 56 3339 6 35 12 7
CURTIS JOSEPH EDMONTON 61 3460 6 28 25 7
N. KHABIBULIN PHOENIX 61 3483 6 25 30 4
TOMMY SALO NY ISLANDERS 48 2621 5 16 23 6
DOMINIK HASEK BUFFALO 61 3675 5 35 17 9
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