_ _ _ _ | | ____ __ | | ____ ___ | | ____ ___ | | ____ ___ | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY ================================================================ Five Star - ELECTRONIC EDITION - * * * * * ================================================================ Issue 65 March 18, 1997 435K of thrills ---------------------------------------------------------------- Visit us on the web at http://www.lcshockey.com/ for all your hockey needs. Our web site provides daily news stories, stats, and more. To subscribe/unsubscribe from the LCS mailing list send e-mail to zippy@psu.edu You may access LCS Guide to Hockey on America Online at keyword "LCS Hockey" or "LCS". ---------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEW JERSEY DEVILS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PHILADELPHIA FLYERS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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... ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DALLAS STARS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ST. LOUIS BLUES ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ================================================================ ================================================================= TEAM REPORTS ================================================================= WESTERN CONFERENCE PACIFIC DIVISION ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- CALGARY FLAMES ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- LOS ANGELES KINGS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ================================================================ ================================================================ Next Issue: April 1, 1997 ================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ============================================================================== lcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohock ==============================================================================