LCS: Player of the Week

LCS: Player of the Week #21
By Matthew Secosky, Chimp B

Winner: Stephane Fiset, Los Angeles Kings
Well before the season began, very little was expected of the Los Angeles Kings, and as it turns out they lived up to these expectations. Sure it may seem sad, and for many a team of such limited capabilities, it is often enough to say "Hey, we tried" and chill till next season brings a new chance at respectibiliy. But the Kings don't want to sit on the their kingly throne and read the newspaper just yet...at least not while the playoffs are still within reach.
The Kings playoff hopes have been kept squeezably soft by the efforts of this week's POW, goalie Stephane Fiset. With a 3-0-0 record, 1.33 goals-against average and 0.960 save percentage, Fiset has been instrumental in the valiant Kings quest to see post-season action. Most impressively, Fiset has not just been winning games against other equally sub-par teams like Boston and Toronto, but rather against honorable opponents like the Avalanche, Oilers and to a lesser degree the Canucks. Fiset made 32 saves in a the 3-1 win over Colorado, 29 saves in the 6-3 trashin' of the Oilers and topped things off with a 3-0 shutout over the Canucks. The shutout was Fiset's 4th of the season. These three victories make the Kings undefeated in their last five games, and brings them within four points of Anahiem and Phoenix for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
In 42 games this season, Fiset has posted a 13-22-5 record to go along with a 3.15 goals-against average and a 0.908 save percentage. While none of these numbers qualifies for the league lead, there is a glorious lesson to be learned from all this. Milk...it does a body good.
Runner-up: Craig Patrick, Pittsburgh Penguins
Craig Patrick is a bad man. He gots mad skills when wheelin' and dealin' and he just don't mess around. But if there was ever one thing that made me question Patrick's wisdom, it was when Eddie Johnston was named as the Penguins coach in 1993. I was never a fan of EJ as coach...he just never seemed to fit the role. Sure, he was a players coach who was well liked and respected by his team, but on the flip side no one seemed to take him seriously. Perhaps it's because he looks like Grandpa Munster, perhaps it's because he always wore hideous ties, perhaps I really don't know. But what I do know, is that the Penguins need a coach who isn't afraid to be tough on the players. Somehow, I don't think EJ could do that. The Penguins need a no-nonsense coach who will distill a decent work ethic in this group of flightless birds, as they seem to forget this is the NHL and not some weekend-warrior non-checking league. They could learn a lot from teams like Buffalo, Florida and Dallas who give 110% every night.
Anyhow, I've been babbling on and on, but Craig Patrick is this week's POW runner-up for canning Eddie Johnston as Pens coach. It was a move long overdue. It is now to be seen if Patrick can rally the troops.
Johnston was 232-224-60 in six seasons with the Penguins. He first coached the team from 1980-1983 and then again from 1993 on. Johnston guided the Pens no further than the Eastern Conference finals during his reign, losing to the Panthers in seven games last year.