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 GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY  
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Five Star            - ELECTRONIC EDITION -            * * * * * 
================================================================
Issue 62                February 4, 1997     It's like free, man
----------------------------------------------------------------
Visit us on the web at http://www.lcshockey.com/ for all your 
hockey needs.  To subscribe/unsubscribe from the LCS mailing list 
send e-mail to zippy@psu.edu

-------------------------------------------------------------
LCS: Fashion Statement
-------------------------------------------------------------
By Michael Dell, editor-in-chief

Thinkin' about layin' down 70 skins for a new hockey jersey? 
That's air-knit replica, of course.  The real thing will cost
well over $100, even $200 if it features a swell Nike swoosh on
the bottom.  That's a hefty investment, especially if you're
broke like we are here at LCS.  

That's why we figure it is our duty to clue you, our valued
readers, into the coolest jerseys in the NHL.  By following our
rankings you'll at least be able to make your next purchase a
wise one.

Teams are ranked 1 to 26 on the combination of both their home
and away jerseys, although a preference between the two versions
will be given.  Third jerseys were not rated or taken into
consideration since, well, they all blow.  

Keep in mind we're not evaluating the entire uniform, just the
jerseys.  After all, when you go to the mall you don't buy the
socks and pants to kick around the hood with the other O.G.s... I
honestly have no idea what the last part of that sentence even
means.

The ratings were determined by a number of factors.  We can't
really go into them now since they are so complicated, but our
system is very similar to the one used by Star Search. 
The one constant theme, however, is coolness.  When in doubt we
just asked ourselves a simple question: "Would the Fonz wear it?" 
Actually, asking what the Fonz would do in a situation is a good
way to lead one's life.  I know it got me through dental school.

One last thing, when trying to write about and describe a whole
bunch of things, such as all the jerseys in the NHL, it is hard
to come up with new adjectives to keep the article fresh
throughout.  So, LCS broke out several old school terms.  Play
along at home and see if you can find 'em.

LCS is now proud to present the coolest jerseys in the NHL... to build the suspense, we'll 
start at the bottom. 

26. New York Islanders:  Well, duh?  Just looking
at the Islanders makes me hungry for some tar tar sauce and
french fries.  It's tough to come up with a phrase to describe
the Islanders uniforms, but "candy-ass monkey suits" does nicely. 

The idiotic logo has been beaten to death in the pages of LCS in
the past, and rightly so, but the rest of the jersey isn't
exactly top notch stuff either.  If not for the inclusion of
grey, the wavy shoulder lines would be tolerable.  There are just
too many contrasting colors making up the aforementioned lines. 
It's really just a mess.    

With that said, next season when they officially replace that
dork on the front with the old trusty Isles logo, LCS wouldn't
mind owning a few.  They'll still be ugly.  But they'll be just
ugly enough that, well, they'll be cool.  The lighthouse shoulder
patches are also pretty nifty.

Home or Away:  Like it matters.  Either one will draw the
laughter of men, women, and children alike, not to mention the
fright of small woodland creatures, wherever you choose to
travel.   

25. Los Angeles Kings:  If ever a team was in
desperate need of a make-over, it's the Los Angeles Kings.  Once
the gang-land appeal of silver and black wore off, the Kings were
done.  And what's up with that logo?  It looks like a jello mold. 

Sure, the old purple and yellow jerseys with the Parkay logo were
ugly.  But, and this goes back to the same principal mentioned
earlier in the Islander review, the old Kings jerseys were so
ugly they were cool.  See how that works?  Plus, Bernie Nicholls
broke into the league wearin' one of them.  That doesn't hurt at
all.

If anyone out there has one and is willing to part with it, don't
be scared to send the email.  It was always a dream to own an old
Kings jersey in tribute to Broadway Bernie.

LCS apparently isn't alone in missing the ol' days.  The Kings are 
reportedly considering bringing back a little bit of the purple and yellow next 
season, along with a totally new logo.

Home or Away:  Home white.

24. Boston Bruins:  Outside of the Fishstick
Boys, this is easily the worst revamped jersey of the lot.  I
wonder if Bruin management still has the crack pipe they were
smoking when they decided to change jerseys last season?  The
vertical stripes down the sleeves are absolutely brutal.  The new
bear depicted on the shoulders also looks drowsy and
uninterested.  Although, he does have to watch the team
play every night...  

Home or Away:  If a gun is held to your head and you are
forced to purchase one, go with the road jersey.  At least it's
black, so you can try and hide in the shadows when stuck wearing
it.  

23. Anaheim Mighty Ducks:  When the logo for the
team was first unveiled, one thought came to mind: "Damn, that's
stupid."  First impressions are tough to shake.  The kooky
slanting line at the bottom doesn't really help matters much. 
And the color scheme is nauseating.  The Ducks are exhibit A in
why purple should not be used as a primary color in jerseys.  The
Baltimore Ravens are Exhibit B.  Although, as mentioned above,
those old purple and yellow Kings jerseys were bad as hell.  But
they were the rare exception.  Word on the street is that the Ducks might 
drop the purple in time for next season.

Anaheim did make one nice addition to the jerseys this year with
the circular "Mighty Ducks of Anaheim" shoulder patches.  Hey,
even a blind chimp finds a banana now and then.   

Before we leave the subject of the Ducks, I must make a
confession.  I actually own an Anaheim jersey.  A purple road
one, too.  However, and this is key, I purchased it on sale and
then got "Kariya" on the back.  Pardon granted.

Home or Away:  Go with the home white.

22. San Jose Sharks:  Everybody loves teal! 
Well, guess what?  We ain't everybody.  The Sharks jerseys
created such an uproar among fans when they were introduced back
in 1991 that few noticed that they were really, really lame.  If
the presence of teal wasn't enough, the fin shoulder patches are
always a solid source of ridicule. 

That's not to say that a San Jose Sharks jersey wouldn't make a
damn fine birthday present for, oh I don't know, maybe an Ace
Reporter?  Especially when the second choice was a pinata filled
with eggs.  

Home or Away:  Definitely home white.  Yeah, definitely.

21. Florida Panthers:  The Cats' jerseys are not
real easy on the eyes.  The word "garish" comes to mind.  Primary
colors are swell, but that's a little silly.  The road jerseys
are just way too bright and colorful.  Make sure all epileptics
stay at a safe distance.  They also have palm trees on their
shoulders.  Whether a hockey jersey or shirt for all occasions,
that's never a good sign.

Home or Away:  The home whites will induce fewer seizures.

20. Tampa Bay Lightning:  It hurts, but it must be
said.  The jerseys of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the very sweaters
that LCS hero and the idol of millions from eight to eighty
Johnny Cullen routinely dons, are not that good.  There's just
something about big circular logos featuring a body of land that
rubs us the wrong way.  The differing striped patches under the
arms is definitely unique.  Unfortunately, the first time you see
them you immediately wonder if the club just ran out of material
and was trying to hide the mistake.  

Home or Away:  Not a great deal of difference.  LCS would
probably lean towards the home white.

19. Ottawa Senators:  Ottawa is one of the most
disappointing teams in the league.  When the Senators first
entered the NHL in 1993, their jerseys were bad.  Then the club
got all wacky on the junk and decided to update the sweaters
before the 1995-96 season.  The general color scheme, emblem, and
shoulder patches remained.  Unfortunately, the striping on the
sleeves and along the bottom were changed.  No goooooood.  The
stripes just look like they don't belong.  They're so big,
bright, and thick, they take away from the classical design of
the sweaters.     

Home or Away:  The home whites are void of the 
ridiculous stripes.  The black road jerseys are awful.

18. New Jersey Devils:  The Devils' jerseys are
just so... so... well, so-so.  They're just there.  Nothing
hideous, yet nothing spectacular either.  If it's one thing LCS
hates, it's indecisiveness.  Right, Zippy?  

(EDITOR'S NOTE:  This is an inside joke referring to Zippy's
annual problems selecting players during our in-house hockey pool
draft.  Only seven other people on the planet will get the joke,
but that's six more than usually gets them, so I went for
it).  

C'mon, El Diablo, take a stand!  Either be cool or be like the
Islanders, but don't ride the fence.

Home or Away:  It doesn't really matter.  They're both
about the same.  Might as well get the road red, that way you'll
at least feel you're gettin' more for your money... with the cost
of dye and all.

17. Vancouver Canucks:  Vancouver is a tough
call.  The black, gold, and red scheme isn't for everyone.  It
seems people either love it, or hate it.  There isn't much room
for compromise.  

The logo itself is original, and gay all at the same time.  A
skate made up of streaking lines?  Well, at least it beats the
old yellow "V" jerseys.  What else could they do?  There just
aren't a lot of possibilities.  Rumor has it that the Canucks 
are in for a total uniform overhaul next season.  So enjoy these 
while you can.
    
Home or Away:  Home whites are nice.  The road black can
be a bit overwhelming.  

16. Philadelphia Flyers:  There's just not much
one can do with a club called the Flyers, either.  Considering
the circumstances, the winged P isn't all that bad.  The black
and orange also bring back memories of Halloweens past... the
candy, the costumes, the fifty-dollar fines and time served... 

Home or Away:  Get the road orange.  That's not exactly a
color that comes along too often, so snag it when you can.  

15. St. Louis Blues:  St. Louis is an interesting
subject.  If the entire uniform were being discussed, then they'd
be further down the list.  The Blues' pants and socks just don't
go well with the road sweaters.  However, on their own merits,
the jerseys themselves aren't too shabby.  

While the diagonal lines often catch grief, they represent sheet
music, so that's pretty cool.  The big flaw in the St. Louis
jerseys are the numbers.  There's really no excuse to have the
numbers not overlap the diagonal lines.  As it stands now, the
numbers get misshapen in order to fit the uneven horizon.  Not a
good idea.  If the numbers were normal, the St. Louis sweaters
would have scored a lot higher.  It's tough to beat them wacky
trumpet shoulder patches.

Home or Away:  This is a tough call.  The home whites
definitely look better with the rest of the uniform, but the road
blue is swell when worn by itself.

14. Phoenix Coyotes:  At the beginning of the
season the Coyotes would have probably ranked lower, but since
that time LCS has had the pleasure of seeing the jerseys in
person.  For some reason, jerseys always look better in person
than on TV.  

That's not to say the desert dogs' duds are perfect.  Far from
it.  Let's face it, the logo is just plain nutty.  Although
that's not necessarily a bad thing.  The first real major
drawback to the jerseys is the Midwestern design around the
collar, cuffs, and bottom.  It's just too thick, too busy, too
much.  Combined with the logo, it's enough to send former acid
users into a flashback.  Also, on the replica versions of the
sweaters, this part of the jersey is made of some sort of goofy
material reminiscent of wrist bands and sweat socks.  That's odd.
  
Then there are the enormous circular moon patches that read
"Phoenix Coyotes" just in case the players forget who they are
playing for in the middle of a game... oh boy.  It would have
been bold if the club left off the team name and instead just
went with only the crescent moon shape.  Now that would have been
a statement.  But they didn't, so it isn't.  If the patches were
different the Coyotes would have scored a lot higher.      
         
Home or Away:  Road black is where it's at.

13. Buffalo Sabres:  Another one that looks
better in person than on the tube, Buffalo did a pretty good job
of changing their look this season.  The design is original, but
the drastic contrast of the black and red is an acquired taste. 
Depending on the person, the color scheme will either be annoying
or sharp.  We tend to gravitate towards sharp.  

The twisting white buffalo head as the new logo is interesting. 
The white buffalo has long been considered a symbol of good luck
by some Native American cultures.  Although, this particular
depiction of the mythical beast makes it appear as though he is
chewing fleas and ticks from his back.  That's a nice touch.  

The one overwhelming flaw the Buffalo jerseys are burdened with
is the lame shoulder patches.  A letter "B" with a sword
through it?  Gimme a break.  It's like an episode of Sesame
Street.  "Today's jersey is brought to you by the letter B!" 
It would have been nice if the Sabres would have used the old
logo as the shoulder patch.  They could have redone it in black
and silver.  That would have been real wizard.

Home or Away:  If you like black, the road sweater will
give you your money's worth.  LCS, however, chooses the home
white.

12. Hartford Whalers:  The Whale have some smooth
threads.  They can't go out pimpin' with 'em, but they're smooth
none the less.  The blue, green, and silver are easy on the eyes. 
And the Whale tail is synonymous with style.  The only thing
missing are the old Dickie the Whale shoulder patches the club
used to sport back in the day.     

Home or Away:  Both are real nice.  Blue or white, you'll
be the hit of any gathering while wearing the sea mammal's
colors.

11. Dallas Stars:  If not for the weak stripes
down the sleeves of the home jerseys, Dallas would be in the top
five simply on the strength of its swanky road sweaters.  The
only downside to the road version is the white numbers and
letters.  The Stars used to have dark green, but were forced to
change when announcers complained that it was too hard to read
'em.  Damned announcers.  They should mind their own business.    

Here's a tip, tho', when considering purchasing a Dallas jersey. 
Go with the Starter version, not the CCM.  Starter stitches the
logo directly onto the jersey.  CCM uses a big ol' patch, causing
the jersey to hang all kooky.  Starter good.  CCM bad.  
   
Home or Away:  The road black Starter version may be the
nicest jersey on the market.  Good luck finding it.

10. Calgary Flames:  LCS gave the Flames a whole
mess of grief when the new duds made their debut a couple years
ago.  Now they're ranked 10th.  Hey, things change...

Actually, if considering the entire uniform from top to bottom,
the Flames would probably be in the top three.  The jerseys are
strong on their own, but when combined with everything else the
result is dy-NO-mite.  The red, gold, and black seem to symbolize
the harvest and all that is good with the land of Alberta.  The
flaming C is still one of the best logos around.
   
Home or Away:  Road red.

9. Washington Capitals:  The Caps made a wise
decision when electing to change their uniforms last season. 
Their old ones looked like they were stitched by Betsy Ross.  And
that's not really a good thing.  

The stylized eagle may be a bit weak, but the blue, bronze, and
black scheme is a winner.  The real saving grace of the jerseys
are the shoulder patches, which depict the U.S. Capitol building, 
and the lettering.  Few jerseys, if any, look as nice as a road
blue Capitals sweater all lettered up... especially if it's in
honor of the one, the only, Peter Bondra.
  
Home or Away:  Road blue is exceptional.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins:  The Birds get bonus
points for having two distinctive designs for home and away.  The
whole flip-flop-of-colors thing gets a little old.  

At the Igloo, the Pens look sharp in the white and gold with
black trim.  Some in the Pittsburgh area still prefer the old
skating penguin to the current logo, but, well, they're drunk. 
The new logo is real boss.          

Then on the road, the Pens skate wearing black trimmed in gold
and white, with "Pittsburgh" written down the front.  That's a
classic look.  However, the penguin emblems on the shoulders are
what really make the jersey special.  In fact, they make the jersey 
so special that the Penguins are mulling over the idea of 
losing the "Pittsburgh" and replacing it with the normal home logo 
next season.

Home or Away:  The road black is real groovy, but it might
sweat the Rangers a bit too much.  The home white is a true
individual.

7. Chicago Blackhawks:  The Hawks still have one
of the most recognizable jerseys in the game.  The logo is
classic and the tomahawk shoulder patches are the best in the
business.  

Home or Away:  Go with the home white.  The black and
white stripes at the bottom of the road sweaters tend to dominate
things a bit too much.

6. Edmonton Oilers:  Usually when uniforms get
redesigned, it's done by corporate suits that aren't aware of
what's down on the beat, cold in the joint, or tight out on the
street.  Yet somehow the Oilers managed to do the job right.  

The fine folks of Edmonton wisely kept the same classic Oiler
logo that has five Stanley Cups to its credit, electing instead
to change up some of the striping and introducing a golden-bronze
color to the mix.  They also added some zany shoulder patches
depicting a goalie and an oil well.  Don't look now, but
somebody's creative...

Having seen the glory of the Oil's new sweaters for himself,
Zippy swears the new gold trimming glows with magical powers,
almost to the point of being hypnotic.  So keep that in mind when
going to purchase one.  You may want to bring along a designated
driver.
   
Home or Away:  They're both real nice.  However, the road
blue is one of the best in the game.  Get that lettered up with
Doug Weight or Curtis Joseph and you'll be all good.

5. Detroit Red Wings:  Sometimes style and
simplicity are one in the same.  The Red Wings have a very simple
design, but it doesn't come off looking plain.  The road sweaters
are drenched in red, with only three white stripes to help
accentuate the storied winged-wheel logo.  The home whites
feature a totally different design, always a plus, and are just
as crisp with only the red and white scheme.  Detroit sweaters
also have another factor in their favor: tradition.  Being able
to pull on the same style jersey Gordie Howe once wore is a good
thing.

Home or Away:  Either one is smooth.  White may be
slightly better but if you're looking for a red jersey, the road
Detroit sweater can't be beat.

4. New York Rangers:  The red, white, and blue
work well together.  Once again, the slight variation between the
home and road sweaters is a nice touch.  The diagonal "Rangers"
down the front may not seem all that special, but it's good
enough for the Penguins to blatantly rip it off.  And again
tradition weighs heavily in their favor.        

Home or Away:  They're both extremely strong.  Home white
could get the edge simply because the shoulder design is so
unique.

3. Colorado Avalanche:  Feet patches and all, no
jerseys look cooler in person than those of the Colorado
Avalanche.  While the Red Wings only need two colors to achieve
greatness, Colorado showed it could be done with as many as five. 
Using blue, burgundy, black, white, and silver, the Avalanche
color scheme has set a new standard.  The logo, featuring a puck
zipping around a sturdy mountain-esque letter "A", personifies
the strength and speed of hockey.  The jagged baseline cut also
brings to mind the mountain range where the club calls home.  To
truly see the jerseys at their best, make sure to get them
lettered.  The font used is unique to the Avalanche and the dual-
color trim sets the numbers off nicely.

Home or Away:  Road burgundy is one of the game's best,
holding a slight edge on the home white... but not by much. 
Can't really go wrong with either.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs:  During the 80's the
Leafs sweaters were awful.  Then in 1992, the acquisition of Doug
Gilmour sparked a renaissance in Toronto Maple Leaf hockey that
brought with it new uniforms.  Instead of electing to go to some
nutty new-age design, the Leafs turned back the clock and
structured the uniforms after those of a by-gone era.  Toronto
kept the newer updated version of the Maple Leaf logo, but the
basic jersey design and striping is almost identical to the ones
worn by the club during the days of King Clancy.  The team
strengthened its ties to the past by stitching a miniature
version of the original leaf logo on the shoulders.  By
remembering the past, the Leafs have solidified their grand
tradition for today's generation.    

Home or Away:  Road blue might have a slight advantage.

1. Montreal Canadiens:  Hockey is a game of
tradition.  And no one team represents this better than the
Montreal Canadiens.  Their sweaters have remained the same since
the glory years of Maurice Richard and Toe Blake right up until
the current reign of Saku Koivu.  

They also just look good.  The Club de Hockey logo is simple, yet
profound.  The red, blue, and white color scheme gives the
jerseys a classic appeal.  The red shoulders on the home whites
make the two versions of the sweater distinctive and individual
to themselves.  

The bottom line, though, isn't what the jerseys look like, but
what they mean.  There's just something special about owning a
Montreal jersey.  With each passing day it gets harder and harder
to find remnants of hockey's glorious past.  Even the legendary
Montreal Forum was toppled by the ever-present quest for
modernization.  The Habs' sweaters are one of the few remaining
symbols of the game's greatness.  They need to be respected and
revered as such.
             
Home or Away:  Perfection either way.

==============================================================
A Matter of Vision: Milbury Hands Isles Coaching Position to
Bowness
==============================================================
By David Strauss


"It's a matter of vision, a matter of what's best for all
concerned."

In an emotional move both the new owner and the now-former coach
termed "a mutual decision," John Spano and Mike Milbury stated
their intentions.  They want everyone to know that Milbury
stepping down as Islanders coach was a determination made by both
of them.  Together.  Yup, not just one of them.

"Effective immediately, I've resigned as head coach of the New
York Islanders," Milbury told reporters shortly after informing
his players of the change roughly 90 minutes before that night's
game.

Milbury stated that he didn't want the question of his future
status to get in the way of the team's play as the season wore on
(hello, Bill Parcells?).  He will now concentrate on his duties
as GM.

Associate coach Rick Bowness, who also succeeded Milbury as head
coach of the Bruins in 1991, was named to replace him effective
immediately -- according to Milbury, on a "non-interim" basis.   

"I had to convince myself this was the right thing to do at this
time," Milbury said, stoically.  "We came to a mutual conclusion,
and I must say somewhat reluctantly, because I really enjoy the
coaching aspects of the game, that perhaps it would be in the
long-term best interests of this team to let Rick assume the head
coaching position.  I still think I have things to offer as
coach, but we have important picks and John feels I should be
very involved in the selection process."  

"There are potential free agents out there, that I need to get a
head start on... It's an emotional time for me, but this was the
right time."  According to Milbury, his desire to realize his
long-term vision for the franchise outweighed his coaching
passion. 

The announcement came at the end of a confusing two-day period in
which Milbury had visited Spano in Dallas and reportedly
convinced the new owner to let him stay on in the dual role.  

The day before the announcement, at the morning skate, before
speaking to Spano and reaching a definite decision, Milbury said
only that he wanted to have a decision on the coaching situation
- one way or the other - by the end of the day.  Later, when
asked point-blank if he wanted to remain coach, he seemed to
admit that he did.

"I would say it took some convincing for me (to step down)," he
said, "because I do feel some confidence in my ability as
coach... I was reluctant, being only seven points back (of a
playoff spot) and because I love it."

A Dallas businessman whose net worth, according to sources, is
$750 million, Spano completed the $165-million deal to purchase
the Islanders just days before the announcement. That made this
move seem impetuous, especially because, asked in November if his
style is closer to George Steinbrenner or Leon Hess, Spano, a
native New Yorker, said: "George Steinbrenner." 

Last night, though, Spano said this decision was not impulsive - 
although many were wondering whether he was planning to hire
Billy Martin to replace Milbury. 

"He didn't have to convince me [of his plan]," Spano said. "I
understood what his vision was. But if I don't participate in the
direction of the team -- I think  this is one thing everyone told
me has been lacking with the club for 10 years -- this was 
something that was going to happen in the summer anyway... If
Mike said he wanted to still stay [as coach], Mike would still be
there. He felt this best for the team, for the future of the
team." 

But Spano did indicate that the Islanders' record of 36-75-19
under Milbury and his recent outburst and ejection by referee Don
Koharski in Pittsburgh had a bearing on the decision. 

"I think it had something to do with it, sure," Spano  said,
referring to the ejection. "It's hard for it not to... And we
always wished we had won a little more. But while I think Mike
did a good job with this team, I also think his expertise is in
assessing talent." 

Milbury stated with some degree of certainty that despite
persistent media rumors, Spano wasn't looking for a quick fix for
the team's current struggles.

"John really wants to get there in a hurry... but I think I know
this business... and know that I have a plan.  Slowly but surely,
I convinced him of that plan... I got exactly what I wanted from
John yesterday and today. I went to Dallas to get a mandate for
my plan and my timetable and got a definition of my role.
Together we got there."

In the second year of a five-year, $3.5 million contract, Milbury
was the only remaining dual GM/coach in the NHL since St. Louis
fired Mike Keenan a month ago.  He was originally hired away from
his job as a commentator on ESPN in July of 1995 to replace the
fired Lorne Henning as coach.  It was at this press conference
where he uttered his infamous quote that immediately endeared him
to suffering Islander fans everywhere, "Screw the Rangers, screw
the Devils, I work for the Islanders and I could care less about
those teams."

Immediately upon his hiring as coach, speculation began that Don
Maloney was not long for the GM job.  With the team struggling,
and the Kirk Muller fiasco dragging on, Maloney was fired in
December 1995 and Milbury replaced him soon after.  The
44-year-old Milbury had led the team to a record of 14-23-9 in
this, his second season as coach.

Spano insisted, "This is not a John Spano decision. It was a
mutual decision.  Mike came to me... and felt it was best for the
future of the team..."

Bowness, the seventh coach in franchise history, turned 42 the
day after being appointed.  He led the Bruins to the Stanley Cup
semifinals in 1992, but was fired for Brian Sutter after one
season.  He became the expansion Senators' first coach in 1992-93
and was fired in December 1995 after compiling a 39-178-19 record
over three seasons.  The Islanders have adjusted the remaining
two years of his contract to reflect his new title, but terms
were not disclosed. 

Milbury hired Bowness last January to be his associate coach, and 
yesterday admitted the plan all along had been that Bowness would
take over if and when Milbury decided to give up the coaching
job.

"I have a lot of faith in Rick. I brought him here as an
associate coach, named him as such, with the idea that when I
stepped down, he would be the [one to replace me]. That time is
now." 

Some in the New York media reacted to the announcement as if it
was a sign of panic.  Spano was adamant this wasn't the case.  "I
look at this very much as a positive," Spano said.  "It's not a
negative at all. This is what is best for the team, best for
Mike, best for Rick, best for the fans. I'm very happy that's
what Mike wanted to do." 

Milbury, though, sent somewhat mixed signals about his feelings. 
"It's emotional. It's difficult. I love coaching. I think I'm
good at it... It was a draining experience. There wasn't much
time for me, personally.  At the same time, it has been
exhilarating... As far as I'm concerned, I've done a hell of a
job."

It appeared to be a very tough decision for both Spano and
Milbury, who was torn between his love of coaching and his
ultimate goal. "This is my life's work," he said. "I'm trying to
win a championship." 

Guy Charron, who celebrated his 48th birthday the day before the 
announcement, will remain as the assistant coach. 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Attention Sharks fans: The Eagle has landed
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Mark Spiegel

In a week's time the San Jose Sharks acquired, then (temporarily)
lost, one of the NHL's premier goalies.  

In a multi-player trade, the Chicago Blackhawks sent sent three-time
All-Star and two-time Vezina Trophy goalie Ed Belfour to the Sharks
for Ulf Dahlen, Chris Terreri, Michal Sykora, and (if the Sharks can
sign Belfour) a conditional second-round pick in the 1998 Entry
Draft. 

Belfour will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the current
season.

One week after joining the Sharks, Belfour suffered a strained
medial collateral ligament injury to his right knee.  An MRI
examination on Sunday determined that an injury that will keep him
out of action for up to two-to-three weeks.  

Belfour was injured in Saturday's win by the Sharks over Colorado,
when he stopped a breakaway by the Avalanche's Rene Corbet.  With
only minutes remaining in the second period, Corbet broke in on a
breakaway and Belfour attempted a quick poke-check.  The Eagle's
move was successful, as the puck glanced off the crossbar, but
Corbet came down on Belfour's right leg.

Belfour remained in the game for the rest of the period, but was
replaced by Kelly Hrudey for the third period.  "When Eddie came to
the bench complaining about his knee with 2-3 minutes left in the
period I knew something was up," commented Hrudey after the
game. 

What prompted this trade in the first place?

For the Blackhawks, Belfour had clearly moved beyond their limits, 
especially with a lot less expensive Jeff Hackett delivering so far
in the Chicago net.  Both Belfour and his agent have indicated they
expect to get Patrick Roy/Dominik Hasek type money.  That would put
Belfour in the $4 million-plus-per-year category.  With the
Blackhawks previously failing to come to agreements with Jeremy
Roenick, Joe Murphy and Bernie Nicholls, losing Belfour seemed to
fit the current script.   

"I had a long talk with Eddie and he was out of our price range,"
said Hawk GM Bob Pulford.  

So why would the Sharks risk getting Belfour for only 40 (now with
the injury 30-35) games?  

Why?  The Sharks believe they can sign Belfour.

"...Once (Belfour) sees the ownership, the area, and the fans we go
right to the top of the pack (competing for Belfour)," commented
Sharks GM Dean Lombardi.  Belfour got his first dose of San Jose
during the Colorado game when the fans loudly chanted
"Eddie.....Eddie" after several good saves by the new Sharks
netminder.   

"It was just like the old (Chicago) stadium. I had to calm myself
down," a happy Belfour commented after the game. 

So, at least initially, Belfour seems perfectly happy in San Jose. 
 

But will the Sharks pay Belfour the money that Chicago wouldn't?
"It would be logical to do that if he's as valuable to us as Hasek
is to Buffalo," stated Lombardi.  Mo' money, no problem...

Add to that a relative buyers' market for goalies.  I mean, just
how many other teams that are potential Cup contenders are in need
of a high-priced goalie?  Not many.

So while the Sharks have money and appear willing to engage in a
bidding war for the Eagle, they may well not have to.

Of course this was all based upon the assumption that Belfour could
play regularly and demonstrate skills deserving of a Hasek-type
salary. Now with the injury, all of this is somewhat in doubt.

Acquiring a premier goalie was definitely one of the building blocks
the Sharks need in their quest to become a legitimate contender.

Kelly Hrudey is already 36 years old.  Hrudey may well not be around
when the Sharks finally jell.

Chris Terreri will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end. 
Terreri is an East Coast boy.  About the only tan he ever wore was
a beige T-shirt. So resigning Terreri for next year was about as
likely as finding an LCS staffer sober on a Saturday night.

Goalies in the Sharks prospects pipeline are all several years away
from a significant role with the mother club.

Dahlen, with a $1.3 million salary, just wasn't producing, with
only eight goals and 11 assists.  Fresh surroundings seem to be
helping Ulfie as he's scored twice in his first two games with the
Hawks.  If Dahlen can keep it up he'll add nicely to a somewhat low
scoring team.

Michael Sykora, 23, could become the Hawks next Steve Smith, or more
likely, the next Ivan Droppa.  Sykora has size and decent offensive
skills, but plays a rather soft game for his size (6-5, 220). 
After a strong start this season, Sykora had been riding the
press box for most games lately.  Sykora has already taken his
first step to being a Blackhawk.  Michal has dropped the face visor
he always wore as a Shark.

So in the final analysis, Chicago got some offensive help, a solid
backup goaltender, a blue line prospect and possibly a good draft
pick for a goalie they would lose for nothing at season's end.  San
Jose has the potential for acquiring a premier goalie, something
the franchise has lacked all along, to help solidify its defense
for the next four or five years. 

And Eddie the Eagle?  He gets to play in the West Coast version of
the old Chicago Stadium.
"EDDIE!..........EDDIE!.......EDDIE!.........." 


========================================================
World Domination Update, Vol.2 No.11
========================================================
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...

Thanks Inside Edge
LCS would like to extend a thanks to the people who are responsible 
for producing the Washington Capitals' game program, Inside Edge, 
for including a blurb on LCS in their 'Skating the Net' section. 

Here is what the fine folks at Inside Edge had to say about LCS:
"LCS: Guide to Hockey, a bi-weekly internet-only hockey publication. This 
one is really special - features, in-depth reports, stats, rosters, 
injuries, schedules and more.  Every issue is archived in an 
extensive file of back issues. Check out the recent article on 
Capitals' defenseman Joe Reekie."

LCS Debut on AOL Rescheduled for mid-February
The grand opening of a new frontier of LCS dominance was delayed as 
a result of a recent alien invasion.  Thankfully the Space Goats left 
the Vienna, VA headquarters of AOL shortly after consuming a meal of 
pancakes.

AOL has rescheduled the opening of the new LCS Guide to Hockey area to 
February 10.  Hopefully.  Until our area is open, look for us on the hockey 
chat boards praising John Cullen.

We hope that many of our loyal readers will make plans to help us 
celebrate the opening of our new AOL area.  As the time draws closer, 
we will announce other new features that you can expect from LCS.  

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 <a href="mailto:zippy@psu.edu?subject=lcs-announce">zippy@psu.edu</a>.  
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 <a href="/sports/Sportif/hkypools/lcs/">LCS: the hockey pool</a>.  

LCS: 'round the 'net
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 <a href="/sports/Sportif/qom/">Questions o' the Month</a> 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 
Gilligan's Island 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, Dragnet.  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!
LCS on AOL, 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............................Whatever 
    Dan Hurwitz.............Force for Cultural Hegemony
    John Kreiser.....................Featured Columnist
    David A. Feete......................Featured Writer
    Sandi Trudo...................Anaheim Correspondent
    Matt Brown.....................Boston Correspondent
    Valerie Hammerl...............Buffalo Correspondent
    WANTED........................Calgary Correspondent
    Dan Glovier...................Chicago Correspondent
    Matt Gitchell................Colorado Correspondent
    Jim Panenka....................Dallas Correspondent
    Jonah Sigel...................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
    Brad Ross.....................Toronto Correspondent
    Carol Schram................Vancouver Correspondent
    Jason Sheehan..............Washington Correspondent
    Tricia McMillan...................AHL Correspondent
   ---------------------------------------------------- 
   LCS: guide to hockey issue 62 February 4 - February 18 
   1997. Email address: sportif@oak.westol.com  Good ol' 
   postal address: 632 Hempfield Street, Greensburg, PA 
   15601.  Web Site:  http://www.lcshockey.com/
   ------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------
NHL Round-up
-------------------------------------------------------------
By LCS: guide to hockey

General NHL News

Lemieux Records Four
During a recent game in Mario Lemieux's home town of Montreal, the Pens captain 
recorded four goals in the third period to lead Pittsburgh to 6-4 victory. 
Lemieux's effort marked the 11th time in league history that a player has scored
four times in a period, the fifth time it has been done in the
final stanza. Washington's Peter Bondra was the last player with
four in a period, scoring four times in the first against Tampa
Bay on Feb. 5, 1994.

Bowman Nears Milestone
Scotty Bowman, coach of the Detroit Red Wings, needs only one more 
victory to become the first NHL head coach to reach the 1000 win plateau.

No other head coach, active or non-active, has coached or won as many games 
as Bowman.  In fact, his closest competition is from ex-Isles coach Al Arbour.


                                     	  G   W   L   T   Pct.
Scott Bowman, Stl-Mon-Buf-Pit-Det 	1704 999 451 254  .661
Al Arbour, StL-NYI                   	1606 781 577 248  .564
Dick Irvin, Chi-Tor-Mon             	1437 690 521 226  .559
Billy Reay, Tor-Chi                  	1102 542 385 175  .571
Toe Blake, Mon                      	 914 500 255 159  .634


Clarke Heads Olympic Team
Philadelphia Flyers general manager Bob Clarke will head Canada's hockey selection 
committee for the 1998 Nagano Olympics.

The Toronto Star reported Wednesday that Clarke will be assisted by fellow 
general managers Bob Gainey of Dallas and Pierre Gauthier of Ottawa.

Arbour Honored
It's been 13 years since the NY Islanders have had any playoff success.  
Success due in part to their former coach, Al Arbour.  In order to honor 
Arbour, who lead the team to 4 Stanley Cup championships in the early 80s, 
the NY Islanders raised a number "739" banner to the rafters of the Nassau 
Coliseum.  The 739 represents the number of wins during Arbour's coaching career 
with the Islanders. 

Firings...Hirings...Signings...etc...

Milbury Steps Down
He didn't want to do it, but Mike Milbury stepped down from his coaching duties 
with the NY Islanders.  John Spano, who recently purchased the Isles franchise, 
influenced Milbury's decision to step down from coaching.  Milbury will now 
concentrate on his GM duties as the team continues to rebuild.
 
Police Blotter:

Jim Cummins, CHI -- Misconducts
Chicago Blackhawks right wing Jim Cummins received an automatic
one-game suspension from the National Hockey League Thursday for
picking up his third game misconduct penalty of the season in
Wednesday's home loss to Vancouver. Cummins and Vancouver left
wing Donald Brashear each received fighting majors and game
misconducts following a melee at 3:03 of the first period.
Cummins, who has two goals, two assists and 111 penalty minutes
in 33 games, received a double game misconduct Nov. 17 against
Los Angeles. 

Todd Harvey, DAL -- Elbowing
The NHL announced Sunday that Dallas Stars center Todd Harvey was
suspended for Sunday's 4-3 loss at Detroit and could miss more
action, pending a hearing. Harvey was suspended for a flagrant
elbow against Buffalo's Matthew Barnaby in the third period of
Friday's 3-1 loss to the Sabres. Harvey was assessed a major
penalty for elbowing and a game misconduct.

Sean O'Donnell, LOS -- Unfair Fighting
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Sean O'Donnell was suspended by the NHL for one
game without pay and fined $1,000 Thursday for an incident in a January 29 
game against Colorado.

In that game, O'Donnell made contact with Avalanche forward Valeri Kamensky while 
on the Kings' bench.

Peter Bondra, WAS -- Kneeing
Bondra was suspended
for at least one game and missed Sunday night's game pending a
hearing. At the hearing the suspension, which is the result of a
kneeing incident against Florida's Ray Sheppard in the second
period of Saturday's 3-1 Capitals victory, could be increased.
Bondra was assessed a major penalty for kneeing.

1996-97 NHL Suspension

Date     Player/Team/Length      Opponent     Reason                   
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 

---------------------------------------------------------------
Ray Bourque Becomes the Lead Bruin
---------------------------------------------------------------
by Matt Brown

Raymond Bourque became the Boston Bruins all-time leading scorer
by registering a goal and two assists on February 1st in Boston's
3-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Bourque broke the record
of 1,339 points held by Bruins legend Johnny Bucyk, which stood
since 1977.  Bourque's goal at 5:33 of the first period gave him
1,340 points, breaking a tie with Bucyk and sending his teammates
onto the ice for congratulations (the Bruins had sought and
received NHL dispensation to have this post-goal celebration
without drawing a delay of game penalty). 

"It couldn't have been broken by a better person or greater
hockey player," said his former teammate and current Bruins radio
analyst Johnny Bucyk. "It shows you just how great a hockey
player he is."

Typically humble, Bourque dismissed all the fuss: "Big
celebrations are really not for me," said Bourque, "But I'll take
it and move on. When you play a long time and stay healthy, good
things will happen to you."

A measure of his greatness as a hockey player is that he is the
only defenseman in the NHL to become the leading all-time scorer
for his hockey club.

With this accomplishment, Ray Bourque has all but assured his
place in the rafters alongside the other legendary Bruins whose
sweater numbers have been retired.  But if you look at this
record as Ray's paying off the mortgage on that FleetCenter loft,
consider that Ray first bought the deed to that house 10 years
ago.

It was on the night of December 3, 1987, in perhaps the most
memorable non-game moment in Bruins history, that Ray Bourque
performed one of the most dignified acts in the history of
hockey.  During the ceremonies on "Phil Esposito Night," Ray
pulled off his number seven sweater at center ice and handed it
to Phil Esposito, revealing the number 77 that Ray has worn ever
since.  This magnanimous gesture floored Esposito, who to this
day says that Ray Bourque's act, rather than all the goals and
the scoring titles and the Stanley Cups and the fame, remains the
greatest event in his hockey life. 

And this is the moment that defines Raymond Bourque as a Bruin, a
hockey player, and as a man.  This more than anything, except
perhaps 18 years of loyalty and excellence to the hockey club,
tells the story about the strength and character and generosity
of Ray Bourque.  Because Ray had already gotten permission from
Phil to keep wearing number seven after it was retired, but Ray
chose instead to change his number.  This may seem a trivial
thing, but it is not.  Ask Phil Esposito, or anyone else
who has played the game.

Yet despite his accomplishments, Ray Bourque is often overlooked,
is unnoticed, at least in comparison with other superstars in
hockey.  All the press seems to want to talk about is the fact
that Ray Bourque has never skated the Stanley Cup around a rink. 
As a Boston Bruin, he will always be second in popularity behind
Bobby Orr. Boston sports fans will always think of Orr, Larry
Bird, Ted Williams, Carl Yastremski, and Bill Russell before they
consider Raymond.  As a pure scoring defenseman, he comes in
second to Paul Coffey. As a defensive defenseman, some will
rank him behind Chris Chelios.  But put offense and defense
together, add his durability, and Ray Bourque has no equal; not
Orr, not Coffey, not any of the Hall of Fame greats in NHL
history.

His coach and friend Steve Kasper probably said it best:  "It's
unfair to compare players from different eras, but when all is
said and done, Ray Bourque's longevity and the fact he's done it
for 18 years makes him one of the greatest ever," Kasper said. "I
don't think anyone will realize how good he is until he retires." 
There is little doubt that Bourque will have a place in the
Hockey Hall of Fame soon thereafter. 

Part of this image problem is because Ray is basically a quiet
guy who does not hog the spotlight, wear a wedding dress to a
press conference, complain about his pay, or whine about wanting
to be traded to a Stanley Cup winning team.  He just plays the
game he loves, day in and day out, year by year, without a lot of
noise and nonsense.  He is the embodiment of leadership by
example.   

Look behind the scenes, and you will see the man who always has
time for his teammates, the reporters, the fans, and the kids.
Especially the sick kids.  Ray is a frequent visitor to local
hospitals, and every year he participates in autograph signings
to benefit a young boy or girl with leukemia or another dread
disease.  He makes appearances to help with charities.  He gives
of himself to the Greater Boston community, and he is universally
respected for it.

Ray's accomplishments are lengthy and incredible. 

Raymond Jean Bourque was the Bruins eighth-pick overall in the
1979 Amateur Draft. His pick was obtained from the Los Angeles
Kings in a trade for goaltender Ron Grahame. Some consider this
an astute trade.

He began his career by winning the Calder Trophy as the league's
leading rookie in 1979-80. He has won the Norris Trophy as the
NHL's leading defenseman five times, and the King Clancy Trophy
(the annual award "to the player who best exemplifies leadership
qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy 
humanitarian contribution in his community") in 1991-92.

He has 353 goals and 989 assists in 1,264 career games with
Boston.  He is only the the third defenseman in NHL History to
record 300 goals.  He is just the second defenseman, and seventh
player overall,  to reach the 900 assist plateau. 

Last season was Ray's 12th selection as an NHL First Team
All-Star, tying him with Gordie Howe for the most ever. 
Moreover, he has been either a first team or second team All-Star
every season of his career, a mark no other player in the NHL has
achieved, at least not over the course of 18 years.  He was named
the MVP of the 1995-96 All-Star game when his goal with 37.3
seconds lifted the Eastern Conference team to a win at the
FleetCenter on January 20, 1996. 

Most significantly, Ray was named the 15th Captain in the history
of the Boston Bruins for the 1985-86 season, and he has been "the
Captain" ever since, owning that title.  He is soon to complete
11 full seasons in that role.

The Bruins have scheduled a ceremony to honor Raymond before the
February 4th game against the Ottawa Senators, to give the
hometown fans a chance to express their appreciation to Ray for
18 years of excellence and class.  Expect the fans to rock the
FleetCenter when Ray is introduced like it hasn't been rocked
since it first opened last year.  You won't hear that sound again
until the Bruins win a Stanley Cup, or Ray's number 77 is raised
to its rightful place among the legends.

--------------------------------------------------------------
This Yogi Does More Than Steal Picnic Baskets
--------------------------------------------------------------
By Tricia McMillan, AHL Correspondent

The 1996 NHL draft was supposedly a weak one. Don't bother
telling the Washington Capitals that, however, as the Caps
managed to find a bumper crop of youngsters who are excelling
this season.  And while the Caps' first pick (by way of the
Kings) was the much-hyped Alexandre Volchkov, it was their own,
second first-round pick, Jaroslav Svejkovsky, who has earned
himself a lot of hype.

In a year where many Caps draftees have been standouts,
Svejkovsky has been his own highlight reel. Svejkovsky
(pronounced Sheh-KAHV-skee) has played most of the season in the
AHL for the Portland Pirates, where he has won both Player of the
Week and Rookie of the Month, was named to the World All-Star
team, and leads all AHL rookies in scoring in spite of taking
time off to play in a few NHL games. And oh yeah, he's already
been featured on ESPN2.  Not bad for a guy who just a year and a
half ago was in Europe, didn't speak English and didn't play much
hockey either, to the degree he nearly quit hockey completely.

Svejkovsky, a native of Plzen in the Czech Republic, had
been playing in the Czech junior leagues when he tore ligaments
in his knee during an under-18 international tournament. He
missed nearly a year of playing time and also missed being
drafted in his first year of eligibility as no NHL teams had seen
him play. He considered quitting the sport, but played well to
finish his final season in Ta'Bor Czech. So, undaunted but not
knowing a word of English, he packed his bags and joined the
Western Hockey League's Tri-City Americans in hopes of being
drafted by an NHL team.

The first thing Svejkovsky learned in North America was that
no one could pronounce his first name correctly (not to mention
his last name!). The solution? A nickname no one can forget. "My
friends... they didn't know how to pronounce my name, so that's
why they gave me 'Yogi'," explains Svejkovsky. 'Yogi' has now
stuck to the degree that few people call him Jaroslav and he
often adds 'Yogi' to his autograph.

Once in Tri-Cities, Svejkovsky learned English quickly (he
also speaks Russian and German) and North American hockey even
faster.
  
"[When} I started in the Western Hockey League I was 19 so other
guys were younger...and the difference wasn't that bad," says
Svejkovsky, who is now 20.
  
The change in playing style didn't affect Svejkovsky, as he
scored goals in the WHL. Oh boy did he score goals, picking up 58
goals in 70 games and adding 43 assists; he had 22 multiple-goal
games and three hat tricks. Svejkovsky was named Rookie of the
Month by both the WHL and CHL in November of 1995 and was named
to the CHL Top Prospects game, where he had a goal and two
assists; he also played in the WHL All-Star game and was named to
the Second Team All-Stars.  Washington, ever on the lookout for
goalscoring, took notice - and took Svejkovsky 17th overall in
the draft.     

Due to his age, Svejkovsky was eligible to play in the AHL
this season and the Capitals decided that was the best place for
him to begin his professional career.  Svejkovsky believes that
was the right decision. 

"When I started the season I knew I needed to play a lot. I'm
sure if I was in Washington I wouldn't play so much," he 
explains.  "So I started in Portland, I had a lot of ice time,
power play, scored some goals. I'm sure this year is good for me
and I can get a lot of experience."
  
The Capitals were somewhat concerned with Svejkovsky's lack of 
strength and defensive ability, but still offense remains their 
priority for him.  "I have to do my job, I have to score goals, 
that's why they drafted me. Maybe play...better defense, be
stronger," he admits.
  
The change to professional hockey has been noticeable to
Svejkovsky - "Guys in the AHL, they're much stronger players than
in juniors" - but not to anyone else. Svejkovsky had his first
Player of the Week award barely a month into his first
professional season and was named Rookie of the Month for
October.  He not only leads the league in rookie scoring with 47
points, but is tied for first in the entire league in goalscoring
with 27; he's also among the league leaders in power-play goals
(nine) and game-winners (five). Svejkovsky credits his quick
adjustment to his teammates' on-ice assistance, but his 
scoring success was inevitable.

"[Yogi]'s got a great natural ability to score goals," says
Portland head coach Barry Trotz. "He's been a big surprise but
he's probably a year away from making it because of his lack of
strength. Another year of building strength and he'll play in the
NHL."

Of course, Svejkovsky's already played in the NHL, one of
only three 1996 first-rounders to make his debut already
(Philadelphia's Dainius Zubrus and Anaheim's Ruslan Salei are the
others). He received two callups to the parent Caps this season,
playing six games and picking up his first NHL point (an assist)
and his first goal against Anaheim.

Svejkovsky went out on a limb before the Caps' tilt with the
Ducks, promising his teammates he would score his first goal that
night. "I was 90% sure I will [score a goal] so I said I will do
it," he says matter-of-factly.
  
While Svejkovsky is an admirer of Jaromir Jagr, at the draft he
was quite excited by the idea of playing with Bondra and Czech
hero Michal Pivonka. The Capitals see a lot of Bondra in
Svejkovsky and have played all three together several times this
season, something Svejkovsky was hoping for - even if he was a
little intimidated.

"My favorite thing was to play with great players, players
like I was dreaming about, Peter Bondra, [Phil] Housley, just the
greatest players," he says of his NHL stint. "I'm so happy I get
the chance to play with them."

But with more polish needed in his game, Svejkovsky was
returned to Portland and found himself named to the 'World'
All-Star team, where he attracted plenty of notice from scouts
and media and was interviewed live on ESPN2, where the bubbly
rookie left Deuce reporter Brian Engblom flabbergasted. "He was
amazing. He was just great wasn't he?" a dazzled Engblom told the
ESPN2 audience.

"It was fun," Svejkovsky says of the All-Star game. "I had a
lot of fun, sometimes too much fun because we didn't get many
hours to sleep, we had a lot of practices and interviews and a
lot of stuff."

While he does have some more work to do on his game and some 
off-season training to do, Svejkovsky is not long for the minors.
"I was hoping I can be one of the best players in Portland," he
says. "I think I can make the NHL team this year. I believe in
myself.

"I came here [to North America] and I started from zero, I
started almost a new life. This is my new country."
   
---------------------------------------------------------------
AHL Fashion
---------------------------------------------------------------
By Tricia McMillan, AHL Correspondent

As long as we're going to rank the NHL's uniforms/colors, we may
as well get the AHL in there as well. Mind you, a lot of AHL
teams are sorely lacking in originality and copied the parent
team's outfit with small word changes here and there. As a
result, I really don't see the point in including the St. John's
Maple Leafs, Saint John Flames, Fredericton Canadiens, Providence
Bruins, Adirondack Red Wings or Binghamton Rangers here. If you
want to know where they rank, just look at where their parents
wound up.

But for the AHL originals (or at least partly originals), drum
roll please:

1. Carolina Monarchs (Same colors as Florida):
The Monarchs are rated number one for their road jerseys, which
have to be the most colorful daggone things I've ever seen. If 
you missed this morning's sunrise, go to a Monarchs road game -
same thing.


2. Albany River Rats (Same colors as New Jersey): 
Same basic idea as the Devils, but who could resist such a nifty
looking rat?

3. Portland Pirates (Same colors as New Jersey) 
Apparently a failure to notice they're the Capitals, but a good
logo and snazzy look, especially on their third jersey. Besides,
black is mean and dangerous right?

4. Hamilton Bulldogs (Same as Hamilton): They
adopted the new colors of the Oilers, but with a grouchy looking
dog instead of an oil spout. Very classy and classic look.

5. Syracuse Crunch (Black, purple, teal, yellow):
All the hip colors in one place, but how many teams invent their
own superhero? Besides, they knew the parent Canucks looked
terrible.

6. Baltimore Bandits (Black, purple, silver,
yellow): Last year they would have ranked No. 1, but in
accordance with their lack of marketing ability they had to
change one of the few things they did right in the first place
and tinkered with the unis. Great colors... until someone thought
yellow would look good in there.

7. Springfield Falcons (Blue, green, black): OK,
but whose idea was it to get into anatomically incorrect birds
anyway?

8. Worcester IceCats (Blue, green): So many
shades of blue it was frightening when Eric Fichaud matched a
fan's fingernails. Stupid logo too.

9. Hershey Bears (Maroon): Hershey commits that
worst of all sins... Booorrrinnnggg. What worked in the thirties
doesn't cut it in the nineties.

10. Rochester Americans (Red, blue): Ditto.
Except they've adopted a third jersey which is outright hideous
with stripes. The American flag does not look good on hockey
players...

11. Philadelphia Phantoms (Purple, orange):
Godawful color combo. You get this feeling the players are about
to ask you to sign for a FedEx package.

And the very worst is...

12. Kentucky Thoroughblades (Purple, teal):
Purple pants. Nuff' said.

Come to think of it, maybe we should encourage a failure of 
originality in the AHL. After all, the best uniforms copy the
parent teams to some degree and most of the complete copies look
pretty decent. It's a thought...

-----------------------------------------------------------------
IHL Fashion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
By LCS: Guide to Hockey

They all blow...

=================================================================
Editorial: Fox's Coverage Still Lacking
=================================================================
By Jason Sheehan

A year has passed since Fox unveiled its glow puck, and nothing
has changed.  

Fans who tuned into Saturday's Rangers-Flyers game were
unpleasantly reunited with FOXTRAX, otherwise referred to as the
glow puck.

Sure, the idea of having red comet tails and an easily viewable
puck sounds great at first, but when put to practice, it stinks. 
It wreaks.  It doesn't belong in the game of hockey.  

Canada realizes this and won't destroy the tradition of the game. 
But young fans in the United States, who know more about a
"Tickle Me Elmo" doll than they do about hockey, love the idea
because they don't know any better.

So, what does this tell us?  Fox cares more about the young
audience than they do about hockey enthusiasts who contribute to
the majority of its ratings.  And while Fox destroys "The Coolest
Game on Earth," we have no choice but to watch our favorite teams 
play on this commercialized network every week.

Imagine being a child, without cable, learning the game of hockey
from Fox.  This little kid doesn't know that the blue dot
bouncing in front of his eyes isn't real.  He sees what is on
television, and believes it really exists.  Why should he think
otherwise?

Then, the child asks his parents to take him to a hockey game at
the local arena.  All he wants to see is the glow puck, because
it looks cool.  When the parents finally take their kid to the
rink, they have no idea why their little one is so disappointed. 
Why?  Because to this boy/girl, hockey isn't about beautiful
goals and double-padded saves.  It's about a glowing puck.  And
in the real world, FOXTRAX doesn't exist.

If fans had a choice to flip the channel to a broadcast not using
FOXTRAX, Fox would lose its rights to cover the NHL due to low
ratings.  There should be a Surgeon Generals warning on the
screen before each game stating, "Watching this program could
result in a loss of sight."

Fox should take a lesson from the ECHL (East Coast Hockey
League).  In the 1997 ECHL All- Star-Game, which was shown on
regional sports networks across America, they used a "fire puck." 
What made this puck so entertaining to watch was the fact that it
didn't take anything away from the game.  The puck wasn't the
size of a beach-ball and didn't find its way into the crowd on a
regular basis unless someone lifted it over the glass.  Only the
puck itself glowed, not the entire surrounding area.  And when it
got covered up, the glow got covered up.  All this means the puck
could actually pass behind players and get lifted into the air
without wreaking havoc on depth perception.

The "fire puck" was perfect.  When a player powered a slap shot
on net, a dumb comet tail didn't appear.  Instead, the puck
turned bright red as it traveled to the goaltender.  As the puck
moved up the ice, it turned into a bright white.  

Fox would receive the praises of hockey worshipers if they threw
FOXTRAX into a garbage can at a fish market.  But, as we should
all know, Fox still thinks its blundering idea is "innovative."

Unfortunately, glowing pucks bouncing off spectators in the
fourth row isn't the only problem Fox viewers encounter.  The
stupid robots, which have been around since Fox's NHL coverage
made its debut three years ago, have always found a way to make
even the best hockey game into a fiasco.

Imagine this situation.  Your favorite team has been scored
against, but your star player receives a beautiful pass and is in
alone with the opposing goalie.  Then, out of nowhere, these
robots appear, with laser beams and steamrollers, and block half
the screen.  

Out of the blue, hockey has become a cartoon.  You can't see the
breakaway, because Fox doesn't care about the breakaway. 
Producers at Fox are having way too much fun with their toys.

Then, your favorite team scores, but you couldn't see the goal as
if happened.  Sure, Fox shows the replay from a zillion angles,
but it's not the same as seeing it live.  Would other networks,
such as ESPN, fall into this trap?  Heck no!  That's because ESPN 
cares about you, the hockey fan.  Fox only cares about the bottom
line: and that has everything to do with money.

Yet there's always hope.  You may be one of the lucky few whose
team doesn't play on Saturday afternoon.  That appears to be the
only way out of Fox's disastrous coverage.

Another alternative would be to turn the television off in favor
of the radio.  This may sound like a step backwards in
technology.  Buy hey, that is exactly what Fox shows us 
every week.  Fox should have its hockey license taken away.

  
----------------------------------------------------------------
Mentors of masked men
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Chris Foreman

Hockey becomes more specialized each year.  Oxymorons such as
"defensive forward" and "offensive defensemen" are stalwarts in
our puck jargon.  Teams plug players into roles as checkers who
play with the lead and power-play virtuosos.  There seem to be
players who only play Thursday nights when there is a full moon
against teams from cities that begin with the letter "A."  By the
turn of the century, we could have a separate Zamboni driver for
each period.

Perhaps it's not that preposterous, yet, but positions now exist
for trained professionals that weren't previously available in
the sport.  One such post is the goaltending consultant.

What was once a fallacy is now a religion, as no fewer than 19
teams employ an erstwhile puckstopper of some variety to advise
today's netminders, particularly the younger specimen.  These
instructors are indispensable, as with such a technical position,
each movement requires justification.  Any action which disrupts
the routine can destroy the flow of motion and could eventually
frustrate a goalie.  An even level of confidence is vital, as the
player should never become too comfortable or too disenchanted. 
Since these masked men are such an integral component of a
franchise's foundation, clubs are assuring that they properly
teach them their craft. 

A diluted talent pool from league-expansion, or more defensive
systems may help explain why goals-against averages are rapidly
decreasing and save percentages are swiftly increasing. 
Notwithstanding, a notion quickly receiving responsibility for
the glut of glorious goalies are the consultants who counsel
them.

One of the more notorious culprits is Francois Allaire. 
Previously Patrick Roy's mentor in Montreal, Anaheim credits
Allaire with accelerating the revival of the Mighty Ducks
defender of the crease, Guy Hebert.  

Following a winless October (0-6-2; 4.24 GAA) in which he looked
out of sync, Hebert rattled off exceptional numbers in the
succeeding three months.  He welcomed November and injured
teammate Paul Kariya's return by posting a 4-3-2 mark and 2.20
GAA.  December delivered cooler temperatures to most of the
hockey world, but Hebert was an inextinguishable fire,
surrendering just 18 goals in nine games.  Hebert attained a
season-high win total in January (7-5-1), as well as an  All-Star
appearance for the ailing Chris Osgood.   Through Feb. 2, Hebert
(16-18-6; 2.75 GAA) ranks eighth in the National Hockey League in
save percentage (.916), and is tied for fourth in shutouts (4).

Allaire simply worked on getting Hebert to challenge and square-
up against shooters, a principle which seems automatic.  However,
when a goalie is beaten consistently over the course of a week
and begins to slump, he begins to question his approach.  The
game then becomes more cerebral than physical, and a lapse soon
evolves into a complete collapse.  In the past, netminders
had very few people to enlist should they need to discuss their
predicament.  In fact, only two former goaltenders are NHL head
coaches today (Edmonton's Ron Low and Pittsburgh's Eddie
Johnston).  Often they were left to detect the cure themselves.   
   
Another of Allaire's pupils, Pittsburgh Penguin newcomer Patrick
Lalime, also is auspiciously displaying his methods.  Lalime is
performing to perfection the butterfly style that his idol, Roy,
popularized.  The St. Bonaventure, Que. native speaks to Allaire
at least once a week, a conversation which is perhaps better
medicine for the mind than the body.

It's implausible to think that Lalime has such a rock-solid
psyche.  His past would seem to foreshadow anything other than
what he has accomplished this season, which is an acclaim to his
train of thought.  His attitude is that of a speeding subway,
stopping only at the intended destination, rather than a
derailed, battered locomotive.
  
Lalime's midget team cut the NHL's Rookie of the Month for both
December and January, and his Canadian Tier II team skipped him
in favor of female puckstopper Manon Rheaume.  When the 1993
Entry Draft rolled around, 15 goalies preceded him.  Last spring
he and current backup Philippe DeRouville sat and watched as
flash in the pan Blaine Lacher started for the Cleveland
Lumberjacks in the International Hockey League playoffs.  A
further setback for Lalime figured to be Pittsburgh's drafting of
Craig Hillier in the first round of this past summer's
draft.  This year he divided time in the  Jacks crease with Mike
Tamburro and Derek Wilkinson.

Who would have believed that Lalime would emerge as the Calder
Trophy favorite, Pittsburgh's number one goaltender, and an NHL
record holder? Perhaps nobody, excluding Allaire and Lalime.

Lalime has effectively translated Allaire's teachings into
victories, going 16-2-2, including a record-breaking 16-game
unbeaten streak (14-0-2) to initiate his career.  It surpassed
the previous mark shared by Ken Dryden (13-0-2) and Ross Brooks
(12-0-3).  The headstrong Lalime has demanded little consultation
since making his debut Nov. 16 against the Rangers, only twice
yielding more than three goals in a game.  Wise in the sense that
he recognizes his limitations, Lalime has promptly grasped how to
position himself toward the shooter and is a valiant vacuum. 
He rarely allows a quality rebound opportunity, permitting the
puck to hit him, then cover it up.  Most deflections which do
occur result in either the disc being tossed to the corners or
out of play.  The attribute is one which is nonexistent in the
repertoires of most butterfly disciples, such as Montreal's
Jocelyn Thibault.                   

The aforementioned rationale support the contention that Lalime
is a true netminding star.  This season's credentials, through
Feb. 2, include top billing in save percentage (.935),
goals-against (2.11) and winning percentage (.850).  In addition,
Lalime has blanked the opposition three times in 18 starts. 

Not limited to North America, the concept of counselling has a
global appeal.  Russian goaltending icon Vladislav Tretiak has
overseen the maturation process of Eddie Belfour since his
appointment as a part-time Blackhawks coach in 1990.  The first
Russian-born hockey player inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame,
Tretiak, 44, has worked with Belfour since the two met while the
newly-acquired San Jose Shark was a member of the Canadian
Olympic team in 1988. He had spent time with "The Eagle" and
backup Jeff Hackett during the preseason, three regular season
homestands and the playoffs, although it is unknown whether
Belfour's departure signals the conclusion of Tretiak in that
capacity.  For Chicago, anyway.
 
Under the first year of Tretiak's guidance, Belfour (43-19-8;
2.47 GAA) won the Calder Trophy (Most Outstanding Rookie), Vezina
Trophy (Most Outstanding Goaltender), William M. Jennings Trophy
(Lowest team GAA), and the NHL named him a first-team All-Star. 
Upon his arrival in San Jose, Belfour paid homage to his teacher
by changing his number from his customary 30 to Tretiak's number
20.
   
The rest of the mentors: You'll notice a lot of
unnoticeable names on the list below.  As in baseball with
hitting coaches, goaltending consultants aren't necessarily the
superstars, but those who can accurately and distinctly describe
the position to others.  Dominik Hasek, for example, will never
have a career such as this awaiting him after his retirement
simply because he owns such an unorthodox style.  He cannot
possibly relay to others how he makes saves because he doesn't
play a lucid style.  On the other hand, veterans in the mold of
Andy Moog, John
Vanbiesbrouck or Mike Vernon could be exquisite experts in their
field.      

Boston:  Cap Raeder

Calgary: Bill Hughes 

Colorado: Jacques Cloutier

Detroit: Ken Holland

Florida: Billy Smith

Hartford: Steve Weekes

Los Angeles: Don Edwards

New Jersey: Jacques Caron

New York Rangers: Sam St. Laurent

Philadelphia: Reggie Lemelin

Phoenix: Pete Peeters

Pittsburgh: Gilles Meloche

San Jose: Wayne Thomas

Tampa Bay: Tony Esposito

Toronto: Rick Wamsley

Vancouver: Glen Hanlon

Washington: Shawn Simpson                 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Badaboum Search Update
-----------------------------------------------------------------
By Michael Dell, editor-in-chief

Two more weeks have passed, yet there's nothing new to report on
the Badaboum front.  We are working on a few leads at the moment
and hope to have something concrete by next issue.  In the
meantime, LCS would like to share a few of the touching letters
we've received in hopes of helping the quest for our big blue
hero.  

Even though my knowledge (and to be honest, my interest)
about NHL mascots is very limited, I was emotionally touched by
your search for Badaboum.  Living in Germany for all my life, I
never had the inspiring experience to see what must have been the
greatest hockey mascot of all time.  But lately, when I watched a
game of my German Hockey League club, I didn't believe my eyes,
when after the first period, an unidentified, very blue giant was
skating over the ice... Even more startling is, that the concept
of team mascots is almost completely unknown over here! Could it
be that Badaboum is on a mission here in Europe? Could it be that
Badaboum is paving the way to Europe for retired NHL mascots,
just like retired NHL players who make some bucks over here at
the eve of their careers? Maybe you should investigate
in this direction...

Sincerely yours,

Bernd Hoidn, 
Mainz/Germany


Here at LCS, we really don't have the funds for an investigative
journey overseas.  So we did the next best thing.  We got all
liquored up on imported beer while watching old reruns of
Hogan's Heroes.  It's not really clear how this helped
in our search for Badaboum, but it sure as hell was fun... oh,
that Col. Klink..."Ho-o-o-gan!"  



Badaboum is alive and well running a poutine shop in Tweed,
Ontario. He rents a room from Elvis and believes Al Morganti is
the reincarnation of Stephen Leacock.

Danny Stahl 
Ottawa, Ontario

I was at a "poutine shop" once.  Couldn't walk for a week. 
I don't even know what that means.  Anyway, I don't really know who
Stephen Leacock is either, but I'm sure he must have been a fine man if
he could be confused for Al Morganti, our hockey reportin' hero.


  
Nobody knows were he is now but lots of people suspect that
Badaboum and Marcel Aubut (former owner and president of the
Quebec Nordiques) are one and only person and nobody cares about
Marcel Aubut anymore, so you have your answer.

Michel Dion, 
B�lsta, Sweden 

No, Aubut weighed more...



I think I saw him on my college campus, Oklahoma State
University.

Anonymous

LCS checked this one out.  Unfortunately, what was confused for
Badaboum was actually an experiment gone awry by the University
science department.  The kids were trying to invent a long-tailed
hamster when something went screwy.  At first the creature was
feared, but he soon gained a following for his ability to drink
all challengers under the table and for the way he could run
around in a wheel really, really fast.  "Okie" is now enrolled at
Oklahoma State where he's majoring in Chemical Engineering while
also serving as the class president and unofficial "Big Man on
Campus."
     


Hark! I have news of Badaboum. A friend of mine who has this
friend whose roommate's ex-boyfriend used to work in NHL offices
in New York under Gary Bettman. As I understand it, Gary Bettman
had ol' Badaboum shot and made into a deep shag pile rug for his
office. It seems Badaboum had too much pride and would not accept
the new commissioner's decision to rename him to "The Northeast
Division's Blue Mascot".  Bettman tried to legally force the
Great Blue One to change his name and a lawsuit was brought
forth. Badaboum borrowed a couple of bucks from some guy named
Eagleson (Jim Kelley, professional hockey writer, says the money
was skimmed from the Old Mascots retirement fund. This would, of
course, explain the relative obscurity of that damn ugly chicken
and Sabretooth's new red and black skin) and mounted a successful
defense. In the end, the commissioner decided the Mascot was just
too Canadian and turned off potential US hockey fans. With that
fateful decision and the moving of his hockey club, Badaboum's
fate was sealed.

The story has an ironic ending. Poor Mr. Bettman was rumored as
of late, to have been lamenting the loss of Badaboum. With the
recent talks of the league expansion to 67 cities in the US and
Mexico, original mascot ideas have been very rare. Indeed the
possible expansion into Atlanta revealed the mascot name of
Badaredneck. Alas, Mexico City's entry of Badaboumino was deemed
inappropriate for young children. Perhaps your crack staff of
reporters could investigate more of the possible new mascots.

John Carney 
Buffalo, New York 

We can only hope and pray that this isn't true.  Besides,
Badaboum would really make a better pair of socks than a rug.

Well, that's a modest sampling of the letters we've received to
this point in our search.  Please, keep those cards and letters
coming.  Every little bit helps.  


=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA PANTHERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Doug MacLean
   
Roster: C - 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, Jason
Podollan.  D - Robert Svehla, Gord Murphy, Ed Jovanovski, Paul
Laus, Terry Carkner, Rhett Warrener, Per Gustafsson, Geoff Smith. 
G - John Vanbiesbrouck, Mark Fitzpatrick. 

Injuries: Ed Jovanovski, d (MCL tear, 4-6 weeks); Ray Sheppard,
rw (MCL tear, 5-7 weeks); Brian Skrudland, c (shoulder, day-to-
day); Tom Fitzgerald, rw (stomach, day-to-day).

Transactions: Steve Washburn, c, called up and returned to
Carolina Monarchs (AHL).  Jason Podollan, rw, recalled from
Carolina Monarchs (AHL).
 
Game Results: 
1/20  Colorado    L 4-2
1/22  at Hartford L 2-1 OT
1/23  at Boston   W 4-1
1/25  Tampa Bay   W 3-2
1/28  Montreal    W 5-1
1/30  Boston      W 3-1
2/01  Washington  L 3-1
2/03  at Montreal T 2-2

TEAM NEWS by Eric Seiden

"It's a hockey night in South Florida, and here come your
Panthers," screamed the announcer.

The Hartford game contained one helluva fight. All players on the
ice had at it after Cheap-Shot-Artist Keith Primeau put a stick
to the gut of Mark Fitzpatrick. Six players got roughing minors
and four got game misconducts.

Sadly Fitzpatrick missed the save to preserve the tie in overtime
with only 17.8 seconds on the clock, and the Panthers extended
their winless streak to four.

The last two periods against Hartford the Cats played great. They
really did.  They just couldn't get the puck in the net.
Sometimes the better team doesn't win, and this time the Panthers
were the better team. For two full periods and one OT
period the Cats outplayed Hartford and beat them like a pack of
rented mules.  Only they didn't get it in the net and a lucky
puck slipped past Fitzy as the clocked wound down.

The Panthers game against Tampa saw Andrei Lomakin's record of
two goals in 2:07 (December 8, 1993) broken by Scott Mellanby who
scored two goals in just 0:50. The first period was called early
due to broken glass. It was caused when Patrick Poulin missed a
check on Per Gustafsson and hit the glass on the door to the
visitor's penalty box causing it to shatter, littering the
ice with tiny particles. Neither player was hurt. The last 3:22
of the first period was tacked on to the start of the second
period so repairs could be made. The beginning of the second
period was delayed as the repairs were still not complete.

After the final whistle blew on the 3-2 Florida win, John
Vanbiesbrouck went after Alexander Selivanov, said something, and
tried to get him to drop the gloves. Officials kept the two
separated. "He can't even speak English. I don't know what he was
talking about," said Beezer.

The Washington Capitals will be without leading scorer Peter
Bondra for at least one game after he was suspended effective
with Sunday's game at Buffalo, pending a hearing with Brian
Burke. The suspension is the result of a kneeing incident against
Ray Sheppard in the second period of Saturday's game. Bondra was
assessed a major penalty for kneeing, and a subsequent MRI
indicated Sheppard will miss at least five weeks with a torn MCL.
The Panthers have been beset with MRI injuries all season. In the
same game, Robert Svehla took a puck to the eye during practice,
but was able to return despite the eye being grotesquely swollen
and bloody throughout the game. 

The contest itself was characterized by some of the Panthers
worst play all season with missed passes, poorly executed setups,
and all around unprofessional hockey. Johan Garpenlov summed up
the Capitals game well, "We had a really bad game today.
Nobody played well. Well, Beezer played well." 

After the game, fans saw Bryan Murray yelling at Bondra after a
tirade on the referees. Bondra was still on the ice because he
was one of the stars of the game, and Murray was in the hallway
because the referees' room is near the visitors' locker room. "He
was complaining to the officials after the game, he was doing his
job as a GM," said an official. But Murray, still fuming, kept
the tirade going. 

"Here is what's happening in our league: the skill players are
constantly complaining about being hooked, held and impeded,"
said Murray, who then directed a remark at Bondra. "But if they
want to be respected, they can't be involved in this kind of
thing. Every time this happens, you always hear the same thing,
`He's not that kind of player.'"

"I don't have any idea how you go out and find a natural
goal-scorer," Murray added. "I guess our younger players are
going to have to step up now." 

PANTHER HOLDINGS

Florida Panthers Holdings has purchased Incredible Ice in Coral
Springs, Florida. There is a meeting with City Commissioners to
discuss expansion of land and possibility of Panthers practicing
at the new rink. It really is a modern facility with two full
size rinks. The Panthers currently practice at Gold Coast in
Pompano Beach, Florida, but their lease is up this season. Coral
Springs is closer to the Panthers new arena being built in
Sunrise, Florida. Coral Springs is near Boca Raton, where much of
the team currently resides. Panthers Holdings (PUCK) is a
publicly traded company that had an IPO at $10 per share and now
trades at around $30 on the NASDAQ.

MURRAY IN HOT WATER

The Miami Herald indicates that GM Bryan Murray was fined for a
December, 10 1996 discussion with a replay official. Murray
admitted he was reprimanded and denied he punched the official or
broke down the official's door. "I knocked on the door, and went
in." There was no indication if Murray was fined.

KLIMA COMING?

The Herald also reports the Panthers are not interested in Petr
Klima despite published reports because, "The type of team we
have allows for a skill guy to come in, a hard-working guy who is
disciplined." Apparently Klima doesn't fit the bill.

PANTHERS IRC CHAT

A group of fans have set up an IRC channel to discuss the Florida
Panthers.  Regularly scheduled chats will be planned in the
future, but now it's just a random get together. Join #Panthers
on any of the following IRC servers.


 irc.afn.org 
 irc.gfn.org 
 prairienet.org 
 irc.macatawa.org
 irc.freenet.victoria.bc.ca 
 irc.stetson.edu






-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Jacques Lemaire
   
Roster: C - Bob Carpenter, Bobby Holik, Denis Pederson, Steve
Sullivan. 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, Jason
Smith, Kevin Dean. G - Martin Brodeur, Mike     Dunham.

Injuries: None.

Transactions: Sent Petr Sykora, c, to Albany (AHL).

Game Results:
1/21 at Los Angeles W 4-1
1/22 at Anaheim     L 3-1
1/24 at San jose    W 3-1
1/29 Ottawa         T 1-1
1/31 Toronto        T 3-3
2/01 at Montreal    T 4-4

TEAM NEWS by David Ibrahim 

Another week, the same old story. If you want to know what's
going on with this team and what's wrong, just read last issue's
article, or any previous one for that matter. However, for the
sake of filling space, I'll say it again: Not enough goal scoring
and a power play that is dead last in the league. 

Management has semi-acknowledged that the team is lacking up
front. Now, how long will it take before something actually
happens?

Probably sooner than later. The last week was filled with lost
opportunities. After a solid west coast swing (2-1-0), the Devils
turned in three disappointing performances in a row, all three of
them ties. A game against the lowly Senators saw the Devils play
sluggishly all night. The Devils blamed a long lay off for the
problems. Two days of fun and sun in California? Sounds awful.
Only a third-period goal by rookie Jay Pandolfo saved the team
from a total embarrassment. Two nights later against the last
place Maple Leafs, the Devils had a 3-2 lead but couldn't hang on
as the scoring dried out prematurely once again. The next night
in Montreal, the Devils had a 3-1 lead in the second, ended up
falling behind 4-3, but got a breakaway goal from Steve Sullivan
to even the score. The defense was more to blame this time, but
the Devils offense was virtually non-existent in the second half
of the game.

In an incident before the game, Lemaire stirred the pot
unnecessarily again by starting Dunham instead of playing Brodeur
in his home town with 50 friends and family members in
attendance. Lemaire's excuse: he didn't think Brodeur got to bed
early enough the night before. Brodeur, forever the nice guy,
wouldn't come out and say that Lemaire was wrong, but he
definitely implied it and his frustration showed. Dunham played a
good game and made two game-savers in OT, but no doubt Brodeur
was in the right. Lemaire wouldn't play Dunham the night before
at home because he believes Dunham has trouble in the
Meadowlands. Once again, making a mountain out of a mole hill.

What will happen now? The team drifted through the last month
(4-4-4 12 pts) when they really could have made a move in the
standings. Lost opportunities that could very well come back to
haunt them, not unlike last year. February is going to be a tough
month, with several games against the Rangers, Flyers and
Panthers. The elusive scoring center would be a great help, and a
growing sentiment is that a change at the top wouldn't be such
a bad idea either. No one on the Devils has broken 20 goals yet
and their two leading scorers are well short of averaging a point
a game.

<h2>Off the Boards</h2>

* Rumors of Doug Gilmour coming to NJ persist, but GM Lou
Lamourillo rarely pulls the trigger unless a deal obviously
favors the Devils.



-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Rick Bowness  
   
Roster: C - Travis Green, Bryan Smolinski, Derek Armstrong,
Claude Lapointe.  LW - Derek King, Marty McInnis, Niclas
Anderssen, 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.  G - Eric Fichaud, Tommy Salo.

Injuries: Dennis Vaske, d (concussion, indefinite... and not
looking good).

Transactions: GM Mike Milbury stepped down as coach and was
replaced by assitant Rick Bowness.  Please, see feature story
elsewhere in this issue.

Game Results
01/22 Edmonton      W 8-1
01/24 at Hartford   W 5-2
01/25 Chicago       W 3-2
01/28 at Calgary    L 4-3
01/30 at Vancouver  L 2-1 OT
01/31 at Edmonton   L 1-0

TEAM NEWS by David Strauss

Remember a few weeks back where this column described the
Islanders' season as resembling a game of "Chutes and Ladders"? 
Guess which team hit one nasty little chute just as they grabbed
hold of a ladder?  

The Islanders began a three-game western road trip just four
points out of a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference
race.  That after a three-game winning streak which saw them post
an impressive 8-1 win over Edmonton, a 5-2 win over Hartford, and
a 3-2 win over Chicago (their first win over the Blackhawks in
Uniondale since 1984).

They then went out west and lost to the Flames, Canucks, and
Oilers in four days, leaving the team 16-26-9 and just one point
ahead of the 13th-place Senators and only two better than the
Maple Leafs, who have the lowest total in the league.  The only
bright spot to the current standings is that the Islanders own
the first-round pick of the Maple Leafs, as well as their own, in
the talent-laden 1997 draft. Which means they are close to
getting the first two selections in the draft.

"We played very hard for the whole trip, but got three one-goal
losses," coach Rick Bowness said after Friday's 1-0 loss to the
Oilers. "It's disappointing to play that hard and that well and
not get any points... Our guys hurt over this."

Chutes.  The team should be hurting.  After falling behind 4-0 in 
Calgary, they rallied to make it a 4-3 game before losing.  Tommy
Salo was spectacular in net against the Canucks in a 2-1 loss,
but after tying the game in the 3rd period, they lost on a goal
90 seconds into overtime.  What made it even worse was that both
goals were deflected in off Islander players.

They picked up their game the next night and thoroughly outplayed
the Oilers in Edmonton, but were stymied by the magnificent play
of goalie Curtis Joseph, who earned just the second 1-0 victory
in Edmonton history.  The other came against the Islanders in the
1984 Stanley Cup Finals.

Joseph robbed Travis Green several times, including twice in a
15-second span in the third.  "I thought I had him beat.  I think
the whole rink thought I had him," said Green.  "I don't know
what to say.  I'm just really disappointed."

Chutes.  Derek King in Calgary delivered the best check of the
western trip.  Unfortunately, it was on teammate Scott Lachance.  

Ladders.  For the first time all season, Todd Bertuzzi played
with some kind of fire.  Bertuzzi was solid in all three games,
scoring one goal and three points and finishing his checks.  

Chutes.  Bertuzzi missed another goal in Edmonton, hitting the
post when goalie Joseph threw his stick at the puck. The
infraction should have resulted in a penalty shot but none was
called.

The phantom penalty shot was a perfect example of what can go
wrong when a team isn't getting the breaks.  In the second
period, with the Isles down 1-0, Bertuzzi burst down the center
with a clear scoring opportunity.  Goaltender Joseph threw his
stick at the puck just as Bertuzzi was about to launch a shot at
the left side of the net, but referee Bill McCreary never made a
call. And though a video replay appeared to confirm the penalty,
it was too late to change the non-call.  According to NHL rules,
Joseph could have been penalized under Rule 88, Throwing Stick,
Section (a).

"We argued it," Islanders coach Rick Bowness said. "And Bill
McCreary disagreed. End of discussion."

As Bertuzzi said: "Yeah, he did throw his stick at the puck. But
he missed it. I had him. I just didn't put it in."

Ladders.  The team was lucky enough to not fall out of the race,
and remain only five points behind the eighth-place Canadiens
with a game in hand.

Chutes.  In three games, totaling 181 minutes 30 seconds, the
Islanders scored all of four goals. And it is not as if they did
not have their chances.  The performance by Joseph was
extraordinary, but the team didn't score enough in the other two
games either. The effort was there, but nothing showed for it. 
Only six teams in the National Hockey League have scored fewer
goals than the Islanders (137). 

Ladders.  At least there was further encouragement in the
continued solid play of goalie Tommy Salo, who nearly matched
both Joseph and Vancouver's Kirk McLean on consecutive nights.
Salo stopped 35 of 36 shots against Edmonton, but he had no
margin for error. In two games, the Islanders scored one goal for
him. 

Chutes.  Chutes.  Chutes.  "It was a long trip," Bertuzzi said.
"There's no reason why we couldn't grab a couple points." 

NOTES

The Islanders played their annual wheelchair floor hockey game
this week against the physically challenged high school students
of the host Henry Viscardi School in Albertson.  Forward Derek
King, a veteran of previous wheelchair events, led the Islanders
team.  Teammates Derek Armstrong, Marty McInnis, Steven Webb,
Bryan McCabe, Bryan Berard, and Eric Fichaud joined him.

"The annual wheelchair game has been a tradition for the entire
Islander organization that the players are very proud to be a
part of," King said. "I feel it's a great opportunity to share
such a special day with such extraordinary kids."

Edmund Cortez, president of the National Center, said that ties
between the Islanders and the Viscardi School are strong. "The
Islanders have been playing hockey with our kids since 1976, so
this relationship is a long-standing and very special one,"
Cortez said. "The game is one of the highlights of the year for
everyone here and it's really hard to tell who enjoys themselves
more, the kids or the adults."




-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK RANGERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Colin Campbell

Rosters:  C - Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Sergei Nemchinov,
Niklas Sundstrom.  LW - Adam Graves, Luc Robitaille, Darren
Langdon, Bill Berg, Sylvain Blouin.  RW - Alexei Kovalev, Brian
Noonan, Pat Flatley, Shane Churla, Vladimir Vorobiev.  D - Brian
Leetch, Ulf Samuelsson, Jeff Beukeboom, Bruce Driver, Doug
Lidster, Alexander Karpovstev, Jay More, Eric Cairns.  G - Mike
Richter, Glenn Healy.

Injuries:  Alexei Kovalev, rw (torn anterior crucuiate ligament,
out for the season); Shane Churla, rw (sore knee and groin, 2-3
weeks).

Transactions:  Recalled Dan Cloutier, g, from Binghamton (AHL). 
Returned Cloutier, g, to Binghamton (AHL).  Returned Christian
Dube, c, to Hull (QMJHL).

Game Results
1/21 Edmonton       T 4-4
1/22  at Washington W 5-3
1/25 at Pittsburgh  W 7-4
1/27 Chicago        L 5-2
2/01 at Philadelphia W 4-2
2/02 Boston         L 3-2

TEAM NEWS by Alex Frias

The New York Russian Rocket?:  "I like to skate.  I like
to pass," a smiling Vladimir Vorobiev said.  

Apparently the 24-year-old likes to score as well.  In his
Madison Square Garden debut, Vorobiev scored his first NHL career
goal along with three assists in the 4-4 tie with the Oilers. 
The next night, in a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over the
Capitals, he scored again, rocketing a pass from Wayne Gretzky.  

"This is a real good showing for him," GM Neil Smith said. 
"Whether he's the right guy for the rest of the year I don't
know, but he did himself a lot of good so far."

Richter Separates Shoulder:  Mike Richter suffered a Grade
1 separation of his left shoulder and missed two games because of
it.  Richter separated it doing a double-leg sliding save during
practice and landed on the shoulder.

Probert Rumors:  With the Rangers in the market for a
heavyweight, rumors are circulating about Bob Probert possibly
coming to the Big Apple.  Probert, who was once Colin Campbell's
personal charge in Detroit, would definitely help in the tough
guy department as the Rangers can't have rookie Eric Cairns fight
all their battles.  If Probert does come over, this would most
likely mean dealing resident tough guy Shane Churla.  Churla, who
has fallen out of favor with Campbell after his acts of
insubordination, was a teammate of Blackhawks coach Craig
Hartsburg when they played for the North Stars.    

Larmer Back in Blue?:  Colin Campbell phoned Steve Larmer,
but was foiled in his attempt to talk the former Rangers' RW out
of retirement.  

"I talked to him and he said, 'No,'" Campbell said.  "I said,
'Think it over and I'll call you back.'  He said, 'OK.'  Then,
two seconds later, he said, 'No, I'm having too much fun.'"

Campbell's desire to talk Larmer out of retirement says a lot
about the coach's confidence in his forwards, who would blame
him.  The Rangers don't have enough smart, tough, checking
wingers.  Larmer was the essential "old reliable" with a scoring
touch.  Brian Noonan comes closest, but he isn't the player
Larmer was and isn't big enough to battle a John LeClair.  Pat
Flatley, for all his hard work, can barely keep up.  And Sergei
Nemchinov is doing such a good job that Neil Smith is looking to
trade for a checking center.  The only guy that fills the
aforementioned description is Bill Berg, and he doesn't have that
scoring touch.  

It's up to Smith to find someone of Larmer's ilk without giving
away the future (case in point, last season's
youth-for-experience trade w/LA that has come back to haunt the
Rangers).  

Game Recaps

Jan. 21, tied Edmonton 4-4:  Rookie Vladimir Vorobiev
scored his first NHL goal and set up all three others - including
Messier's tying tally with 1:41 left in regulation - as the
Rangers pulled out a wild 4-4 tie at the Garden.  Brian Leetch
also had a good game as he scored two first period goals.
  
Jan. 22, beat Washington 5-3:  Leetch scores another two
goals to help lift Rangers over the guerrilla warriors named the
Washington Capitals.  The win was their first against the Caps
after three losses this season and raised their troublesome
divisional record to 5-12-4.  

Jan. 25, beat Pittsburgh 7-4:  After falling behind 2-0
after the first period, Gretzky gave the team a little pep talk
and went on to set up three straight goals as Gretz energized the
Rangers and sparked the comeback that produced a 7-4 victory over
the Pens.  

The Rangers have outscored the Penguins 23-8 in the three
meetings this season and have scored 10 goals on 53 shots on
rookie sensation Patrick Lalime.  

Leetch's second-period assist was his 482 of his career, moving
him past Jean Ratelle into second place on the Rangers' all-time
list behind Rod Gilbert (615). 

Jan. 27, lost to Chicago 2-1:  Chicago was 17-26-8
entering the game and they simply had to be beaten.  The Rangers
chose instead to beat themselves.  One game after pulling off an
impressive come-from-behind victory at Pittsburgh and one game
before having to face the Flyers in Philadelphia, the Blueshirts
allowed Chicago's only offensive threat, Tony Amonte, to beat
them.  

Feb. 1, beat Philadelphia 4-2:  Richter was simply
brilliant making 39 saves in what had to rank as one of his
finest performances of the season.  With the Flyers crashing and
crashing heavy, Gretzky saw a season-low amount of ice time along
with Robitaille and Vorobiev because they were being overrun by
the burly Flyers.  This win should have an asterisk next to it as
it was all Richter.  

Feb. 2, lost to Boston 3-2:  Once again, the Rangers don't
play down to the level of the teams at the bottom of the Eastern
Conference standings, they play below them.  And they've blown an
unacceptable amount of points in the process.  Staking the Bruins
to a three-goal lead, the Rangers couldn't come all the way back
and suffered a dreadful 3-2 loss at the Garden.  Colin Campbell
had to put Messier and Gretzky on the same line for the final 40
minutes in a desperate attempt to avert this disaster, which was
unavoidable. 




-----------------------------------------------------------------
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Terry Murray

ROSTER: C - Eric Lindros, Rod Brind'Amour, Dale Hawerchuk, Joel
Otto, Daniel Lacroix. 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: Karl Dykhuis, d (sustained a dislocated shoulder Jan.
28 vs. Phoenix, out indefinitely); Petr Svoboda, d (sustained a
piched nerev in his neck Jan. 28, has missed the last three
games, day-to-day); Kjell Samuelsson, d (sustained a ruptured
disk in his back, required surgery, out two months); Dale 
Hawerchuk, c (sustained a pulled rib cage on his left side vs.
Detroit Jan. 25, has missed the last three games, day-to-day).


Transactions: January 29 - recalled Darren Rumble, d, from
Philadelphia (AHL); January 31 - reassigned Darren Rumble, d, to
Philadelphia (AHL); February 1 - recalled Darren Rumble, d, from
Philadelphia (AHL).

Game Results
01/21  Dallas          T  3-3
01/22  at Detroit      T  2-2
01/25  Detroit         L  4-1
01/28  Phoenix         W  4-1
01/29  at Washington   W  2-1
02/01  NY Rangers      L  4-2

TEAM NEWS by Eric Meyer

Remember that yellow brick road that was supposed to be built
here in Philly? Yeah, you know the one: the yellow brick road
that was supposed to lead right to the Stanley Cup. Well, it
appears that there might be a little rust forming on it.

No longer are the Flyers boasting a monster unbeaten streak; that
was in December and early January. This is now early February,
and ladies and gentlemen, there in now a chink in the armor. Just
4-3-4 are the Flyers in their last 10 games. Said coach Terry
Murray after the team's loss to Detroit on Jan. 25, "The wheels
have been getting loose in the last couple of games since the
All-Star Break...Now they have completely fallen off"

Ok, yeah, I know, the Flyers aren't exactly on a free fall here.
In fact, they did rally a bit following the loss to the Red Wings
to win their next two games in back-to-back nights, home against
Phoenix in a 55-shot barrage against Nikolai Khabibulin and then
the next night in Washington, 2-1 over the Caps.

So then what's going wrong here? Well, let's start with an
obvious area: the All-Star Break. The Flyers had been on an
incredible run going into that said break, having gone 15-1-4 in
their twenty previous games. Quite a run, but take a week off and
even the hottest teams get some time to cool off.

And cool off is just what the Flyers did. Though they would tie
their first two games after the break, it was quite clear that
this was not the same team that had lost just one time in twenty
games. Having tied Dallas, 3-3 on Jan. 21, the team came out flat
the following night in Detroit and was very lucky to escape the
Motor City with a 2-2 tie. Lucky, because Ron Hextall decided it
would be a nice time to stand on his head and save the game for
his team.

And what about that goaltending situtation here in Philly? Funny
how during the first half of the season and throughout the big
seventeen-game unbeaten streak every Flyers fan's best pal was
Ron Hextall. But what do you know, the team starts struggling a
bit and people in this city love to point fingers? Well, Terry
Murray was the focus of all the finger pointing early on when the
Flyers struggled to keep above .500 in the first quarter
of the season, but now if looks as if the burden has been shifted
away from Mr. Murray and on to Mr. Hextall.

So can we really blame Ron Hextall? Some numbers for the season:
23-10-3, 2.28 GAA, .907 SV%, three Shutouts. So that doesn't seem
too bad does it?

Maybe that doesn't cut the mustard around here. And maybe people
are starting to look at some recent games; some recent big games,
against some big competition. Against Detroit at the CoreStates,
Hexy let in four goals on fifteen Red Wing shots. Against New
York, he let in four goals on seventeen shots.

In fact, one Philadelphia sportstalk radio station which shall
remain nameless, before the Flyers-Rangers game, was asking
listeners to call in and name the goaltenders that you would be
willing to trade Hextall for.

Personally, I can't bash Hexy yet, I look more to what's been
going on directly in front of him, i.e., injuries to the defense.
Kjell Samuelsson is gone, and should be missed for another month
or so with a ruptured disk in his neck that needed surgery. His
plus/minus rating of +17 is second best on this team. Also missed
for the past couple of games has been Petr Svboda. He's struggled
with small injuries throughout the season, but the loss of
Svoboda means that Eric Desjardins must pair up with Chris
Therien on defense. Svoboda was +9. Then, there's the loss of
Karl Dykhuis. Ok, they lost Dykhuis, so what, you say? He's been
having a subpar year by any standards, but...
he's been there pretty much all year. He's someone that the
Flyers had gotten used to out on the ice. His loss means
more reshuffling for Terry Murray.

And what about reshuffling by Terry Murray? Can you say Legion of
Doom, bye-bye? That's right, during the Flyers 4-1 win over
Phoenix, coach Terry Murray broke up the Legion of Doom line,
moving Mikael Renberg back to the third line along side Joel Otto
and Shjon Podein, bringing in rookie Dainius Zubrus to play the
right wing with John LeClair and Eric Lindros.

So was this move a total shock? Nope! Before the move Dainius
Zubrus had amassed six goals on the Flyers' checking line in only
37 games played.  While paired up with the Legion of Doom line,
Renberg had tallied only ten goals in 48 games. Add that to the
fact that Renberg has taken over four times as many shots on goal
as has Zubrus and you start to see why Terry Murray made his
move.

So what has Zubie done on the front line in his first three
games? Not too shabby, one goal and two assists. What's not seen
in the scoring column, however, is that Zubrus has begun to show
a physical side on the front line that he seemed to be lacking a
bit when placed on the third line. Against New York, Zubrus was
all over the ice, laying body checks and scrapping in the corners
for the puck. It seems this move might just pan out until Renberg
can show Terry Murray that he has regained the scoring touch that
has made him a go-to guy for this Flyers team in the past.

And what about that New York Ranger game? Up until this point of
the season, I kinda thought it would be the game of the year for
this team (for the record I still think the tie at Colorado was
much better). And in many respects it was. 

The game was played before a near capacity house of 19,700 plus
thronging fans at the CoreStates Center. And while the niagara of
"Rangers Suck!" chants that rained down in waves from the stands
was impossible to ignore, there was a definite smattering of
support for the (stinkin'!) New York Rangers.

It took about 28 seconds for the bad blood to boil between these
two teams as Eric Cairns and Scott Daniels dropped the gloves at
center ice.  Two more fights would break out in the first period
alone (Kordic-Langdon, Lacroix-Beukeboom).

And unlike the Flyers' previous Saturday matinee at the
CoreStates against the Red Wings, where the Flyers looked
incredibly flat and could never get anything started, this game
against the (stinkin'!) Rangers would be different. Trailing 1-0
in the second period, Eric Desjardins fired a shot on net from
the point which redirected off the skate of Shjon Podein
to tie the score at one. Minutes later, Eric Lindros took a feed
in front from John LeClair and shot the puck past goaltender Mike
Richter to give the Flyers their first lead of the game, 2-1. But
the turning point in the game would occur when Alexander
Karpotsev would tie the score with under a minute to play in the
second period. That was pretty much the straw that broke the
Flyers' proverbial camel's back. Two more goals from the
(stinkin'!) Rangers in the third period and a lackluster
performance from the Flyers in the final frame gave the
(stinkin!) Rangers a 4-2 win. The loss dropped the Flyers record
against Atlantic Division opposition to just 8-9-2.

Meyer's Flyers Tidbits... 

* From the "Buy him a new pair of walking shoes" department
comes the story of Flyers' defenseman Darren Rumble. His recall
from Philadelphia (AHL) on Feb. 1, marked the 5th time
this season that Mr. Rumble had made the pilgramage across the
parking lot from the CoreStates Spectrum to the CoreStates
Center. Now those are some Frequent Flyer miles for you.
Get it? Because you know, Flyer miles and he's on the
Fly---forget it!

* Once again, I must take the time in this issue to give some
props to the Flyers' little brothers in the minor leagues, the
Phantoms. The team recently set the AHL record for consecutive
home wins by defeating division rival Adirondack at the
CoreStates Spectrum. Though they did have their streak snapped
before a sold out CoreStates Spectrum crowd of 17,380 with a tie
against Hershey, they still have a 20-game home unbeaten
streak. Hey, with the Sixers eating a fat "you-know-what"
across the way, maybe more people will get to check out the
Phantoms. Once again, congratulations! 

* Flyers general manager Bobby Clarke was officially named
chairman of a three general manager committee that will select
Canada's Olympic Hockey team for 1998 in Nagano, Japan.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
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 - Dino Ciccarelli, Alexander Selivanov,
Mikael Andersson, Paul Brousseau.  D - Roman Hamrlik, Bill
Houlder, Cory Cross, Dave Shaw, Igor Ulanov, Drew Bannister, Jay
Wells.  G - Daren Puppa, Corey Schwab, Rick
Tabaracci.

Injuries:  Brian Bradley, c (wrist, indefinite); Daren Puppa, g
(back, indefinite).

Transactions: Traded Craig Wolanin, d, to the Toronto Maple Leafs
for a third-round choice in the 1998 Draft.

Game Results:
1/21 Colorado    W 3-2 OT
1/25 at Florida  L 3-2
1/27 at Ottawa   L 5-3
1/30 Montreal    L 4-1
2/01 Boston      L 3-0

TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell

The men with lightning bolts on their pants are in some serious
trouble.  They've lost four straight games and are only one point
ahead of the New York Islanders for last place in the Eastern
Conference.  The Bolts currently check in with a record of 18-25-
6, good for 42 points and sixth place in the Atlantic; six points
out of the final playoff spot.  

Home Cooking Sucks:  The main reason for the struggles is
the team's play on home ice.  The Bolts have only won six times
at the Ice Palace this season, the fewest home wins in the NHL. 
If their home record (6-11-6) was anywhere near their mark on the
road (12-14-0), a return trip to the postseason wouldn't be in
such doubt.

Not So Special Teams:  The biggest ingredient in the
Lightning's success last season was the performance of their
special teams.  Well, not this year, Bucko.  The Bolt power play
ranks 17th (14.6%) and the penalty-killing is 16th (82%).  This
just in, that's not good...

God Bless Cullen, Everyone:  Johnny Cullen, LCS hero and
the idol of millions from eight to eighty, is still leading the
club in scoring with 13 goals and 40 points in 47 games.  All
hail Johnny Cullen...  Johnny Cullen is great. 

Chris Gratton has been having a pretty strong campaign and checks
in second with 17 goals and 36 points in 49 contests.  Dino
Ciccarelli has slipped considerably from his early pace and is
third with, still a team-high, 19 goals and 35 points in 47
games.      

Gritty gutty Rob Zamuner is fourth on the team in scoring with 10
goals and 32 points.  He's also second on the club in +/- with a
+5, trailing only Igor Ulanov's +6.  Shawn Burr has recovered
from having his little finger mangled by a Rob Dimaio slash and
is fifth with 12 goals and 25 points in just 41 games.  

Alexander "Knuckles" Selivanov got off to a horrible start this
season but is slowly beginning to crank it up, with 12 goals and
25 points on the season.  Roman Hamrlik has continued his fall
from grace with just seven goals and 25 points after being
considered among the league's elite offensive defensemen last
season.  If his scoring numbers weren't bad enough, Hamrlik also
sports a -15.  Even Picasso spilt some paint now and again, but
this is like knockin' over a whole damn paint store...

Wolanin History:  Craig Wolanin's tenure as a Lightning
Bolt didn't last long, as last week he was traded to the Toronto
Maple Leafs in exchange for a third-round 1998 Draft choice. 
After being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche over the off-
season for future considerations, Wolanin spent most of his time
in Tampa recovering from shoulder surgery.  The rugged defender
did not register a point in 14 games with the Lightning and was a
-7.  Wolanin is a big, strong blueliner that will stand up for
his teammates and is excellent in the locker room. 
Unfortunately, he is also a plodding skater that is prone to
mental mistakes.  Maybe he can help light a fire under the lowly
Leafs.

Bradley Wrist Woes:  On January 28, Brian Bradley had a
cast placed on his injured wrist to keep the tendons and muscles
immobilized, in hopes of hurrying up the healing process.  
Bradley originally injured the wrist on January 9 against the
Philadelphia Flyers and has been out of the lineup ever since. 
The cast will be removed in two weeks and the injury reevaluated. 
If this does not work, surgery would be the remaining option and
that would also mean an early end to Bradley's 1996-97 season. 
Bradley has led Tampa Bay in scoring every year since the club
joined the league back in 1992-93.  
 
Puppa Close:  Daren Puppa is recovering slightly ahead of
schedule after undergoing back surgery earlier in the season.  In
fact, the 31-year-old netminder is skating with the team at
practice and could be only a week or two away.  Puppa won the
season-opener in Pittsburgh on October 5, but has not taken the
ice since.  His healthy return would be an enormous boost to the
club's playoff hopes.  

Short Game Recaps

Jan. 21 beat Colorado 3-2 in overtime:  The Bolts snapped
Colorado's 12-game unbeaten streak with a 3-2 come-from-behind 
overtime win.  The Avalanche enjoyed a 2-0 lead entering the
third period thanks to goals by Eric Lacroix and Brent Severyn,
but Cullen and crew came to play in the third.  Selivanov and
Gratton lit the lamp in the final frame to send the game to extra
time.  Then Bill Houlder slammed a point shot through a screen
and behind Patrick Roy for the winner.  Yeehaw!  Bolts win! 
Yeehaw!

Jan. 25, lost at Florida 3-2:  The Panthers once again
took the Battle of Florida.  All of the game's scoring came in
the middle period.  Gord Murphy got things started, but was
quickly answered by Burr to knot the game at 1-1.  However, Scott
Mellanby did his rat trick thing by scoring two goals only 50
seconds apart to push the Cats back on top to stay.  Houlder
added his second goal in as many games before the second
intermission.  John Vanbiesbrouck made the 3-2 score hold up,
even though the Bolts outshot the Panthers 30 to 18 for the game.

Jan. 27, lost at Ottawa 5-3:  Burr scored twice in the
first period to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead.  Hamrlik would
later add his seventh of the season, but it wasn't enough to stop
the Senators who got two goals from Alexei Yashin and another
from the great Daniel Alfredsson.  Damian Rhodes stopped 24 of 27
shots to earn Ottawa the win.  Rick Tabaracci took the loss,
stopping 26 of 31 Senator chances.

Jan. 30, lost to Montreal 4-1:  The Habs actually beat the
Lightning in Florida, quite the rare occurrence.  Martin Rucinsky
led the way for the Canadiens with two goals and Jocelyn Thibault
was strong in making 35 saves.  Cullen had the lone Bolt goal. 
Johnny also dropped the gloves and showed rookie Darcy Tucker
what life's all about in the third period.  It was one of five
fights on the evening.

Feb. 1, lost to Boston 3-0:  With Bill Ranford still on
the shelf, Rob Tallas was in the Boston net and turned aside 25
shots for his first career NHL shutout.  Ray Bourque also had a
goal and two assists for the Bruins, becoming the franchise's
all-time leading scorer.  Tabaracci stopped 24 of 26 shots in
defeat and Selivanov led the unproductive Bolt attack with five
shots on goal.  The Lightning went 0-for-5 with the man-
advantage.       

Upcoming Games:  The Bolts head to Phoenix to battle the
Coyotes on February 4 and then make a stop in Dallas before
returning home to face the Buffalo Sabres.  Then it's back on the
road for a game against the Panthers and the first half of a
home-and-home with the Capitals. 



-----------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Jim Schoenfeld

ROSTER: C-Michal Pivonka, Joe Juneau, Dale Hunter, Kevin
Kaminski. LW- Andrei Nikolishin, Anson Carter, Jason Allison,
Steve Konowalchuk. RW-Peter Bondra, Kelly Miller, Todd Krygier,
Mike Eagles, Craig Berube. D-Calle Johansson, Sylvain Cote, Joe 
Reekie, Ken Klee, Phil Housley, Eric Charron. G-Jim Carey, Olaf
Kolzig.

INJURIES: Pat Peake, c (shattered right heel, indefinite); Chris
Simon, lw (back spasms, day-to-day); Mark Tinordi, d (broken
right ankle, 2-3 weeks); Sergei Gonchar, d (bruised right knee,
day-to-day).

TRANSACTIONS: Recalled Eric Charron, d, from Portland (AHL). 
Recalled Anson Carter, lw, from Portland. Recalled Jaroslav
Svejkovsky, lw, from Portland.  (Feb. 2) NHL Suspended 
rw Peter Bondra for at least one game pending a further hearing.

Game Results:
1/22 NY Rangers    L 5-3
1/24 Dallas        L 5-2
1/26 Edmonton      L 3-1
1/29 Philadelphia  L 2-1
2/01 at Florida    W 3-1
2/02 at Buffalo    T 2-2

TEAM NEWS by Jason Sheehan

<h2>Worst Homestand in Team History</h2>

The Capitals are not earning their keep in the house that Abe
(Pollin) built.

When the Washington Capitals returned to the USAir Arena for four
straight home games, they were climbing back into playoff
contention and playing their best hockey of the season.  When the
four games were over, the Capitals resembled a ship that had been
lost at sea.

For the first time in team history, the Capitals lost four
straight games at home, and slipped to eighth place in the
Eastern Conference.  A result of defensive lapses, poor 
goaltending and a lack of cohesiveness on the ice were disastrous
for Washington.

Washington also had a devil of a time converting its scoring
chances.  The Capitals outshot every opponent by a decisive
margin during the losing streak, but failed to score more than
three goals in a single game.  That, in itself, is a recipe for 
disaster.

When the New York Rangers came to town Jan. 22, they were on a
mission to make goaltender Jim Carey's night in net a short one. 
Without fail, the Rangers succeeded.

Carey allowed three goals on seven shots, two of them which
should have been stopped, in the first 12 minutes, and was chased
from the goal in favor of Olaf Kolzig.  It was Carey's shortest
stint of the year, and the first time he was taken out of a game
this season.

But Kolzig seemed to inject a shot of life into the crumpled
Capitals.  He held the Rangers in check for 47 minutes and
allowed the Capitals to make a comeback bid, tying the game at
3-3 with two goals from right winger Peter Bondra and a goal from
left winger Steve Konowalchuk.

New York spoiled Washington's comeback bid with just 36.8 seconds
left when defenseman Brian Leetch's shot from between the circles
found its way under Kolzig's blocker.  

Adam Graves then scored into an empty net with 20.1 seconds left
to lift the Rangers to a 5-3 win. In the end, it was the same old
story for the Capitals; too little, too late.

A win would have raised Washington's record to .500 for the first
time since Dec. 6.  The Capitals are still trying to reach this
goal.

The middle game of the homestand against Dallas was not
memorable.  As if the Capitals couldn't possibl