_ _ _ _ | | ____ ___ | | ____ ___ | | ____ ___ | | ____ ___ | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY ================================================================ 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 zippy@psu.edu. The list will alert you to new issue releases, features and news from LCS. LCS: the hockey pool January 14th marked the half-way point of the LCS pool. The top three epoch finishers will be awarded prizes at the end of the season. Please take time to find out how well your team is doing. The pool rules and results are available from LCS: the hockey pool. LCS: '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 Questions o' the Month have been a formidable challenge to all who have dared solve their riddles. So difficult are these questions that not a single soul was able to correctly all 10 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, Bålsta, 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.

Off the Boards

* 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

Worst Homestand in Team History

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 possibly sink any lower, they did by playing their worst game in quite some time. Virtually every member of the Capitals looked like they were skating in slush, while Dallas, a team that prides itself on playing tight-to-the-vest hockey, glided on the frozen pond and pounded Washington unmercifully, 5-2. The Stars, however, have made many teams look bad on home-ice this season. They came into the USAir Arena with an NHL-best 14 road victories, and left with 15. Dallas also has won five of its last six away games at Washington. On this night, the numbers didn't favor the Capitals, and neither did the sluggish performance. The Capitals skated into a Super Bowl Sunday matchup against a tired Edmonton Oilers squad hoping to turn things around in a positive direction. But a man named CuJo (Oilers' goalie Curtis Joseph) carried the Oilers on his back, earning a 3-1 win. Joseph was sharp all day. He made 40 saves, most of them from close range, and watched as teammates Dan McGillis scored twice and Todd Marchant, who missed a first-period penalty shot, put Edmonton's third goal on the scoreboard. Of note, defenseman Calle Johansson collected his 300th career assist on Bondra's power-play goal in the second period. Washington outshot Edmonton 41-25. Thanks to the Philadelphia Flyers, the fourth and final game of the Capitals' miserable homestand was a record-breaker. Ron Hextall stood on his head, stopping 29 shots, and left the Capitals searching for the definition of opportunistic as Philadelphia slipped by Washington, 2-1. It was a night of firsts. Of course, the loss etched a mark of shame into the team record book, but it was also the first time Philadelphia had beaten Washington all season. The Flyers haven't lost a game on the road in over two months. Rod Brind'Amour and Dainius Zubrus scored for the Flyers, while red-hot Bondra scored the Capitals' lone goal. Of note, Bondra's goal moved him into a second-place tie with Mike Ridley on the Capitals' all-time list. He has scored 218 goals in a Capitals uniform. The Capitals must have been asking, "How many records can we set in one week." If there was a record for amount of records broken in one week, the Capitals would stand a fair chance of being near the top of the league. But teams such as Washington aren't judged on the amount of records, whether good or bad, broken in one week. Teams are judged on wins, which is something the Capitals just don't have enough of. But there is no need for the Capitals to hit the panic button, yet. After a dismal homestand, the club got well in Florida, as they relied on solid goaltending from Jim Carey to beat the Panthers, 3-1. Since record keeping has become such a major topic this week, it would be an outright travesty not to mention that this win snapped Florida's winning streak at four, and Washington's losing streak, also at four games. The Capitals then took a long flight to Buffalo to meet a rested Sabres' club the next night. Here, the Capitals did better than expected, earning a 2-2 tie. With Bondra out of the lineup (details later in article) and trailing 1-0 after two periods of play, the Capitals surged to the lead in the third period with goals from right winger Kelly Miller and Konowalchuk. But the lead was short-lived. Michal Grosek scored the game's final goal with 4:31 left and sent both teams to the locker room with a point. Earning three-out-of-four possible points in the start of a five-game road trip was vital in the Capitals' efforts to climb out of a season-long hole. However if winning ways are to continue, Washington must find a way to score more goals on a regular basis.

Players Failing to Reach Expectations

The reason why the Capitals have been lagging below .500 this season is because a handful of players are having off-years. With 30 games left in the season, the Capitals only have three goal-scorers in double digits: Bondra (32), center Joe Juneau (14) and Konowalchuk (10). Players such as centers Jason Allison and Michal Pivonka, left wingers Todd Krygier and Chris Simon, and defensemen Phil Housley and Calle Johansson just are not getting the job done. Lately, Allison has come close to knocking the puck past the red line. But close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The frustrated Capital is goal-less in his last 36 games, although Coach Jim Schoenfeld plays him regularly on the top two lines. So calling Allison a first-round bust may not be out of the question. Pivonka, who led the team in scoring a year ago, currently finds himself in 11th place in team scoring. He has only scored twice in 22 games since returning from knee surgery Dec. 11, and has 16 points (4 goals, 12 assists) in 32 games played this season. Pivonka, like Allison, also skates on a top line, usually with Bondra. For the Capitals to pick up important wins down the stretch, Pivonka must come alive. The Capitals had hoped for Krygier to use his speed to score more than the four goals he has this season. However, Krygier does have an excuse. A wrist injury sidelined him for about two months, before returning Feb. 1 at Florida. The main problem with Krygier is that he hasn't skated hard to the net. He usually takes his speed to the outside perimeter, where skilled defenseman have easy pickings. Simon, long hair and all, was like a ball of fire when he was traded from the Avalanche in November. He scored six goals in his first 10 games, but has only scored three since. He won't be scoring any goals from the sidelines, which is where he currently is due to back spasms. Simon is listed as day-to-day. Washington also is lacking a goal-scoring punch from its offensive defenseman, Johansson and Housley. Johansson, while steady on defense, is without a goal in the past 17 games. Housley, meanwhile, also has failed to light the lamp in his last 17 games. However, Housley has drastically improved the Capitals power play, which ranks in the upper third of the league. The Capitals are fifth in killing penalties. Sergei Gonchar, another offensive-minded defenseman, injured his right knee against Dallas when he was hit by defenseman Joe Reekie's clearing attempt. Gonchar, like Simon, is listed as day-to-day and should be back soon. Another major problem, as if the Capitals don't have enough, is the fourth line of Kevin Kaminski, Mike Eagles and Craig Berube. Combined, the fourth line has scored only two goals this season, both of which were scored by Berube. Eagles has no goals in 44 games, and Kaminski has not accumulated a single point in 27 games. For the Capitals to snap out of their goal-scoring slump, someone will have to get hot, soon. Washington hasn't scored more than three goals since a 6-3 win over Toronto Jan. 13. Scoring three or fewer goals a game just doesn't get the job done. And the Capitals have learned that the hard way.

Bondra Suspended Indefinitely

Bondra has been a naughty boy lately. In the Florida game, Bondra skated through the Capitals' zone and collided knee-on-knee with Panthers' leading goal-scorer Ray Sheppard. Sheppard was helped off the ice, and Bondra was given a five-minute major penalty for kneeing. Immediately after the game, Panthers' General Manger Bryan Murray called the NHL Offices in New York City and asked that Bondra be suspended. His wish was granted less than 24-hours later. Bondra was suspended for a minimum of one game, which was served at Buffalo Feb. 2, and could miss more action pending a hearing. "He was skating to me, the puck was coming to him and I tried to play him and the puck," Bondra said. "I didn't try to hurt him, I don't think he saw me. I feel bad about it, I am disappointed if he is hurt bad." Sheppard, who will miss four-to-six weeks with a sprained right medial collateral knee ligament, thinks the hit was intentional. "Eight years ago, guys didn't hit guys like that," he said. "It was more shoulder-on-shoulder. There's a growing amount of hits below the waist. We play this for a living and if a guy's unfortunate, it could end his career. "When someone doesn't see someone, you're putting a guy's career at risk," he continued. "You should have enough respect for the players in the league that you wouldn't put their career at jeopardy."

Stat of the Week

Capitals Captain Dale Hunter is trying to become the first NHL player to tally 1,000 points while sitting in the penalty box for over 3,000 minutes. This season, Hunter hasn't missed a game and is playing his best hockey in quite some time, earning 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists) in 52 games. It's unlikely that he will break the 1,000 point barrier this season. But should the 37-year-old warrior decide to play next season, this record should be his for the taking.

Upcoming Games

The Capitals complete their five-game road trip in Western Canada. Washington will face Calgary (Feb. 7), Edmonton (Feb. 9) and Vancouver (Feb. 11), before returning East for a home- and-home series with Tampa Bay (Feb. 14 and 15). If the Capitals slip into yet another losing streak, their bid at a 15th consecutive playoff appearance may be over. =================================================================== ================================================================= TEAM REPORTS ================================================================= EASTERN CONFERENCE NORTHEASTERN DIVISION ----------------------------------------------------------------- BOSTON BRUINS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Steve Kasper Roster: C - Adam Oates, Jozef Stumpel, Ted Donato, Clayton Beddoes, Trent McCleary. LW - Troy Mallette, Brett Harkins, Rob Dimaio, P. C. Drouin. RW - Rick Tocchet, Steve Heinze, Sandy Moger, Sheldon Kennedy, Jeff Odgers, Landon Wilson, Tim Sweeney, Jean-Yves Roy. D - Ray Bourque, Don Sweeney, Kyle McLaren, Jon Rolhoff, Dean Chynoweth, Steve Staios, Barry Richter, Dean Malkoc. G - Bill Ranford, Rob Tallas, Paxton Schaeffer. Injuries: Steve Heinze, rw (torn MCL, hip and groin strain, 6-8 weeks); Sandy Moger, rw (elbow surgery, indefinite); Bill Ranford, c (shoulder muscle cyst, day-to-day); Kyle McLaren, d (separated shoulder, indefinite); Jozef Stumpel, c (back strain, day-to-day). Transactions: sent Todd Elik, lw, Mattias Timmander, d, Anders Myrvold, d, to Providence of the AHL. Called up Paxton Schaeffer, g, and P. C. Drouin, lw, from Providence of the AHL. Game Results 1/22 at Ottawa W 4-1 1/23 Florida L 4-1 1/25 Colorado W 4-1 1/30 at Florida L 3-1 2/01 at Tampa Bay W 3-0 2/02 at NY Rangers W 3-2 TEAM NEWS by Matt Brown On the heels of the All-star break, a diehard Bruins fan would say "They're doin' it again." The reference, of course, is to the incredible second-half performance of last year that took them from tenth place in the Eastern Conference around the break to fifth place by the end of the season. For an optimist who would look at the FleetCenter as half-filled rather than half empty, the Bruins' modest record of 4-2-0 in the last six games seems like a portend of things to come, at least in comparison to the effort and results of the last month or so. For example, instead of losing to Ottawa twice, the Bruins actually beat the Senators, then dispatched the league-leading Avalanche at home and the formidable Rangers in New York. Were it not for two losses to last year's playoff nemesis, the Florida Panthers, this report would be giddy if not delirious. As important as getting more wins than losses for a change was the team's 3-1-0 record in road games, crucial because the Bruins have 19 of 31 remaining games on the road. Of 11 division games, six are at home, which is good, but expand that to include all Eastern Conference foes, and 12 of 23 games remaining are away. Add seven of eight games away against the Western teams, and you have a tougher row to hoe than last year. The Bruins have a three-game homestand this week, then they hit the highway, playing only nine of the next 28 games at home. Of course, this would matter more if the Bruins had anything resembling a home-ice advantage. The reality is that they are 10-14-5 at the FleetCenter, and that means they need to go 8-4-0 just to break even. That will be tough, facing the likes of Florida, Philadelphia, Montreal (always a dogfight), Buffalo, and Pittsburgh at home. They are in 10th by a point, much the same as last year going into February. With 46 points in 51 games, they trail Hartford and Montreal by just one point, with two games in hand over Montreal, though Hartford has one in hand over the Bruins. Washington is but one more point ahead, but they have played an extra game, so Boston could draw even with Washington by beating Ottawa on Tuesday night, and actually pull ahead of the Capitals by beating Hartford on Thursday, since Washington doesn't play again until Friday. Hey, even 15 minutes in playoff contention would look good right about now. But it is perhaps too much to expect the same kind of late charge that propelled the Bruins into fifth place in the conference, especially with Bill Ranford out at least another week rehabbing his shoulder, recovering from the draining of a muscle cyst. All of the enthusiasm has to be tempered by the injury reports. The body count keeps rising, and players are leaving in stretchers faster than the Causeway Street M.A.S.H. unit (the Bruins training staff) can patch them up and get them back on the front lines. Case in point: Tim Sweeney gets set to return against Tampa Bay, but down goes Jozef Stumpel in a collision with Rob Dimaio - the best check of the night by a Bruin in a 3-1 loss to Florida, and it is against another Bruin. Stumpel is out with a bruised tailbone of all things, and has missed two games. The joke is he could have skated okay, but sitting on the bench between shifts would have been too much. Then against Tampa Bay, Dean "of the defense" Chynoweth suffered a corneal abrasion, which in layman's terms means a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. At this point, it isn't clear when Dean will be back, but the damage could have been far worse. The following night against the Rangers, Kyle McLaren was separated from his shoulder by a certain Mr. Samuelsson, whom Bruins fans are sure to remember from his past escapades. This time, Ulfie put a legal hit on McLaren, but try not to read the worst into his motives: "It was a clean hit; he was coming across, just the kind of hit you look for." To do what, Horseface? Plant a little surprise kiss? Can you say "intent to injure?" Or to paraphrase the Church Lady, "Could it have been … Ulfie?" However exaggerated this is, tell me there isn't a Cam Neely fan who doesn't believe in his heart that a body search of the Ulfinator would turn up a 666 tatoo somewhere. No one is more surprised than Sheldon Kennedy over the tremendous outpouring of support from fans and fellow players, in the wake of his announcement that he was sexually abused by his hockey coach in Juniors. But even more startling is the way that Kennedy has become a hero and inspiration to an astounding number of people who have been victims of abuse. Kennedy is receiving almost a thousand letters per day from kids, and adults who were abused as kids. These people have suffered sexual or physical abuse at the hands of supposedly responsible adults and relatives. They look at Kennedy's story, from his struggle to survive his guilt to his courage to face his demons, and they write to him of the strength it has given them to overcome what has happened to them. Kennedy recently sat down with his wife to read through just a portion of the mail, and they didn't come up for air until eight hours and some 400 letters later. Meanwhile, Kennedy was recently named the most influential sportsperson for 1996, an honor usually reserved for bigwigs rather than players. The Toronto Globe and Mail's annual List of Power and Influence in Canadian Sport put Sheldon Kennedy at the top of the list. It was the first time an athlete has ranked so high. Kennedy plans to design and open a camp for abused kids in British Columbia on 650 acres of land donated by a friend, to give these kids a chance to get away from the guilt and the sadness – a chance he never had. Pressed into service by Bill Ranford's injury, Robbie Tallas has seen both the good and the bad. He has had several strong games, but in others he looked as if he were having second thoughts about the big leagues. Not that he was getting much help from his defense or much backchecking from his forwards at the time. But over the recent stretch of games, Tallas has looked pretty good, even in the losses to Florida. However, on Friday, Tallas was doing more than wondering about his choice of professions. During practice, he made a goalie's least favorite save, a dinger, as Steve Staios' one-timer struck him in the so-called "upper thigh area." Tallas immediately went to his knees, saw stars, and got a second look at his breakfast. He was helped off the ice, could barely walk, and went to the hospital to check for damages. Fortunately, it was only a bruise rather than something more serious. Tallas decided to double up, adding an extra "cup" to his protective gear for the short term, and vowed to go shopping for something a little more state-of-the-art than his current protector. Tallas was expected to sit out the next game against Tampa Bay on Saturday, but not only was Robbie able to start, he put it all together and blanked the Bolts 3-0 on Saturday for his first NHL shutout. Granted, his teammates, feeling some responsibility if not pity, went well out of their way to keep the Lighnting as far away from Robbie as possible, holding them to 25 shots. Even more surprising, Robbie followed that performance the next night with a game-saving stint against the Rangers. He turned away all 10 shots he faced in the third period to preserve a 3-2 win. Tallas got a little help from his friends again, especially when Don Sweeney cleared a bouncing puck that squeezed through Tallas right off the goal line to save a certain tying goal. "He's a gritty individual and a battler and tonight he made some big saves," Boston coach Steve Kasper said. "The whole team just got an unbelievable boost on the bench that he was battling for us." And why not? His teammates knew Robbie was literally putting everything he had on the line for them. ----------------------------------------------------------------- BUFFALO SABRES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Ted Nolan Roster: C - Michael Peca, Derek Plante, Brian Holzinger, Wayne Primeau. LW - Brad May, Michal Grosek, Rob Ray, Vaclav Varada. RW - Dixon Ward, Donald Audette, Jason Dawe, Matthew Barnaby. D - Alexei Zhitnik, Garry Galley, Darryl Shannon, Jay McKee, Mike Wilson, Bob Boughner, Richard Smehlik. G - Dominik Hasek, Steve Shields. Injuries: Andrei Trefilov, g (shoulder, 8 weeks); Pat LaFontaine, c (post-concussion syndrome, indefinite); Anatoli Semenov, rw (shoulder, 8 weeks); Randy Burridge, lw (knee, 2-3 weeks). Transactions: Sent Wayne Primeau, c, to Rochester (AHL). Recalled Vaclav Varada, rw, and Wayne Primeau, c, from Rochester (AHL). Sent arrie Moore, rw, to Rochester (AHL). Game Results 1/20 Chicago W 2-1 1/22 Montreal W 6-1 1/24 Edmonton L 3-1 1/25 Hartford L 5-1 1/29 Pittsburgh W 3-1 1/31 Dallas W 3-1 2/02 Washington T 2-2 TEAM NEWS by Valerie Hammerl There's no place like home. The Sabres are finding things quite comfortable in their new home at Marine Midland Arena, so a seven-game homestand -- longest in club history -- seemed like the perfect way to keep in the hunt for first place in the Northeastern Division. With the help of Rob Ray, the Sabres took nine of a possible 14 points. That's right, Rob Ray! Though Ray is known more for agitating the opposition and getting in fights, he amassed his fifth, sixth, and seventh goals of the season during the homestand. His record high is eight, and Ray is on pace to shatter that mark. Not all the news out of Buffalo is good, however. Randy Burridge tore cartilege in his knee during a lengthy workout following a pair of losses. Burridge is expected to miss at least two weeks. * The Sabres have lost no more than two games in a row all season. * Steve Shields became the first goaltender besides Dominik Hasek to play a game for the Sabres at Marine Midland Arena. It was a 3-1 loss to Edmonton. ----------------------------------------------------------------- HARTFORD WHALERS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Paul Maurice Roster: C - Andrew Cassels, Keith Primeau, Kent Manderville, Jeff O'Neill, Mark Janssens. LW - Geoff Sanderson, Hnat Domenichelli, Paul Ranheim, Stu Grimson, Sami Kapanen. RW - Steven Rice, Nelson Emerson, Kevin Brown, Kevin Dineen, Robert Kron, Kelly Chase. D - Glen Wesley, Adam Burt, Curtis Leschyshyn, Marek Malik, Kevin Haller, Glen Featherstone, Alexander Godynyuk, Gerald Diduck, Jason McBain. G - Sean Burke, Jason Muzzatti. Injuries: Kevin Haller, D (groin strain [1 January], day - to - day; Jeff Brown, D (back surgery [23 October], out for regular season); Jeff Daniels, LW (torn knee ligament [20 December], six - to - eight weeks); Glen Featherstone, D (broken foot [21 December], four - to - six weeks); Robert Kron, RW (knee strain [25 January], three - to - four weeks); Mark Janssens, C (knee strain [22 January], three - to - four weeks); Sami Kapanen, RW bruised knee [12 January], day - to - day). Transactions: 29Jan97: Jeff O'Neill, C, recalled from Springfield (AHL); 24Jan97: C Jeff O'Neill assigned to Springfield (AHL). Hnat Domenichelli, C, and Kevin Brown, RW, recalled from Springfield. 22Jan97: Jason McBain, D, recalled from Springfield. Game Results: 01/20 Toronto W 3-1 01/22 Florida W 2-1 OT 01/24 NY Islanders L 5-2 01/25 at Buffalo W 5-1 01/30 at Los Angeles L 5-3 01/31 at Anaheim L 6-3 TEAM NEWS by Steve Gallichio

Notes from here and there:

* The Whalers started the second half of the season with much the same inconsistency as they ended the first. A lackluster win over Toronto, followed by a thrilling overtime win over Florida. With that momentum in hand, the Whalers proceeded to go splat at home against the Islanders, losing 5-2. * In the Department of Really Weird Stats, the Whalers are 6-0-0 this season following a three-goal loss. True to form, following the Islander loss, the Whalers went into Buffalo and soundly thumped the Sabres 5-1 for their first victory in the Marine Midland Arena. The team record is 8-2-3 following a three-or-more goal loss, both remarkable and yet sad that the team has lost 13 games by three or more goals. * In a bid to cut costs, the Whalers left their defense at home for a two-game California trip against Los Angeles and Anaheim, allowing 77 combined shots on goal in a pair of losses. Goalers Sean Burke and Jason Muzzatti never had a chance. * Following the loss at home against New York, sophomore center Jeff O'Neill won an all-expenses-paid trip to Springfield of the American Hockey League. O'Neill has had bright spots this season, but by his own admission has lost confidence after a cascade of mistakes, causing him to play too passive and tentative - always a disaster when every split second counts in the NHL. Wings Hnat Domenichelli and Kevin Brown, each producing at Springfield, were promoted to the parent club. The demotion ended up being much shorter that either O'Neill or the Whalers counted on. The next night against Buffalo, Robert Kron went down after knee-to-knee contact with Sabre Mike Wilson. With center Mark Janssens also out with a knee strain following a tussle with Florida's Paul Laus, O'Neill returned for the California trip...and promptly posted a hat trick in the losing effort against Anaheim. No truth to the rumour that every Whaler forward will now be demoted at least once this season. On the other hand, based on some of their production, it might not be such a bad idea. O'Neill has performed well after previous benchings, so now the question that needs to be answered is, can he maintain the inner drive and focus needed to succeed without constantly being kicked in the hockey pants? * The all-points-bulletin on defenseman Kevin Haller appears to have turned up a body. Haller, out the past 13 games with a groin pull/abdominal muscle strain, is expected to return this week. Sparkplug Sami Kapanen, who aggravated a knee strain three weeks ago after only four games back in the lineup, should return as well. Kron and Janssens each suffered knee strains and are expected to miss three-to-four weeks. * Trade rumours: With the Whale in desperate need for size and toughness on wing and defense, GM Jim Rutherford sought out the Calgary Flames for a little wheeling and dealing. Hartford and Calgary nearly completed a deal involving Kron and Domenichelli from Hartford, with Ron Stern and Steve Chiasson coming back east. But Domenichelli was brought up to prove to Hartford whether he should stay or go, and he seems to have indicated a willingness to stay, scoring his first goal and pair of points against Buffalo playing on Keith Primeau's left side. In the same game, Kron went down with an injured knee. Also in the Buffalo game, right wing Nelson Emerson responded to hearing his name in trade rumours with a five-point night. So for now the trade talk has settled down, but a deal or two before the deadline is inevitable to pump this team up a belt size or two. * Sword of Karmanos update: The Whalers were 15-10-6 before the Whalers announced their need for a new arena in Hartford to prevent their departure, and 5-13-1 since. The state and team are just weeks, perhaps days, away from deciding whether or not to build a sleek new, modern, multi-purpose facility in Hartford to house the Whalers, the University of Connecticut, and the ubiquitous monster truck rallys. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MONTREAL CANADIENS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Mario Tremblay ROSTER: C - Saku Koivu, Marc Bureau, Darcy Tucker, Vincent Damphousse, Sebastien Bordeleau. LW - Shayne Corson, Martin Rucinsky, Benoit Brunet, Scott Thornton, Brian Savage, Pierre Sevigny. RW - Mark Recchi, Stephane Richer, Turner Stevenson, Valeri Bure, Chris Murray, David Ling. D - Vladimir Malakhov, Jassen Cullimore, Murray Baron, Stephane Quintal, Patrice Brisebois, Peter Popovic, David Wilkie, Craig Rivet, Brad Brown. G - Jocelyn Thibault, Jose Theodore. Injuries: Benoit Brunet, rw (broken hand, 5 weeks); Saku Koivu, c (torn knee ligaments, day-to-day); Craig Rivet, d (separated shoulder, day-to-day); Patrice Brisebois, d (separated shoulder, 6 weeks); Marc Bureau, c (torn knee ligaments, 2 weeks). Transactions: 01/02: Pierre Sevigny, lw, returned to Fredericton (AHL) as to get back in shape after being injured; 01/31: Jose Theodore, g, recalled from Fredericton; 01/27: Terry Ryan, lw, was re-assigned to his junior team, the Red Deer Rebels (WHL). He might be able to play again, next week. Ryan missed the last 43 games suffering from post-concussion syndrome; 01/20: David Ling, f, recalled from Fredericton (AHL) after Richer and Brunet were injured against Detroit. Told Pat Jablonski to beat it. Game Results 01/20 Detroit W 4-1 01/22 at Buffalo L 6-1 01/25 St. Louis L 8-1 01/26 Pittsburgh L 5-2 01/28 at Florida L 5-2 01/30 at Tampa Bay W 4-1 02/01 New Jersey T 4-4 TEAM NEWS by Jacques Robert NO BUSINESS PARTICIPATING IN THE PLAYOFFS... THUS FAR! A quick look at Les Canadiens Team Clinic roster might bring a sigh of relief after the All-Star break. Corson, Rucinsky and Bure - among others - were back in the lineup and should have brought in a breath of fresh air... Well, the illusion ran no longer than three periods as Montreal defeated Detroit at the Molson Centre. Then, the Canadiens resumed their disastrous season, as they recorded four losses in succession. No team spirit, no valuable goaltending and, eventually, no spot in the playoffs. Actually, hopes of having a competitive team this season are fading for Canadiens fans. Who is to be blamed? Directions, players... No one has a clue. However, Canadiens home games have been sold out thus far. Incredible. Fans are so resilient, eh! As crisis are pilling up, the last one might be labelled: The goaltending saga... More seriously, as it develops, it will be very difficult for the Canadiens to take part in the playoffs. For many reasons, Mario's boys are merely not competitive enough to have a chance to bounce back before the postseason starts. Except for a handful of veteran players like Koivu, Recchi, Savage who deserve to fight for the a Stanley Cup, the remainder of the roster has barely no business showing up in the playoffs. It's as simple as that! Theodore in, Jabber out! Goaltending wise, Thibault is undoubtedly a good goalie, but he lacks experience and consistency. Against Buffalo, those flaws were brought under the spotlight as "Tbo" was unable to keep his team afloat, giving up three goals when Buffalo scored three in fewer than four minutes midway through the second period. Even though Tremblay yanked Thibault right after that debacle, Pat Jablonski didn't fare any better. In addition, Thibault's teamates have passed (anonymously) bad comments on the goalie's performances. It's nothing but true that Montreal is giving up the second most shots in the NHL. But is Thibault entirely responsible for that situation? No way. As a matter of fact, Thibault had to be backed up by Jose Theodore as to bring in competitiveness for the position of #1 goalie. It goes without saying that letting in 24 goals in only four games (against Buffalo, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Florida) is an unacceptable situation. A trade? What for? The price to pay would have been too high. Plus, teams would have asked for key players. So Theodore's recall seems to be the best solution... for the moment. As for Pat Jablonski, the direction simply asked Jabber to stay at home when trying to work out a deal with another NHL franchise. Win In Tampa Provided Oxygen Offensively, the situation is just as critical. Recchi, who was hot over the past few games has idled. Look: minus-4 in the Canadiens' 6-1 loss in Buffalo, minus-4 in a debacle against St.Louis and minus-3 in the loss to Pittsburgh. Damphousse is no better: minus-2 in Buffalo, minus-5 against St. Louis, minus -3 at home versus Pittsburgh. By chance, a new line made up of Turner Stevenson, Scott Thornton, Darcy Tucker has taken over. However, Tremblay has decided to move Damphousse on the second line while Corson was sent to the first one. That coach's decision paid off as Les Canadiens snapped a four- game losing streak against Tampa Bay where Rucinsky, --without a point since Dec.21-- scored twice to help Canadiens get away with their first win ever in Tampa. Ok, Mario's Boys showed --as a team-- what a second effort is all about. But, it's like Montreal must have its back to the wall to react in the proper way. For the first time this season, the Habs were seven games below the .500 mark. As a matter of fact, this grueling week (01/21-01/28), they had really hit rock bottom again before eventually getting away with a victory in Tampa. That situation reminds us of something, doesn't it? Remember: Dec. 24, Canadiens were routed, at home, by Ottawa (6-1). But, two days later, they fought like a lion and played like a desperate team in Pittsburgh (Dec. 26). A 3-3 tie that had temporarily lowered grumblings that were going on, then, in the Canadiens' entourage. Last Friday's victory may result in a dŽjˆ vu. But fans might react differently if nothing positive comes out of this victory since time is running out as to get the eighth spot for the playoffs. Koivu's Absence Is Almost Over Well, time has come to figure out what good things could happen to Montreal in the near future. Of course, Koivu's return to the competition is the little light at the end of the tunnel. Odds to see the Finn dressed within a week are great. Even though Malakhov showed us how fast he can be back on track as he returned to competition in Tampa Bay, there remains that it's unlikely that Koivu will have recovered fully for his first games. Yet, his presence is poised to lift up Canadiens spirit and confidence. A major factor that has been eluding them for a while... Down the road, other players like Rivet, Sevigny will hopefully resume the competition. As it looks now, before long Tremblay may be left with a surplus of players. The question is: Is it too late? Habs vs Devils: Thibault toned down criticism By all accounts, it would take a miracle to have this bunch of players back in shape simultaneously and to be ready on the nick of time as to bid for a position in the post-season games. Fans haven't given up yet on their favorites' chances to participate in the playoffs. Yes, a miracle may happen over the next few weeks, just because Team Clinics is getting empty faster than expected. For instance, as the Canadiens entertained New Jersey, Stephane Richer excelled as he scored the fourth goal meant to be the winner if not for Thibault allowing an easy goal, the one that pulled the Devils into the tie. However, Thibault fared well, making 46 saves after being bombarded with 50 shots -- the most ever by a visiting team in Montreal. Yet, one looks forward to seeing Theodore's return. More than ever, the Canadiens #2 goalie is featured as the Montreal joker poised to save the '96-'97 season from the wreck.

ON MY NOTE PAD...

Pressure growing on Thibault Even though Thibault had the upper hand in the goaltending shuffle that saw #2 goalie Jablonski ousted from the roster last week, Jocelyn has no option but to convince Les Canadiens that they have been right to keep him in Montreal. Now that Theodore has joined the team, two kids are in front of the net. Isn't that a big gamble for the Canadiens direction? Habs frustrated by three of the best NHL goalies In three consecutive games, Les Canadiens have run into the hottest goalies of the NHL as Mario's boys were opposed by Dominik Hasek (Sabres), Grant Fuhr (Blues), and Patrick Lalime, the revelation of the year among goalies. Being frustrated by those goalies and plagued by injuries makes the Canadiens the most unlucky team of the NHL. But, may that assessement be standing for an excuse. NO WAY. Quintal: 500th in the NHL! Defenceman StŽphane Quintal reached the 500th game cap in the NHL against the New Jersey Devils. Meanwhile, he completed his 147th game in the Habs uniform. ----------------------------------------------------------------- OTTAWA SENATORS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Jacques Martin Roster: C - Alexei Yashin, Radek Bonk, Shaun Van Allen, Dave Hannan, Bruce Gardiner, Sergei Zholtok. LW - Shawn McEachern, Tom Chorske, Randy Cunneyworth, Dennis Vial, Denny Lambert. RW - Daniel Alfredsson, Alexandre Daigle, Andreas Dackell D - Steve Duchesne, Sean Hill, Stanislav Neckar, Frank Musil, Lance Pitlick, Jason York, Wade Redden, Janne Laukkanen. G - Damian Rhodes, Ron Tugnutt. Injuries: Sean Hill, d (torn ACL, out for season); Stanislav Neckar, d (torn ACL, out for season); Lance Pitlick, d (knee injury, surgery required, two to four weeks); Dennis Vial, lw (finger surgery Jan 20, out six weeks); Daniel Alfredsson, rw (strained back, day to day). Transactions: Jan 14 - Returned Jason Zent, lw, to Worcester (AHL). Jan 15 - Shawn MacEachern, lw, returned after missing 17 games with broken jaw. Jan 22 - Radek Bonk, c, returned after missing 23 games with broken wrist. Game Results 01/22 Boston L 4-1 01/25 Calgary T 2-2 01/27 Tampa Bay W 5-3 01/29 at New Jersey T 1-1 01/30 St. Louis L 5-2 02/02 at Toronto W 2-1 TEAM NEWS by The Nosebleeders A Clean Break? Ahhhhhh... smell that fresh -45 degree Celsius weather outside. It's that time of year again... the time when hockey players lick their wounds, sharpen their skates, retape their sticks, and put out to pasture the horrors of the first half of the season. With the All-Star break tucked away in the history books, the 1996-97 NHL campaign, Part Deux, officially kicked back into high gear in mid-January. And as hockey reporters focused on fending off the usual "The first half of da season is over, ya know, so we have to forget what happened den..." or the ever-annoying "It's a new season - we all have perfect records again", meanwhile the Bytown Express (aka the Senators) were busily regrouping at the Corel Centre with one goal in mind - make the playoffs. Traditionally, these next two months spell the end of the line for the weaker sisters of the league. While most Ottawa fans are thankful that their team is still in the playoff hunt at this point, and the same time the Sens realize that a quick disappearing act in January or February could mean disaster at the box office come next year. So, the pressure is on for Monsieur Jacques, Pierre et da boyz. And you thought Montreal was a pressure cooker? Redefining the Word "Ugly" With the rhetoric and catch phrases aside, it was time to play hockey. First up were the Bruins at the Corel Centre. Riding a four-game losing streak, Boston seemed to be the perfect stepping stone for the second half of the Sens season. Problem was, however, Ottawa seemingly forgot how to climb those bloody stairs! In one of the most lackluster, listless, lame, lazy and lethargic performances of the season, the Senators dropped a 4-1 decision to the Bruins, and in doing so, dropped back down to 26th place overall. About the only bright spot for the Sens was the return of Centre Radek Bonk, back from a broken wrist that kept him out for 23 games. In fact, Bonk scored Ottawa's only goal and even (gasp) layed a few bodychecks along the way! Meanwhile, the rest of the crew fell asleep at the wheel. The power play went 0-for-5. Ron Tugnutt turned in one of his weakest performances, especially on the second goal which saw him stranded outside of his net. Daniel Alfredsson isn't used to having off nights, but this was certainly one of them, particularly in the second when he was stripped of the puck by Ray Bourque, who then fed Adam Oates with a breakaway pass to make it 1-0. "I think this loss was huge," understated winger Shawn MacEachern. "These are the games that you look back on in the summer when you're out of the playoffs and say: 'We could have beaten the Bruins that night.' It's huge." Well, at least, most of the Sens were asleep that night.... Officers, We Have a 5150 in Progress The Bruins-Sens game did offer up some comic moments. With the score 1-0, Boston's Brett Harkins scored a disputable goal. After further review, the goal was disallowed by video replay official Ian Sandercock. That sent Bruins GM Harry Sinden into a rage, complete with veins popping, nostrils flaring, cheeks flushing, and tongue a-flapping. It was nice to finally see Harry prove to the whole world just how big a moron he really is. From Bad Guy to Good Guy On the complete opposite end of the Sinden scale is Sens rookie defenceman Wade Redden. Prior to the Bruins game, Redden shelled out an estimated $150,000 to rent out one of the Corel Centre'e luxury suites for the remainder of the season. The suite, to be renamed Wade's World, will be used to give terminally and chronically ill children a chance to watch a live Senators game. A generous gesture? You bet. But, don't forget - Wade is only 19 years old, making the gesture even that much more amazing. A doff of the cap to you, Wade. Put Yer Thinking Caps On Who holds the Sens current record for most consecutive games played? Answer at the end of our column. Fanning the Flames Okay, so the Senators got off on the wrong foot against Boston. But, luckily, in an act of kindness never before seen from the schedule-maker, the Sens got a chance to do it again, this time against Calgary. Like Boston, Calgary hadn't exactly been burning up the standings coming into the tussle against Ottawa. Eight games under .500 and with a struggling Theo Fleury, dare we say that Calgary "seemed to be the perfect stepping stone" for Ottawa? For the first half of the game, it looked as if Ottawa was going to shrivel up and play dead, much like in the Bruin debacle. Powered by an offensive outburst from the lumber of Corey Millen (would the person who dropped his teeth in astonishment please come to front and claim them before they get lost), the Flames built up a quick 2-0 lead. But then, Sens coach Jacques Martin did something wild, something crazy, something totally outlandish - he double shifted his star players. Thanks to the extra ice time, Ottawa got goals from stars Alexei Yashin and Daniel Alfredsson en route to a 2-2 come-from-behind tie. Clearly, Yashin was the difference. From the second period onward, Yashin was creating scoring chances for his linemates, whoever they may have been. And it was Yashin who provided the effective screen that allowed Alfredsson to tie the game with only 30 seconds left on the clock. * Yashin's goal - his 20th of the season - was also his 200th career point. * With the tie, Ottawa moved to within five points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. * Calgary almost won the game in overtime, as rookie sensation Jarome Iginla blasted a bullet past Sens goalie Damian Rhodes. Luckily for Ottawa, it dinged off the crossbar. * Next to Yashin, Rhodes also deserved some kudos, stopping two breakways in the second period following some sloppy giveaways. They're Nice Guys...Just Don't Invite Them Over For Dinner Again On the night before their next matchup versus Tampa Bay, the Sens gathered at Sean Hill's house to watch the Super Bowl. One problem though - Hill was out of town that weekend. Frank Musil walked away with a 31" TV - no, he didn't steal it from the Hill residence. He won it in a draw among players, who each chipped in a couple of quid. Speaking of Trotting Along - Here Comes Tampa Bay On a snowy night in Ottawa, 13,283 fans found their way to the Corel Centre, but soon began wondering "Why?" as they witnessed the Lightning open up a 3-1 lead by 5:45 of the second period. Tampa dominated the opening half before the Sens, lead by Alexei Yashin's two-goal effort, powered back to win 5-3. Reactions after the game? After coming alive in the second period, Sens played what coach Martin referred to as "desperation hockey". Meanwhile, Lightning coach Terry Crisp countered with this gem, "Our effort was horse manure. I'm allowed to say that, aren't I?" What Else Do You Guys Do In The Clubhouse? Sens massage therapist Brad Joyal wore a T-shirt during the Tampa game that read "Steve Jones, You're The Man"....he won a $350 clubhouse bet for guessing who would win The Phoenix Open golf tournament. Seems to be a lot of betting going on among Sens players these days, eh? Something About Those Lights... The last time Ottawa played in New Jersey, they eliminated the Devils from the playoffs with a 5-2 win in final game of year. This didn't matter to the Sens as they worked to keep their playoff chances alive and neither did it matter to the Sens that the 1-1 tie this time around provided the same limited entertainment that most Sens-Devils games do. The Sens only goal came via a mistake by Brian Rolston which allowed Shaun Van Allen to pick up his first goal since the December 4th Penguins game. The difference in this game was the play of Damian Rhodes who stopped 35 of 36 shots. "I like playing in New Jersey, the lighting's good". * Some bad news to report - Sens star Daniel Alfredsson left the game in first period with a back strain. So continues the streak of Sens stars going down in a New Jersey game. Like we said in the last issue, just mail your two points to the Devils - it just isn't worth it! We Got Those 'We Miss You Mike Keenan' Blues The St. Louis Blues, who were plain terrible under former dictator Mike Keenan, visited the Corel Centre with a 7-3-0 record under new head coach Joel Quenneville. With a streak like that, it only takes common sense to figure out what happened next. The Sens three-game unbeaten streak ended as they returned to old form, being outshot 32-19 en route to a 5-2 loss. The difference in this game was the rejuvenated play of Pierre Turgeon and Brett Hull who were in Rhodes' face all night (Turgeon had a goal and three assists; Hull a goal and two assists - just another day at the office). Yashin was the Sens' lone bright spot, scoring on the first shot of the game (his fourth in as many games). In fact, by game's end, Yash the Slash registered an amazing eight of Ottawa's 19 shots. Now That's Dedication Bruce Gardiner witnesses Captain Cunneyworth stunned by a Geoff Courtnall check. Not sure if it was clean or not, Gardiner chases Courtnall around the ice, through the gate and onto the Blues' bench! "I didn't realize I was on their bench," said Gardiner. "Then I look up and see Tony Twist." Star Gazing Blues coach Joel Quenneville is a dead-ringer for Tom Selleck... just had to tell somebody. The Cubicle Shuffle Following the Blues game, Sens brass moved Alexander Daigle to another stall in the Sens dressing room. Daigle used to be between Steve Duchesne and Radek Bonk but has traded places with Andreas Dackell and is now between Bruce Gardiner and a couple of empty stalls. We can only guess what that might mean. Daigle isn't too worried about it, and Sens management dismissed it as just a routine re-assignment. If history has a tendency to repeat itself (and it usually does), does this mean Mr. Daigle will be wearing another uniform soon? Wade, Part II Defenceman and all-around nice guy Steve Duchesne paid for 200 kids to get into the Blues game and even sprung for a hotdog and pop to boot. It was all done through the Sens "Partners In Caring" program. It's beginning to look (and feel) a lot like Christmas... (STOP THAT MUSIC, IMMEDIATELY!) Domi Carries Maple Laffs On His Back The Sens entered the game against the cellar-dwelling Leafs with one goal in their last 26th power-play opportunities (yet the Sens still have the 4th best power play in the league). The game, dubbed by some as B.O. (Battle of Ontario), was the main event for CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Sens coach Martin gave the team the day off to avoid the Toronto and HNIC media hounds and to avoid adding further pressure to the shoulders of goalie Damian Rhodes, who was making his first visit to his old haunting grounds since the trade last season. Tie Domi opened the scoring (Note: This is not a typo...) with a skilled effort to protect himself from a Craig Wolanin slap shot and redirect it off his back into the Sens net. Later in the first period the Sens managed three clear breakaways in a row, with Shaun Van Alen scoring on the third to tie it 1-1. But then Ottawa took the lead for good on a McEachern goal early in the third, and the rest was history, 2-1 the final score. * For Yashin and coach Martin, the pressure of the playoff run was most apparent as they lost their tempers over a close offside call. Yashin ended up with a 10-minute misconduct. * The Sens outshot the Leafs 38-20 (season low for the Leafs at the Gardens) and dominated most of the game. * How frustrated are Hogtowners? With 8:05 to go, Mats Sundin was charged with a major penalty and game misconduct for checking from behind. Eat your heart out, Don Cherry! * With the win, the Senators eclipsed their season high point total set by last year's club with 42 points. And to think, there are still 33 games left in the season. Way to go, guys! Senator Tidbits * Bernie Ashe, the Ottawa Senators' Chief Operating Officer, recently left the club to join AIT corporation as Vice President of Sales. * Injured defenseman and rock and roll connoisseur, Stan Neckar, is using his time away from the rink to learn to play the drums. * The 4th Annual Senators' Charity Carnival, held January 25th and hosted by the players and their wives, raised $60,000. * It's February and the Sens find themselves five points out of a playoff spot. What a neat dream.... Nagano-Bound The Canadian Olympic hockey team selected Sens GM Pierre Gauthier as its assistant GM who, along with fellow assistant GM Bob Gainey (Dallas Stars), will work with Flyers GM Bobby Clarke to bring home the Gold at the 1998 Winter games in Nagano, Japan. They have quite a task ahead of them - Canada hasn't won Gold in Olympic hockey since the Edmonton Mercurys did it in 1952. The Nosebleeders congratulate Gauthier on being named to the team - let's just hope he can get the Sens to the playoff first before concentrating on the tournament. Tales From The Alumni File The Nosebleeders would just like to take this moment to congratulate former Sens head coach Rick Bowness, who was recently promoted as the New York Islanders head coach after Mike Milbury stepped down to concentrate full time on his GM duties. Don't let Bowness' record fool you, he is a fine coach and a great leader. His three years in Ottawa were pretty awful, but the Nosebleeders peg none of the blame on coaching. Let's face it, could anybody win with a first line centre like Sylvain Turgeon? Considering what he was forced to work with, Bowness did a tremendous job. As such, we are happy to see Rick finally getting another crack as a big league head coach. Congrats, Rick! P.S. In his first game as Isles big boss man, New York humbled Hartford 5-2. It's nice being right sometimes... Trivia Answer Randy Cunneyworth is the team's current Ironman King, having played in 100 consecutives. He's now only approximately 1000 games away from breaking Doug Jarvis' record. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Eddie Johnston Roster: C - Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Petr Nedved, Stu Barnes, Tyler Wright. LW - Andreas Johansson, Alex Hicks, Dave Roche, Joe Dziedzic, Alek Stojanov. RW - Jaromir Jagr, Greg Johnson, Glen Murray, Joey Mullen. D - Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Hatcher, Chris Tamer, Fredrik Olausson, Jason Woolley, J. J. Daigneault, Francois Leroux, Craig Muni, Neil Wilkinson, Ian Moran. G - Tom Barrasso, Ken Wregget, Patrick Lalime, Philippe DeRouville. Injuries: Fredrik Olausson, d (broken cheekbone, indefinite); Neil Wilkinson, d (broken cheekbone, indefinite); Chris Tamer, d (pelvic injury, indefinite); Ken Wregget, g (hamstring, about a week); Alek Stojanov, lw (abdominal pull, indefinite); Tom Barrasso, g (shoulder surgery, out for season). Transactions: Traded Tomas Sandstrom, rw, to Detroit in exchange for Greg Johnson, rw. Recalled Ian Moran, d, from Cleveland (IHL). Game Results 1/21 Calgary W 4-2 1/23 Colorado L 4-3 OT 1/25 NY Rangers L 7-4 1/26 at Montreal W 5-2 1/29 at Buffalo L 3-1 2/01 Phoenix W 4-1 TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell After bustin' heads for the past couple months, the runaway train that was the Pittsburgh Penguins is finally starting to slow down. The Birds managed a meager record of 3-3-0 over the past two weeks, and turned in some rather forgettable performances. The good news, however, is that the Pens' overall record of 28- 18-5 (61 points) is still good enough for first place in the Northeast Division, one point ahead of the pesky Buffalo Sabres. Test Failed: The Penguins were looking at the games versus Colorado and the Rangers on January 23 and 25, respectively, as their first major tests since revamping their roster all those many weeks ago. While it was true the Pens were rolling up the wins at breakneck speed, most of the points were coming against the little sisters of the league. So when the defending champion Avalanche skated into the Igloo, the Pens were looking to make a statement. And they did... almost. While Colorado's best two players, Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, were still missing from the Avalanche lineup, the Pens took the ice without Mario Lemieux. The Greatest One suffered back spasms in the first period of the Pens' 4-2 win over Calgary two nights earlier, and was not able to dress. The missing fire power definitely took away from the excitement usually generated when these two teams meet, but the Pens were bolstered when Jaromir Jagr and Petr Nedved were able to go after there was some question as to the status of both players in the days preceding the game. Jagr had slightly aggravated an old groin pull during practice and Nedved was still trying to recover from a wrist injury suffered on January 14 against Dallas. The injury news got worse for Colorado when Joey Dziedzic accidentally kicked Patrick Roy's right hand as the all-world netminder was attempting to cover a loose puck nine minutes into the first period. Roy attempted to remain in the game, but was forced out at the next stoppage in play. Craig Billington came in to replace him and did a nice job the rest of the way. The Avalanche didn't seem phased by the injury to their legend between the pipes and built up a 3-0 lead by the end of the second period on a pair of power-play goals by Adam Deadmarsh and a short-handed tally by Keith Jones. The men with feet on their shoulders simply dominated play over the first forty minutes and showed a bewildered Penguin team what life's all about. To this point in the game, it wasn't exactly the effort coach Eddie Johnston had in mind prior to the evening's festivities. But, hey, they play three periods for a reason. Following the lead of the great Ron Francis, the Penguins rebounded in the third period to score three unanswered goals against the Champs. Francis got things started by whacking a loose puck from the high slot over Billington's shoulder to make the game 3-1. Joey Mullen then circled behind the Colorado net a few moments later and wristed a shot through a Tyler Wright screen and past Billington to make the game 3-2. After a perfectly good Kevin Hatcher goal was waived off because a totally uninvolved Jason Woolley had his skate blade a quarter inch into the crease, the Birds closed out the three-goal barrage when Dziedzic fought off a check at the left post and smacked a rebound in the skates of Billington over the goal line. Scoring three goals in the third period against a team like the Avalanche is always something to hang the hat on, but the goals wouldn't have meant a damn thing had it not been for the play of Patrick Lalime. The youngster was trying to stretch his NHL record 16-game unbeaten streak (14-0-2) from the start of a career to 17, which, incidentally, would have tied his hero Patrick Roy's longest career unbeaten streak. Squaring off against Roy was to be a career highlight for Lalime, but things got off to a rocky start when Roy had to leave the contest and when the Champs rang up the 3-0 lead. Lalime hung in there, tho', and played some superb hockey in the third period to keep his club in the game. Two saves in particular come to mind. The first was a left-to-right picture perfect butterfly stop on Eric Lacroix, who was camped all alone in front only to have his one- time shot off a pass from behind the net denied by Lalime's right pad. The second enormous save came off the stick of the super- skilled Valeri Kamensky. The talented Russian winger freaked Freddy Olausson one-on-one and waltzed down the right side of the slot before wiring a wrist shot for the top right corner. Lalime somehow managed to get a piece of the shot with his catching glove, sending the puck to the glass. Yes, Lalime definitely did his part. With Lalime building a wall in net and all the momentum in the world behind them, the Penguins seemed poised to close the deal in overtime. But the Avalanche weren't just handed the Cup. Colorado fought back and carried the play to the Pens in the extra session. After the Avalanche cycled down low and drew a delayed penalty call, Deadmarsh retained possession of the puck along the backboards and flung a pass out front to a charging Sylvain Lefebvre. The puck hit the heel of Lefebvre's stick and his attempted shot bounced directly to Kamensky who was stationed at the left post. With Lalime expecting the shot from Lefebvre, Kamensky easily slipped the puck into the open cage before getting hauled to the ice. The loss snapped Lalime's magical streak and also put an end to the club's 14-game unbeaten streak (12-0-2). The Pens deserve credit for fighting back in the third period, but hopefully they also learned a lesson. Playing twenty minutes of hockey just won't cut it against the league's elite teams. Apparently no one in the locker room picked up on that lesson. The Birds came out three days later against the New York Rangers and duplicated the previous effort, only in reverse. This time the Pens came out on a mission in the first period and slowly tailed off the rest of the way. Surprisingly, Lemieux was back in the lineup but had little effect on the game after his first few shifts. In fact, the entire Oprah line of Lemieux, Francis, and Jagr (so called because the have all the money), didn't record a point on the afternoon. That'll be trouble every time. The Rangers completely dominated the game from the second period on and racked up a rather easy 7-4 win. Lalime played his worst game as a Penguin, allowing six Ranger goals. And there were some soft ones. This was just a game to forget. The Penguins' other loss over the past two weeks came against Division rival Buffalo. Holding a four-point edge in the standings at the time, the Penguins missed a golden opportunity to extend it to six by putting on a pitiful performance at Marine Midland Arena. The Sabres out-worked and out-hustled the Penguins from the opening faceoff. Philippe DeRouville got his first start in net, as Lalime was sidelined with the flu. He didn't play that bad, but the obvious difference between the two young netminders was striking. Three big games. Three disappointing losses. The club showed the same inconsistency throughout these games that plagued them early on this season. Hopefully it will only be a minor set back and not a trend. Sandstrom Gone: Tomas Sandstrom just wasn't the same after Steve Rice blasted him with a blind-side, open-ice hit in Hartford last season. His scoring touch disappeared and he didn't do a whole lot in other areas to earn his million-dollar paycheck. Factor in that he was going to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the writing was on the wall. GM Craig Patrick made the wise move and sent Sandstrom to Detroit in exchange for winger Greg Johnson. The 25-year-old Johnson brings plenty of speed and skill to the already talent-laden lineup. Johnson has mad skills. He can also play all three forward positions, which gives the Pens even more flexibility up front. And coming from an air-tight system like Detroit, he knows how to find the defensive zone. Johnson won't be counted on for defense, tho'. The Pens will be turning him loose with Petr Nedved on the second line to generate offense and take some pressure off Lemieux, Francis, and Jagr. Johnson and Nedved were teammates on the 1994 Canadian Olympic Team. Both have blazing speed and will have defensemen backing up as soon as they make an appearance. While they rocket up ice, Alex Hicks will be the third man hanging high and keeping after the defensive end of things. Hicks has been one of the Pens' steadiest performers since arriving from Anaheim and is very deserving of his role on the second line. In their two games together Nedved and Johnson have shown the ability to read off each other rather well, especially in the Phoenix contest where Johnson got his first point as a Penguin with an assist on Nedved's 23rd goal of the year. The real highlight of Johnson's first two games as a Bird came in his debut against Buffalo. With the Pens trailing in the third period, Johnson made a tremendous individual rush up ice through about 12 Sabre players. Yes, guys were actually jumping off the bench trying to stop him. Hasek did deny Johnson's shot, but the moment was already made. Johnson should have a bright future in the Burgh. It was a good trade. Ranger Domination: The Blueshirts have pimp slapped the Penguins on every occasion this season. Messier and crew have a 3-0-0 record against the Pens so far, outscoring the black and gold by a ridiculous 23-8 margin. The Rangers also humiliated the Birds twice during the preseason. Who says old guys can't play hockey? Injury Update: Part of the reason why the Pens have stumbled a bit lately is that they can't seem to keep the regular lineup healthy. At least one important fixture always seems to be missing. Against Colorado it was Mario. Then against the Rangers it was Darius Kasparaitis on the shelf with a twisted ankle. Darius returned the next game against Montreal, but Freddy Olausson promptly took a Stephane Quintal slap shot in the face. Joey Dziedzic was also sidelined for two games with a banged up shoulder after a collision with Adam Graves. While Dziedzic, Kasparaitis, and Mario are all back and healthy, Olausson will be out for several more weeks with a fractured cheekbone. Neil Wilkinson has been skating in practice with a fractured cheekbone of his own, but his return is still in all likelihood a week or two away. Chris Tamer continues to be baffled by the tightness in his hip and abdomen. Last week he was said to be about 10 to 14 days away, but that now appears unlikely as Tamer continues to show little, if any, improvement. First diagnosed with an abdominal strain, Tamer was then tagged with what was called a cracked pelvic bone. Now there seems to be some disagreement on that front. Tamer was scheduled to get a second opinion on the injury early this week. There isn't a whole lot of news about Alek Stojanov either. His abdomen strain, which was suffered in a minor auto accident in late December, is slowly getting better. Ken Wregget is getting closer and could be back within a week to ten days. He's been sidelined with a hamstring strain since December 26. Moran Back: Because of the rash of injuries on defense, and Francois Leroux battling the flu, Ian Moran was recalled from Cleveland before the February 1 game against Phoenix. Moran wasted little time in making an impact, assisting on the first goal of the game. He then went on to get abused several times by Coyote forwards... Lalime Back on Track: After having his 16-game unbeaten streak interrupted by two straight losses to the Avalanche and Rangers, Patrick Lalime returned to form on January 26 in Montreal. A native of St. Bonaventure, Quebec, the 22-year-old netminder put on a show for family and friends. The nerves might have gotten to him a bit at the beginning of the game, perhaps proven by the fact he allowed an extremely soft shot by David Wilkie to slip under his pads for the first goal of the afternoon. Coming on the heels of two straight losses, the goal by Wilkie had more than a few people worried about the youngster's confidence. Yet he handled the adversity like a pro and was spectacular the rest of the way. Lalime even denied former Penguin Mark Recchi on two consecutive breakaways in the second period. After backstopping the Pens to the 5-2 win over the Habs, Lalime missed the next outing against the Sabres with the flu. Unable to eat for a couple days, Lalime reportedly lost eight pounds. That may not seem like a lot to some people, but Lalime needs all the weight he can get. He tips the scales at 170 pounds. Stretch that over a 6'2"-frame and the result is one skinny professional athlete. One league official reportedly joked, "Instead of measuring his pads, they should check to see if his waist is 12 inches." Lalime recovered from the flu and was able to put back on about five pounds in time to welcome the Phoenix Coyotes to the Igloo for the first time on February 1. Lalime again started the game by allowing a soft goal, this time to Keith Tkachuk, but then slammed the door the rest of the way en route to a 4-1 win. Tkachuk was simply amazing and could have easily had a hat trick on most other goaltenders, as Lalime time and again stoned the rugged left winger on glorious scoring chances. The best save may have come on the first shift of the game when Tkachuk managed to deflect a low point shot up towards the top left corner of the net. Lalime instinctively waved his blocker behind his head and knocked the puck down before quickly turning and smothering it with his glove hand as it trickled near the goal line. Craig Janney, who LCS lovingly refers to as Sparkles, saw enough of Lalime to come to this conclusion. "The kid in net played great. He's the real deal." Well said, Sparkles, well said. Lalime's record now stands at 16-2-2. His 2.11 goals-against average is tops in the league, and so is his .935 save percentage. Mario Magical in Montreal: The Penguins have never fared well in Montreal. The franchise's all-time record in the Forum was 4-53-7. That's just silly. Like his teammates, Mario Lemieux has often had problems scoring against the Habs on their home turf. Well, that all changed on January 26. With the two clubs tied 1-1 entering the third period, Lemieux elevated his game to a higher level for the final twenty minutes and rang up four goals to lead the Pens to a 5-2 win. To be honest, tho', it was probably the ugliest four-goal game of Mario's career. His first goal came after a nice criss-cross play with Francis just inside the Montreal stripe. Francis fired a wrist shot that Jocelyn Thibault denied, but Lemieux pounced on the rebound and fluttered a shot over Thibault's shoulder for a 2-1 lead at 4:35 of the period. Less than five minutes later, Mario collected a loose puck in the right wing corner of the Montreal zone and whipped a wrist shot off the left shoulder of a surprised Thibault and into the goal for a 3-1 lead. It was, like, the 50th time in his career Mario has made a goalie look stupid by scoring from behind the goal line. The most famous, of course, was his embarrassment of Eddie Belfour in Game One of the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals. After Sebastien Bordeleau gave the Habs a ray of hope at 12:42, Mario once again established a two-goal Pittsburgh lead. This time thanks to a little help from the Molson Centre boards. Francis attempted to hit Lemieux with a lead pass but it just missed and continued on along the left wing boards into the Montreal zone. As Thibault left his cage to play the puck in the corner, the biscuit hit a bump in the boards and bounced free of the wall and into open ice. Lemieux tracked it down and flipped a backhand into the vacated net before Thibault could recover. Mario closed the game out by collected a rebound in front of his own net and launching a shot the length of the ice and into an empty net to seal the 5-2 win. The fans in Montreal recognized Lemieux's accomplishment with a standing ovation. It brought back memories of 1993, when the fans at Madison Square Garden gave Mario a similar honor following a dazzling five-goal display. The four goals in a period was a Penguin record. It tied the NHL record, which has been done on 11 other occasions. The hat trick was the 39th of Lemieux's storied career, tying him with Mike Bossy for second place behind only Wayne Gretzky's 49. The offensive outburst also marked the tenth four-goal game of Lemieux's career, which is a new NHL record. If this is Lemieux's final season, at least he gave the home town fans something to remember him by. The Pens will return to Montreal on February 5 and March 26. 599 and Counting: Lemieux had a shot at equalling another Wayne Gretzky record when the Pens battled the Coyotes February 1 at the Civic Arena. Lemieux entered the game with 597 career goals. If he could notch three against the desert dogs he would reach the 600-goal mark in 718 games. The exact number of games it took Wayne Gretzky to turn the trick. That's just eery. Lemieux was all business in the first period. He bagged number 598 when an attempted shot by Ian Moran on the power play deflected to Lemieux at the left circle. With Nikolai Khabibulin having committed to the first shot, Mario quickly one-timed the puck into a wide open net for a 1-0 lead. A few moments later Lemieux turned in what is becoming his signature move this season for goal number 599. Storming down the left wing, Lemieux cut sharply into the slot, walked around a defender, and then shot along the ice just inside the left post past Khabibulin for his second goal of the period. Lemieux continued to generate chances in the second period but was kept off the board by Khabibulin. Mario picked up the pace even further in the third period and again tested the acrobatic Russian netminder with some quality stuff. The first big chance came when Lemieux chased down a puck in neutral ice and was side by side with Teppo Numminen down the left wing. Unable to get enough separation to cut in front of Numminen, Mario let a backhand shot fly. Unfortunately, it sailed a few inches wide of the far post. The next bid for 600 was vintage Lemieux. With the Penguins short-handed, Lemieux and Francis were out hounding the point men. Oleg Tverdovsky attempted to flip a pass across to his partner at the point when Lemieux struck. The pass was a good four feet off the ice and had plenty of pep on it, but Lemieux simply reached out and plucked it from the air. Not wanting to slow down to retrieve the bouncing puck, Mario released up ice and accepted a brilliant lead pass from Francis. It was one-on- one with Khabibulin for 600. A Coyote defender was able to get a stick into Lemieux as he approached the net in an attempt to slow the big guy down. And the hook did hamper Mario's move to his backhand, although it really wasn't one of his best. Khabby stayed with the play the entire way and kicked the shot into the corner with his right pad to spoil the fun. Lemieux finished the game with just the two goals, giving him 36 on the season, and the Penguins won, 4-1. Afterwards, when asked if he was aware that he needed a hat trick to tie Gretzky's mark, Lemieux smiled and said, "No, you guys should have told me." Perhaps thinking back to the numerous chances he had to score the third goal, Mario then laughed and said, "I'll finish second again, I guess." Any bets that he bags number 600 on his first shift against Vancouver Tuesday night? When Mario does net his next goal, he will become the seventh player in the history of the NHL to record 600 goals, joining Gretzky (853), Gordie Howe (801), Marcel Dionne (731), Phil Esposito (717), Mike Gartner (685), and Bobby Hull (610). The goal will also make Mario the fifth player in the history of the league to have at least 600 goals and 600 assists. Gartner is three assists shy of joining that elite club, as well. For those of you scoring at home, Mario now has 599 goals, 858 assists, and 1458 points in 718 career games. That's over two points a game. And that's, like, really, really good. Bergkvist Update: Stefan Bergkvist is still on the road to recovery from his battle with Acoustic Neuroma. In early December Bergkvist had a benign tumor removed from his right ear. The surgery has left him deaf in that ear and the right side of his face is paralyzed. The paralysis should pass with time. While recovering, Bergkvist's spirits were bolstered by the visits and well wishes of his Cleveland Lumberjack teammates. Now Stefan is healthy enough to skate with his mates in practice and has his sights set on returning to the lineup this season, a prospect that was considered a long shot at best at the time of the surgery. LCS will keep you updated on his progress. Dziedzic Comes Alive: LCS has been singing the praises of Joe Dziedzic for quite some time now, and the big winger is finally starting to reward us for our support. Joey D has scored a goal in each of his last three games and is playing with the kind of fire and determination often missing from the Penguin lineup. To put it simply, Dziedzic is a force. Murray Still Missing: Glen Murray is still struggling. He has been relegated to basically a fourth line role. Murray hasn't scored a goal in 24 games. His last red light came on December 7 in a 5-3 win over Anaheim. He has all the tools to be an impact player. There are a lot of players in the league that have less talent than Murray yet are scoring many more goals. Confidence has to be the key. Swoosh: Jaromir Jagr has been having problems with his right ankle. The story goes that Jagr's right foot is flat or somethin', so that when he skates his right ankle sort of bends inward. Sort of like when people are skating for the first time, how they're often on the inside edge of the blade while standing still. See what I'm sayin'? Anyway, it has been causing the Czech wonder kid a whole mess of grief lately. With the help of some skiing expert, Jagr has now tried to build up his right skate with some sort of brace on the inside or somethin'. I know this is getting pretty technical, but try and keep up. Speaking of his skates, Jagr broke out the new Nike skates for the game against Phoenix. The skates are really quite ugly, but if they help his ankle then that's just swell. Jaromir still leads the league with 42 goals, but the ankle problem has definitely taken its toll. Jagr has only one goal in his past six games. Tough Luck, Hatch: Kevin Hatcher just can't seem to get past 11 goals. The Penguins had two goals wiped out in the back- to-back losses to the Avalanche and Rangers due to the idiotic in-the-crease rule. On both occasions the goals would have belonged to Kevin Hatcher. Ouch. Sandis Ozolinsh leads all defensemen with 16 goals. Honor Roll: The Pens swept the NHL honors for January. Lalime claimed Rookie of the Month by posting an 8-2-1 record. He also won the award in December, becoming the first back-to- back winner since Nicklas Lidstrom in 1991-92. Mario won Player of the Month honors after posting seven goals and 26 points in 11 games. He was also a +15 over that time. Short Game Recaps Jan. 21, beat Calgary 4-2: Lemieux scored a swell goal and then a few minutes later freaked Steve Chiasson one-on-one during a rush up ice before crashing into the net. He had to leave the game with back spasms. Barnes, Francis, and Hatcher added the other goals. Lalime stopped 49 shots to set a new Penguin team record for most saves at home. Jan. 23, lost to Colorado 4-3 in OT: Already went over it. Francis, Mullen, and Dziedzic had the goals. Lemieux didn't play. The loss snapped the team's 14-game unbeaten streak and Lalime's 16-game unbeaten streak. One bright spot, however, was the inspired play of the fourth line made up of Wright, Mullen, and Dziedzic. Jan. 25, lost to the Rangers 7-4: Talked about it already. It was ugly. The Oprah line was shut out. Nedved had two goals, Barnes and Dziedzic each added one. Jan. 26, won at Montreal 5-2: Talked about it. Lemieux scored four in the third period to carry the Pens to the victory, Woolley also chipped in one. Jan. 29, lost at Buffalo 3-1: The Sabres seriously outplayed the Pens. DeRouville got his first start in net and only gave up two, but he looked silly in comparison to Lalime. Hasek kept the Pens quiet and made an amazing glove save on Lemieux in the third. Jagr had the lone Penguin goal, a fluke that was intended to be a pass but bounced in off Hasek's stick. Feb. 1, beat Phoenix 4-1: Lalime was back in net and was once again superb in running his record to 16-2-2. Lemieux had a pair, Dziedzic and Nedved also scored. Tkachuk was a dominant presence for the Coyotes all game long. Upcoming Games: The Pens host the Canucks February 4 before heading to Montreal the very next night. Then it's back home for games against Detroit and the Fish Stick Boys before a home-and-home with the Flyers. The game against Detroit will be the first meeting of the season between the Penguins and the Red Wings. The Wings are the only team the Penguins have yet to play this season. ================================================================= ================================================================= TEAM REPORTS ================================================================= WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION ----------------------------------------------------------------- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Craig Hartsburg Roster: C - Alexei Zhamnov, Kevin Miller, Denis Savard, Jeff Shantz, Brent Sutter, Steve Dubinsky, Kip Miller. LW - Murray Craven, Bob Probert, Jim Cummins, Ethan Moreau, Dave Chyzowski. RW - Tony Amonte, Eric Daze, Darin Kimble, Sergei Krivokrasov, Ulf Dahlen. D - Chris Chelios, Gary Suter, Steve Smith, Eric Weinrich, Cam Russell, Keith Carney, Enrico Ciccone, Michal Sykora. G - Jeff Hackett, Chris Terreri. Injuries: Steve Smith, d (sore back, day-to-day). Transactions: Traded Ed Belfour, g, to the San Jose Sharks for Chris Terreri, g, Ulf Dahlen, rw, Michal Sykora, d, and a conditional 1998 draft choice; signed Jeff Hackett, g, to a new three-year contract; recalled Dave Chyzowski, lw, from Indianapolis (IHL). Game Results: 01/20 at Buffalo L 2-1 01/22 Vancouver L 4-3 OT 01/24 Toronto L 2-1 OT 01/25 at NY Islanders L 3-2 01/27 at NY Rangers W 2-1 02/01 at Los Angeles W 3-2 TEAM NEWS by Dan Glovier Eddie's Going to California With all the rumors of Eddie Belfour being traded to Philadelphia, Vancouver, or Tampa Bay, it wasn't a complete shock that the two-time Vezina trophy winner was traded. What was a bit of a shock was where the Eagle landed. In the Shark tank. The Hawks sent Eddie Belfour to the San Jose Sharks for winger Ulf Dahlen, defenseman Michal Sykora, goalie Chris Terreri, and a provisional draft pick. Why did Eddie end up there? I dunno, but we can look at what happened during a very strange 24 hours. There were rumors circulating everywhere that Eddie was all but gone, and the hottest rumor of all was that he was going to Philly and the Hawks were getting Rob Brind'Amour. This rumor led to a plethora of pre-game chat, but the entire United Center was a bit stunned when it really hit them that Eddie was probably gone: he was a healthy scratch against the Maple Leafs that night. Now it went from bar room talk to a near-reality. As the game progressed, it was leaked that a deal with San Jose had been struck, and the initial deal reported was Belfour for Terreri and Jeff Friesen. That floated around for a bit until the "actual" trade was announced. There were reports that a third team was involved in the talks, but at the last minute they decided to play "hard ball" and killed any possible three-way deal. This third team was reported to have been Philly. (Now what Philly wants with Belfour, while giving up Brind'Amour, is beyond me. Heck, they both won the same number of Stanley Cups, and Hextall has a Conn Smythe Trophy sitting on his mantle.) So Bob Pulford and his son-in-law (trivia plus!) Dean Lombardi pulled the trigger on their part of the deal. Well, Sparky, what does this all mean to the Hawks organization? In this trade, the Hawks have arguably picked up their third-best forward. At the very least, Ulf Dahlen is a top four/five forward on this team. With the way he plays, and the Hawks system, I have a feeling he will flourish. Honestly. He scored the game-winner in his first game, and followed that up with a two-point performance the next game. He should fit in nicely with Amonte and Zhamnov. Michal Sykora is a huge (6'3", 225 lbs.), 24-year old defenseman who has some skills. He's a bit of a project, but with Chris Chelios as a teammate, it will help his development immensely. Just ask Keith Carney what this can do for a young defenseman. Chris Terreri is a solid backup goalie, and everyone needs one of those. It's a bunch of stuff (and some decent stuff), but it really doesn't address the glaring weakness of this team: a second-line center. Now they did trade for some depth here, and getting Sykora when you have a need up the middle does suggest that perhaps another trade will come to fruition involving a defenseman being sent from the Hawks (with perhaps some other stuff) for that second-line center. Can Jeff Hackett now accept the role of The Man on this team? Before the trade, the Hawks couldn't win with Belfour in the pipes, and Hackett at least won a game once in a while. However, he will have to prove he is playoff ready. Eddie never proved he was Cup ready, but the last two years he played pretty darn well in losing efforts. Now, it really didn't shock anyone that Bob Pulford would trade Belfour. Belfour wanted Patrick Roy money, and that has lots of zeroes in it. Too many zeroes. Negotiations between Pully and Ed Belfour's agent (Ron Salcer) weren't progressing well at all, and this is the second-straight negotiation where these two men were going head-to-head in a very non-productive manner. Remember, Salcer is Alexei Zhamnov's agent as well, and they didn't work and play well together on that one. Not since Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther have I seen two people who just can't see eye-to-eye. Couple the negoations problems with Eddie's public outbursts (ala Jeremy Roenick), and the recent signing of Jeff Hackett to a three-year deal, and you have all the evidence you need. As a fan, I will be interested to see how Eddie plays on a team that doesn't have one of the league's best set of defensemen. Maybe it will inspire him to greater heights. Maybe the opposition will get that split-second they need to exploit the upper-half of the net. Whatever the case, it will be weird watching Belfour play for someone wearing teal. The Rest of the Story Same old, same old with the Hawks. Play hard, don't get points. There have been some recent developments with some individual players. Jeff Shantz has been working his tail off lately, creating havoc and scoring chances. Jeff Cantz apparently can. Someone got to Bob Probert. He's been creating all kinds of space, trouble, and general nastiness almost every game for the last three weeks or so. He isn't doing anything stupid, he's just letting everyone know who he is, where he is on the ice, and letting them know hard. Rumor Mill Now that Eddie's gone, the talks can go back to which forward the Hawks are going after this week. The Doug Gilmour rumor has been floating around for a bit, but the latest one is very interesting. Theo Fleury's name has been popping up, and there's even a report that the Hawks gave Calgary a list of players to look over. Now Theo's really cool, but it would be a miracle if he came here. More than likely, they may be talking about Robert Reichel or perhaps Dave Gagner. ----------------------------------------------------------------- DALLAS STARS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Ken Hitchcock Roster: C-Mike Modano, Todd Harvey, Guy Carbonneau, Joe Nieuwendyk, Bob Bassen. LW-Dave Reid, Greg Adams, Benoit Hogue, Brent Gilchrist, Bill Huard. RW-Pat Verbeek, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jere Lehtinen, Grant Marshall, Mike Kennedy. D-Derian Hatcher, Craig Ludwig, Darryl Sydor, Grant Ledyard, Mike Lalor, Richard Matvichuk, Sergei Zubov. G-Arturs Irbe, Andy Moog. Injuries: Greg Adams, lw (partially-herniated disk, indefinite). Jere Lehtinen, rw (torn MCL in right knee on Jan. 31, indefinite) Transactions: Claimed Neal Broten, c, off waivers from Los Angeles Jan. 28; recalled Mike Kennedy, rw, from Michigan (IHL) Feb. 3. Game Results: 01/21 at Philadelphia T 3-3 OT 01/24 at Washington W 5-2 01/25 at Toronto W 5-1 01/27 Los Angeles W 7-2 01/29 Anaheim W 3-1 01/31 at Buffalo L 3-1 02/02 at Detroit L 4-3 OT Team News by Jim Panenka This issue's column is gonna be a little light, you'll have to forgive me. So, lets just get to it, ok? Broten returns to the Stars GM Bob Gainey had said, just after stepping down as head coach, that if there was anything you could blame on him during his tenure, it was trading away Neal Broten. Gainey traded Neal in February of 1995, after a disagreement between the two men became heated. Gainey had said that he may have been a little too quick to pull the trigger on the deal. Fast-forward to the present. When Broten was placed on waivers by Los Angeles, Gainey saw the perfect opportunity to bring the Stars' all-time leading scorer back to the team. This was to make amends of sorts for that initial trade from Dallas by Gainey. It isn't often you get the chance to get a player back. On Jan. 28, it became official. Neal Broten was once again a Dallas Star. Broten was a pivotal member of the Minnesota North Stars from 1980-1993, including leading the team to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. His success continued after the franchise moved South. He scored the Dallas Stars first goal on Oct. 5, 1993 against the Detroit Red Wings. The team never again found the same success they had when they went to the finals, and just two seasons later Broten was traded to New Jersey. Of course, we all know how well Neal did in helping the Devils win the Stanley Cup. It is this playoff experience, combined with the experience he earned in the Dallas Stars inaugural season, that helped Gainey make the decision to pick Broten back up. "Neal can provide us with his experience as we head into our most difficult part of the year and into the Stanley Cup playoffs," Stars general manager Bob Gainey said. "Our team has shown a strong team concept this year and Neal will add to that within the group." The 37-year-old Broten had struggled a bit the last two seasons. He had a meager total of 23 points last year. And, he only managed one assist with New Jersey, and four assists with Los Angeles this year before being placed on waivers. Broten was getting shuffled around, including a short stay in the minors. It was possible his career was going to end with a quiet fizzle. It is only fitting that he returns to Dallas to most likely finish his career on a winning note. At least he now has that chance. As the last remaining member of the "Miracle on Ice" 1980 USA Olympic squad, he deserved that chance to land on his feet and begin playing in familiar surroundings, and closer to his family. Broten's family never moved away from Dallas, so now Neal has the luxury of going home, rather than spending two to three months or more living out of a suitcase in hotels. Broten was lucky the Stars were in the perfect position to pick him up. The team needed a proven playoff performer. And, Broten needed a stable, supportive environment to work on getting his 'A' game back. Broten suited up for the club's second game after acquiring him, on Jan. 31, at Buffalo. He also played the following game on Feb. 2 at Detroit. It was obvious Neal was just trying to stay positionally strong, and was trying to get the feel for Hitchcock's system, and his line's timing. While he didn't record any points, he did make an impact in the last game at Detroit. Neal was there as the safety valve in the slot several times, sending away sure scoring opportunities back into center ice, before the plays had a chance to develop. Once he gets the feel for the team's new look, The Stars all-time leading scorer will get the chance to pad his 852 (266g, 586a) point total. The Stars hope he does so all the way to the Cup Finals, even if it's just one more time. Harvey suspended pending hearing Center Todd Harvey was suspended for the Feb. 2 game against Detroit, pending a meeting with the league. The suspension is a result of a flagrant elbow thrown to Buffalo Sabres' Matthew Barnaby during the Stars 3-1 loss to the Sabres. Harvey got a major penalty and a game-misconduct at the time of the incident. Modano's goal-scoring streak ends Mike Modano stepped up after the break in a major way. He was leading the league in game-winning goals just prior to the column deadline, and had a six-game goal-scoring streak before Sunday's loss to Detroit. The scoring streak remains alive, however, since Modano received an assist for Joe Nieuwendyk's goal on Sunday. It's only fitting he get the assist, since it was really Modano's goal to begin with. Modano let one rip off of a feed from Jamie Langenbrunner, and it trickled under Osgood about six inches from the goal line after Ozzie made the initial stop. Nieuwendyk swept in from the side of the goal to give it the final push into the net. It probably would have made it in, anyway. Oh well, whatever. As long as the pill made its way in, right? Lehtinen goes on the shelf Jere Lehtinen was being mentioned often in December-January as one of the Stars' hardest working, and most consistent players during that span. He was one of the most important members of the first line, and continued to excel at forechecking and picking up turnovers. He managed to continue his success with Modano, despite losing linemate Greg Adams to injury. On Jan. 31 in Buffalo, Lehtinen suffered a torn MCL of the knee. He wasn't even sure of when it happened during the game, but he was damn sure it had happened. The injury is said to be almost identical to the one Derian Hatcher had suffered in December. Hatcher missed 14 games due to the tear. That means Lehtinen will most-likely miss the entire month of February. The team responded well to Hatcher's loss, compiling an 8-5-1 record during the team captain's absence. It may be a little harder to compensate for Lehtinen's speed and defensive positioning. Modano will surely struggle with a slower line, and one that is out of sync. Hopefully the guys can keep it going. Missing both Adams and Lehtinen at the same time would have been a near-fatal blow. But, thankfully, the Stars have more depth this year, and just got a little deeper with the recent acquisition of Broten. "This is a situation where we've really got to have some people step up for us," coach Hitchcock said of his team's fate. "The good thing is we've got a lot of right wings, and we'll be bringing Mike Kennedy back from Kalamazoo this week, too. Every team goes through some tough injury situations, and we just have to fight through this," elaborated Hitchcock. The injury situation is now compounded by Harvey's possible absence due to suspension. This will be the first true test of the team's ability to stick together despite some rough obstacles. Older wounds healing quickly Although the player's wounds list is growing, the Stars managed to retire a few gremlins with their recent five-game non-losing streak. The biggest sore spot was the power play. Thanks to defenseman Darryl Sydor, the power play just got a lot better. Sydor's mobility, and his knack for reading the play well, has led to a recent scoring explosion by the Stars power-play unit. The scoring began on Jan. 24, when the Stars defeated Washington 5-2. Two of the Stars' five goals were a direct result of Sydor's play on the point. Sydor scored the first one himself, and Modano mopped up the second. Both originated from the point. The team had said that the troubles they were experiencing during the advantage came from a lack of two good pointmen. Sergei Zubov had done the best he could without any consistent help, but when Sydor was moved to the other side, good things began happening. There was also a fundamental shift in strategy from the coaching staff-they began calling for things to happen more down low, behind the net. Previously, the strategy was to continue to try to fight for possession along the boards between the hash marks. After prescribing this minor change, the goals began rolling in. It is about time. The scoring streak on the advantage even continued at home for a convincing 7-2 whooping of the LA Kings. This was after the team had a resoundingly successful three-game road trip. They had tied the Flyers 3-3, and had won big against both Washington (5-2), Toronto (5-1). The festivities continued against Los Angeles (7-2) and Anaheim (3-1) at home. Not surprisingly, the number of power-play goals for these games were two of five in Washington, none in Toronto (but one short-handed goal by Modano), two of four against Los Angeles, and two of four against Anaheim. It goes without saying that the Stars don't win big unless they score on man-advantages. Dallas loses most of the close, one-goal games if they can't make the other team pay for their mistakes. Irbe like wall! Arturs Irbe has finally reached a comfort zone in his playing level. He has been much more at ease since Roman Turek was sent down to 'the Zoo' (IHL K-Wings) for conditioning. Word has it that Irbe met with Hitchcock during Turek's tryout period to see just where he stood with the team. The meeting must have been productive, since Turek was sent down and Irbe came back chompin' at the bit. During the first half, Irbe was far too committal, and often beat himself by thinking the play out a little too hard. During his last few starts, old Archie has looked like a new netminder. He is staying put, and letting the pucks hit him. His conservation of motion makes him look a lot more like Moog. All that Irbe has to do now is stay on good position. Now, more often than not, he will make the first save. And, to shore up his positional strength, Arturs is scooping up the rebounds like Turek did, just like an angry bear clawing at a five-pound salmon. They say you control your own fate as a goalie if you can control your rebounds. Irbe has just began controlling his fate much for the better. Keep it up, Archie! Line flows Since Harvey, Adams, and Lehtinen are out, and since Kennedy, Broten, and Huard are back in, coach Hitchcock is really going to have to earn his pay by figuring some way out to assemble this mess into four cohesive lines. According to a recent interview of Hitchcock by Dallas Morning News correspondent Tim Colinshaw, Hitchcock now plans on possibly distributing the lines as follows: Benoit Hogue-Mike Modano-Jamie Langenbrunner Brent Gilchrist-Joe Nieuwendyk-Pat Verbeek Dave Reid-Neal Broten-Guy Carbonneau Bill Huard-Bob Bassen-Grant Marshall Now that's a different look from the first half of the year! The only consistent pairing will be Reid-Carbonneau. Reid gets hat trick, and highlight-reel goal Of course, I neglected to mention Dave Reid's hat trick last issue. It came during the 6-3 thumping of the Red Wings on January 8. Reid has continued his forechecking antics with partner Guy Carbonneau, and the league finally got a chance to see just what I've been raving about. These two are just too much together. Did you see Reid's pass to Carbonneau during the 5-2 win against Washington on January 24? It was a true thing of beauty, people. During that play, Reid had possession of the puck, and swooped in behind the net, circling around for an apparent wrap-around. Instead of turning to face the net, he kept his back to it, protecting the puck the whole time. Just as the Caps defense was closing in to poke-check Reid, Reid slipped the biscuit through the crease with a beautiful no-look pass behind him, through his legs! Carbonneau was waiting in the right spot to sop up the gravy with this biscuit! Guy looked more surprised than Ollie the goalie on that one! The Caps goaltender never got a piece of the pass. Reid added an empty-netter to pad his totals to 1-1 for two points for the night. Points points Modano now has a dominant lead on point production with 23 goals, and 26 assists for 49 points. This is a result of his recent goal-scoring tear. If Modano can keep scoring, even though his line has been effectively dismantled, he may just make it to the 40-50 goal mark after all. Of course, he will really have to pour it on, but stranger things have happened. Pat Verbeek is now second with 35 points (10g, 25a). Nieuwendyk, Langenbrunner, and Hogue are not far behind in the thirties. Verbeek has finally begun getting his feel back. He scored a goal against Los Angeles, and has looked much more confident since. Maybe it was because he changed twigs? Word has it that Verbeek now has a new stickmaker. Something to do about the length was the reason given. How about that Langenbrunner? He is right up there in the top-five in scoring. And, he was responsible for setting up all three of Dallas' goals scored in the losing effort to Detroit on Sunday. Modano may just ask to keep this new line intact, considering Langenbrunner's hard work has been paying off. That's the news... Well, the team was really pumping hard on all cylinders before the recent injury bugs. If they can keep the momentum going, even though they have now dropped two in a row, things will start getting scary for the opposition. Hitchcock has been able to address each and every problem he has faced with success up to this point. Even though the problems just got a lot bigger, he will now have the opportunity to form a 'second' team, one that was totally different from the one that began the season. Neal Broten may add the missing element to keep this 'new' team glued together for the all-important playoff stretch. Yikes! Yep, it's that time already - time to start thinking about the postseason. Better start buying those playoff tickets! And I am outta here! ----------------------------------------------------------------- DETROIT RED WINGS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Scotty Bowman Roster: C - Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Igor Larionov, Kris Draper. LW - Brendan Shanahan, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Martin Lapointe, Bob Errey, Tim Taylor, Tomas Holmstrom. RW - Doug Brown, Mathieu Dandenault, Darren McCarty, Kirk Maltby, Joey Kocur, Tomas Sandstrom. D - Nicklas Lidstrom, Bob Rouse, Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Fetisov, Jamie Pushor, Brian Glynn, Aaron Ward, Anders Eriksson. G - Mike Vernon, Chris Osgood, Kevin Hodson. Injuries: Sergei Fedorov, rw (groin pull, day-to-day). Transactions: Acquired Tomas Sandstrom, rw, from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Greg Johnson, c; signed junior center Darryl Laplante to a three-year contract. Game Results: 01/20 at Montreal L 4-1 01/22 Philadelphia T 2-2 01/25 at Philadelphia W 4-1 01/29 Phoenix L 3-0 02/01 at St. Louis W 4-1 02/02 Dallas W 4-3 OT TEAM NEWS by Jim Iovino There was no question about it. Going into the all-star break, the Detroit Red Wings were struggling. The players knew it. The fans knew it, too. But what both didn't know was why. After the break, the Wings continued their descent, losing 4-1 to the struggling Montreal Canadiens. Detroit took a 1-0 lead in the game at Molson Centre, but collapsed in the third period. The Habs scored four times in the third, deflating any hopes the Wings had of a strong start to the second half of the season. Mike Vernon, who was replacing the injured Chris Osgood in goal, only faced 19 shots and let in three goals. The Detroit power play went 0-for-6 for the evening. The evils that haunted the Wings at the end of the first half of the season stuck with them to open the second half. But whatever the problem was, it seems the Red Wings have finally found a remedy. Since the Montreal contest, Detroit has gone 3-1-1. But what's more impressive than the record is the opponents. The Wings took three out of a possible four points in a home-and-home series against the Philadelphia Flyers, trounced an up-and-coming Blues squad that is challenging the Wings for second place in the Central Division, and defeated the first-place Dallas Stars in overtime, 4-3. The Wings' resurgence began at home against the Flyers. Detroit actually had a 2-1 lead in the third period and looked like it had everything in control, but Dale Hawerchuk and John LeClair teamed up on a give-and-go to escape Motown with a tie. LeClair picked up the puck in the neutral zone and passed to Hawerchuk, who stepped into the Detroit zone and quickly passed the puck back across to LeClair, who was streaking down the slot. LeClair one-timed to puck past a sprawling Vernon to tie the game, 2-2. Despite that breakdown, the Wings defense played extremely well against the Flyers, letting Eric Lindros and Co. have just 20 shots on goal. The Wings power play wasn't as hot, however, going 0-for-7. The teams moved east to Philly for a rematch three days later. This time, the Wings were solid in every aspect of their game. The Wings took a 2-0 lead in the first, the defense only allowed 18 shots, the power play scored twice and Vernon stopped all but one Flyer chance as Detroit downed Philadelphia, 4-1. Finally, the Wings were on a roll. After playing two tough contests against the Flyers, up next for Detroit was the up-and-down Phoenix Coyotes. We all know who the Dogs goaltender is, don't we? And we all remember what that certain goaltender did against the Wings in the playoffs last year, don't we? Well he did it to them again. Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 30 shots while blanking the Wings, 3-0. The Wings just can't seem to beat Khabby, no matter what city he's playing in. Following the schooling by Khabby, the Wings traveled to St. Louis. The Blues had just recently bypassed the Wings and had taken over second place in the Central before the teams met, which made for an interesting match-up. What made it even more entertaining was the homecoming of former Blue, Brendan Shanahan. The once-fan favorite in St. Louie was back to face a team without the man who traded him away, Mike Keenan. Shanahan didn't disappoint the crowd in his return, scoring two goals against Grant Fuhr, including a short-handed tally. Mike Vernon continued to play well in Chris Osgood's absence, as well, stopping 25 of 26 shots as the Wings won, 4-1. With that Central Division victory under their belts, the Wings headed back home to meet the Dallas Stars. The game marked the return of Osgood to the Detroit lineup. Would it be a mistake to throw Osgood into the fire against the Stars in such an important game? As it turned out, the game would be perfect for Osgood to return. The Detroit defense only allowed the Stars to get 12 shots on Osgood. At the other end of the ice, Slava Kozlov, who was benched for the games against Philadelphia and Phoenix, scored the game-winning goal with a backhander against Andy Moog just over a minute into the overtime session to give the Wings a 4-3 win. The win closes the gap between the two teams (the Stars are currently ahead of the Wings by five points) and gives the Wings a slight edge for any further action between them later in the season. Sandstrom arrives in Detroit The man who set up Kozlov for the game-winner was the newly acquired Tomas Sandstrom. It was Sandstrom's first point as a Red Wing after being dealt to Detroit by the Pittsburgh Penguins for Greg Johnson. Media outlets in Detroit hyped up the trade as an addition of size and strength to the Red Wing lineup. Sandstrom is 6-foot-2, while Johnson is a tad bit smaller at 5-foot-11. However, while Sandstrom have played like a big winger at one time, that hasn't been the case this season in Pittsburgh. Injuries have taken their toll on Sandstrom. He has been injured a lot during the past two seasons. And even when he was healthy enough to get into the lineup, his presence wasn't felt. Pens fans only saw Sandstrom drive hard to the net with the puck a handful of times this season. And if Sandstrom doesn't drive to the net, he can't be successful. Perhaps more playing time and a new atmosphere will do wonders for Sandstrom. Oh those shiny Nike skates... Reports have Nike spokesman Sergei Fedorov returning to the Red Wing lineup as early as Thursday. Fedorov pulled his groin in the Wings 3-0 loss to Phoenix and was having trouble skating late last week. Speaking of Fedorov...one has to wonder if Sergei actually looked over the scripts for some of the Nike commercials he's featured in. Nike must be paying him some big bucks if he's allowing them to call him a "long-haired Russian freak boy". Or maybe that just translates to "good-natured, fun-loving pal" in Russian... Home sweet home... Kozlov's goal which gave the Red Wings the overtime win against Dallas also gave the Wings their first win at Joe Louis Arena since Dec. 26. ----------------------------------------------------------------- PHOENIX COYOTES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Don Hay Roster: C -Jeremy Roenick, Cliff Ronning, Craig Janney, Mike Eastwood, Chad Kilger, Mike Stapleton, Bob Corkum, Travis Hansen. LW -Keith Tkachuk, Darrin Shannon, Kris King, Jim McKenzie, Igor Korolev. RW - Mike Gartner, Shane Doan, Dallas Drake. D - Teppo Numminen, Oleg Tverdosky, Dave Manson, Norm Maciver, Brad McCrimmon, Jeff Finley, Jim Johnson. G - Nikolai Khabibulin, Darcy Wakaluk, Scott Langkow. Injuries: Dallas Drake, rw (bruised knee, day-to-day); Brad McCrimmon, d (sprained wrist, out indefinitely); Darcy Wakaluk, g (arthroscopic knee surgery, out until at least mid-to-late February). Transactions: Returned Deron Quint, d, and Brent Thompson, d, to Springfield (AHL); recalled Scott Langkow, g, from Springfield. Game Results: 01/23 Anaheim W 6-3 01/25 Vancouver W 4-0 01/28 at Philadelphia L 4-1 01/29 at Detroit W 3-0 02/01 at Pittsburgh L 4-1 TEAM NEWS by Jeff Brown and Jim Iovino Khabibulin Stops Pucks, Beats Ducks, ‘Nucks After spending the mid-season break reflecting on a disappointing first half and looking for a way to turn the team around in time to make a run for the playoffs, the consensus around the Phoenix Coyotes clubhouse was that the two home games coming off the break were must wins. With a tough road trip coming up against Philadelphia, Detroit and Pittsburgh, getting home-ice points was the focus on the practice ice during the off-week. "We had three good practices. Maybe it was a blessing with the All-Star break," said Defenseman Norm Maciver. "It was kind of like a mini training camp." Blessing or not, the Coyotes were fired up when the puck dropped against the Mighty Ducks in their first game back. They jumped out to an early two-goal lead with tallies from Mike Gartner and Craig Janney. Paul Kariya kept the Ducks in it, three times cutting the lead from two goals to one, but the Coyotes shut down the rest of the Ducks offense. In all, Kariya accounted for 10 of the 34 Anaheim shots on goal. Cliff Ronnning added two goals, Norm Maciver (in his first game back after missing six weeks due to a neck injury) had one and Captain Keith Tkachuk tossed in the empty-net goal to close the scoring at 6-3. "It was a must win game," said Cliff Ronning. "We worked hard and hard work pays off." Coach Don Hay agreed. "The break helped. The things we worked on in practice showed…we had a good work ethic." Winger Mike Gartner had this to say, "When you’re in a situation where you feel you have to win and you come out and win you have to feel good about it. We have another game in a couple of days that once again we feel is a must win situation. We feel it’s a game we can win and we have to win." Gartner was right. The Coyotes played perhaps their soundest hockey of the season against Vancouver two nights later. Two early goals from Jeremy Roenick and third period scores from Gartner and Ronning buried the Canucks, but this night belonged to netminder Nikolai Khabibulin. The Coyotes goalie stopped all 26 shots he faced en route to his first shutout this season. "I played a good period against Anaheim and I just continued to play good against Vancouver," said Khabibulin. "It was good to get the shoutout and hopefully this will give me confidence." Don Hay was again pleased with the performance his team put on. "This is the best game we played…we looked after the puck all night and didn’t shoot ourselves in the foot." Roadtrip Rollercoaster If the Coyotes rode any kind of high into the three-game road trip last week, they fell off it somewhere outside of Philadelphia last weekend. They were outskated, outhit, outshot, and outscored by the Flyers in a game that seemed to be played on an ice surface that continuously tilted towards netminder Nikolai Khabibulin. To Khabibulin’s credit he did stop 51 of the 55 shots sent his way, though he had to wonder where his defense disappeared to. In comparison, the Flyers picked a good day to rest Ron Hextall, as Garth Snow had a relatively easy night, shutting down the Dogs until Bob Corkum corked one with just under four minutes remaining. "We got dominated by a hard working hockey team," said Don Hay after the game. "The were very physical and they just outworked us." Jeremy Roenick put it a little differently. "We just wanted to watch them skate around. We were spectators tonight, plain and simple," he said. "Don’t get me wrong, they work hard, they have size, but it makes it a little easier when you sit back and watch." The Dogs took Roenick’s words to heart the next night in Detroit. They scored early with first-period goals coming from Darrin Shannon and Bob Corkum, two guys who get a lot of ice time but not much press. Shannon’s goal was his fourth on the season while Corkum netted his fifth, his second goal in as many games. Keith Tkachuk added his 31st goal early in the second period, and the rest of the night belonged once again to Nikolai Khabibulin. Khabibulin made 30 saves on the night, earning his second shutout in just five days. The win was the second against Detroit this season for Phoenix. "Some goalies just play good against some teams," commented Khabibulin. He and the Coyotes didn’t fare as well against Pittsburgh, giving up two first period goals to Mario Lemiuex on the way to another lopsided defeat at the hands of a better team. Like so often happens, the only spark came from team Captain Keith Tkachuk who spent the game wheeling into the offensive zone and darting through the Penguins defense. Tkachuk was the only Coyote to light the lamp behind Patrick Lalime, who stopped 29 shots in his first game back from battling with the flu. Lalime set the record earlier in the season for consecutive games without a loss to start a career (14-0-2). Lalime or no Lalime, according to Coach Don Hay, "We had a lot of chances to win this game…we didn’t take advantage. We had the right guys to finish and we didn’t finish." Tkachuk on Fire As expected, Keith Tkachuk is leading the team, both in points and in heart. Tkachuk's got the "C" on his chest for a reason. He's the one the rest of the Coyotes look up to, and he hasn't disappointed. In 51 games, Tkachuk has 32 goals and 132 penalty minutes, which leads the team in both categories. Tkachuk displayed all of his talents during the Coyotes' 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh. He showed some impressive skating skills for a power forward against the Pens, darting around many black and gold defensemen. Tkachuk also scored the Dogs' lone goal. While Tkachuk is proving his worth to the franchise, teammate Jeremy Roenick is having trouble living up to the hype surrounding his arrival in Phoenix. Roenick has scored just 14 goals and 36 points in 41 games, not exactly the type of numbers expected from the talented center. Roenick is also a -12 in the plus/minus department, third worst on the team. Maciver's back In a move that should definitely help the team, defenseman Norm Maciver returned to the lineup after a long stint on the IR due to neck surgery. Although he's on the small size, Maciver is capable of making a big impact on any team he plays for. When Maciver played for Pittsburgh last season, the Pens' power play was scoring at an incredible pace. But after he was traded to Winnipeg (Phoenix) for Neil Wilkinson, the Pens' power play struggled under the direction of Sergei Zubov. Maciver's return will definitely give the team a boost for the second half of the season. Khabby, Khabby... Khabibulin had an outstanding stretch recently between the pipes. First, Khabby shut out Alex Mogilny, Pavel Bure and the rest of the Vancouver Canucks, 4-0. Then he turned in an incredible 51-save performance against the Philadelpia Flyers. Had it not been for Khabby, the Coyotes' 4-1 loss could have been a lot uglier. Continuing to have the hot hand, Khabby came back the next game in Detroit and managed to shut out Brendan Shanahan and Co., 3-0. That's exactly the kind of effort Phoenix needs from Khabby the rest of the way, especially with backup Darcy Wakaluk still on the shelf. Perhaps the LCS idol-in-waiting is going to turn his dream, and ours, into a reality... Upcoming: The Coyotes return home for three games this week to face Tampa Bay and the division rival Blackhawks and Stars. Then they hit the road for a quick two-game trip to St. Louis and Dallas before squaring off at home against Colorado on Feb 13. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ST. LOUIS BLUES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Joel Quenneville Roster: C - Pierre Turgeon, Craig MacTavish, Peter Zezel, Harry York, Jim Campbell, Jamal Mayers. LW - Geoff Courtnall, Tony Twist, Stephane Matteau, Scott Pellerin, Mike Peluso. RW - Brett Hull, Joe Murphy, Brian Noonan, Steve Leach. D - Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, Igor Kravchuk, Marc Bergevin, Trent Yawney, Jamie Rivers, Ricard Persson. G - Grant Fuhr, Jon Casey. Injuries: Peter Zezel, c (sore back, day-to-day); Steve Leach, rw (left ankle surgery, out indefinitely). Transactions: Named Jim Woodcock senior vice president of marketing and communications. Game Results: 01/20 at NY Islanders W 6-4 01/23 Vancouver W 4-3 01/25 at Montreal W 8-1 01/27 Anaheim L 4-1 01/29 at Toronto W 4-0 01/30 at Ottawa W 5-2 02/01 Detroit L 4-1 TEAM NEWS by Joe Ashkar How about 'dem Blues? Since replacing coach and GM Mike Keenan, the Blues seem to have turned their season around and are one of the hottest teams in the league. New head coach Joel Quenneville has brought stability and harmony to a team in turmoil for much of the past two seasons. The players are responding to coach Q's relaxed but disciplined system and it's showing up with a 7-4 record under their new leader. Unlike Keenan, Quenneville is excellent at communicating with his players and emphasizes teaching rather than criticizing when players make mistakes. This is building confidence with youngsters such as Jim Campbell, Harry York, Libor Zabransky, Robert Petrovicky and Jamie Rivers. In addition to the rookies, the veterans have been rejuvenated and are coming back to life. High-priced free agent Joe Murphy, who had been invisible in the first half of the season, has regained his scoring touch. Murphy has five goals and four assists in his last six games. The Brett Hull, Pierre Turgeon and Geoff Courtnall line has been on a tear during that streak. Turgeon recently had an 11-game point streak snapped against the Detroit Red Wings, while Hull extended his point-scoring streak to 12 games and goal-scoring streak to six games. Hull has 17 goals in his last 18 games with plus/minus rating of +6 since Keenan's dismissal, including 11 goals and 20 points in 11 games with Joel Quenneville at the coaching helm. Under Keenan, Hull had a mere 12 goals and -10 rating in 32 games. Talk about a turnaround! The team itself has won six out of their last eight games and silently climbed into the Western Conference standings. They seem to be clicking on offense, defense and special teams. During the streak, they are averaging 4.15 goals for in comparison to 2.375 goals against. The only area that hasn't improved since Keenan's departure in their play on home ice at Kiel Center. While recording one of the best road records in the league at 15-10-3, they are a disappointing 10-14-1 at home. Under Quenneville, they are 6-1 on the road and 1-3 at home. They will look to improve on their home record during their upcoming seven-game homestand, their longest of the season. Quenneville's lone home victory was a come-from-behind against the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 23. The Blues appeared to have the game under control when Brett Hull gave them a 2-1 lead early in the third period. A defensive lapse by the Blues allowed the Canucks to score two unanswered goals in a span of 24 seconds to take a 3-2 lead. Jamie Rivers, who was called from Worcester of the AHL, scored his first NHL goal to tie the game 3-3, and Hull capped the dramatic comeback by scoring the winning goal with 1:14 left in the game. The Blues extended their winning streak to four games when they went into Montreal and embarassed the Habs, 8-1. It was the Canadiens worst loss in history at the Molson Centre. Rookie Jim Campbell tallied twice for his 16th and 17th goals of the season. Campbell leads all rookies in goals and overall scoring with 36 points. Hull also scored twice while MacInnis, Murphy, Pronger and rookie Harry York added the other goals. Former Canadiens captain, Pierre Turgeon, made his return to Montreal a successful one by assisting on both of Hull's goals. In their return to Kiel Center, the Blues suffered yet another letdown at home by dropping a 4-1 decision to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Teemu Selanne scored twice for Anaheim and former Blues goaltender Guy Hebert was a brick wall in net by stopping 38 of 39 Blues shots -- many of them excellent scoring chances. Hull's goal had tied the game 1-1 midway through the second period but defensive breakdowns allowed the Ducks to score three consecutive goals for their first victory of the season over the Blues. Back on the road, the Blues blanked the Leafs 4-0 at Maple Leaf Gardens with a strong overall performance. Grant Fuhr recorded his second shutout of the season with 29 saves while Hull, MacInnis, Murphy and Turgeon drilled Leafs rookie goaltender Marcel Cousineau. Twenty-four hours later, the Road Warriors stormed into Ottawa and beat the Senators, 5-2. Jon Casey replaced Fuhr in net and the line of Hull, Turgeon and Courtnall combined for three goals and six assists. The Blues outshot the Senators 32-19. In their first meeting with the Detroit Red Wings since last year's exciting seven-game playoff series, the Blues suffered a heartbreaking 4-1 loss. The game marked Shanahan's first return to Kiel Center in a Red Wings uniform and his two goals helped spark his team to victory. The Blues played well enough to win the game, but Mike Vernon was making some unbelievable saves in net to keep them off the scoreboard. Only a wicked shot by Hull was able to get past him. Hull goal had brought the Blues within 2-1 early in the third and change the momentum of the game. The Blues had a chance to tie the game on a late third period power play but Shanahan stole the puck from Chris Pronger at the blue line and beat Fuhr shorthanded to put the game away. ----------------------------------------------------------------- TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Mike Murphy Roster: C - Doug Gilmour, Kirk Muller, Jamie Baker, Darby Hendrickson, Brian Wiseman. LW - Fredrik Modin, Wendel Clark, Todd Warriner, Nick Kypreos, Mark Kolesar. RW - Mats Sundin, Sergei Berezin, Tie Domi, Mike Craig, Zdenek Nedved. D -Matt Martin, Dave Ellett, Jamie Macoun, DimitriYushkevich, Larry Murphy, Mathieu Schneider, David Cooper, Craig Wolanin, Nathan Dempsey. G - Felix Potvin, Marcel Cousineau. Injuries: Mathieu Schneider, d (abdominal strain, out until very late January or early February) Nick Kypreos, lw (broken bone in ankle, out until very late January or early February). Transactions: Acquired Craig Wolanin, d, from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a third-round pick in the 1998 draft; recalled Nathan Dempsey, d, from St. John's (AHL); returned Shayne Toporowski, rw, to St. John's; recalled Mark Kolesar, lw, from St. John's. Game results: 01/20 at Hartford L 3-1 01/22 Calgary W 5-3 01/24 at Chicago W 2-1 OT 01/25 Dallas L 5-1 01/27 Colorado L 5-2 01/29 St. Louis L 4-0 01/31 at New Jersey T 3-3 02/01 Ottawa L 2-1 TEAM NEWS by Matthew Secosky Despite Don Cherry's unwaivering support and his declaration that "the Leafs play with heart", the Toronto Maple Leafs are a long shot to qualify for postseason action. Sure they are only seven points out of a playoff spot with 29 games remaining on the schedule, but you don't get to be the worst team in the NHL for no reason. You have to do it the old-fashioned way. You have to earn it. Some die-hard fans however, refuse to rake up the Leafs and turn them into a beneficial mulch just yet. For instance, one dillusioned fan, who we will refer to here as "Nick Cole", continues to exclaim, "The Leafs will make the playoffs because I say so." As touching as the sentiment is, it's painfully obvious who's been hitting the Mad Dog 20/20 again...well other than me, that is. Getting back on topic, there is one reason that Toronto won't be seeing extra action this year. They lack depth, scoring, consistent goaltending, and many of their key players are just too old. As for the lack of depth and scoring, Mats Sundin is the only player averaging over a point per game (62 in 53 games) and will more than likely be the only Leaf with more than 30 goals. Gilmour and Murphy follow Sundin with 46 and 30 points respectively, but Gilmour only has 11 goals, Murphy five. Wendel Clark, who just returned after missing 16 games with a broken thumb, is still second on the team with 16 goals. His return will help the offense, but a team effort will be needed if they are to make the playoffs. Felix Potvin has proved he can be one of the best goalies in the game, but has struggled at times this season. Why? Hell if I know. But a strong finish by Potvin could give the Leafs the lift they need to make it to the postseason. But let's not talk crazy. The biggest problem the Leafs face, however, is age. Four of their top five scorers are 30 or older, and have seen better days. Gilmour and Clark are fierce competitors, but injuries have hampered their effectiveness. Larry Murphy is still a solid defenseman, but the offensive numbers have been on the decline since the end of last season. In short, the Leafs' core of players is just too old to be successful in the NHL today. It is impossible to believe they can absorb the daily grind of NHL life like they once did...they aren't spring chickens you know. I've always wanted to say "spring chicken." I don't know what it is about spring chickens, but they sure is tasty. The Leafs have an abundance of superb veteran talent, but an infusion of talented youth is in order to even the mix. Spoons also help mix many things. On the trading front, the Leaf voted 'Most Likely to Be Traded' by his classmates would have to be Doug Gilmour. His playmaking skills, hard-edged play, and snappy dressing make him a valuable commodity on the open market as teams prepare for the upcoming playoff and sidewalk sale season. Maybe they all should take a puck to the head... On Jan. 24, in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Kirk Muller got beamed in the head by a grossly off-target shot by teammate Doug Gilmour. Muller left the game for stitches and a stiff drink, but returned in time to score the game-winning goal 2:07 into overtime to give the Leafs a 2-1 victory and end a five-game road losing streak. Craig Wolanin...in-depth trade analysis My take on the trade for Craig Wolanin: WHY? Why would a team struggling like the Leafs trade for Craig Wolanin? I'm at a loss for words. A 29-year-old defenseman with a bum shoulder always does wonders for a team. Here's a break down of the trade: This season: (With Tampa Bay) Craig Wolanin: 15 games 0-goals 0-assists 0-points plus/minus -9 (Somewhere to be determined) Third-Round Draft Pick in 1998: ?-?-? +/-? ???????? So as you can see, the third-round draft pick in 1998 has just as many points as Wolanin, and more than likely has a better plus/minus. And when you consider that selecting a draft pick is a lot of fun, Tampa Bay easily got the best of the deal. Notes: * Toronto is 2-7-1 in their last 10 games and 2-11-1 in their last 14. *Felix Potvin still leads all NHL goaltenders with 27 losses. Potvin has a 3.44 g.a.a. and a .898 save percentage to go along with his 16-27-0 record. ha ha. * The Leafs ruined a potential record by recording their first tie of the season on January 31. The lone tie now ties them with the 1929-30 Boston Bruins for the fewest ties in a season. San Jose owns the modern NHL record with two ties. ================================================================ ================================================================= TEAM REPORTS ================================================================= WESTERN CONFERENCE PACIFIC DIVISION ----------------------------------------------------------------- ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Ron Wilson Roster: C - Jari Kurri, Kevin Todd, Steve Rucchin, Ted Drury, Sean Pronger. LW - Paul Kariya, Shawn Antoski, Brian Bellows, Garry Valk, Ken Baumgartner, Warren Rychel. RW - Teemu Selanne, Joe Sacco, Roman Oksiuta, J.F. Jomphe, Craig Reichert, Peter LeBoutillier. D - Milos Holan, Dave Karpa, Bobby Dollas, Dmitri Mironov, Darren Van Impe, Jason Marshall, Nikolai Tsulygin. G - Guy Hebert, Mikhail Shtalenkov. Injuries: Roman Oksiuta, rw (groin strain, day-to-day); Joe Sacco, rw (chest muscle strain, day-to-day); Shawn Antoski, lw (strained hip, day-to-day). Transactions: Recalled Craig Reichert, rw, from Baltimore (AHL); assigned Frank Banham, rw, to Baltimore; placed Ted Drury, c, on injured reserve; recalled Peter LeBoutillier, rw, from Baltimore; assigned Jeremy Stevenson, lw, to Baltimore. Game Results: 01/22 New Jersey W 3-1 01/23 at Phoenix L 6-3 01/25 at Los Angeles T 2-2 01/27 at St. Louis W 4-1 01/29 at Dallas L 3-1 01/31 Hartford W 6-3 02/02 Colorado L 5-2 TEAM NEWS by Jim Iovino The Mighty Ducks continue to find themselves in the middle of the pack in the Pacific Division and are continued to be led by the KRS-One line of Paul Kariya, Teemu Selanne and Steve Rucchin. KRS-One is currently one-two-three on the team in scoring. Selanne is leading the Ducks in every category with 29 goals, 39 assists and 68 points in 51 games. Despite playing in 13 less games due to an injury at the start of the season, Kariya is close behind the Finnish Flash. Kariya has 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points in 38 games. Rucchin is a distant third with 12 goals and 36 points. Kariya leads the trio with a +18 plus/minus rating. Selanne is a +8; Rucchin +9. The point totals for the Ducks' top line are quite similar to most top lines around the league. So why is Anaheim below the .500 mark (20-25-6 as of Feb. 3)? The main reason is a lack of offensive support. Dmitri Mironov, a defenseman, is fourth on the team in scoring with 32 points. Kevin Todd has the next-highest point total of the rest of the Ducks forwards, scoring just eight goals and 23 points in 50 games. And Todd hasn't scored a point in 17 games...not good. He was a healthy scratch for the Ducks' 5-2 loss to Colorado. If Anaheim was located 1,000 miles east... Here's a wacky stat for ya. Since Dec. 30, the Mighty Ducks have gone 6-1 against Eastern Conference opponents and a mere 2-5-1 against teams in the Western Conference. What could that stat mean for the Ducks in the second half of the season? Head coach Ron Wilson hopes not much. The Ducks only play three more games against Eastern Conference teams the rest of the season: home games against the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers and a road tilt against the Washington Capitals. A warm welcome... Right wing Peter LeBoutillier has been making the most of his opportunities since being called up from Baltimore. LeBoutillier, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 198 lbs., has found ways to get his name on the scoresheet in each of his first four games in the NHL. LeBoutillier, Anaheim's fifth choice in the 1995 draft, was welcomed into the NHL by none other than heavyweight champ Tony Twist in his first appearance of the season. The two went toe-to-toe in the 4-1 win against the St. Louis Blues. Two games later, LeBoutillier found himself in another scrap, this time with Hartford's Keith Primeau. LeBoutillier, who has racked up 175 penalty minutes in Baltimore this season, received an instigator penalty, fighting major and a game misconduct for his efforts. It was much of the same against Colorado, as LeBoutillier dropped the gloves with Brent Severyn. As for the other game? Leboutillier chose to use his stick instead of his fists and scored his first NHL goal on his first, and only, NHL shot. It was the Ducks' only goal of the game. Way to go, Peter! ----------------------------------------------------------------- CALGARY FLAMES ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Pierre Page Roster: C - Robert Reichel, Dave Gagner, Corey Millen, Cory Stillman, Aaron Gavey. RW - Theoren Fleury, Jarome Iginla, Ron Stern, Ed Ward, Sandy McCarthy. LW - German Titov, Jonas Hoglund, Todd Hlushko, Mike Sullivan. D - Tommy Albelin, Yves Racine, Steve Chiasson, Joel Bouchard, Chris O'Sullivan, Todd Simpson, Cale Hulse, Jamie Huscroft, James Patrick, Zarley Zalapski. G - Trevor Kidd, Dwayne Roloson. Injuries: James Patrick, d (underwent knee surgery Dec. 12 to repair torn ligament in left knee, out for remainder of the season); Zarley Zalapski, d (suffered bruised knee Oct. 6, underwent knee surgery to repair torn ligament in right knee, out for remainder of the season); Sandy McCarthy, rw (underwent ankle surgery Jan. 24, sidelined 3-5 weeks). Transactions: Recalled Chris O'Sullivan, d, from Saint John (AHL) Jan. 22; recalled Paxton Schulte, lw, from Saint John Jan. 23; sent Dale McTavish, c, to Saint John Jan. 23; sent Paxton Schulte, lw, to Saint John Jan. 30. Game results: 1/21 at Pittsburgh L 4-2 1/22 at Toronto L 5-3 1/24 at Ottawa T 2-2 1/28 NY Islanders W 4-3 1/30 San Jose L 6-3 2/1 Vancouver W 3-0 TEAM NEWS by Tony Wong Two Weeks at a Glance At last report, the Flames were in sixth place in the division (11th in the conference) and embarking on a 13-game spell that would decide their fate. Six games in, the Flames have moved closer to the Grail (now fifth in the division and 10th in the conference), however mostly due to the incompetence of their division rivals. Against Pittsburgh and Toronto, Calgary controlled play but was foiled by superb individual efforts by Patrick Lalime (49 saves) and Doug Gilmour (five points, assists on every goal). Against the Senators, the Flames played well in the first and last periods, but a second period letdown resulted in a tie in Ottawa. The story was much the same in New York, as the Flames dictated play in the first two periods and hung on in the third for a 4-3 victory. Against San Jose, Trevor Kidd seemed lost as the Sharks scored on three of their first four shots. The result: a 6-3 win for the Sharks. The loss wasn't entirely Kidd's fault as the rest of the team also put forth a lackluster effort. Two days later, Kidd was reborn. After spending time with goaltending mentor Glenn Hall, Kidd shut out the Canucks with the help of Aaron Gavey, who contributed two goals to the cause. (Note to Al Coates - you can hire a goaltending coach anytime now...) Overall, the Flames looked very much like the schizophrenic team that they have been all year, where confidence has ruled their fate. The Flames play as a disciplined, cohesive team, following a singular game plan -- until they are confronted by adversity. Whether it has been a hot player (see Lalime, Gilmour), a bad goal (see Kidd versus San Jose) or an unusual situation (see the game versus the Islanders where a 4-0 lead became a close 4-3 win), the Flames seem to panic when confronted with a situation. Perhaps it is a lack of leadership or maturity which is leading to this tendency to panic. In any case, they need to come up with a cure quickly. Fleury Trade First mentioned here last edition (Jan. 21), the "Trade Fleury" movement has really heated up. What was once a "what if" scenario has become, with a little help from the local print media, a real possibility. As a coach, Pierre Page has always believed in the dual tenets of hard practices and superior conditioning. For the marginally talented Flames, Page believes it is essential for success. Just prior to the All-Star break, the Flames underwent fitness testing. Never a conditioning freak, Theo Fleury along with German Titov, tested at the back of the pack. At the All-Star game, Fleury discovered that many of his colleagues practiced much less. Worn down from the special attention he receives each game as the Flames singular star, Fleury wondered out loud to the press that perhaps he too should "practice less". Voila! Within 48 hours the coach and his star player had an official "difference in opinion." Several days later, an editorial titled "Trade Theo!" hit the front of the sports section, and Calgary was abuzz. Though Page and Fleury have undergone a number of closed door meetings, announcing all is well, the "Trade Fleury" sentiment is out and growing. What might have been an innocent comment -- a la Alex Mogilny -- has now turned into a situation which Al Coates must deal with. With the local media driving the "Trade Theo" sentiment, hanging on to Fleury may be as dangerous as trading him. For now, Fleury has wisely decided to "let his play do the talking." What to do? Coates needs to evaluate what Fleury's market worth is, who is interested and what he can get. In the event that the Flames go in the tank over the next two weeks, Coates has to be ready to deal Fleury before the deadline. The preparation is essential, as trading a player has now become a complex transaction involving salaries, budgets and agents (see the Shanahan/Coffey trade for details). Here at LCS, we shudder to think of the Flames without their diminutive captain. However, if the Flames are not in a position to make the playoffs after the next two weeks, trading their 29-year-old captain to the highest bidder may not be a bad idea. Hey Hartford, two first round picks and another player sounds fair, doesn't it? Trade Rumors As with all teams struggling to make the playoffs, trades rumours are a facet that we all must deal with. Here at LCS, when it comes to rumours, I figure we might as well contribute to the cause and start the fire. Below are some possibilities: Ronnie Stern, Tommy Albelin and a third-round pick for Hnat Domenichelli and Hartford's first pick: The Whalers get the tough winger they desperately need and a good defenseman without giving up a core player or losing a key draft pick. The Flames get Jarome Iginla's talented junior linemate with the best name this side of John Cullen and improve their position in the talent filled 1997 draft. Sandy McCarthy is a bigger, younger and meaner (although slower) version of Stern and Albelin's place next year can be filled by Patrick or Zalapski. Dave Gagner for Chris Wells: Florida gets an excellent two-way player who is also an offensive threat. The Flames receive a talented hometown prospect for a player that is a free agent without compensation next year. The net result for Florida would be Stu Barnes for Dave Gagner -- an excellent trade for the playoff-bound Panthers. Dave Gagner and Steve Chiasson for Mathieu Dandenault and a third-round pick: Detroit gets a transition defenseman and another piece of firepower to launch at Colorado. While Dandenault has the skills to be a star, the current management might not get a chance to see him blossom if they don't win the Cup this year. The Flames get a potential star for the future, by dealing a future free agent and one of their numerous defensemen. Theo Fleury and Dave Gagner for a Niedermayer: Yes, I broke down and included a Fleury trade, even though we'd hate to see him go. This trade would work for both New Jersey and Florida, giving them a giant injection of offense for their much maligned Niedermayer. In return, Calgary would receive a potential superstar. Interesting eh? Report Cards: Last issue, we issued the warning. This issue, time is up. Yes, it's time for the annual mid-season report cards. Who's played well, and who's played like a dog. Without further adieu... Robert Reichel: Woof, woof. Despite all the catcalls and bad press (LCS included), Robby hasn't played all that bad. He's played hard, created opportunities and been a good role model for the kids. He just hasn't scored. Unfortunately, the Flames unlocked the millions for a 40-goal scorer, not just a nice guy. So unless Reichel starts putting the puck in the net, he will continue to be a disappointment to Flames fans everywhere. One bright note: Reichel has always performed exceptionally better in the second half -- let's hope he stays true to form. Good attitude only saves you from an F, Robbie. Grade: D-. Dave Gagner: Perhaps the first half MVP. A consistently solid two-way force all year long, the most valuable thing about Gagner has been the effect he has had on his rookie linemates Iginla and Hoglund. Of the four forwards that have a plus rating, three reside on this line. If Iginla wins the Calder, Gagner should be the first player he thanks for showing him the way. Though Calgary would like to re-sign Gagner (he is an unrestricted free agent after this season), they probably can't afford him. $1.5 million (his current contract) would be beyond the price range of what the Flames want to pay for an aging veteran (the Flames currently only pay about $500,000 of his salary. The Maple Leafs pay the rest.). However, his good play makes him a very tradeable commodity. We'll miss you Dave. Grade: A-. Corey Millen: We expected Millen to be a good penalty killer and an opportunistic third-line center at the beginning of the year. Halfway through, we can't help but say we're disappointed. Corey's play has been inconsistent and combined with some minor injuries, he has been in and out of the lineup. He's played well as of late, so we'll give him the benefit of the doubt. You pass. Grade: C. Cory Stillman: A combination of poor luck (only three goals) and eroded confidence have dogged Stillman offensively all year. Though his two-way play has been solid, the Flames need more out of this former number one pick. Grade: C-. Aaron Gavey: A strong two-way player who reminds us of a faster Joel Otto. Other than some deft handiwork in the last week (three goals), Gavey has been solidly unspectacular. No mistakes and a little flash of late, marks him slightly above average. Grade: C+. Theoren Fleury: Two words. Inconsistent and disappointing. Fleury's play this year has been streaky -- irritating and dominating the opposition on one night and disappearing the next. Without Roberts to draw the opposition's checkers, Fleury has struggled. More disappointing has been Theo's poor leadership. Loose lips and an alert media have led to several controversies, including the latest public disagreement with Page. While Fleury's opinions may be correct, airing them to the media and not the coach is not behavior becoming of the captain of a young team. Nevertheless, Fleury is still the leading scorer of the team and has singlehandedly won several games this season. Mixed reviews for the Mightiest Mite. Grade: B. Jarome Iginla: Third on the team in scoring, the highest plus/minus on the team, kills penalties, plays the body and has made a city quickly forget how much they loved former 50-goal scorer Joe Nieuwendyk. Oh yes, he's a 19-year-old rookie, too. But he's from Edmonton -- we can't love everything about him... Grade: A-. Ronnie Stern: Still tough, but the flashes of hockey skill have been far and few between this year. Defensive lapses, a lack of physical play and the impending return of Sandy McCarthy means that Stern's time in Calgary is limited. As a tough winger who can skate, Stern is still a valuable trade commodity. See ya, Ronnie. Grade: C-. Ed Ward: A big winger who has quietly worked his way into the lineup as a regular. We don't notice him much on the ice, but he's one of the four forwards who are not in the minus category. Ed, even though we can't see you, you must be doing something right. Grade: C+. German Titov: Workmanlike as usual, Titov has converted on his opportunities on the top line when they have arisen. Usually a top forward defensively, Titov seems to have forgotten how to backcheck. We'll have to dock you for that, German. Grade: B-. Jonas Hoglund: A surprise when he made the team, Hoglund has been offensively streaky, occasionally getting in the groove and releasing his wicked shot. He has meshed well with his linemates, though, and only forgets to cover his man once in a while. Grade: B. Todd Hlushko: In and out of the lineup, Hlushko plays like the prototypical NHL journeyman. Solid for several games, Hlushko seems to lapse when in the lineup too long. After a trip to the press box, he seems hungry again. Grade: C. Mike Sullivan: Hasn't used his speed effectively this year to consistently irritate the opposition like he usually does. Not much more to say. Grade: C-. Tommy Albelin: A steadying force on the blue line, Albelin has been boringly effective and has worked well with the youngsters. However with the surplus of young defensemen and Zalapski and Patrick back next year, his averageness might be worth more to the Flames somewhere else. Grade: B. Yves Racine: Though viewed as a journeyman defenseman throughout his career, Racine has played exceptionally well since coming to Calgary. Though not gifted offensively, and a somewhat soft hitter defensively, Racine gets the puck and gets it out of the zone. You can't argue with effectiveness. Grade: B+. Steve Chiasson: Injuries have prevented Chiasson from taking a regular spot on the blue line for the Flames. As a million dollar defenseman, Chiasson needs to be a force. Since his return, he hasn't been exceptional, but provides a kind of quiet leadership for the defense. Let's hope he continues to improve. Grade: C+. Joel Bouchard: Has looked rock solid some nights and very much like a pylon on others. He's played almost every game this year and I still can't figure him out. 50% good, 50% bad. Sounds like a he squeaks by with a pass. Grade: C. Chris O'Sullivan: A former forward, O'Sullivan led the defensive corps in scoring at the beginning of the year. Unfortunately, sometimes he looked a lot like a forward playing defense and was sent down. Let's hope this time he remembers to hit guys when they come over the blue line. Grade: C. Todd Simpson: Knocked Forsberg out. Bure hates him. While Simpson makes his share on rookie mistakes, he sure smells like a poor man's Ulf Sameulsson. While the Forsberg hit gave him notoriety, Simpson's nasty play has quickly made him a hated opponent. Though he doesn't play by the rules all the time, he has been one of the most effective Flames defensemen in the first half. Grade: B+. Cale Hulse: Simpson's quiet partner, Hulse has had an excellent first half. Placed in key situations all year, often against the league's best lines, Hulse has not looked out of place. Not bad for a rookie. Grade: B+. Jamie Huscroft: Solid in limited action, works well a la Hlushko when spotted. Has shown a knack for irritating opposing players. Grade: C. Trevor Kidd: A spectacular first couple of months, a really bad spell and now -- recovery. Though Kidd has only been in the nets every other night, his season has mirrored the success of the Flames. Battling for the number one job, Kidd played exceptional (as did Tabaracci) and the Flames surged to the top of the Pacific. With Tabaracci gone, Kidd hit a streak of bad offensive support that turned into a horrendous losing streak. The Flames followed him into the abyss. When Kidd has had his confidence, he has been a bona fide number one goalie, carrying the team on occasion. When he hasn't -- it's been virtually an automatic loss for the Flames. With a shutout in his last start against Vancouver, let's hope the confidence meter is going up. Grade: D. Dwayne Roloson: Roloson, like Kidd, has been inconsistent. After an excellent start, Roloson has cooled off in his starts of late, with some weak performances interspersed with some average ones. If Roloson wants a job as a NHL goalie, he needs to show the spark and consistency that he had when he was first called up. If he does -- the number one job is available. Grade: C. Coaching: As was the case last year, Page has done very well with the talent at hand. Unfortunately, Page doesn't have a Gary Roberts to pull out of his sleeve for the second half. Positives: Team concept and development of the youngsters. Page has preached team defense and the Flames have bought in. When clicking on all cylinders, the Flames are a no-star workaholic defensive team, much like the Florida Panthers. As for the youngsters, the Flames have survived the first half and are only two points out of a playoff spot. Negatives: For all his tricks, Page has not fared well in handling his players. His rotating goaltending scheme ruined the confidence of Trevor Kidd and the Flames have suffered inconsistent goaltending over the last three months as a result. His handling of his captain and star, Theo Fleury has been poor. While Fleury is partially to blame, it is up to the coach to take the initiative. Page needed to talk to his star player before Fleury's pouting and frustration became a distraction to the team. Grade: C. Management: "Move Slow, Move Smart" has been the motto during Al Coates tenure. While evaluating the current talent, Coates has only made moves when necessary. Both first half acquisitions, Gavey and Racine, look good and resolved situations that were getting out of hand. The question is, if the Flames look like they might miss the playoffs, will Coates make the right moves to re-tool for next season? Will he trade Fleury? And if he does, will he get what he's worth? We're waiting, Al. Grade: B. Upcoming games: 2/3 Los Angeles 2/5 at Edmonton 2/7 Washington 2/9 Anaheim 2/11 Boston 2/13 Edmonton 2/15 Toronto As mentioned last issue, all seven games in the next two weeks are against sub-.500 clubs. If the Flames can win at least five of the games, they will be back in contention. If not, look for Fleury to be traded. ----------------------------------------------------------------- COLORADO AVALANCHE ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Marc Crawford Roster: C - Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Stephane Yelle, Josef Marha. LW - Valeri Kamensky, Yves Sarault, Rene Corbet, Eric Lacroix. RW - Claude Lemieux, Adam Deadmarsh, Keith Jones, Scott Young, Mike Keane, Christian Matte. D - Sandis Ozolinsh, Sylvain Lefebvre, Uwe Krupp, Adam Foote, Alexei Gusarov, Jon Klemm, Brent Severyn, Aaron Miller, Richard Brennan. G - Patrick Roy, Craig Billington. Injuries: Joe Sakic, c (deep leg laceration, 1-2 weeks). Transactions: Returned Jean- Francois Labbe, g, and Eric Messier, d, to Hershey (AHL). Game Results: 01/21 at Tampa Bay L 3-2 OT 01/23 at Pittsburgh W 4-3 OT 01/25 at Boston L 4-1 01/27 at Toronto W 5-2 01/29 Los Angeles W 6-3 02/01 at San Jose L 2-1 02/02 at Anaheim W 5-2 TEAM NEWS by Matt Gitchell Joe Sakic logged 15 minutes of ice time on Monday. No, it wasn't in a game, but it was the first time the Avalanche captain had been on skates since Jan 4. Sakic went down with a severely lacerated calf muscle early this year, the victim of an accidental kick by Philadelphia's Dale Hawerchuk. The skating session, at the University of Denver Arena, marks the first visible sign of improvement for the Avalanche captain, and Sakic's return is slated from anywhere between 10 days and two weeks. Sakic, who had only missed 28 games over an 8 1/2 year career, has missed 13 games to this point in the season, but still leads the Avalanche team in scoring with 55 points in 40 games played. Sakic was on crutches for about two weeks, then returned to riding the stationary bike to keep in shape. "It felt pretty good for the first time,'' Sakic said of his brief Monday skate. "There wasn't any pain. I felt a little tightness, but for the first day it went pretty well." The team has gone 8-3-2 since Sakic's injury, and for part of that time the Avs were missing Peter Forsberg and others. In the past two weeks, the Avalanche has played well (what else is new?), but it seems the team still has a problem building intensity when they play the not-so-great teams of the league. The Avs fell in the last two weeks to Tampa Bay, Boston, and San Jose, teams with a combined record of 57-77-17. But let's not paint an overly pessimistic picture, here. The team wrapped up what was basically one long road trip, playing just two out of 13 games at home, and made it through that stretch 8-3-2. Injury Notes: Colorado fans found themselves gasping at yet another injury Jan. 23 when Patrick Roy left the game against Pittsburgh with a sprained thumb. It seems Uwe Krupp skated over Roy's exposed glove 14 minutes into the game, and then Pittsburgh's Joe Dziedzic did the same. Roy stayed in the game for a while, but eventually had to leave. Roy had to sit out for two games, but returned for the Avalanche against the L.A. Kings Jan. 29. Whew. Offense Notes: Despite having the two leading scorers on the team out for a stretch, the Avs continue to post impressive numbers. This team is DEEP. The Avalanche has seven players with more than 15 goals, the most of any team in the league. Adam Deadmarsh and Keith Jones have continued to produce for the Avalanche, with Deadmarsh's 10 points in 10 games (5-5) and Jones' six points in the same stretch (3-3) beefing up the Avs' offensive output, and making the Avs' second line, even without Sakic, a powerful threat. Also, since his return to the lineup after missing six games with a separated shoulder on Jan. 15, Valeri Kamensky has been a heavy producer as well, especially now that Peter Forsberg has come back from his thigh injury. Kamensky has had three goals and five assists since coming back, and Peter Forsberg has had five assists in the five games he's been back. So, the Avalanche's offensive machine rolls on, and Sakic's return should be in time for him to find his rhythm with the team again before playoff time hits. Defense: Defensively, the club has been reasonably solid, keeping most teams to two goals or less -- a few shaky moments against Tampa Bay and Boston not withstanding. But on the whole, the defensive corps has allowed the offense to stay in the game, and kept the games winnable even though the end result didn't show it. Special Teams: The Avalanche continue to have great performances from the special teams folks, with the power play still sitting at third overall in the league (21.7 percent), and the penalty kill in the number one slot (89.6 percent). Sandis Ozolinsh leads the league in power-play points (28), with Joe Sakic right behind with 26. Rumor Mill: As the end of the season slowly approaches, you start hearing more things like "word around the league says..." and "A source in the front office sez..." Some of the latest knitting-circle talk has the New York Islanders ponying up a ton of dough at the end of the season for (get this) Peter Forsberg or Joe Sakic or both. I could be wrong, and I might have an over-romanticized view of the club, but the concept of Joe Sakic leaving the Avalanche for the Islanders is a bit odd, if not downright silly. Sakic was the man on the Nordiques (except for Badaboum, of course) when the Nords stank like a month-old piece of whatever it is that stinks a lot. The man knows what it's like to lose, and he's made comments about how great it is being on a winning club versus a team of the undead. It is my amateur opinion that the man will indeed want a raise, maybe even a big raise, but if the dollar figures between are anywhere near one another, he'll stay with Colorado. One of the issues that complicates matters is the fact that Ascent Entertainment, which owns the Avalanche, is stuck in what could be described as a "crappy" lease at McNichols Arena. Ownership is losing millions per year, but has made strong contractual commitments (with strong contractual paychecks) to players, such as Valeri Kamensky, for millions. So the quandary is this: Will Ascent eat the cost of keeping the "dynasty" together, or will Avs GM Pierre Lacroix take what he can get for Sakic (a minimum of five first-round draft choices from any team that Sakic or Forsberg would be shipped to), keep Forsberg, and keep building for the future? Keep an eye out for what Lacroix, the Smartest Man in the Game (and you can tell him I said so), and Ascent have up their sleeve. Player Notes: The Avalanche have rotated six rookies into the lineup this year, and without a doubt the one that stands out most for the Avs is Aaron Miller. Miller has been rewarded with ice time, playing in 32 games for the Avs, and scoring 11 points, not up there with Sandis Ozolinsh's numbers, but not bad for a defenseman nonetheless. Miller has put in three game-winners for the Avalanche as well, and sits at +2. In the last report I mentioned which Avalanche players had gone without a goal thus far in the season. Since publication, each of those players has scored. Go figure. The list included: Adam Foote, who beat Felix Potvin with a nifty backhander from the left circle in Toronto on Jan. 27; Claude Lemieux, who has scored four goals since issue 61 of LCS: Guide to Hockey hit the web; and Brent Severyn, who was determined to grow his facial hair out until he scored his first goal as an Avalanche player (and was consequently looking quite scruffy), ended his drought Jan.21 with a goal against Tampa Bay in the Avs' 3-2 overtime loss in Florida. ----------------------------------------------------------------- EDMONTON OILERS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Ron Low Roster: C - Doug Weight, Jason Arnott, Todd Marchant. LW - Dean McAmmond, Rem Murray, Miroslav Satan, Ryan Smyth, Mats Lindgren. RW - Mariusz Czerkawski, Mike Grier, Dave Oliver, Andrei Kovalenko, Kelly Buchberger, Louie DeBrusk. D - Kevin Lowe, Luke Richardson, Bryan Marchment, Jiri Slegr, Boris Mironov, Jeff Norton, Donald Dufresne, Daniel McGillis, Sean Brown, Greg de Vries. G - Curtis Joseph, Bob Essensa. Injuries: Jason Arnott, c , returned from ankle injury Jan. 31, missed two games; Greg de Vries, d (suffered sprained ankle Jan. 26, sidelined 7 to 10 days); Boris Mironov, d (suffered abdominal/groin strain Jan. 21, sidelined indefinitely). Transactions: Recalled Sean Brown, d, and Greg de Vries, d, from Hamilton (AHL). Game Results: 01/21 at NY Rangers T 4-4 01/22 at NY Islanders L 8-1 01/24 at Buffalo W 3-1 01/26 at Washington W 3-1 01/29 San Jose W 3-1 01/31 NY Islanders W 1-0 TEAM NEWS by Simon D. Lewis The Defence Never Rests That's right! The Edmonton Oilers are playing defence. No, I'm not kidding. Sure, they're one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL, but look at those last four results...only 10 goals for, but a tiny total of three against. Everyone knew that Curtis Joseph was a quality goalie, but he's not doing it alone. The backchecking is solid, the front of the net is cleared, defensive zone assignments are picked up. It's playoff hockey in January. After an 8-1 pasting in Uniondale against the Islanders something must have snapped; the collective shoe dropped. Either that or coach Ron Low has found some, as yet, legal substance with which to doctor the boys' water bottles. Whatever it is, it's working. They're Not Booing. . .They're Yelling Cujo Just a few numbers for you all. Number of games Curtis Joseph played in St. Loo -- 314. Number of shutouts he earned there -- 5. Number of games he's played this year for the Oilers -- 45. Number of shutouts -- 6. (Bob Essensa has one.) Number of shutouts Bill Ranford had as an Oiler -- 8. Number of shutouts Grant Fuhr had as an Oiler -- 9. This is the kind of performance that lets you go 8-3-1 in January. Twice in a Lifetime You don't hear that scoreline very often in the NHL. 1-0. In 1,545 league and playoff games, the Oilers had only won by that score once before beating the resurgent Islanders on Jan. 31. The other game is a golden memory for Edmonton fans. On May 10, 1984, Kevin McClelland ripped a 35-footer past Billy Smith of the Islanders for a 1-0 Edmonton win. It was Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals. Is there some kind of mojo working here? Does this mean the Oilers will triumph again? Don't bet on it, but there's no question that the boys in dark blue are doing a lot more things right over the last few weeks. They're winning the close ones. Centre of Attention Jason Arnott seems too tired of winging it. He's a natural centre who has been asked to play the wing because the Oilers have a surfeit of pivots. Over the last two months, between an injured ankle and a generally slow output, he's only notched 13 points. The problem for Arnie is twofold. That Doug Weight guy plays a silky centre, so he gets to be No. 1. Then there's Mats Lindgren who is also looking great. He's set between Kelly Buchberger and Ryan Smyth. That line's been hot, so they get to be No. 2. If Jason wants to play centre, he's No. 3. On the wing he just doesn't seem comfortable. Here's hoping he can keep it happening. Waiting for Andrei to Tank It It really doesn't look like he's going to disappear when the playoffs going gets tough. That's the putative reason the Habs traded Andrei Kovalenko to Northern Alberta for Scott Thornton. So far, Glenn Sather and Ron Low can only grin from ear to ear. The Tank is still crushing goalies. Hello, Joe He's not on the big team yet, but Joe Hulbig (1st round pick,13th overall 1992) is making some heads turn down in Hamilton (AHL). This power forward-in-waiting is making just enough offensive noise that the Oilers will soon have to clear a stall for him in the dressing room. If Louie Debrusk and Dean McAmmond don't pull up their socks, we may be seeing big Joe in the Oiler silks. February 2 The groundhog pokes his nose out of his den. In the bright sunshine he sees the shadow of a Maple Leaf on the ground. He vanishes. Too bad! That means six more weeks of bad hockey. ----------------------------------------------------------------- LOS ANGELES KINGS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Larry Robinson Roster: C - Yanic Perreault, Ray Ferraro, Ian Laperriere. LW - Dimitri Khristich, Kevin Stevens, Vladimir Tsyplakov, Barry Potomski, Craig Johnson. RW - Brad Smyth, Ed Olczyk, Vitali Yachmenev, Dan Bylsma. D - Rob Blake, Doug Zmolek, Mattias Norstrom, Phillippe Boucher, Sean O'Donnell, Steve Finn, Jan Vopat. G - Stephane Fiset, Byron Dafoe, Jamie Storr. Injuries: Craig Johnson, lw (abdominal surgery, few weeks). Jan Vopat, d (ankle, day-to-day). Byron Dafoe, g (finger, day-to-day). Transactions: Placed Neal Broten, c, on waivers. Assigned Jaroslav Modry and John Slaney, defensemen, to Phoenix (IHL). Game Results: 01/21 New Jersey L 4-1 01/22 at San Jose L 7-2 01/25 Anaheim T 2-2 01/27 at Dallas L 7-2 01/29 at Colorado L 6-3 01/30 Hartford W 5-3 02/01 Chicago L 3-2 TEAM NEWS by Matt Moore Sigh...I guess I just have to come to terms with this news: The Kings really are a pretty bad team. They go out one day and look like they could thrash just about any team in the league just to raise my hopes, then they suck it up for the next week or so, losing games to teams that they should lose to, and losing big while doing it. A perfect example would have to be the Jan. 22 game against the Sharks, where the Kings lost 7-2. Admittedly, the game was on the road and a tie would have been ok, but the Kings didn't even bother to show up. It was a disgrace to the team, and unfortunately, just a sign of how they were going to play for the next few games. Rob Blake did give the team a lift with his return to the lineup for the game against the Sharks. This was a game that the Kings should have won, and would have won, except for a reversal of a goal due to a player being in the crease. The Ducks radio color man, former King Pat Conacher, should be given some credit for the Kings strong play due to his comments that put down the Kings rebuilding efforts, even though his team isn't "rebuilding" but isn't that much better than the Kings. This might just be a sign of how bitter he is at being traded by the Kings last year, and too be honest, comes as a surprise since during much of his time with the Kings he came across as being a bit more classy than his comments reflect. Guess I was wrong... Kevin Stevens continues his strong play, despite having lost that "C" on the sweater. While still an alternate captain, he was the leading scorer on the Kings in January and shows no sign of slowing down. He is playing the best hockey since when he was a Penguin, and now, considering the problems that Rick Tocchet has had in Boston, that trade seems to have been a much better deal for the Kings than originally thought. However, the current captain for the Kings seems to be a bit rusty in coming of his broken hand. Rob Blake has played surprisingly poor for such a good player. In fact, just off of recent play, I would have to say that Aki Berg has been the best defenseman. Berg has continued his strong play that he has shown since his being called up a few weeks ago. He has improved his language skills considerably in the past year or so, and apparently that has helped out with his being able to communicate with his teammates. He is using his 6'5" 210lb. frame to his advantage now, both with legal and illegal checks, and is showing surprising speed for such a big guy in going up the ice with the puck. Scary part is he is only 19 and if he keeps on improving he will be a force. Kai Nurminen has continued his strong play, turning into one of the Kings best scoring threats. His play would be improved even more if he had better passing players surrounding him, but I think that applies to ever player in the NHL. What seems to have turned him around is the realization that the NHL plays a much rougher style than he was used to in Europe. Now that he has learned that, no matter what he will be hit, and he has adjusted his play accordingly. Now he seems more willing to be more physical; he is able to survive in the better scoring areas. Add his adaption to the physical play with both his speed and natural scoring ability, and he has turned out quite well. Unfortunately, the Kings lost their best goaltender of late, Byron Dafoe, to a thumb injury on his right hand and will not be able to play in their game against the Calgary Flames. Add this to the recent bad play (where Dafoe was the only reason it wasn't even worse), and the Kings seem to just keep on digging themselves deeper and deeper into a hole, with the playoffs just being a hope and not a reality. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SAN JOSE SHARKS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Al Sims Roster: C - Jeff Friesen, Bernie Nicholls, Ron Sutter, Darren Turcotte. LW - Viktor Kozlov, Tony Granato, Andrei Nazarov, Tim Hunter, Dody Wood, Chris Tancill. RW - Shean Donovan, Owen Nolan, Todd Ewen, Steve Guolla. D - Doug Bodger, Marcus Ragnarsson, Todd Gill, Al Iafrate, Greg Hawgood, Mike Rathje, Marty McSorley, Vlastimil Kroupa, Chris LiPuma. G - Eddie Belfour, Kelly Hrudey, Wade Flaherty. Injuries: Mike Rathje, d (surgery to repair groin tendon, indefinite). Eddie Belfour, g, (sprained medial collateral ligament, 2-3 weeks). Darren Turcotte, c, (punctured ear drum, day-to-day). Transactions: Traded Ulf Dahlen, rw, Michael Sykora, d, Chris Terreri, g, and a 1998 conditional second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for Ed Belfour, g; called up Chris Tancill, lw, Chris LiPuma, d, and Wade Flaherty, g, from Kentucky (AHL); called up Alexei Yegorov, c, for two games, from Kentucky. Game Results: 01/20 at Vancouver L 6-1 01/22 Los Angeles W 7-2 01/24 New Jersey L 3-1 01/27 at Vancouver L 5-2 01/29 at Edmonton L 3-1 01/30 at Calgary W 6-3 02/01 Colorado W 2-1 TEAM NEWS by Mark Spiegel Of course the big news of late in San Jose has been the acquisition of goalie Ed Belfour from the Blackhawks. With the Sharks struggling to reach a playoff spot, some type of change was expected. With all of the off-season changes and acquisitions, merely improving over last season's dismal performance just isn't enough. Whether unwritten, or whether inspired by memories of the 1993-94 team and the run it made, most fans would have hoped for better than bobbing in and out of the Pacific cellar. With all of the changes made, it was understandable that it might take time for the team to gel. However, now that both the actual (41 games) and figurative (All-Star break) midseason points have been passed, it must be getting a little worrisome in the Sharks' offices. Through the first 20 games of the season, the Sharks were 7-9-4. From games 21 to 41 San Jose compiled a 7-13-4 record. Not exactly what you'd call improvement. Since the All-Star game the Sharks have continued their just under .500 play, coming out flat against the Canucks, bouncing back to trounce the Kings at the Tank, then losing a home game to the Devils that nobody on the team wanted to play due to the trade rumors filling the air. The initial rumors, apparently started in Chicago, had Jeff Friesen traded with Chris Terreri to the Hawks. This not only caused a run on supplies of tar and rope at local hardware stores, but apparently depleted the Sharks supply of fax machine paper. Many a fan electronically voiced their opposition to trading the budding young star. "I definitely know who not to trade now," GM Dean Lombardi sheepishly commented. The thought of being traded so upset Jeff that he hung around at the Tank, following the game with the Devils, after midnight until he was reassured by the Sharks that he was not involved in the trade. During the game, with New Jersey players reminding him on ice about the rumors, Friesen had become so convinced he would be traded he thought "if nothing else I wanted to score one more goal for the (San Jose) fans." Even older players, like Bernie Nicholls, whom Lombardi undoubtedly quizzed to get inside info on Belfour, were affected. "I didn't even want to go out and play the last period," lamented Nicholls, who was a teammate of Belfour's last season. Finally with the trade completed, the Sharks headed out for their second game in a week at the Garage in Vancouver. Despite outshooting and generally outplaying the hometown Canucks, the Sharks failed to get a point. Similarly two nights later in Edmonton, again the Sharks played well enough to win but came up empty. Finally, closing out both the road trip and the month of January, the Sharks were rewarded for their improving play with a 6-3 drubbing of Theo Fleury and the Calgary Flames. Up 5-0, before the Flames first goal midway through the second period, the Sharks nearly forgot the game is 60 minutes, relying on their new goalie, Eddie the Eagle, to come up with 17 saves in the third period to preserve the win. Finally back home in the Tank, the Sharks put together one of their best games of the season and defeated the defending Cup champion Colorado Avalanche, 2-1. It was the first home game for new goalie Eddie Belfour. Belfour, who has now changed his number to 20 in honor of Vladislav Tretiak, received a thunderous ovation from the Tank crowd when his name was announced as the starting goalie. The Sharks came out flying, often bottling up the Avs with aggressive forechecking. With the score still tied at 0-0, and goalies Ed Belfour and Patrick Roy battling for their teams, the Sharks were forced to kill off over three minutes of penalties, including a five-on-three situation, against the league's leading power-play unit. The penalty kill was successful and added further inspiration to the Sharks drive. But they were, after all, playing the defending champs with Roy in net, so despite several good scoring attempts, it wasn't until 2:52 of the first period that the Sharks could put the puck past St. Patrick. A shot by Doug Bodger from the point went behind the Colorado net where Stephen Guolla, showing wonderful poise for a rookie, gathered it in and skated out to the right side of the crease. While Guolla maneuvered, Owen Nolan snuck in behind the Colorado defense. With a flick of Guolla's stick the puck found Nolan at the backdoor for a quick deflection into the net behind Roy. The Avalanche evened the score, just under four minutes into the second period. Winger Scott Young received a backhand pass, from linemate Rene Corbet, just outside the San Jose blue line. Young stickhandled into the Sharks zone and fired a shot between goalie Ed Belfour's pads to tie the score at 1-1. With just over five minutes left, a stop by Eddie the Eagle on a breakaway by the Avs' Corbet, resulted in, what we would learn later, a strained MCL in Belfour's right knee. Corbet had fallen on the Sharks' netminders' right leg when Belfour lunged forward to poke check the puck. Despite the pain, Belfour remained in net until the end of the period. The third period started with a stunned Kelly Hrudey in net. "I was nervous like nobody's business for the first five minutes or so," Hrudey admitted post-game. With the recent trade and Belfour's performance through the first two periods, Kelly added "the pressure doesn't get any bigger." Hrudey came and delivered, and got a big boost when Jeff Friesen scored what would turn out to be the game-winner, just over one minute into the third. Friesen's score began when Owen Nolan took the puck from behind the Colorado net and charged in to just left of the crease. The NHL's version of Babe Ruth fired a quick wrist shot at Roy. Roy made the initial save, stopped Nolan's attempt on the rebound, but couldn't stop Friesen's whack at the second rebound. With a one goal lead, the Sharks gradually went more and more into a defensive mode. Trapping at mid-ice, dumping the puck at the Colorado blueline, only sending in a single forechecker. And the whole team did it. Everybody worked their dorsal fins off finishing checks, playing their positions, clogging the passing lanes. The commitment was personified by center Dody Wood, who, having one of his best games ever as a Shark, stayed on the bench for a few quick sutures, rather than waste time going to the locker room. While Doug Bodger drove superstar center Peter Forsberg to frustration with his defensive play, winger Todd Ewen was giving Claude Lemieux lessons on being an obnoxious pest. Yeah, it was that good of an effort by the Sharks. "From start to finish we played with the best team in the league," head coach Al Sims happily stated afterward. Defenseman Doug Bodger, instrumental in defending against Colorado's top line of Kamensky, Forsberg and Lemieux added: "We hit everything early and made it tough on them. When we come to play we can play with anybody in the league." Marty McSorley, often teamed with Planet Al Iafrate in the final minutes of the third, and remembering the frustrating loses earlier in the week said: "(We are finally) getting rewarded for our effort." Current Lines Lines and defensive pairings for the Sharks have been: Guolla Friesen Nolan Kozlov Nicholls Nazarov Granato Wood Donovan Tancill Sutter Ewen Bodger Gill McSorley Ragnarsson Hawgood Iafrate Baby Sharks showing teeth Three of the Sharks young hopes for the future have really improved their play over the last 20 games. Jeff Friesen, now playing the center position he played in juniors, is scoring at more than a point per game (PpG) clip. The twin 6-foot-5 Russian towers, Viktor Kozlov and Andrei Nazarov , have made big jumps in their scoring. Kozlov's dazzling stickhandling is being complemented by more goals and assists. Andrei "Natural Born Killer" Nazarov has more than doubled his goals per game (GpG) average, while keeping his PIM at a "respectable" 145. GpG PpG ---- ---- Jeff Friesen -previous games 0.27 0.43 -last 20 games 0.35 1.10 Viktor Kozlov -previous games 0.17 0.43 -last 20 games 0.30 0.65 Andrei Nazarov -previous games 0.14 0.32 -last 20 games 0.35 0.70 Black and Blue Sharks Defenseman Mike Rathje, whose injured groin was operated on in December, may now be lost for the remainder of the season. The Sharks are reporting that they now suspect the injured muscle may have separated from the bone. Since muscles are attached to bone by tendons, and that's what the team doctors said they operated on earlier, one has to wonder what exactly they were doing when they cut into ol' Mike. Tony Granato is back in the lineup after sitting out a few games with a sore back. Center Darren Turcotte punctured an ear drum with a Q-tip swab over a week ago. The speedy forward has been held off the ice as he's still having trouble keeping his balance while walking. Sounds like he's prime LCS staff material... Goalie Eddie Belfour, just a week after joining the team, injured his right knee in the win over Colorado on Saturday. An MRI assessment of the knee determined showed a slightly sprained medial collateral ligament, requiring up to 2-3 weeks of IR. Teal Guys Finish Third Through the official midpoint of the season, 41 games, the Sharks had improved by 13 points over their admittedly dismal 1995-96 performance. Last year the Sharks were 8-29-4 after 41 games, while this season the team was 14-22-5. A nice improvement, but only third to the Dallas Stars and Ottawa Senators. The Senators improved by 15 points over last year's 41-game record, while Dallas led the entire league, improving by 17 points to a 23-15-3 mid-1996-97 record. Sharks Trivia Quiz: Last issue's quiz was: Sharks' All-Star Tony Granato was signed during the off-season after playing for the Los Angeles Kings for several years. Originally a New York Ranger, who was Tony traded for in being sent to L.A.? The answer is: Granato, and teammate Tomas Sandstrom, were traded to the Kings for Tony's current Sharks teammate Bernie Nicholls. This issue's quiz is: Before the acquisition of Eddie Belfour, Arturs Irbe's performance during the 1993-94 season was about as close as the Sharks have come to having a first rung NHL goaltender. Accordingly, Irbe holds every all-time goaltending record the Sharks have, except one category. Arturs holds the team record for best GAA, most wins, games played, and shutouts, among others. What one Sharks' all-time goaltending record does Irbe not hold? (Hint: he's tied for second with fellow former Shark Jeff Hackett...) Answer next issue... ----------------------------------------------------------------- VANCOUVER CANUCKS ----------------------------------------------------------------- Head Coach: Tom Renney Roster: C - Trevor Linden, Mike Ridley, Mike Sillinger, Scott Walker; LW - Martin Gelinas, Markus Naslund, Esa Tikkanen, Gino Odjick, Donald Brashear, David Roberts; RW - Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny, Russ Courtnall, Troy Crowder; D - Jyrki Lumme, Dana Murzyn, Bret Hedican, Chris Joseph, Mark Wotton, Dave Babych, Adrian Aucoin, Leif Rohlin; G - Kirk McLean, Corey Hirsch. Injuries: Troy Crowder, rw (torn rib cartilage Jan. 25, 3-to-6 weeks); Jyrki Lumme, d (returned from shoulder injury Jan. 23, missed 11 games); Mike Ridley, c (returned from testing on legs and back Jan. 27, missed 4 games); Adrian Aucoin, d (returned from shoulder sprain Jan. 30, missed 6 games); Trevor Linden, c (returned from sprained MCL Jan. 30, missed 24 games); Gino Odjick, lw (returned from groin strain Feb. 1, missed 5 games). Transactions: Alexander Semak, c, assigned to Syracuse (AHL) Jan. 22 for two weeks conditioning; Lonny Bohonos, rw, assigned to Syracuse (AHL) Jan. 31. Game Results: 01/20 San Jose W 6-1 01/22 at Chicago W 4-3 OT 01/23 at St. Louis L 4-3 01/25 at Phoenix L 4-0 01/27 San Jose W 5-2 01/30 NY Islanders W 2-1 OT 02/01 at Calgary L 3-0 TEAM NEWS by Carol Schram First, the good news: the Vancouver Canucks finished the month of January with a record of 8-4-1. Old-time fans who remember the 70s and 80s and the team's traditional January eastern road-trip to accommodate the Ice Capades will also remember that, historically, points are hard to come by during this month. It should be no surprise that those eight wins have set a franchise record for victories in January. It also matches the entire season's win total for their GM Place cohabitants, the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies! More from the bright side: the Canucks are healthy -- really, for the first time in two years. Heart-and-soul team captain, Trevor Linden, finally rejoined the lineup Jan. 30 at home against the New York Islanders, and the former NHL Ironman admitted that his adrenaline was pumping as he lined up to take the opening face-off for the first time in 24 games. As well, Jyrki Lumme and Adrian Aucoin have returned from their respective shoulder problems. Gino Odjick came back from his groin injury in time to offer some moral support to Pavel Bure in his rematch against the evil Todd Simpson and the Calgary Flames. And Mike Ridley was talking about retiring after the All Star break; he took four games off to have more tests done on his mysterious leg and back troubles but now he says that, at the very least, he will finish out the season. Only spare-part tough guy Troy Crowder is currently on the injury list: he took full advantage of his recent ice-time to polish up his pugilistic skills, but injured his ribs against Phoenix in his second fight of the night with Jim McKenzie and is out for at least a couple of weeks. Linden is making every effort to restore peace and team unity, both on and off the ice. His size, intensity, and face-off skills are a welcome sight up the middle. And Trevor's positive spin on the team's position heading into the second half is also refreshing after Esa Tikkanen and Alex Mogilny's complaining have grabbed all the headlines. Linden says that having everybody back healthy is "almost like making a trade, without having to give anybody up". Nevertheless, two weeks ago, the second half of the Canucks' season got off to a bit of a rocky start. Mike Ridley had been the only player to appear in every game this season, but he disappeared right after the All Star break in an effort to satisfy himself about the long-term state of his health. Alex Mogilny's suggestion that the team needed to acquire a center continued to linger in the media, and then Esa Tikkanen got into an ugly, public scrap with management regarding his desire for a new contract. A story surfaced in a local paper a couple of weeks ago suggesting that negotiations between the Canucks and Tikkanen's agent, Rich Winter, were going poorly, and that Vice President of Hockey Operations George McPhee had allegedly made some derogatory comments about the Finn's "lifestyle". Tikkanen is in the last year of a six-year contract that pays him about $1.1 million Cdn. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after celebrating his 32nd birthday on Jan. 25. Tikkanen and Winter are no strangers to extreme negotiating techniques. In 1991, Winter filed a complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board alleging that NHL Players' Association head Alan Eagleson had been in a conflict of interest position when he negotiated the players' 1986 collective bargaining agreement, essentially because he was colluding with the league and its management figures. Winter petitioned to have the CBA overturned, thus allowing his clients Tikkanen and Craig Muni to become free agents. While this demand was not successful, Winter was an integral figure in bringing Eagleson's precarious position into the public eye, forever changing the face of labour relations in the NHL. When Tikkanen was acquired by Vancouver last fall, the organization appeared to bend over backwards to accommodate the player's needs. At first, Tikkanen refused to report to the Canucks and hid out for awhile in Edmonton with his family, reputedly looking for a contract renegotiation. Undaunted, the Canucks kept up the pressure for Tikkanen to join the team, but when he did get to Vancouver, he failed a medical exam on his knee, casting his entire hockey future into doubt. Team medical staff worked hard to get Tikk back into playing shape and he became a solid contributor through the rest of last season. Over the summer, he had further treatment on the wonky knee and has been relatively solid so far this year. If Tikkanen had retired last season for medical reasons, he likely would have received a significant insurance payout, so he probably didn't benefit that much financially from playing the rest of last season and this one. Tikk's benefit comes from getting to the end of the year -- to unrestricted free agent status -- and hopefully to getting one more big contract before the knee finally packs it in. Rich Winter has implied that the Canucks had appeared to agree with this rationale, but when Winter proposed a new two-year contract for his client that would work on a sliding scale depending on Tikkanen's ability to play, to a maximum of $2 million US, the Canucks countered with a one-year extension in the neighborhood of $1.2 million US -- far from Winter's estimation of Tikkanen's market value. Thanks to the Canucks' foot-dragging and George McPhee's alleged comments, Tikkanen had had enough of the situation by Jan. 19, when Winter went public to the local media with his trade request. The next night, Tikk performed well and scored a goal in the Canucks' 6-1 drubbing of San Jose. He referred to the game as "another day at the office", but was so infuriated with his contract situation that he was intending to "accidentally on-purpose" miss the team flight for its three-game road trip. At this moment, both the Tikkanen/Winter faction and the Vancouver hockey community are lucky that Tom Renney is a little more eloquent than Rick Ley ever was. Winter flew in from Edmonton on Tuesday and the three sat down to discuss the situation. Winter said that "Tom just made a great case". Tikk went on the trip and has been behaving with his usual intensity, and the buzz has now shifted to an impending meeting between Winter and Pat Quinn, where hopefully something will be worked out. Tikkanen's trade request carries a strange resonance. While he holds five Stanley Cup rings and there's no doubt that he's one of the brightest hockey minds in the NHL, he has two big black marks against him. One is his rather chippy personality, which is a big part of what makes him such a successful agitator on the ice. The other is his fragile body, which could potentially give out on him at any time. With so much uncertainty league-wide about the value of future unrestricted free agents as the March 20 trading deadline approaches, even the prospect of trying to set a price for Tikkanen is going to be a huge headache for Pat Quinn. You can also be sure that he's not going to trade a pest like Tikkanen, who shadowed Pavel Bure so effectively in playoffs past, to any team in the Western Conference. So it's likely that, now that he's calmed down, Esa will stay right here for the rest of the year. Now the only question is whether or not the Canucks can make him feel happy about it. With all this dissension and distraction swirling about, the Canucks have managed to write a different story on the ice over the past couple of weeks. Right after the All Star break, Vancouver squashed San Jose in their game rescheduled due to a wicked December snowstorm. After Owen Nolan's scene-stealing performance at the All Star Game, there was some concern that the Sharks would be all pumped up, but a 1-1 tie was as close as San Jose ever got as Markus Naslund showed flashes of brilliance when moved up to the top line with Tikkanen and Bure, leading the way to a 6-1 Vancouver win. Next, the Canucks began a three game road trip by stealing two points in Chicago. Down by one with five minutes to go, a dormant Alex Mogilny took a stupid penalty for boarding. The Hawks failed to put the game away, so Mogilny amended for his mistake by making a perfect pass to Dave Roberts to set up the tying goal, then bagged the winner himself in overtime. Nevertheless, the Canucks wouldn't be the Canucks if they didn't find a way to dog it after cracking that .500 plateau. The following night in St. Louis, they were badly outshot and surrendered a third-period 3-2 lead, thanks to a pair of blistering shots from Brett Hull. Then Vancouver finished out its three-game trip in the desert -- whining about lack of time off to play golf. Instead, the boys seemed to take their little vacation during game-time. The game was filled with fisticuffs and Nikolai Khabibulin was spectacular in net, but Vancouver suffered another embarrassing road loss on Hockey Night in Canada as they dropped a 4-0 decision to the surging Phoenix Coyotes. Another meeting with San Jose turned into one of the most entertaining games of the year. It was Eddie Belfour's first game in Pacific Teal, and he was spectacular early in the first period as the Sharks got off to a strong start. Tom Renney called a time-out midway through the period with his team down 2-1. The Canucks came back to tie before the end of the first on their way to a convincing 5-2 victory, most renowned for its near-brawl close to the end of the game. Scott Walker and Dody Wood had a good scrap in the first period, and Donald Brashear and Marty McSorley were close to going at it in the second, but the sparks really flew after Brashear decisioned Dody Wood at 18:52 of the third. Skating by the San Jose bench, Brashear made "like Rocky", pretending to dust off his hands after the scrap. That brought the down ire of Bernie Nicholls, who unleashed a verbal onslaught on the disrespectful winger. Esa Tikkanen came to Brashear's defense by swinging his stick at Nicholls to distract him -- he earned himself a ten-minute misconduct in the process. Tikkanen's actions made Owen Nolan mad enough to jump right into the Canuck bench to go after him, prolonging the fracas a little bit more. Once the incident was finally sorted out, it took just three second after the puck was dropped for Chris Joseph to take a go at Todd Gill, who has been antagonizing the Canucks, and Pavel Bure in particular, all season long. Joseph is not noted as a fighter, but handily dispatched the scrappy Shark captain for the final decision of the night. The Sharks didn't give Ed Belfour a whole bunch of help, either, as they surrendered countless odd-man rushes and gave up 34 shots to the often-passive Canucks. Vancouver faced another one of their patented risky' games the following Thursday, as Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars -- or Long Island, if you will -- skated into town. The game was a yawner, but Mike Sillinger got credit for banking a puck into the Islanders' net off the skate of defenseman Kenny Jonsson in the second period, and for awhile Kirk McLean's unbelievable netminding made it look like that goal might hold up. But Marty McInnis sent the game into overtime with his 15th of the year midway through the third, and it took a patented Jyrki Lumme rush on a perfect pass from Alex Mogilny a minute and a half into the extra frame to grab the two points for the home team. After winning two at home, it was back to Air Canuck for another big five-game eastern road swing, starting Saturday in Calgary. The Canucks seem to play some of their worst games when they're on the road and on Hockey Night in Canada. The Colorado 9-2 blowout back in October, a 6-1 meltdown against the Habs, and last week's 4-0 shutout by Phoenix come immediately to mind. Ironically, some of their best games of the year have come on Saturdays at home -- like exciting wins against Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers, a handy pummeling of the Leafs, and a hard-fought slugfest back in November against the rival Calgary Flames. The Canucks and Flames haven't met since that fateful night when Pavel Bure and Todd Simpson each picked up $1,000 fines for their over-the-top aggression, highlighted by Bure's sucker-punch to Simpson's head. Simpson has gained more notoriety as the second coming of pure evil after taking out Peter Forsberg before Christmas. There's normally no love lost between these two teams, so it was expected that sparks would fly on Saturday night. Instead, fans were presented with a virtual no-hitter, good goaltending, and a 2-for-3 power play performance by Calgary as the Canucks failed to score for the second Saturday in a row, dropping a 3-0 decision to their troubled division rivals. Vancouver had their chances, but Trevor Kidd was sparkling in net after a sub-par performance in his last outing. The Canucks let down in the second period, Aaron Gavey potted a couple with the man advantage, and the rest was history. Vancouver finishes out their road trip this week with stops in Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Toronto (on Saturday...uh-oh...). Then it's back to a relaxing three games over a ten-day homestand. The way things have been going, stayed tuned at that time for the next suspense-filled installment of our local sports saga... OTHER NEWS: * The battle of the number one goalies has heated up again as Kirk McLean appears determined to regain his undisputed number one status. McLean has been 8-5-1 since returning from knee surgery just after Christmas. His average has dropped to 3.06, and he has kept his team in a number of games, particularly during their frequently sluggish first periods. Corey Hirsch is healthy now, but has been seeing little game-time during Captain Kirk's hot streak and hasn't had much success when he does get to play, although his save percentage remains slightly higher than McLean's. Hirsch's last appearance was in the team's 4-0 shutout loss to Phoenix, and it's rumored that he'll get the start Feb. 3 against Ottawa since the team is playing back-to-back road games and McLean lost his last start. Hirsch currently holds a 3.35 GAA and a record of 9-13-1 in 24 games played while McLean is 13-9-1, also in 24 games. * It's generally agreed that the Canucks can't stay above that magical .500 mark because their best players -- Bure and Mogilny -- aren't being their best players game in and game out, but working-class coach Tom Renney reveals his Canadian National Team coaching roots when he praises the effort and development of his role-players, especially during this injury-plagued period. Mike Sillinger is probably the single most improved Canuck over the past two months, but the team also has to be pleased with the performances of guys like Dave Roberts, Scott Walker, Donald Brashear and Gino Odjick up front, while Chris Joseph, Adrian Aucoin and Mark Wotton have done the job more often than not on the blue line. Much has been made of the character' required to ice a winning squad, and players like these are showing they may have the grit and desire that a team needs to make a good run through the stretch and into the post-season. On Hockey Night in Canada last week, Don Cherry emphasized the Canucks' explosive scoring potential and strong goaltending while insisting once again that he would not want to be a team facing Vancouver in the playoffs. Despite their superstars, Vancouver has some of the most balanced scoring in the league, with six players over the 10-goal plateau and that doesn't include Esa Tikkanen, with nine, or the injury-plagued snipers Russ Courtnall or Trevor Linden, who have each tallied just five goals so far this year. * While Tikkanen and his agent Rich Winter have once again painted the Canucks and Vice President of Hockey Operations George McPhee as brutally tough negotiators, Gino Odjick seems to have no trouble getting it right. Maybe it's that intimidating boardroom presence. After a week of talks, without an agent, Odjick emerged with a new five-year deal that will pay him in the neighborhood of $4.3 million. The deal includes a retroactive raise for this season from about $600,000 Cdn to about $800,000 US, plus four more years and an option for a fifth. Additionally, Odjick saved himself the agent's commission -- generally around 15%. Gino is now in his seventh NHL season, all with Vancouver. He would be an unrestricted free agent without compensation in three years as a player with 10 years experience who is making below the league average. Management made the move to re-sign him now, because Gino's popularity with Canuck fans and his teammates makes him a valuable commodity. And Gino has additional reason to be satisfied with this new financial security: the never-married tough-guy became a father for the fifth time last week, this time to a baby girl, China. * Even with all Vancouver's injuries and the gaping hole at center, Alexander Semak had not played a game since before Christmas when he was assigned to Syracuse for a two-week conditioning stint on Jan. 22. Semak was given some time off over the holidays to return to Russia when his father passed away, but apparently all those delicious press-box meals since his return have left him in something less than game shape. Hence, the Syracuse assignment to get him some playing time. Apparently Semak's $735,000 US one-way salary is not enough to ease his dissatisfaction with his working conditions. Upon his arrival in Syracuse, he pulled out his own version of the Donald Brashear/Mario Tremblay battle, telling local media that "I think the coach has got something against me. He can't touch anybody but me. Why? Because he doesn't have experience." With Lonny Bohonos' return to the Crunch and Troy Crowder's rib injury, there is roster space available on the big club for Semak, who has already cleared waivers once this season, when his conditioning stint ends next Wednesday. Unless, of course, Pat Quinn shocks everyone and actually makes a deal... * When Russ Courtnall becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, he could end up staying in Vancouver, he could sign a contract with another NHL squad, or he could turn to a new career as an action hero. When the Canucks visited St. Louis on Jan. 23, Russ was leaving the team's hotel on his way to meet his brother Geoff for lunch when he saw a man run by in full flight. It turned out that he had grabbed a woman's purse, so Russ hopped in a cab and chased the thief down until he tired. After the robber pleaded with Courtnall not to do anything to him, since he had a wife and four children, the hockey player re-claimed the purse and returned it to the hotel and its owner -- all with a group of teammates looking on. The grateful woman's response? "Didn't you get my coat? He had that too!" In this day and age, a crime-fighter's work is never done... * While Pat Quinn has been admitting lately that he has tried to get his hands on, among other things, a puck-moving offensive defenseman, the ghost of Jeff Brown is gradually fading away. Brown's recovery from spinal fusion surgery is not going all that smoothly, and his chances of returning to the NHL are currently estimated at just 50%. Tom Renney has also recently admitted that, while he has not vetoed' any trades per se, he has suggested to Quinn that some of the players available at this time might not be good fits into the current Canuck system. Just a thought -- does the name Craig Janney spring to mind?? ================================================================ ================================================================= Next Issue: February 18, 1997 ================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- NHL STANDINGS February 3, 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eastern Conference NORTHEAST DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD Pittsburgh 51 28 18 5 61 188 155 16-5-3 12-13-2 Buffalo 52 27 19 6 60 150 135 16-7-3 11-12-3 Montreal 54 19 25 10 48 168 189 12-11-4 7-14-6 Hartford 50 20 23 7 47 146 163 14-9-2 6-14-5 Boston 51 20 25 6 46 147 175 10-14-5 10-11-1 Ottawa 50 17 23 10 44 138 148 10-14-6 7-9-4 ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD Philadelphia 51 29 15 7 65 161 126 14-9-3 15-6-4 Florida 52 26 15 11 63 149 120 13-6-4 13-9-7 NY Rangers 54 26 21 7 59 184 150 14-11-4 12-10-3 New Jersey 49 24 17 8 56 129 123 11-7-7 13-10-1 Washington 52 21 25 6 48 136 141 11-11-2 10-14-4 Tampa Bay 49 18 25 6 42 137 156 6-11-6 12-14-0 NY Islanders 51 16 26 9 41 137 149 11-12-2 5-14-7 Western Conference CENTRAL DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD Dallas 52 29 19 4 62 157 127 13-10-2 16-9-2 Detroit 50 24 17 9 57 152 115 13-8-5 11-9-4 St Louis 53 25 24 4 54 160 165 10-14-1 15-10-3 Phoenix 51 22 25 4 48 140 161 10-12-4 12-13-0 Chicago 54 20 26 8 48 137 143 8-16-3 12-10-5 Toronto 53 19 33 1 39 150 188 12-15-0 7-18-1 PACIFIC DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD Colorado 53 32 13 8 72 182 124 16-4-4 16-9-4 Edmonton 52 25 22 5 55 164 151 14-10-2 11-12-3 Vancouver 51 24 25 2 50 161 170 14-10-1 10-15-1 Anaheim 51 20 25 6 46 146 155 13-12-2 7-13-4 Calgary 52 19 27 6 44 131 154 12-12-2 7-15-4 Los Angeles 53 19 28 6 44 144 183 11-11-3 8-17-3 San Jose 51 19 27 5 43 134 162 9-14-3 10-13-2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- NHL LEAGUE LEADERS February 3, 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG ------------------------- ---- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ---- MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 36 50 86 27 45 11 1 5 1 219 16.4 JAROMIR JAGR PIT 50 42 34 76 27 40 10 2 6 1 194 21.6 TEEMU SELANNE ANA 51 29 39 68 8 20 5 1 3 1 168 17.3 WAYNE GRETZKY NYR 54 16 52 68 15 12 4 0 2 1 202 7.9 MATS SUNDIN TOR 53 29 33 62 0 41 3 3 4 0 201 14.4 RON FRANCIS PIT 51 19 42 61 19 8 5 1 1 0 122 15.6 MARK MESSIER NYR 48 29 31 60 15 63 5 5 6 1 165 17.6 BRIAN LEETCH NYR 54 15 42 57 26 28 7 0 1 0 177 8.5 PAUL KARIYA ANA 38 22 34 56 18 6 9 2 6 0 205 10.7 KEITH TKACHUK PHO 51 32 23 55 1- 132 6 2 2 1 189 16.9 ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 49 30 25 55 13 33 4 4 5 0 182 16.5 JOHN LECLAIR PHI 51 29 26 55 19 40 6 0 4 2 204 14.2 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 29 26 55 22 96 12 3 5 2 207 14.0 JOE SAKIC COL 40 15 40 55 1- 20 6 1 4 0 173 8.7 BRETT HULL STL 52 29 25 54 3- 8 7 1 4 2 211 13.7 MARK RECCHI MON 54 24 30 54 0 40 4 1 2 0 132 18.2 ADAM OATES BOS 51 18 36 54 10- 6 2 2 4 0 107 16.8 STEVE YZERMAN DET 50 14 40 54 19 32 4 0 2 0 146 9.6 PETER BONDRA WAS 48 32 20 52 7 60 5 4 2 1 183 17.5 TONY AMONTE CHI 54 31 21 52 26 44 7 1 2 2 174 17.8 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MON 54 20 32 52 13- 56 6 2 2 1 167 12.0 PIERRE TURGEON STL 49 13 38 51 5 10 2 0 4 0 137 9.5 BRIAN SAVAGE MON 53 18 32 50 3- 33 5 0 1 0 156 11.5 MIKE MODANO DAL 52 23 26 49 21 18 7 4 7 0 196 11.7 PETR NEDVED PIT 47 23 25 48 5 42 9 1 3 0 123 18.7 ALEXANDER MOGILNY VAN 49 20 28 48 6 8 3 1 3 1 100 20.0 DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTT 47 18 30 48 6 24 9 0 0 2 141 12.8 DOUG WEIGHT EDM 52 13 35 48 0 64 4 0 0 0 133 9.8 PETER FORSBERG COL 36 12 36 48 19 30 4 2 2 0 92 13.0 --- INDIVIDUAL LEADERS --- -- GOAL SCORING -- -- ASSISTS -- NAME TEAM GP G NAME TEAM GP A ------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- --- JAROMIR JAGR PIT 50 42 WAYNE GRETZKY NYR 54 52 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 36 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 50 PETER BONDRA WAS 48 32 RON FRANCIS PIT 51 42 KEITH TKACHUK PHO 51 32 BRIAN LEETCH NYR 54 42 TONY AMONTE CHI 54 31 JOE SAKIC COL 40 40 ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 49 30 STEVE YZERMAN DET 50 40 MARK MESSIER NYR 48 29 TEEMU SELANNE ANA 51 39 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 29 PIERRE TURGEON STL 49 38 JOHN LECLAIR PHI 51 29 PETER FORSBERG COL 36 36 TEEMU SELANNE ANA 51 29 ADAM OATES BOS 51 36 BRETT HULL STL 52 29 DOUG WEIGHT EDM 52 35 MATS SUNDIN TOR 53 29 DOUG GILMOUR TOR 53 35 -- POWER PLAY GOALS -- -- SHORT HANDED GOALS -- NAME TEAM GP PP NAME TEAM GP SH ------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- --- BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 12 MARK MESSIER NYR 48 5 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 11 PETER BONDRA WAS 48 4 JAROMIR JAGR PIT 50 10 ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 49 4 GERMAN TITOV CGY 50 10 MIKE MODANO DAL 52 4 ANDREI KOVALENKO EDM 51 10 TODD MARCHANT EDM 52 4 PAUL KARIYA ANA 38 9 ADAM GRAVES NYR 54 4 DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTT 47 9 MARTIN RUCINSKY MON 42 3 PETR NEDVED PIT 47 9 RANDY BURRIDGE BUF 49 3 RAY SHEPPARD FLA 48 9 MIKE PECA BUF 49 3 ADAM DEADMARSH COL 49 9 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 3 KEITH JONES COL 50 9 MATS SUNDIN TOR 53 3 ALEXEI YASHIN OTT 50 9 SANDIS OZOLINSH COL 53 9 -- GAME WINNING GOALS -- -- OVERTIME GOALS -- NAME TEAM GP GW NAME TEAM GP GOT ------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- --- MIKE MODANO DAL 52 7 ROBERT KRON HAR 48 2 PAUL KARIYA ANA 38 6 JEREMY ROENICK PHO 41 6 MARK MESSIER NYR 48 6 RAY SHEPPARD FLA 48 6 JAROMIR JAGR PIT 50 6 JIM CAMPBELL STL 53 6 WENDEL CLARK TOR 37 5 DEAN MCAMMOND EDM 45 5 VYACHESLAV KOZLOV DET 46 5 BILL GUERIN NJD 49 5 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 5 ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 49 5 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 5 -- GAME TYING GOALS -- NAME TEAM GP GT ------------------------- ---- -- --- ADAM GRAVES NYR 54 4 ERIC LINDROS PHI 28 2 DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTT 47 2 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 2 ALEXANDRE DAIGLE OTT 50 2 STU BARNES PIT 51 2 JEFF FRIESEN SAN 51 2 JOHN LECLAIR PHI 51 2 THEOREN FLEURY CGY 52 2 BRETT HULL STL 52 2 TONY AMONTE CHI 54 2 -- SHOTS -- -- FIRST GOALS -- NAME TEAM GP S NAME TEAM GP FG ------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- --- THEOREN FLEURY CGY 52 228 OWEN NOLAN SAN 48 8 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 219 PETR NEDVED PIT 47 7 BRETT HULL STL 52 211 ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 49 7 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 207 BRIAN ROLSTON NJD 49 7 PAUL KARIYA ANA 38 205 MATS SUNDIN TOR 53 7 JOHN LECLAIR PHI 51 204 TONY AMONTE CHI 54 7 AL MACINNIS STL 52 204 RAY FERRARO LOS 52 6 PAVEL BURE VAN 50 202 SCOTT MELLANBY FLA 52 6 WAYNE GRETZKY NYR 54 202 JOE SAKIC COL 40 5 MATS SUNDIN TOR 53 201 VALERI ZELEPUKIN NJD 41 5 ALEXEI YASHIN OTT 50 197 DINO CICCARELLI TAM 47 5 PETER BONDRA WAS 48 5 MARK MESSIER NYR 48 5 DAVE ANDREYCHUK NJD 49 5 ADAM DEADMARSH COL 49 5 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 5 JOHN LECLAIR PHI 51 5 TEEMU SELANNE ANA 51 5 DEREK PLANTE BUF 52 5 DIMITRI KHRISTICH LOS 53 5 BRIAN LEETCH NYR 54 5 -- SHOOTING PERCENTAGE (MIN 49 SHOTS) -- NAME TEAM GP G S PCTG ------------------------- ---- -- --- --- ---- MIKE RIDLEY VAN 47 15 56 26.8 MIROSLAV SATAN EDM 48 15 66 22.7 JAROMIR JAGR PIT 50 42 194 21.6 NIKLAS SUNDSTROM NYR 54 18 84 21.4 RAY FERRARO LOS 52 18 86 20.9 ANDREI KOVALENKO EDM 51 25 122 20.5 ALEXANDER MOGILNY VAN 49 20 100 20.0 MIKE SILLINGER VAN 49 14 70 20.0 JOE NIEUWENDYK DAL 36 18 93 19.4 GREG ADAMS DAL 34 15 78 19.2 STEPHANE MATTEAU STL 48 12 64 18.8 PETR NEDVED PIT 47 23 123 18.7 JEFF O'NEILL HAR 44 13 71 18.3 MARK RECCHI MON 54 24 132 18.2 ADAM DEADMARSH COL 49 22 123 17.9 TRENT KLATT PHI 47 14 78 17.9 MARKUS NASLUND VAN 49 12 67 17.9 TONY AMONTE CHI 54 31 174 17.8 STEVE HEINZE BOS 30 17 96 17.7 MARK MESSIER NYR 48 29 165 17.6 PETER BONDRA WAS 48 32 183 17.5 DEREK KING NYI 51 18 103 17.5 TEEMU SELANNE ANA 51 29 168 17.3 VALERI KAMENSKY COL 42 17 100 17.0 STEVEN RICE HAR 49 15 88 17.0 -- PLUS/MINUS -- NAME TEAM GP +/- ------------------------- ---- -- --- VLADIMIR KONSTANTINOV DET 47 32 DAVE ANDREYCHUK NJD 49 28 JAROMIR JAGR PIT 50 27 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 49 27 TONY AMONTE CHI 54 26 BRIAN LEETCH NYR 54 26 VIACHESLAV FETISOV DET 41 26 SERGEI FEDOROV DET 43 25 DARRYL SYDOR DAL 52 23 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 49 22 VYACHESLAV KOZLOV DET 46 22 --- GOALTENDING LEADERS --- -- GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE -- (MIN 16 GP) GOALTENDER TEAM GP GA AVG ------------------------- ---- -- --- ----- PATRICK LALIME PIT 22 42 2.10 JOHN VANBIESBROUCK FLA 37 76 2.14 CHRIS OSGOOD DET 32 67 2.17 ANDY MOOG DAL 36 73 2.17 MARTIN BRODEUR NJD 40 81 2.17 JEFF HACKETT CHI 19 42 2.20 PATRICK ROY COL 42 93 2.24 RON HEXTALL PHI 37 80 2.28 MARK FITZPATRICK FLA 21 41 2.33 MIKE VERNON DET 17 40 2.39 -- WINS -- GOALTENDER TEAM GP W L T ------------------------- ---- --- -- -- -- PATRICK ROY COL 42 26 9 6 DOMINIK HASEK BUF 47 26 16 5 RON HEXTALL PHI 37 23 10 3 MIKE RICHTER NYR 38 23 12 3 GRANT FUHR STL 46 23 18 4 CURTIS JOSEPH EDM 45 22 17 5 ANDY MOOG DAL 36 20 10 3 MARTIN BRODEUR NJD 40 20 11 7 JOHN VANBIESBROUCK FLA 37 18 11 7 PATRICK LALIME PIT 22 16 2 2 GUY HEBERT ANA 41 16 18 6 FELIX POTVIN TOR 46 16 28 0 -- SAVE PERCENTAGE -- GOALTENDER TEAM GP GA SA SPCTG ------------------------- ---- --- --- ---- ----- STEVE SHIELDS BUF 3 5 104 .952 PHILIPPE DEROUVILLE PIT 1 2 38 .947 PATRICK LALIME PIT 22 42 648 .935 KEVIN HODSON DET 4 5 73 .932 CRAIG BILLINGTON COL 14 25 352 .929 ROMAN TUREK DAL 5 9 121 .926 PATRICK ROY COL 42 93 1243 .925 JOHN VANBIESBROUCK FLA 37 76 1019 .925 JEFF HACKETT CHI 19 42 558 .925 DOMINIK HASEK BUF 47 117 1524 .923 -- SHUTOUTS -- GOALTENDER TEAM GP SO W L T ------------------------- ---- --- -- -- -- -- PATRICK ROY COL 42 6 26 9 6 CURTIS JOSEPH EDM 45 6 22 17 5 DOMINIK HASEK BUF 47 5 26 16 5 CHRIS OSGOOD DET 32 4 15 9 6 MARTIN BRODEUR NJD 40 4 20 11 7 GUY HEBERT ANA 41 4 16 18 6 PATRICK LALIME PIT 22 3 16 2 2 TREVOR KIDD CGY 33 3 12 15 4 ANDY MOOG DAL 36 3 20 10 3 RON HEXTALL PHI 37 3 23 10 3 MIKE RICHTER NYR 38 3 23 12 3 --- INDIVIDUAL ROOKIE SCORING LEADERS --- PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG ------------------ ------------- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ---- JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 17 19 36 0 64 4 0 6 0 141 12.1 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 15 19 34 4 28 6 1 1 0 108 13.9 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 12 19 31 3 37 3 0 3 0 79 15.2 BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 51 5 25 30 4 53 3 0 0 0 118 4.2 JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 46 2 25 27 8 28 1 0 0 0 89 2.2 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 10 15 25 3 10 3 1 3 0 68 14.7 SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 44 14 8 22 8- 2 6 0 1 0 109 12.8 JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 41 11 9 20 0 8 2 0 4 1 106 10.4 ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 50 8 12 20 4- 6 1 0 2 0 57 14.0 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 52 8 11 19 7 10 1 0 1 0 51 15.7 --- INDIVIDUAL ROOKIE LEADERS --- -- GOAL SCORING -- -- ASSISTS -- NAME TEAM GP G NAME TEAM P A ------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ------------ -- --- JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 17 JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 46 25 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 15 BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 51 25 SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 44 14 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 19 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 12 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 19 JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 41 11 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 19 DANIEL GONEAU NY RANGERS 41 10 WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 50 15 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 10 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 15 DAYMOND LANGKOW TAMPA BAY 46 9 ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 50 12 ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 50 8 STEVE SULLIVAN NEW JERSEY 24 11 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 52 8 SERGEI ZHOLTOK OTTAWA 30 11 BRAD SMYTH FLA-L.A 31 7 DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 40 11 MATS LINDGREN EDMONTON 39 7 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 52 11 DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 40 7 ETHAN MOREAU CHICAGO 54 11 DAINIUS ZUBRUS PHILADELPHIA 40 7 MATS LINDGREN EDMONTON 39 10 ETHAN MOREAU CHICAGO 54 7 MIKE GRIER EDMONTON 49 10 -- POWER PLAY GOALS -- -- SHORT HAND GOALS -- NAME TEAM GP PP NAME TEAM GP SH ------------------ ------------ -- -- ----------------- ------------ -- -- SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 44 6 MARK WOTTON VANCOUVER 35 1 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 6 MATS LINDGREN EDMONTON 39 1 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 4 DAYMOND LANGKOW TAMPA BAY 46 1 TOMAS HOLMSTROM DETROIT 24 3 JOEL BOUCHARD CALGARY 47 1 DANIEL GONEAU NY RANGERS 41 3 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 1 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 3 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 1 BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 51 3 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 3 -- POWER PLAY ASSISTS -- -- SHORT HAND ASSISTS -- NAME TEAM GP PPA NAME TEAM GP SHA ------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ------------ -- --- JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 46 14 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 2 BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 51 10 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 2 CHRIS O'SULLIVAN CALGARY 27 6 SEBASTIEN BORDELEA MONTREAL 21 1 JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 41 5 AARON WARD DETROIT 28 1 WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 50 5 CALE HULSE CALGARY 38 1 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 5 STEVE STAIOS BOSTON 40 1 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 5 DARREN VAN IMPE ANAHEIM 44 1 SERGEI ZHOLTOK OTTAWA 30 4 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 52 1 DREW BANNISTER TAMPA BAY 46 4 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 4 -- POWER PLAY POINTS -- -- SHORT HAND POINTS -- NAME TEAM GP PPP NAME TEAM GP SHP ------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ------------ -- --- JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 46 15 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 3 BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 51 13 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 2 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 10 SEBASTIEN BORDELEA MONTREAL 21 1 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 9 AARON WARD DETROIT 28 1 SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 44 8 MARK WOTTON VANCOUVER 35 1 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 8 CALE HULSE CALGARY 38 1 CHRIS O'SULLIVAN CALGARY 27 7 MATS LINDGREN EDMONTON 39 1 JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 41 7 STEVE STAIOS BOSTON 40 1 WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 50 7 DARREN VAN IMPE ANAHEIM 44 1 SERGEI ZHOLTOK OTTAWA 30 6 DAYMOND LANGKOW TAMPA BAY 46 1 TOMAS HOLMSTROM DETROIT 24 5 JOEL BOUCHARD CALGARY 47 1 DREW BANNISTER TAMPA BAY 46 5 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 1 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 5 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 52 1 -- GAME WINNING GOALS -- -- GAME TYING GOALS -- NAME TEAM GP GW NAME TEAM GP GT ------------------ ------------ -- -- ----------------- ------------ -- -- JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 6 STEVE SULLIVAN NEW JERSEY 24 1 JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 41 4 JAY PANDOLFO NEW JERSEY 31 1 AARON MILLER COLORADO 32 3 BRAD SMYTH FLA-L.A 31 1 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 3 MATTIAS TIMANDER BOSTON 35 1 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 3 JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 41 1 DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 40 2 BRUCE GARDINER OTTAWA 44 1 DAINIUS ZUBRUS PHILADELPHIA 40 2 DARCY TUCKER MONTREAL 46 1 DANIEL GONEAU NY RANGERS 41 2 TODD SIMPSON CALGARY 52 1 DANIEL MCGILLIS EDMONTON 43 2 DARCY TUCKER MONTREAL 46 2 ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 50 2 -- SHOTS -- NAME TEAM GP S ------------------ ------------ -- --- JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 53 141 BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 51 118 SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 44 109 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 108 JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 41 106 -- SHOOTING PERCENTAGE (MIN 46 SHOTS) -- NAME TEAM GP G S PCTG ------------------ ------------ -- --- --- ----- REM MURRAY EDMONTON 52 8 51 15.7 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 52 12 79 15.2 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 50 10 68 14.7 ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 50 8 57 14.0 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 52 15 108 13.9 -- PLUS/MINUS -- NAME TEAM GP +/- ----------------- ------------ -- --- JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 46 8 VLADIMIR VOROBIEV NY RANGERS 8 7 ERIC MESSIER COLORADO 17 7 DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 40 7 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 52 7 ============================================================================== lcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohock ==============================================================================