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| |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __|
| | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \
|_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/
GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY
================================================================
Five Star - ELECTRONIC EDITION - * * * * *
================================================================
Issue 66 April 1, 1997 425K of thrills
----------------------------------------------------------------
********** A TRIBUTE TO THE HARTFORD WHALERS ***********
----------------------------------------------------------------
Visit us on the web at http://www.lcshockey.com/ for all your
hockey needs. Our web site provides daily news stories, stats,
and more.
To subscribe/unsubscribe from the LCS mailing list
send e-mail to zippy@psu.edu
You may access LCS Guide to Hockey on America Online at keyword
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---------------------------------------------------------------
Last Minute News:
Cullen, Our Hero, Diagnosed with Cancer
On a sad note, John Cullen, idol of millions from eight to 80, has
been diagnosed with Lymphoma, a form of cancer.
Cullen has missed the last two games after complaining of severe
flu-like symptoms and chest pains after a home game against the
Hartford Whalers on March 27th.
A CAT scan later revealed a large lump in Cullen's chest, but it
has not been determined if the tumor is malignant or benign and
Cullen is undergoing continual testing. Further testing will be
conducted next week at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
The entire staff of LCS Guide to Hockey shall be praying for a
quick recovery. We will have more on this situation as more
becomes known.
----------------------------------------------------------------
A Tribute to the Whale
----------------------------------------------------------------
by LCS: Guide to Hockey
The Whalers are leaving Hartford. Woe is LCS.
Oh sure, the Hartford government is making one final push to try
and keep the team in town, but c'mon, you can stop the snow job,
cadet, we can take it. From here on out it's nothing but an
endless road of honky tonks and one-nighters and no place to go
when the bars close.
In order for LCS to try and deal with the grief brought about by
this tragic announcement, we have decided to dedicate this issue
to our beloved Hartford Whalers. We just hope that this tribute
is in someway a worthy thank you for all the great times, and
great punch lines, the Whale have provided us over the years.
Along the way we'll take a look back at a few of our most
memorable past features on the Whale, while also presenting
original material chronicling the present state of the franchise
and its possible future.
If the Whale is truly leaving, LCS didn't want to miss its chance
to say good-bye. We hope you enjoy this sincere tribute. And
make sure that you keep this issue in a safe place, because it
will surely become a collector's item. Now go forth and read the
good word of the Whale.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Karmanos, Hartford go separate ways
--------------------------------------------------------------
by Jim Iovino
Team relocation is not just for Canadian franchises anymore.
On March 26, the Hartford Whalers proved that the NHL isn't biased
against Canadian teams when Whaler owner Peter Karmanos announced
that he would shell out a $20.5 million default payment on the
final year of his team's lease with the city of Hartford, enabling
the team to move after this season.
The Whalers will join fellow former WHAers, the Quebec Nordiques
and Winnipeg Jets, in transplanting an entire team to greener
pastures. The Nordiques went to Colorado; the Jets moved to
Phoenix.
NHL fans in Hartford will be the latest city in North America to
lose a professional hockey team. And by all accounts, Hartford will
not have an NHL franchise at any time in the near future. Karmanos
believes that Hartford is too small a venue for an NHL franchise.
It is nestled in between big city franchises in Boston and New
York, which detracts from the fan base that could support the
Whale.
The Hartford Civic Center was also part of the downfall of the NHL
in Hartford. Better known as "The Mall" because it is half hockey
rink, half shopping mall, the Civic Center only holds 14,660 people
for hockey games. Not only was the capacity of the rink small, the
Whalers received no part of the arena's luxury boxes, which is
crucial for any team in any sport in any city.
The Whalers and Connecticut officials tried to work out a deal to
keep the team in Hartford for good, but the two sides could not
agree on what was to be done. Governor John Rowland agreed with
Karmanos on the fact that the team could not make money at the
Civic Center (Karmanos claimed he lost more than $30 million during
his first two seasons as owner) and offered to build a new arena
and even guarantee projected revenues of $50 million per season.
However, if this was to happen, the Whalers would have had to agree
to a long-term lease of 20 years or more before the new arena would
be built. Karmanos didn't want to back himself into a corner
without any options, so he declined on the offer.
The team also made some rather bold requests as the talks heated up.
Karmanos wanted the state to let the team use the new arena without
paying rent, a lease no longer than 10 years, and to have the state
pay all of the team's losses while the new arena would be built
(reportedly in the $20-40 million range).
Well, the state and city looked over the offer and said, "It was fun
while it lasted." And with that, the mighty sea mammals were in need
of a new place to call home. At this point in time, there's no
official word on where the team will play next season, but several
cities seem to be potential candidates -- Columbus, Ohio, St. Paul,
Minn., and Nashville, Tenn., all have a shot at beaching the
Whale.
So what about the fans of Hartford? Just like Winnipeg and Quebec,
there are plenty of minor league teams that would love to call the
Insurance Capital of the World home. Both the IHL and the AHL have
been in touch with city and state officials, inquiring about a
possible deal. Actually, the IHL has been in touch with the city
for a while, and news of a "prominent local businessman" submitting
an application for a team was confirmed by league officials. IHL
officials did say that it would be tough to place a team in
Hartford and have it compete in the 1997-98 season.
However, at the same time IHL investors want into Hartford, former
Whaler owner Howard Baldwin is interested in replacing the Whale
with an AHL team. Baldwin, the current owner and chairman of the
board of the Pittsburgh Penguins, owns a dormant AHL team which
used to be in Cornwall, Ontario. Baldwin can relocate the team and
activate it all before next season, depending on whether the league
approves of it.
Considering the fact that the Penguins' current lease with their
minor league team in Cleveland runs out after this season, it might
make sense for Baldwin to pursue placing a team in Hartford.
Whether it be the IHL or AHL, it's still not the NHL. Sure, minor
league hockey could do very well in Hartford. It's just a shame
that the National Hockey League couldn't.
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Day Brass Bonanza Died
---------------------------------------------------------------
by Steve Gallichio
"Ladies and gentlemen," Greg Gilmartin would say, "here are
YOUR HARTFORD WHALERS!!!"
Greg Gilmartin was the public address announcer for many
years at the Hartford Civic Center. For a couple of seasons in
the mid 90's, Gilmartin disappeared from the scene - off to
pursue business interests out of the state. A string of Gong
Show contestants took his place, but could never quite replace
him.
But in the fall of 1996, Gilmartin returned to Hartford and
to the Civic Center, along with several other parts of Hartford
Whalers lore. Like franchise WHA scoring leader Tom Webster and
former captain Randy Ladouceur, returning as assistant coaches.
Like former anthem singer Tony "Red Shoes" Harrington. And of
course, like Kevin Dineen, the heart and soul of the history of
the franchise, returning to captain the Good Ship Whale.
All of these memories returned to Hartford in the past
handful of months. And all of them were introduced, both then
and now, by Greg Gilmartin with the same phrase.
"Ladies and gentlemen, here are YOUR HARTFORD WHALERS!!!"
I've always liked to get lettered jerseys of my favorite
players, my Whalers. There's a Rick Ley replica from the World
Hockey Association, way back before the roof collapsed and the
'91 Club' followed the team religiously to Springfield before
coming home at last.
There was the Joel Quenneville model from the mid 80's, a
jersey that got laughed at in 1983 when he was an unknown
defenseman with a funny name on a bad team. It didn't get
laughed at three years later.
The most recent was a Jeff O'Neill home. Lucky I held off
on the Hnat Domenichelli model. I still want a Sami Kapanen.
The first one I ever got for myself, though, didn't have a
player's name on it. It was back around 1980, and I was playing
street hockey with the other kids in the neighborhood. We were
the "Webster Street Whalers." It was a number double-zero, with
my own last name on the back.
I still have pictures of myself in my first Whalers jersey,
with my oversized helmet, and shorts over my pants to look like
hockey pants. I don't have the jersey anymore, don't remember
when it went away.
When the announcement came last week that the team was
ending its stay in Hartford, I talked to a lot of people about
their thoughts and emotions in the wake of the move. What I will
always remember is how much so many people focused, not just on
their own loss, but on how much of a loss we felt for those that
would come after us.
We talked about fathers and sons, about mothers and
daughters, about brothers and sisters. About how we were brought
up with our Whalers by our parents, and how much we regretted not
being able to pass that along to the next generation.
Over and over, it wasn't just about a hockey team. It was
about a hole in our lives, a part of our past, present, and
future taken away.
Someone told me that he now, officially, had nothing left to
talk to his father about. Several more talked with sadness about
explaining to their kids, who couldn't possibly understand, why
their Whalers were going away.
Some of us had a tough enough time explaining to ourselves.
The announcement came with nine games left in the season. It
felt like the season ended immediately at that moment. I wasn't
sure if I would feel right about going to the last few home
games; too many memories, too many emotions. But then I realized
that this would be the last chance to see my Whalers. I couldn't
pass that up, even if the next game meant dealing with Ranger
fans in Hartford.
So I hit the Mall early, figuring I'd stop by the Whalers
gift shop before the game. There were all those jerseys I wanted
to buy, jerseys of my Whalers. Kevin Eleven. Sami Kapanen. My
Whalers.
I wandered around the store for a while, looking at the same
t-shirts and sweatshirts and pennants and posters that I'd seen a
thousand times before.
The jerseys were almost all gone already. Oh, there was a
pre-lettered Gerald Diduck jersey still kicking around (ha!), and
a handful of the awful new Starter blue road jerseys; awful
because the CCM version of the jerseys from previous years were a
much more attractive shade of blue than the Starter abominations.
I figured I could always mail order a CCM jersey through The
Hockey News classifieds section. But suddenly, it felt like
receiving it in the mail would be just like when I got my
"classic" New England Whalers jersey in the mail a few years ago;
great to have, but a tip of the cap to the past. Sadly, today's
Whalers jersey already felt like a relic.
I circled the perimeter of the store, hoping to catch a
glimpse of something, anything, that I hadn't ever seen before.
Something that I could buy, but not just for the sake of buying.
I stopped along the near wall when my eyes caught a hanger full
of the smallest hockey jerseys I'd ever seen. They were Whalers
jerseys sized for newborn babies.
I thought about buying one. For someday. But then I looked
at them and I stared and I thought about all of the babies that
would never get to wear their own Hartford Whalers jersey. All
of the children that would grow up without ever knowing about the
Whalers as anything more than something from their Dad's
scrapbook, a yellowed pennant on an office wall, a faded picture
in a drawer.
All of the babies that would grow up to be the men and women
of the state of Connecticut, that would never have their own
Hartford Whalers.
So I bought nothing. I shuffled out of the store and into
the arena, hoping to hear Greg Gilmartin for one of the last
times, introducing our Hartford Whalers.
But overnight, the words had changed. The team skated out
onto the ice, and Greg Gilmartin's voice boomed something
subtly but unmistakably different.
"Ladies and gentlemen, here are *the* Hartford Whalers!"
It was that simple. They weren't *our* Hartford Whalers
anymore. Peter Karmanos had seen to that.
========================================================
World Domination Update, Vol.2 No.15
========================================================
by LCS: guide to hockey
World Domination ain't easy, it takes time. You know, it took
Larry King, the iron horse of broadcasting, years to reach stardom.
So how can we complain. Here is a recap of the latest from
the offices of LCS Guide to Hockey...
LCS on America Online...Update
In addition to our web site, LCS Guide to Hockey also produces exclusive
content for the world's largest online service, America Online. To
access our new AOL area, use keyword "LCS Hockey" or "LCS". We
are also accessible via various links throughout AOL, including the main Sports area.
On AOL, you find many exclusive features not available on our web site.
We provide daily recaps of NHL contests and news in the new Daily Extra section. If you like
exclusive weekly columns, we offer those, too. Our AOL coverage is the perfect compliment to
our web-based content. In fact, our web site can also be accessed from the new AOL area. If
you're on AOL, do us a favor and use it as your access point to the LCS web site. Hell, it
would even be great if you'd logon to AOL and spend 24 hours straight on our area. Show
AOL that you love LCS.
In addition to the new content, we also offer message boards and a chat room on AOL. On our
message boards, you can post your thoughts on various topics including current NHL events, the
Hartford Whalers, John Cullen and waffles.
Also be sure to take part in our chat room. Each week night, members of the LCS Guide to Hockey
staff will host chats on various topics. These topics are only suggestions, we prefer
to run our chat room as an open discussion where thoughts flow without hinderance. So,
talk about whatever you want. Here is the current chat schedule:
AOL Chat Schedule
Monday - Starsky and Hutch 11:00 PM to Midnight EST
Tuesday - Tribute to Donuts 11:00 PM to Midnight EST
Wednesday - Breakfast Cereals Midnight to 1:00 AM EST
Thursday - Beer: Bottled Joy1:00 AM to 2:00 AM EST
Friday - Don Knotts Midnight to 1:00 AM EST
If hockey comes up during our discussion, so be it.
We hope to see you online.
LCS: Site Search
Thanks to the magic of modern technology, you, our valued readers, can
search our entire
web site to quickly locate the information you need. Our new search
engine allows you to search specific portions of our site, or the whole
damn thing at once. It also recognizes boolean operators like "AND", "OR", and
"NOT" to make your search even more productive. Is that a smart search
engine or what?
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: 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
Taxi trivia questions for the month of March. Unlike previous
months, nobody was even close. Once again we're disappointed with
you, our apparently unknowledgable, valued readers. This month we're
going with another classic television program you all should
know, The Dick Van Dyke Show. If you answer all 10 questions
right, you will 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.
Offer valid in 49 states. Sorry Tennessee.
LCS: the hockey pool
March 4 ends the third epoch of the LCS hockey pool. The top three
epoch finishers will be awarded prizes at the end of the season. Please
take time to find out how well your team is doing. The pool rules and
results are available from LCS: the hockey pool.
LCS: The Domain Name
Announcement: In order to make accessing LCS easier for you, our valued readers, LCS can now be found
at http://www.lcshockey.com. Eventually this will become our
permanent address on the 'Net. But don't worry, our old address at http://www.canadas.net/sports/Sportif/
will remain valid.
Coming Soon!
The opening of the LCS Hall of Fame, player profiles, 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
Viktor Malakoff...............Anaheim Correspondent
Matt Brown.....................Boston Correspondent
Valerie Hammerl...............Buffalo Correspondent
Tony Wong.....................Calgary Correspondent
Dan Glovier...................Chicago Correspondent
Matt Gitchell................Colorado Correspondent
Jim Panenka....................Dallas Correspondent
Dino Cacciola.................Detroit Correspondent
Simon D. Lewis...............Edmonton Correspondent
Eric A. Seiden................Florida Correspondent
Steve Gallichio..............Hartford Correspondent
Matt Moore................Los Angeles Correspondent
Jacques Robert...............Montreal Correspondent
David Ibrahim..............New Jersey Correspondent
David Strauss...............Islanders Correspondent
Alex Frias....................Rangers Correspondent
The Nosebleeders..............Ottawa Correspondents
Eric Meyer...............Philadelphia Correspondent
Jeff Brown....................Phoenix Correspondent
Joe Ashkar..................St. Louis Correspondent
Mark Spiegel.................San Jose Correspondent
Troy Ely....................Tampa Bay Correspondent
Jonah Sigel...................Toronto Correspondent
Carol Schram................Vancouver Correspondent
Jason Sheehan..............Washington Correspondent
Tricia McMillan...................AHL Correspondent
----------------------------------------------------
LCS Guide to Hockey, Issue 66, April 1 - April 15, 1997.
Email address: sportif@oak.westol.com Good ol' postal
address: 632 Hempfield Street, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Web Site: http://www.lcshockey.com/ open 24 hours a day.
AOL Keyword: "LCS" or "LCS Hockey", exclusive coverage.
------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
NHL Round-up
-------------------------------------------------------------
By LCS: guide to hockey
General NHL News
Hartford Tries to Save the Whale
Although the Whalers' exit from Connecticut after the season
appears set, the city of Hartford offered a $20 million bond
on Monday in hopes of keeping the NHL team.
Mayor Mike Peters said the money would make up the losses
Whalers owner Peter Karmanos claims he absorbs each year.
The mayor estimated last week the team's departure would
cost the city at least $20 million per year.
But the city's offer is less than half of what Karmanos says
he needs -- $45 million. However, the main obstacle between
the sides is a deal on a new arena. The team agreed to pay a
$20.5 million penalty to leave at the end of the season, a year
before its four-year commitment expires.
Howe's Wish Denied
Gordie Howe's comeback attempt has been put on the shelf.
He had hoped to become the first professional hockey player
to play in six consecutive decades, taking a turn on the ice
for a minor league team one day after his 69th birthday.
The Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, who had planned to
use Howe in Tuesday's game, canceled his return on Thursday. The team
said it could not afford to have him make an appearance because
it is vying for a playoff spot. It is also likely that the Crunch finally
realized how ridiculous the Howe comeback attempt was. It is just
plain silly.
Despite the setback, Howe is still hopeful that he will have an opportunity
to play at a later date.
Women's World Hockey Championship
The women's world hockey championship started on March 31. As usual,
Canada and the United States are the clear cut favorites in the
competition. The top five teams will qualify for the 1998 Olympics
in Nagano.
Results and Schedule
Pool A W L T Pts GF GA
Canada 0 0 0 0 0 0
China 0 0 0 0 0 0
Russia 0 0 0 0 0 0
Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pool B W L T Pts GF GA
United States 1 0 0 2 7 0
Finland 1 0 0 2 5 0
Norway 0 1 0 0 0 7
Sweden 0 1 0 0 0 5
Monday, March 31
United States 7, Norway 0
Finland 5, Sweden 0
China vs. Russia, 7 p.m.
Canada vs. Switzerland, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 1
Sweden vs. Norway, 4 p.m.
Finland vs. United States, 7 p.m.
China vs. Switzerland, 7 p.m.
Canada vs. Russia, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 3
Norway vs. Finland, 4 p.m.
United States vs. Sweden, 7 p.m.
Switzerland vs. Russia, 7 p.m.
Canada vs. China, 7:30 p.m.
MEDAL ROUND
Saturday, April 5
Pool A first vs. Pool B second, 1 p.m.
Pool B first vs. Pool A second, 5 p.m.
Sunday, April 6
Third place, 4 p.m.
Championship, 8 p.m.
QUALIFYING ROUND
Friday, April 4
Pool B third vs. Pool A fourth, 4 p.m.
Pool A third vs. Pool B fourth, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 6
Fifth place, noon
Seventh place, 2 p.m.
Firings...Hirings...Signings...etc...
Coyotes Expand AHL Affiliation
The Phoenix Coyotes announced a three-year expanded affiliation
with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey
League, a deal that includes an extension option.
The agreement covers the 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons
and gives the Coyotes an option to lengthen the deal. Under the
terms of the agreement, the Coyotes will provide the Falcons
with coaches and 18 players.
Police Blotter:
Nazarov Appeals Suspension
San Jose Sharks left wing Andrei Nazarov has appealed a 13-game
suspension given as a result of an incident during a game with
the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Nazarov was slapped with the
longest suspension in the NHL this season on Tuesday for pushing
linesman Brad Lazarowich while trying to break away and resume a
fight with the Oilers' Bryan Marchmant. Nazarov has filed his
appeal via the NHL Players Association.
1996-97 NHL Suspension
Date Player/Team/Length Opponent Reason
Mar 25 Andrei Nazarov Edmonton Pushed linesman
San Jose Brad Lazarowich
13 games
Mar 7 Darren Langdon Los Angeles Initiated
New York Rangers altercation with
2 games Matt Johnson
Feb 28 Bernie Nicholls Florida Flagrant cross-check
San Jose on Ed Jovanovski
2 games
Feb 26 J.J. Daigneault Referee Struck Don
Anaheim Koharski with his
10 games stick
Feb 25 Michel Petit Florida Kneeing
Philadelphia Johan Garpenlov
2 games
Feb 25 Donald Brashear Los Angeles blind side punch
Vancouver to Ian Laperriere
4 games
Feb 18 Brent Severyn Phoenix Initiating
Colorado altercation with
2 games Kris King
Feb 5 Matt Johnson San Jose Flagrant elbow
Los Angeles against Andrei
4 games Nazarov
Feb 5 Rob Blake San Jose High-sticking
Los Angeles incident against
4 games Shean Donovan
Feb 5 Tony Granato Los Angeles Cross-checking
San Jose Dmitri Khristich
4 games in back of head
Feb 2 Peter Bondra Florida Kneeing incident
Washington against Ray Sheppard
At least 1 game
pending hearing
Feb 2 Todd Harvey Buffalo Flagrant elbow
Dallas against Matthew
At least 1 game Barnaby
pending hearing
Jan 30 Sean O'Donnell Colorado Involved in
Los Angeles altercation on
1 game bench with
Valeri Kamensky
Jan 23 Jim Cummins Toronto Drawing third
Chicago game misconduct
1 game of the season
Jan 19 Craig Berube Ottawa Slashing
Washington Dennis Vial
2 games
Jan 11 Rich Pilon Pittsburgh Stick swinging
NY Islanders Mario Lemieux
2 games
Jan 7 Mike Craig Vancouver High-sticking
Toronto Mike Sillinger
2 games
Jan 7 Troy Mallette Dallas Flagrant elbow
Boston Grant Marshall
2 games
Jan 1 Keith Primeau Washington Slash
Hartford Joe Juneau
2 games
Dec 31 Greg Hawgood Edmonton Slash
San Jose Boris Mironov
2 games
Dec 6 Pavel Bure Buffalo Forearm blow
Vancouver Garry Galley
1 game
Nov 30 Guy Lapointe Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary assistant coach
2 games
Nov 30 Kevin Constantine Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary assistant coach
1 game
Nov 26 Grant Ledyard Florida Kneeing
Dallas Rob Niedermayer
2 games
Nov 26 Sasha Lakovic Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary
2 games
Nov 15 Mathieu Schneider Anaheim Flagrant elbow
Toronto Paul Kariya
3 games
Nov 1 Alexei Zhitnik Dallas High-sticking
Buffalo Jamie Langenbrunner
2 games
Oct 16 Daniel Lacroix Los Angeles Elbowing
Philadelphia Kevin Stevens
2 games
Oct 11 Brendan Shanahan Edmonton Cross-checking
Detroit Greg de Vries
1 game
Oct 8 Mark Messier Florida Checking from behind
NY Rangers Mike Hough
2 games
Oct 8 Louie DeBrusk Vancouver Slashing
Edmonton Dana Murzyn
4 games
Oct 7 Scott Stevens Detroit High-sticking
New Jersey Igor Larionov
1 game
-------------------------------------------------------------
Old-School Whaler Features
-------------------------------------------------------------
by LCS Guide to Hockey
No tribute is complete without a look back at our coverage of the Whale.
Because of that, we have reprinted the best old-school Whale features
that appeared in the pages of LCS Guide to Hockey.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Top Ten Excuses Why the Hartford Whalers Have Never Won the Stanley Cup
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Editor's Note: This here feature originally ran way back in issue 6,
which was published on October 30, 1994.
10. Allergic to winning.
9. They eat really big dinners.
8. Get nervous playing in front of so many people at home games.
7. Too busy getting liquored up.
6. The ice is really cold.
5. Playing hockey is just a hobby, the real money is in selling
insurance.
4. Still trying to get over the trading of John Cullen.
3. Are self confident enough, do not feel the need to show off like those
insecure teams in the playoffs.
2. Flashing red goal light frightens them.
1. The sun was in their eyes.
----------------------------------------------------------------
A Tribute to the Hartford Whalers
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Jim Iovino
Editor's Note: This article originally ran in issue
8, which was published on November 30, 1994.
What do you think of when you hear the words "Hartford Whalers"?
Probably a bunch of drunken sailors with blubber stuck in their teeth,
right? Well, LCS is about to change that. When you hear
the words "Hartford Whalers" from now on, we want you to think of a
damn cool hockey team that plays in the NHL.
Sure, we know we've stuck it to the Whale pretty hard in past
issues of LCS, but it's only because we care so much about them.
We feel that they're like a little brother to us. And what do big
brothers do to little brothers? Taunt them as much, and as often, as
possible. But this issue you will see no Whale bashing, unless it is
done subliminally.
So, in hopes of persuading some of you out there to come join
us in our quest to save the Whale, here now is the history of the
Hartford Whaler franchise, in its entirety.
The Hartford Whalers started out as one of the original teams
in the World Hockey Association as the New England Whalers. The
inaugural season for the Whale was quite a success. They finished
first overall during the regular season with a record of 46-30-2
(94 points) and went on to win the first-ever Avco World Cup over
Bobby Hull's Winnipeg Jets. The Whalers finished first in the league
the next two seasons, but they never got out of the first round of
the playoffs either year. The fans didn't know it then, but it would
take the Whale twelve seasons to finish first in a division again.
The team floundered in mediocrity for the next few years until
"Mr. Hockey" and family saved the day. Gordie, Mark, and Marty Howe
graced New England with their presence after a few seasons with the
Houston Aeros, who had just recently dropped out of the WHA due to
financial problems. Without the Howes, hockey might not have
survived in Hartford, either. In their first season in New England
(1977-78), they led the Whale to a respectable 44-31-5 record, good
enough for second place during the regular season. Unfortunately,
their magic ran out in the playoffs, and they lost in the finals.
The Whalers only spent one more season in the WHA, because in
1979, the WHA merged with the National Hockey League. Four out of
the six teams that were still around for the final season in the
World Hockey Association became part of the NHL. These four were
the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, and the Whale,
who officially changed their name to the Hartford Whalers. For
those who don't know, the two leagues merged for a couple reasons.
The WHA had always been a thorn in the side of the NHL, constantly
trying to sign their top stars and driving the salaries of all
players up around the league. Also, the NHL was starting to lose
money because the WHA was catching on with fans around the country.
The first season for the Hartford Whalers turned out to be
the last for the great Gordie Howe. Howe finished his career as
the best player the game had ever seen. Gordie's career ended in
style as he scored his 801st, and final, NHL goal in the last game
of the season. Howe still calls Hartford home. He lives in
Glastonbury, Connecticut, which is just east of the city.
The team finished 14th overall in the league that season, but
that was expected because of the expansion draft which raped the
newborn clubs of most of their young talent. Hartford did make the
playoffs, though. Their first action in the postseason was against
the Montreal Canadiens, who have perhaps the greatest playoff
history of any team in professional sports. As predicted, the Whale
were swept in three straight games by Les Canadiens.
Hartford's first two seasons were spent in the Norris Division
before finally planting roots in the Adams Division. The Whale did
not make the playoffs again until 1986. They finished fourth in
their division and had to play the Quebec Nordiques, who won the
Adams during the regular season. To everyone's surprise, the Whalers
beat the Nords in six games. Their celebration didn't last long,
however, as they lost to the Canadiens in the next series. Montreal
then went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The playoff victory over the Nordiques raised the spirits of
everyone in the Hartford area that year. The Whalers looked as if
they were finally going to contend with the big dogs in the league.
They drafted wisely during this time, stockpiling
their team with some talented players. Ron Francis, Sylvain Turgeon,
Kevin Dineen, Ray Ferraro, and Ulf Samuelsson were all drafted by
the Whalers without them having to make any trades. The season
proved further that the Whale were for real. They clinched their
first Adams Division title by winning 43 games during the regular
season. But oh, how things run in cycles. Hartford had to play
the Nordiques in the first round of the playoffs, and well, as you
might have guessed, they lost in six.
After that tough loss to Quebec, the Whalers were never
the same. They finished fourth in the Adams Division the next five
years straight. Because of the playoff system installed then,
Hartford had to play the top team in the division each year, which
was usually either a strong Boston Bruin team or the equally powerful
Canadiens. Twice in those five seasons, the Whale took their
opponent to seven games and two other times they extended a series
to six games.
Because of their mediocre seasons, they ended up with mediocre
draft picks. Soon, the front office panicked because the fans were
losing interest and the team was losing money. They started trading
off some of their best players in hopes of adding a spark to a
sleepy lineup. The one trade that hurt the team more than anything
else happened towards the end of the 1990-91 season. The Whalers
traded their captain and franchise leader in games, goals, assists,
and points, Ron Francis. He was a fan favorite in Hartford and the
heart and soul of the team. Francis, Ulf Samuelsson, and Grant
Jennings were traded to Pittsburgh just in time for the playoffs.
In return, the Penguins sent John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski, and Jeff
Parker to Hartford. This could arguably be one of the most
lopsided trades in NHL history. Since the trade, Francis and
Samuelsson have led the Pens to two Stanley Cups, while none of the
players acquired by the Whalers are still with the team.
Most of the other stars from the teams of the mid-80s have also
been traded away, except for Pat Verbeek, who is still plugging
away on Hartford's top line. Once all the established players were
traded, management went to work on the rookies. At least four of
Hartford's top prospects were dealt in a span of two years.
Now the team has started with a clean slate. They have started
to inject a shot of youth into their lineup with the additions of
Chris Pronger, Geoff Sanderson, and hopefully this year's top pick,
Jeff O'Neill. To go along with the youth, management has gone out
and acquired some experienced players such as veteran blueliner Glen
Wesley.
These moves, along with a new ownership group, have made the
outlook bright for the Hartford Whalers. As long as the fans come
back and support the team like they have done in the past, Hartford
should be able to compete with success against the other teams in
the NHL.
The Hartford Whalers have always been underdogs, and it's fun
to root for the underdog. We have a special place in our hearts
for the Whalers here at LCS Towers. Why don't you come along
and join LCS in our efforts to "SAVE THE WHALE!"
-------------------------------------------------------------
Say it Ain't So...
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Steve Gallichio, Hartford Correspondent
Editor's Note: This heartfelt tribute to the
Whale originally appeared in issue 42, published March 16, 1996. It's very
interesting reading under the current sad circumstances.
I'm going to step out of my usual 3rd-person reporting in
this week's column because of the uncertainty following the
immediate future of the Hartford Whalers. I intended to do a
witty, season-ending piece, but I don't much feel like it today
with the news and rumours swirling. Indulge me for a moment, as
I share some of the thoughts that spun through my mind on
Saturday afternoon as the Whalers closed out their 1995-96 home
schedule. I wish I could say that the entire game was a flood of
memories, but it really wasn't. I actually sat there most of the
game taking my usual scribbled notes on the action and churning
the wheels in my head to plan out the chess moves to make in
order to take that next step. But I looked around and I couldn't
help but think of a few things.
I'm not an old guy; I'm only 28. But I'm at that perhaps
perfect age that I can't remember anything about my life before
the Whalers, and there was nothing of the Whalers that existed
before my life. It's all been there, growing up with me. From
the days when my dad used to take me to games in that old 10,507
seat barn, to that terrible, terrible day in 1978 when it seemed
like the lights would go out forever, and every day since then.
The too-few highs, and the too-many lows. From those days of
sitting in my room tuned to Bob Neumeier on the radio to today,
sitting in my usual seat looking out over the ice.
I looked over at a friend a few rows to my right. He often
brings his young son to the game with him, wearing his little
Whaler jersey. I thought about the days when I used to wear my
little Whaler jersey to the games with my dad.
And now I'm grown up. The obsession stuck; now I'm a loyal
season ticket holder of my own, with a job in the sports
industry. I doubt that any of that would have happened had the
Whalers never come to Hartford. So I thought about what my
friend's son would grow up like if there were no more Whalers.
And if there were.
Less than an hour after the game, I was standing on a muddy
patch of ground in my old home town, the town where I grew up
with the Whalers. I was standing with my wife of one year, with
the cold mist of a rain slapping me in the face, looking at a
piece of land where we are considering building a home of our
own. And I thought how ironic it was that in a single day, I
could possibly simultaneously regain and lose such large parts
of my life.
I think every single person in the arena on Saturday
recognized the possibility that this was going to be the last
game ever at home for the Hartford Whalers. But that wasn't the
attitude in the building...at every turn, with every nod, it was
always, "See you in October!"
I want to believe that. And in my heart, I mostly do. But
only a fool could ignore the possibility. So I decided to be a
fool for a day; in fact, I can't remember ever thinking during
the game that I should freeze some image in my mind because it
might have to stay there forever, with no new memories to push it
out of the way.
I read in the paper the next day that one of the Whalers
stood up in the locker room before the third period and begged
the team to give the fans, to give us, one last great memory.
One last shot at holding our heads up high at the Bruins fans as
they left the building.
I can guess who it might have been. Most of us probably
could. But I don't know for sure. And I wasn't even thinking of
that last period as the last period. I completely forgot about
it until the buzzer sounded, and the Whalers had, in fact, beaten
the hated Bruins...finally. I so completely forgot that I
started to walk away, forgetting that this might be the last
time. So I stopped and sat and looked around the emptying
building that seemed, for the moment, like a warehouse for my
memories.
And then I cried. Cupped my hands on my face and cried. I
thought about how I had no idea what I would do without them.
How lonely I would be on those September afternoons when I would
would sneak away from work for a few hours to go watch the team
in training camp. How much I would miss just being in the arena
and hearing the words "your Hartford Whalers!"
Yup, *my* Whalers. We all have some of our own. Mine were
Ricky Ley (as a player only), and the Abrahamsson brothers,
Christer and Tommy. And Joel Quenneville. And Robert Petrovicky
and Jeff O'Neill. And always, Kevin and Ronnie. For some of
you, it may be Norm Barnes. Or Dallas Gaume. Or Sami Kapanen.
We all have our own Whalers.
And I thought about the last time I got overwhelmed like
that in the Civic Center. It was way back in 1980 when the
Whalers finally came "Home at Last" back to the new Civic Center.
And I thought about the one thing that, as a child, could
always make me cry on cue. It was near the end of the "Snoopy,
Come Home" movie, when Charlie Brown hung his head against his
beloved Snoopy's vacated dog house, with the "For Sale or Let"
sign hung on it.
Why, he wondered, can't we gather all the things we love and
keep them together forever? But someone always leaves; someone
always says "goodbye", he thought. We already have too many
goodbyes in the world, he cried. What we need is more hellos.
So I can only hope tonight that on every empty hockey arena
from here to Nashville, and on through Cleveland, San Antonio,
Las Vegas, and Portland, that on every front door of every one of
those buildings there hangs a sign that says "No Whales Allowed."
Because we already have too many goodbyes.
I need another hello in September
-------------------------------------------------------------
LCS: Guide to Whale Savin'
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell
Editor's Note: Unfortunately, our Guide to Whale
Savin' fell on deaf ears when it first appeared in issue 42, published
March 16, 1996.
The very first mission the original staff of LCS:
Guide to Hockey ever went on was an eight-hour road trip to
Hartford for the 1994 Entry Draft. We had many the wacky
adventures during our two days in the insurance capital of the
world. Ever since then we have been linked with the city of
Hartford and the Whalers.
Granted, during the early issues of LCS, we did take our
shots at the Whalers. However, we kid, because we care. The
Whale have always held a special place in our hearts. Whether it
was due to our trip to the Mall that they call home, or even the
fact that our hero Johnny Cullen (the idol of millions from eight
to eighty) proudly wore the Whale tail on his chest for a number
of seasons, the idea of the Whalers leaving Hartford actually
sickens us.
Yet that is the reality that is confronting the hockey
world. Hartford management claims to be losing $20 million a
season. Of course, the obvious question comes up that if they
are losing so much money why are they still called management?
But we'll let that go for now. The point is, unless the Whale
sell 11,000 season tickets by May 1 the club will, in all
likelihood, leave Hartford by the start of next season. For a
moment, just try to imagine a world without the Hartford
Whalers... scary, isn't it?
LCSf: Guide to Hockey will not sit idly by and let
our favorite team leave without a fight! We intend to do
everything in our power to keep the Whale in Hartford. Of
course, our "power" is, shall we say, limited? Shall we say
nonexistent? We shall say nonexistent. But that doesn't mean
it's gonna stop us from tryin'!
The following is a 5-step plan of how we intend to try and
Save the Whale:
Step 1: Quit eating tuna. I'm not exactly sure how this will
help, but I'll be damned if we won't make the sacrifice!
Step 2: Send the Whaler management a detailed plan of ways to
attract more fans to home games. Examples include...
* Install a blow hole at center ice.
* Every time the team scores six goals, Free Willy videos and
Green Peace stickers for everyone in attendance.
* Replace the usual soft drinks at concession stands with a
new cool, refreshing beverage... Plankton Shakes.
* Replace the usual Civic Center employees with leggy
supermodels. We're not sure exactly how this will help, but it
definitely wouldn't hurt.
These are just the tip of the iceberg. We've got plenty
more where these came from. Our minds our constantly churning
forth new and exciting ways to bring fans to the Mall. After
all, where else in the world can you buy a pair of socks, walk
ten feet, and be in a hockey arena? The shopping
mall/professional hockey arena combination is rare to say the
least. It's sort of the Haley's Comet of architecture. The
Whale Mall is just too cool an idea to be silenced.
Step 3: Purchase all the Whaler merchandise we can afford. Of
course, we can barely afford our nightly meals of bread and
water, but we'll cut back in order to try and help the Whale. If
everyone reading this would go out and buy a Whale jersey
tomorrow, the sudden sale of the five or six sweaters will
virtually triple the Whale merchandising revenues for the past
year. The Hartford management would be tricked into believing
they have a gold mine on their hands and will leave the team in
Hartford to reap the benefits of the new merchandising bonanza.
Step 4: Send all spare change and letters of encouragement to the
Whale. Dig deep folks, this is our last chance to Save the
Whale. If you have any spare change lying around put it in an
envelope and send it to the Whale at:
Hartford Civic Center
242 Trumball Street
8th Floor
Hartford, CT 06103
Or if you'd prefer, give them a call at 203-728-3366 and let
them know that you want the Whale to stay in Hartford. While
you're at it, maybe you can buy a season ticket or two...
Step 5: Organize a Save the Whale telethon in hopes of raising
money. If there's one thing the staff of LCS enjoys,
it's a good puppet show... but telethons aren't bad either. I'll
update the progress of the telethon and the amount of money
raised in my weekly "From the Chief..." column in the Web Extra
section of our web site.
Well, that's our plan to try and Save the Whale. We ask
that everyone who loves themselves some Whale do their part in
trying to help the cause. If you have any other ideas on how to
Save the Whale just write and let us know. We are open to
suggestions. Hopefully, with a little luck, and lots of lovin',
the Whale will remain in Hartford for many years to come.
-------------------------------------------------------------
LCS' Save the Whale Telethon
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell
Editor's Note: This bit of wackiness made its
debut in the Web Extra section on April 21, 1996. It appeared
in a regular column entitled "From the Chief..."
For those of you that read Issue 42 of LCS, you know about
our efforts in order to try and Save the Whale. In hoping to
raise money to help the cause, we bought ourselves some time at a
local cable-access TV station located in Monroeville,
Pennsylvania in order to broadcast a Save the Whale telethon.
Station WSCK-TV fills the air waves with experimental, and often
odd, programming that caters to the discriminating tastes of the
modern television audience. For fifty bucks you too can have
your own half hour of programming each week. But the fine folks
at WSCK don't just accept anyone off the street. No siree,
Chester! You've gotta have talent, you've gotta have drive,
you've gotta have... well, really you just have to have the fifty
bucks in cash.
However, since we're more broke than the Hartford Whalers we
worked out a deal where we get to put on our show in exchange for
Zippy appearing at the station manager's kid's birthday party
this upcoming Saturday dressed as Bippo the Happy Clown. The
real Bippo has his own show each week on WSCK and is quite the
favorite with the youngsters, but will be unable to make the
kid's party. The company line is that he's sick with the flu,
but the truth is that he got all liquored up on cheap wine before
he showed up to work a party this past week. The little kids at
the party were expecting Bippo the Happy Clown to entertain with
his juggling and playful hijinks. Instead they got Bippo the
Ornery Son of a Bitch that eats all the food, makes passes at all
the mothers in attendance, and urinates on the dog. So Bippo
will be sleeping off his "flu" for the next 3-5 days in county.
With the terms of our agreement reached, we arrived this past
Saturday night at the station eager to get the Save the Whale
telethon underway. We even scored the coveted 3:00-3:30 AM time
slot, which just happens to be when most public-access viewers
feel their most generous. I stayed off camera and ran the show
from behind the scenes. Zippy worked the camera while Ace
Reporter Jim Iovino hosted the evening of entertainment.
Meanwhile, Matthew found Bippo's hidden stash of sauce and spent
the whole night slumped in a darkened corner muttering
incoherently to himself. Proving once again that Night Train is
a mean wine...
With all of us working to organize and produce the show itself,
we needed some on-screen talent. Better yet, we needed extremely
cheap on-screen talent. So with that in mind, I brought with us
some of the talented folks that live in our neighborhood. Not
only are they all talented and cheap, but chances are if they
don't take their medication they won't even remember the events
of that night.
The evening began with the inspirational poetry of Chaz Elliot.
When he's not bringing people to new emotional consciousness with
his eloquent spoken-word material, Chaz moonlights as my mailman.
Here's a quick sample of one of his poignant pieces from that
evening...
"Everything is dark,
There is no light,
Only pain,
Only suffering,
Life has no meaning,
Boy, do my shoes need shined."
After Chaz dazzled the audience with his magical tapestry of
words it was time for some real magic. It was time for my next
door neighbor Lyle Delp, or as he is better known as, "Lyle the
Stupefying", to take center stage. Lyle was in fine form that
night. Aided by his lovely assistant Patricia, Lyle almost was
able to do the linking rings trick and came really close a couple
of times on some card tricks. I mean, c'mon, seven of spades,
eight of diamonds... to-mato, to-mat-o, same thing...
Unfortunately, we had to bring Lyle's act to an early end when he
accidentally tried to pull a hat out of a rabbit. Needless to
say, the phone line really lit up when Lyle the Stupefying was
on.
The last performer of the evening is a personal favorite of mine.
It was none other than Harvey "The Jazz Singer" Kravitz. Harv,
as he is known to his friends, is 73 years old and is just a
natural entertainer. He sings, he dances, he does it all. His
repertoire includes everything from a stirring rendition of Al
Jolsen's "Mammy", which earned him his nickname, to such modern
day classics as Tone Loc's "Funky Cold Medina". On this night,
however, he did a medley of Neil Diamond songs that really closed
out the evening in style. From the opening lines of "Forever in
Blue Jeans" to the last gut-wrenching refrain of "They're Coming
to America", Harvey gave it all he had in order to try and Save
the Whale.
When the evening was over the Whale were $32.46 closer to being
saved. Of course, my thanks go out to all those individuals who
called in and donated money. I would especially like to thank
Chaz, Lyle, and Harvey for their help in providing such a
memorable evening. We'll be back at it next weekend and every
weekend after that until the Whale are truly saved.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Whales
-------------------------------------------------------------
by LCS: Guide to Hockey
In honor of the Whale swimming out of Hartford, LCS wanted to
present a swell report on the actual sea mammals themselves. The
only thing was that when we sat down to write the article on the
genuine gentle giants of the sea, it felt a little too much like
homework. Bombarded with painful flashbacks of elementary school
science reports gone horribly wrong, we couldn't bring ourselves
to write an original piece about Whales. So we fell back on our
old instincts from grammar school and did what any slacker punk
would do... we just ripped off the encyclopedia.
Aw, c'mon, we all did it! I'm sure everyone out there remembers
the time the whole class had to write a report on somethin' and,
like, eight or nine kids came in the next day with identical
papers, word for word. I mean, really, without encyclopedias the
school system as we know it would come to a screeching halt.
So, while we're too stupid to write anything on Whales ourselves,
that there Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia: 1997
Edition has mad knowledge. The following was lifted
right from it with the same delinquent intent of a
procrastinating sixth grader.
Please enjoy this fact-filled lesson on Whales, courtesy of the
fine folks at Compton. And god bless encyclopedias, everyone...
Whales
It weighs as much as 20 elephants but lives beneath the sea. The
blue whale is Earth's largest animal. Larger than the largest of
ancient dinosaurs, blue whales can grow to be more than 100 feet
(30 meters) long and weigh nearly 150 tons. Not all whales are so
large. The much smaller pilot whale grows to about 28 feet (8.5
meters) in length. And dolphins, which belong to the whale
family, range only from 3 to 13 feet (1 to 4 meters). Although
whales spend their lives in the sea, they are, like humans,
warm-blooded mammals. After a baby whale is born, it nurses on
its mother's milk, just like the young of land mammals.
Whales are members of the order Cetacea, along with dolphins,
porpoises, and the narwhal (see Dolphin and Porpoise). There are
two basic types of living cetaceans: baleen, or whalebone, whales
of the scientific suborder Mysticeti; and toothed whales of the
suborder Odontoceti.
General Characteristics
Whales live in all of the open seas of the world, though some
occasionally enter coastal waters. Some species, such as the
white whale, or beluga, may travel upstream in large rivers. Some
species migrate with the seasons; others remain year-round in the
same habitats, where they find their preferred food.
The present-day distribution and abundance of some species has
been greatly influenced by the commercial whaling industry.
Whalers eliminated or greatly reduced the numbers of some species
of baleen whales in certain oceanic regions where whales once
frolicked in abundance. This is particularly true in parts of the
Arctic Ocean and the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, where the blue
whale was almost completely exterminated in the early 1900s. Some
species of whales, however, are numerous today in the Arctic and
Antarctic regions.
The skin of whales is usually black, gray, black and white, or
all white. Some, such as the blue whale, have skin that is
bluish-gray. The surface of the skin is smooth, but like other
mammals, whales have hair. Hair first appears while the fetal
whale is still developing inside its mother's womb. In adult
whales, hair is confined primarily to a few bristles in the head
region and is largely absent over most of the body. Whales that
live in polar regions are insulated from the extreme cold by a
layer of blubber, or fat, enveloping their bodies.
Whales have the general bow shape of a fish, though in some
whales the head is greatly enlarged. In a special adaptation to
sea life, the hind limbs of whales have vanished completely and
only internal vestiges of the pelvis remain. The forelimbs are
made up of the same bones as those of other mammals but are
shortened. The fingers have been greatly lengthened and enclosed
in mittens of flesh, which form the flippers. Flippers are used
not for swimming but for steering. The powerful tail ends in a
pair of lobes, or flukes, which extend horizontally on either
side instead of vertically, as do the fins of a fish's tail. The
tail is notched in the middle. The whale swims by diagonal
downward strokes of the flukes and by wavelike motion of the rear
portion of the body.
Whales have lungs, not gills, so they must come to the surface of
the ocean to breathe. The smaller whales can remain underwater
for several minutes, and some of the larger species can dive for
an hour or longer. The whalers' expression "thar she blows"
pertains to the familiar spout of water seen when a whale
surfaces. Whales have one or two nostrils, usually located at the
top of the head. At the moment the whale comes to the surface and
expels its breath through its blowhole, the moisture in the
whale's breath quickly condenses, creating a "cloud" called the
spout. After inhalation, the nostril automatically closes and the
whale dives. Baleen whales typically have a pair of blowholes,
whereas toothed whales have only one. The pattern and height of
the spout of expelled air can be used to identify different
species.
A thick blanket of fatty blubber, the source of oil for which
whales are chiefly hunted, insulates the warm-blooded animal
against cold seawater. Blubber also serves as a reserve of fat
that provides nourishment.
The heads of whales vary greatly from the typical mammalian form.
The head of a sperm whale is one third the length of the body and
has a square snout and a lower jaw that is small and narrow,
relative to the large upper portion of the head. During the
evolution of whales into a marine existence a sort of telescoping
of the skull occurred in many groups. This resulted in an
elongation of the front nasal region, resulting in the beaked
appearance found in many fossil and modern whale species.
The two suborders of modern whales are distinct from one another
in the structure and function of the mouth parts. The mysticetes
lack teeth, whereas most of the odontocetes have teeth that are
uniform in shape. Some odontocetes, such as the sperm whale, have
teeth only in the lower jaw. When teeth are present in both jaws,
as is the case with the killer whale, the teeth lie side by side
when the mouth is closed, rather than having surfaces that touch
one another.
The general skeletal pattern of whales is similar to that of
other mammals except for some important differences, such as the
lack of noticeable hind limbs, which have been adapted for life
in a marine habitat. Whales have fewer neck vertebrae than do
most mammals; thus the whale appears to have no neck. This
results in a body form that is more efficient for forward
movement in an aquatic environment.
Some species of whales migrate long distances for purposes of
breeding or of giving birth to young, called calves, or in
response to seasonally changing food sources. Most reliable
information available on whale migrations involves the
commercially important, large species. However, even smaller
forms inhabiting the temperate zones are known to move toward the
poles during spring and toward the equator during autumn. Male
sperm whales form "bachelor schools" that travel farther into the
upper latitudes than do females with calves. A possible
explanation is that the calves are unable to tolerate the colder
waters near the poles. Some odontocetes in tropical areas move
offshore during spring and summer and return to coastal areas
during autumn and winter.
Baleen whales annually migrate up to 3,000 miles (4,800
kilometers) each way from feeding grounds in high latitudes in
winter to calving grounds in lower latitudes during the warmer
months. They rarely school, but when they do congregate, it is
usually in breeding areas. The seasonal distribution and density
of zooplankton, a main component of the whale diet, in various
regions of the ocean are major factors influencing whale
migration patterns.
Whether an individual migrates may depend upon a variety of
factors, including its health, nutritional state, and
reproductive condition, as well as local environmental
conditions. During migration, many whales rely on their fat
stores of blubber for energy.
Streamlined for fast movement through the water, whales are able
to swim up to 35 miles per hour (30 knots, or 56 kilometers per
hour). They spend most of their lives on the surface, but some
species can dive at least a half mile (0.8 kilometer) in pursuit
of food.
Individual behavior within the whale order has received
widespread attention because dolphins and pilot whales are so
easily trained and because of their ability to use echolocation
(the process of producing high frequency sound waves that are
reflected back from objects to the emitter, thus indicating the
distance and direction of the objects). Most research conducted
on whale populations in artificial pools gives limited insight
into the natural behavior of individuals or groups. However, open
ocean observations show that some whales are social, traveling in
groups called schools, herds, pods, or gams.
Some species of small toothed whales are highly social, traveling
in schools, and are apparently capable of engaging in simple
communication with other members of the school. Sometimes a
school appears to operate with the single purpose of capturing
prey. This form of social cohesiveness appears to be much less
strongly developed in the larger toothed whales and is entirely
absent in the baleen whales.
Social organization of whales in their natural ocean habitat has
been most thoroughly studied in the sperm whale. The basic social
unit in sperm whales is the breeding school, which contains
members of both sexes. Cohesive schools of 20 to 40 individuals
are common, with females outnumbering males on average by 4 to 1.
Some schools may be composed entirely of females, some of which
have been known to remain together in a school for up to ten
years. Schools of only males are also common, with the largest
schools having as many as 50 immature and nonbreeding adolescent
males.
Most of the other odontocete whales are less gregarious than the
sperm whales. Beaked whales, seldom seen in groups of more than
three, are the least social of the medium-sized toothed whales.
Beluga whales form family groups of up to 20 individuals.
The schooling behavior of baleen whales is considered to be
primitive. They normally do not form cohesive schools when
traveling or feeding, though several may be found in a
particularly good feeding area at the same time. Groups of
individuals of a species may travel together during migrations,
but the numbers are ordinarily small (usually fewer than a half
dozen) and the association among the members of a school is weak.
The popularized behavior of dolphins coming to the aid of an
injured individual of their species is not a widespread
phenomenon among whales as a group. Mother whales, however, will
help a newborn calf remain at the surface to breathe because this
is essential to the young animal's survival. Also, male gray and
humpback whales have been observed to remain with an injured
female who may be carrying the male's offspring, but males will
not assist other injured males. Females also show no apparent
concern for an injured male. Thus, the individual behavior of
whales in a social context is not strikingly different from that
of other mammals.
Like dolphins and porpoises, some whales can be playful. Pilot
whales have been observed swimming on their backs or resting
vertically in the water with their head down and tails sticking
up into the air. Other forms of behavior characterized as play
include rubbing of each other's genitals and balancing wood or
other objects on the fins. Some of the dolphins and smaller
whales will ride in the wave created by the bow of a moving boat,
presumably a form of play.
Whales sometimes swim into very shallow water and become stranded
on the beach. This phenomenon is called beaching, or stranding.
When a whale is onshore it is helpless. Its heartbeat accelerates
and its body becomes overheated very rapidly. Without the support
of water a whale cannot move and its lungs may be crushed by the
weight of its body. If not returned to the water immediately, a
beached whale eventually dies. In addition, it is often
impossible for humans to coax a beached whale back into the
ocean. Stranded whales that are rolled back into the ocean
generally suffer broken ribs, abraded skin, and pressure damage
to their internal organs. If the animals are towed out to sea,
all or many of them return to shore at a different site and die.
Pilot whales are the species of whale most likely to exhibit
beaching behavior. It is seldom that only one whale will become
beached. Mass beachings and deaths often occur. As soon as a
whale becomes beached, it sounds a distress call for assistance
that is understood by others of its species. Thus other whales
may also become beached when attempting to help the whale in
distress.
The explanation for beaching behavior has not been resolved by
scientists. There are several possible reasons for the
strandings. The most probable explanation is a malfunctioning or
disturbance of the whale's echolocation process. This hypothesis
is supported by the fact that baleen whales, which do not use
echolocation, seldom become stranded. There are certain sites
along whale migration routes where beaching is more common than
at other sites. Scientists speculate that these sites may be
absorbing the echolocation signals that the whales emit.
Loud, upsetting sounds such as underwater explosions or magnetic
disturbances in the ocean have also been blamed for mass
strandings. Another plausible explanation for whale strandings
seems to be disease. Seventeen diseases have been identified in
beached whales. The diseases are caused by a wide range of
agents, including parasites, bacteria, viruses, and worms. Worms,
for example, have been known to attack the echolocation organs of
whales, which could cause a whale to become beached.
Whales produce two basic types of underwater sounds that
presumably serve two different purposes. Low-pitched signals,
such as barks, whistles, screams, and moans, are audible to
humans and are believed to be used in social communication. Other
sounds are brief clicks of high intensity that have a wide range
in frequency, with some sounds having more than ten times the
highest frequency audible to humans. These sounds are used for
purposes of echolocation. Echolocation has been widely recognized
in the odontocetes, especially the dolphins, as a means of
navigating and of locating and identifying food sources. The
sounds used in echolocation are produced within the head, but the
exact mechanism of production is unknown.
Baleen Whales
The baleen whales include the family of right whales, Balaenidae,
so named because whalers considered them "just right"--easy to
kill and full of oil and whalebone. Among these are the black
right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) of both northern and southern
seas. Scientists believe that those in the western North Atlantic
may be gradually increasing in numbers. However, populations in
the eastern North Atlantic and in both the eastern and western
North Pacific show no signs of recovery, and only a few remain in
each area. An estimated 1,500 to 3,000 occur in the southern
oceans, with little evidence of a significant increase in
population sizes in most areas. Some scientists place the
southern right whale in a separate species: E. australis. Black
right whales reach lengths of 70 feet (21 meters) and are black
on the upper body. The underside is sometimes paler in color. The
baleen plates in the mouth may be more than 8 feet (2.4 meters)
long.
The pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) is circumpolar (found
in all polar regions) in the oceans of the southern hemisphere.
This small, gray whale with a light-colored belly normally
reaches a length of less than 20 feet (6 meters).
About 2,500 individuals of the bowhead, or Greenland, right whale
(Balaena mysticetus) are believed to be in existence. The bowhead
whale, once circumpolar in the Arctic seas, may now be extinct in
the European Arctic and is found in numbers estimated as low as
50 in the Arctic Ocean around the northern-most Canadian islands.
The greatest numbers are found in the Arctic Ocean around Barrow,
Alaska, where the species was almost eliminated in earlier times.
Bowhead whales are usually found in the vicinity of ice. They
have extremely large heads, which may be more than half the total
body length, that are sometimes used to lift sheets of ice.
Bowhead whales reach lengths of 65 feet (20 meters) and have dark
gray to black bodies with white on the lower jaw and on the tail.
Bowhead whales have baleen plates that measure up to 13 feet (4
meters) in length.
The gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), placed in a separate
family (Eschrichtidae) from other baleens, is found in the
eastern portion of the North Pacific. The estimated population
size is assumed to be stable at approximately 11,000 individuals,
although estimates range from 7,000 to 15,000. A population once
found in the North Atlantic is believed to have become extinct.
Gray whales reach lengths of 45 feet (14 meters) and weights of
more than 35 tons. They are usually dark gray with lighter
colored blotches on the body. Gray whales have no fin on their
backs.
Another family (Balaenopteridae) of baleens are the rorquals, a
Norwegian term meaning "furrow whales" that refers to the deep
folds or pleats found on the throat, chest, or belly. These
furrows allow the whale to expand the throat and body to
accommodate large amounts of food during a single feeding. All
rorquals also have a small fin located on the rear of the back.
The rorquals include the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae),
of which 3,000 to 5,000 are estimated to exist. The species is
found in all of the world's oceans. Humpback whales have black
bodies and white undersides. They reach lengths of 50 feet (15
meters) and have long, slender flippers that are almost one third
the length of the body.
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), originally found in all
of the oceans, is the largest animal to have ever lived. Whalers
have reported colossal specimens over 100 feet (30 meters) long
and weighing up to 150 tons. The young, born in April or May,
measure 23 to 25 feet (7 to 7.6 meters) at birth. They reach a
length of 60 feet (18 meters) by the end of their first summer.
They are blue-gray on the upper surfaces, with pale yellow or
white undersides. Estimates of the number of blue whales range
from as low as 7,000 to as high as 13,000. However, the total
numbers are greatly reduced in all areas from those prior to the
first whaling expeditions. The species is considered to be almost
extinct in the eastern North Atlantic. A few hundred individuals
of a smaller form of the same species, known as the pygmy blue
whale, live in the Indian Ocean.
The fin, or finback, whale (Balaenoptera physalus) occurs
worldwide, however, it is primarily at home in subpolar and
temperate regions. As many as 30,000 are estimated to be in
oceans of the northern hemisphere, and more than 70,000 have been
reported sighted in southern oceans. Finback whales reach lengths
of 70 feet (21 meters) and are about 22 feet (7 meters) long at
birth. They are dark gray or black above with a white belly.
The minke, or lesser piked, whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is
found in large numbers in most oceans. As many as 50,000 have
been reported sighted in the eastern North Atlantic, and some
estimates as high as 380,000 have been given for the southern
oceans. These whales are smaller than the other rorquals,
reaching lengths of only 30 feet (9 meters). The upper surface of
the body is a bluish-gray and the undersides are white. The upper
side of the flipper has a white band.
The sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) is found in relatively high
numbers in all oceans, with the total number estimated at more
than 100,000. It reaches lengths of more than 50 feet (15
meters).
Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) is found in all warm water
oceans, with the total number estimated to be more than 88,000.
This species is bluish gray above with white undersides. It
reaches lengths of 49 feet (15 meters).
Toothed Whales
The toothed whales include more than 65 species in six different
families. Among these are the true dolphins (family Delphinidae),
which includes the pilot whales (genus Globicephala) and the
killer whale (Orcinus orca), largest of the oceanic dolphins.
Killer whales prefer coastal waters to the open ocean. They hunt
in schools and, though relatively small at 30 feet (9 meters),
will attack other whales two or three times their size.
Two other families include the true porpoises (Phocoenidae),
which are marine species, and the river dolphins (Platanistidae),
consisting of six species of primarily freshwater or estuarine
forms. The remaining three families are the sperm whales
(Physeteridae), the beaked whales and bottlenosed whales
(Ziphiidae), and the white whales and narwhal (Monodontidae).
The sperm whale, or cachalot, (Physeter catodon), vividly
described in Herman Melville's novel 'Moby Dick', is the largest
carnivorous animal on Earth. Males grow much larger than females
and reach a length of 60 feet (18 meters) and 53 tons. Females
seldom attain lengths of more than 30 feet. Sperm whales have a
flat-topped, almost square-fronted, head, which is one third the
total length of the entire body. The thin lower jaw, shorter than
the snout, is armed with strong, pointed, ivory-like teeth, more
than 8 inches (20 centimeters) long. Sperm whales are found in
all oceans, and, though the species has been heavily hunted, most
populations are considered stable. More than half a million sperm
whales are estimated to exist. Although traditionally included
with the other toothed whales, genetic analyses suggest that
sperm whales are actually more closely related to the mysticetes
than to the odontocetes.
The family of beaked whales includes 19 species, most of which
are characterized by having only one or two pairs of functional
teeth in the lower jaw and only vestigial, or largely diminished,
teeth in the upper jaw. Shepherd's beaked whale (Tasmacetus
shepherdi), with 90 teeth, is an exception. The snout of beaked
whales is greatly elongated, giving the impression that these
whales have beaks. They have a small fin on the back and a pair
of small flippers that are located far forward on the sides.
Beaked whales range in color from dark gray to black. Some have
whitish undersides and white on the dorsal fin, beak, or other
parts of the body, depending on the species. Most species in the
family attain lengths of 15 to 28 feet (5 to 9 meters), but
Baird's beaked whale (Berardius bairdii) may reach lengths of 42
feet (13 meters).
Beaked whales are found in all oceans of the world, though some
species are restricted in distribution. Two species of
bottlenosed whales, Hyperoodon ampullatus, and H. palnifrons, are
confined to temperate and polar regions of the North Atlantic and
southern oceans, respectively. The southern bottlenosed whale
(Berardius arnuxii) is found in temperate regions of the southern
oceans. Shepherd's beaked whale has a circumpolar distribution in
the southern hemisphere.
Most beaked whales belong to the genus Mesoplodon, a poorly known
group. Sowerby's beaked whale (M. bidens) is found only in
temperate waters of the North Atlantic. The ginko-toothed beaked
whale (Mesoplodon ginkodens) is restricted to warmer waters in
the Indo-Pacific, and was not described by scientists until 1958.
The arch-beaked whale (M. carlhubbsi), of the temperate regions
of the North Pacific, was not described until 1963.
All of the newly discovered species of whales described in the
20th century have been toothed whales. Six of the new species
belong to the genus Mesoplodon. A new species of beaked whale
(Mesoplodon peruvianus) was described in 1991 on the basis of ten
specimens found along the coast of Peru over a 15-year period.
This was the first new species of whale described since the
description of the arch-beaked whale in 1963. In contrast, the
last species of the commercially prized baleen whales, Bryde's
whale, was described in 1878. Most of the new species of whales
reported since the 1800s have been described from individuals
washed ashore or captured incidentally in nets.
The beluga, or white whale (Delphinapterus leucas), lives
primarily in the Arctic Ocean and the adjoining seas, including
the Bering Sea, the Sea of Okhotsk, Hudson Bay, and the St.
Lawrence river estuary. Belugas are bluish gray as juveniles, but
the entire body of adults is white. These whales reach lengths of
up to 14 feet (4 meters). Belugas have a total of 32 to 40 small
teeth that are found in both the upper and lower jaws and have no
dorsal fin.
The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a circumpolar species
restricted to Arctic seas. Like the belugas, young narwhals are
bluish gray. However, the adults are gray on the upper surfaces
with a mottling of darker spots and are white underneath. They
may reach lengths of 12 feet (4 meters). Narwhals do not have
functional teeth, except for the adult male, in which the left
tooth of a pair grows into a long, spiraling tusk that may reach
a length of 9 feet (3 meters). The tusk of the male narwhal
serves as a weapon or, like horns and antlers in other mammals,
may serve to communicate dominance or be used for territorial
display.
Some scientists place a third species, the Irrawaddy dolphin
(Orcaella brevirostris), in the same family with the beluga and
the narwhal. The Irrawaddy dolphin is found from coastal areas of
northern Australia to the east coast of India.
Evolution
Recent studies based on genetic sequences have confirmed that all
cetaceans were derived from a single ancestral stock and are
closely related to the hoofed mammals in the order Artiodactyla,
made up of the even-toed mammals, such as cattle, deer, and
camels. Nevertheless, the evolutionary origin of whales remains
controversial among zoologists. The oldest fossils clearly
recognizable as primitive whales were discovered in the Eocene
epoch excavation layer of sites in Nigeria and Egypt. These early
forms are placed in an extinct suborder (Archaeoceti) known as
zeuglodonts. Whether they are the ancestors of either modern
suborder is a matter of conjecture. The largest archaeocete was
Basiolsaurus, a whale from the late Eocene epoch that reached a
length of almost 70 feet (20 meters). (For relative dates of the
various eras, epochs, and periods see Earth.)
Authorities disagree on how closely related the extinct
zeuglodonts and the two groups of modern whales are. Based on the
limited fossil evidence, many experts have favored the theory
that the modern forms arose independently from separate
terrestrial (land-based) ancestors, a scenario called
polyphyletic origin. However, some authorities argue that the two
modern groups had a common ancestor, perhaps diverging from
zeuglodonts early in the Tertiary period, a scenario called
monophyletic origin. Studies indicate that the chromosomal
structure of baleen and toothed whales is very similar,
supporting the monophyletic theory.
The progression from a terrestrial existence to a marine one
resulted in inevitable changes in form and function. Fossil
evidence is available to show the progression of certain bodily
features. A streamlined body shape is apparent in early Eocene
epoch fossils, and the nares, or nostrils, had moved from the
anterior (frontal part) of the head to a more dorsal position (on
the back) by the middle of the Eocene epoch. Tail flukes are
known to have been present during the late Eocene epoch, by which
time dental forms had begun to become specialized. The first
difference in skull shapes of the odontocetes and mysticetes is
apparent in early Oligocene epoch fossils. Baleen plates in the
mouth had evolved by the late Oligocene epoch. Presumably,
various physiological mechanisms for handling oxygen debt and
lactic acid buildup as well as the development of blubber for fat
storage and for temperature regulation evolved early, though
evidence of the evolutionary history is unavailable.
Determination of genetic relationships among the modern whales
has been based on the fossil record, chromosomal comparisons, and
scientific opinion regarding the importance of various traits and
anatomical characteristics. The true ancestry and lines of
divergence are uncertain for many of the living families.
However, most scientists agree that the earliest ancestors of
whales originated about 70 million years ago in the late
Cretaceous or early Tertiary period. The ancestors presumably
evolved from a land-based existence to an amphibious one and
eventually entered the marine environment.
The earliest fossils known to be toothed whales are from Eocene
epoch sediments. Most modern families can be traced back to the
Miocene epoch, but the ancestral relationships are uncertain.
Members of the extinct family Squalodontidae were abundant from
the middle Oligocene epoch through much of the Miocene epoch,
finally disappearing in the Pliocene epoch.
Baleen whales descended from an ancestor with teeth. The extinct
family Cetotheridae, abundant from the Oligocene epoch through
the Miocene epoch, belonged to the suborder Mysticeti, but
whether early members of this family are direct ancestors of the
modern families is a hotly debated topic. Fossils from the
Pliocene and Miocene epochs are assignable to the families of
right whales and rorquals, suggesting that they diverged into
separate lines during late the Oligocene epoch. Fossil
representatives of gray whales are known only as recently as the
Pleistocene epoch.
History of Whaling
Archaeological evidence suggests that primitive whaling, by Inuit
and others in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, was practiced
by 3000 BC and has continued in remote cultures to the present.
The primitive quarry were small, easily beached whales or larger
specimens that came close to shore during seasonal migrations
from polar feeding grounds to breed in sheltered bays. The
Japanese used nets, and the Aleuts used poisoned spears. The
Inuit successfully hunted large whales from skin boats, employing
toggle-headed harpoons attached by hide ropes to inflated
sealskin boats. In Europe, the Nordic people hunted small whales,
and Icelandic laws dealt with whaling in the 13th century.
The forerunners of commercial whaling were the Basques, who
caught black right whales as the animals gathered to breed in the
Bay of Biscay. When seaworthy oceangoing ships were built in the
late 14th century, the Basques set off in search of other whaling
bays and found them across the Atlantic in southern Labrador.
Drafting Basque whalers for its Arctic explorations, the English
Muscovy Company initiated the exploitation of whaling bays in
Spitsbergen, Norway, in 1610. The Dutch followed immediately, and
broke the English monopoly, which had already stifled native
competition. Smeerenburg ("Blubbertown"), a Dutch whaling
village, was built on Spitsbergen after 1619.
Smeerenburg shut down in the 1660s, and Dutch and German whalers
navigated the open sea until their activity collapsed in the
1780s. At that point Britain, in order to support its industrial
revolution, took over as the principal European whaling nation.
During the great age of early commercial whaling in the late 18th
and early 19th centuries, the chief vessels used to capture
whales were relatively light double-ended rowing boats. A crew of
only six men put off in pursuit of a whale with hand harpoons and
a coiled line to "play" the whale, which was killed with a hand
lance when it was sufficiently exhausted. American boats were
usually only 30 feet (9 meters) long and made of cedar, while the
British boats were stronger.
Both northern and southern commercial whaling entered a period of
severe decline around 1860. The United States fleet of over 700
vessels declined rapidly, owing partially to overfishing but
principally to the discovery, in Pennsylvania in 1859, of
petroleum, which replaced whale oil in the lamps and candles of
America. The Dutch fleet had collapsed early in the century. The
British Arctic fleet was devastated in the 1830s and 1840s by
overfishing and ice and by the introduction of vegetable oil,
steel-boned corsets, and gas-fired lamps. Residual activity,
however, continued in the South Pacific and Davis Strait, in the
northern Atlantic Ocean, until the eve of World War I.
After World War II, so important was whale oil to the fat rations
of Europe that a wave of newer, larger factories and more
powerful diesel-engined ships was built, backed up by airplanes,
helicopters, and support shipping. In about 1962, with no more
concentrations of large whales, the commercial expeditions from
Europe withdrew and left whaling chiefly to the Soviets and
Japanese. Even this was doomed to failure. By the 1980s the
international whale trade was dead, though small-scale whaling
continued.
Conservation
For centuries whales have been hunted for their meat, which has
been used as food for humans as well as other animals. Europeans
used harpoons to kill whales from whaling boats at least ten
centuries ago. By the 1600s most of the coastal countries had
major permanent whaling operations in the Arctic, where several
of the larger species were once abundant. In the late 1800s the
invention of the explosive harpoon gave whalers an added
advantage in capturing the faster and more powerful species. In
the early 20th century, whale factory ships began to accompany
the harpoon boats in order to process the whales in a
commercially efficient manner. More than 50,000 whales a year
were killed by whaling operations during some years in the
mid-1900s, before restrictions and enforcement became effective.
However, a few nations still permit whaling operations, which now
use underwater sonar, helicopter spotters, and powerboats to find
and kill their prey.
Whales provided a variety of products of use to humans besides
food. Whale oil was first used as lamp fuel and as a lubricant.
Later uses included the making of glycerin, soaps, creams, and
margarine. Whale oil was also used in the paint, varnish, and
printing-ink industries.
A waxy material known as spermaceti, which fills the head cavity
of the sperm whale, has been used to make cosmetic creams,
ointments, and candy. Spermaceti is a crystalline form of oil in
the sperm whale and was erroneously believed by early whalers to
be coagulated semen. Ambergris is an oily substance formed in the
intestines of some, presumably diseased, sperm whales. Ambergris
is used as a fixative in making perfume.
A by-product of the whaling industry was scrimshaw, whalebone or
whale teeth that were intricately carved or engraved. Sometimes
the carvings or engravings were highlighted by brushing ink into
the engraved or carved lines. Cribbage boards, walking canes, and
snuffboxes made from whalebone were often adorned with scrimshaw.
About two dozen countries have engaged in commercial whaling at
one time or another. But because of the decline in the demand for
whale products and the threat of endangering many whale species,
most have stopped their whaling expeditions.
In 1937 the International Whaling Agreement was signed by the
whaling nations in an attempt to conserve whales. The agreement
placed minimum length restrictions on whales taken and
established a three-month whaling season. The number of whaling
vessels per country was also limited. However, some authorities
consider these initial regulations to have been politically and
commercially motivated rather than a sincere effort to protect
whales.
In 1946 the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was
established to set up the guidelines followed by whaling nations
today. The sizes, kinds, locations, and seasons of catches are
controlled. However, strong international politics came into
play, and some nations steadfastly voted against, or even
ignored, restrictions that were not economically advantageous.
The limitations were passed almost too late for the blue whale,
which had already declined to dangerously low numbers in all
oceans. The once large populations of blue whales in the eastern
North Atlantic were almost brought to extinction. Today, fewer
than 500, and possibly as few as 100, are found there. In 1971
the United States declared all commercially exploited whales
endangered species and made it illegal to import any whale
products. The United States lists the blue, bowhead, finback,
gray, humpback, right, sei, and sperm whales as endangered
species.
During the 1970s a movement to eliminate all whaling operations
began within the IWC. In October 1985 the nations belonging to
the IWC imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling. However,
Iceland, South Korea, Norway, Japan, and the Soviet Union
continued to hunt whales. (In June 1992 Iceland withdrew from the
IWC.) Since the IWC moratorium includes a clause that allows
whales to be taken for scientific purposes, it is difficult for
the IWC to regulate a member who declares a whaling operation to
be for scientific research. Some authorities strongly believe
that whale populations continue to be threatened by commercial
exploitation.
This article was written in part and critically reviewed and
updated by J. Whitfield Gibbons, Senior Research Ecologist and
Professor of Zoology, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory,
University of Georgia.
FURTHER RESOURCES FOR WHALE
Abbey, L.R. The Last Whales (Ivy Books, 1991).
Barstow, Robbins. Meet the Great Ones (Cetacean Society
International, 1987).
Beilenson, Nick. Celebrating Whales (Peter Pauper Press, 1989).
Bonner, W.N. Whales of the World (Facts on File, 1989).
Cheever, H.T. The Whale and His Captors (Ye Galleon Press, 1991).
Cousteau, Jacques, and Paccalet, Yves. Whales (W.H. Allen, 1988).
Day, David. The Whale War (Sierra Club Books, 1987).
Dow, Lesley. Whales (Facts on File, 1990).
Evans, P.G.H. The Natural History of Whales and Dolphins (Facts
on File, 1987).
Francis, Daniel. A History of World Whaling (Viking Press, 1990).
Gohier, Francois. Humpback Whales (Blake Publishing, 1991).
Gormley, Gerard. Orcas of the Gulf (Sierra Club Books, 1990).
Harrison, Sir Richard, and Bryden, M.M., eds. Whales, Dolphins,
and Porpoises (Facts on File, 1991).
Hoyt, Erich. Meeting the Whales (Firefly Books, 1991).
McCoy, J.J. The Plight of the Whales (Watts, 1989).
Palmer, Sarah. World of Whales, 6 vols. (Derrydale Books, 1990).
Patent, D.H. Killer Whales (Holiday, 1993).
Tinker, S.W. Whales of the World (Bess Press, 1988).
Williams, Heathcote. Whale Nation (Harmony, 1988).
-------------------------------------------------------------
Greensburg Wants the Whale
-------------------------------------------------------------
By Michael Dell, Editor-in-Chief
LCS: Guide to Hockey can not sit idly by and watch as the Whale
are left homeless. Being the true friend that we are, LCS would
like to give the Whale a place to crash. So we are officially
inviting the Whale to relocate to our home town of Greensburg,
Pennsylvania.
We've heard all the hype about Columbus, Ohio being a possible
destination for the mighty sea mammals, or maybe St. Paul,
Minnesota, or even Nashville, Tennessee. But forget all that
jive. Greensburg is where it's at.
Now would be a good time to discuss the history of Greensburg,
but, well, I don't really know it. Hey, I just live here.
I think the town was founded or something, like, a long time ago.
I do know that it was named for Nathanael Green. He was some
pioneer dude, not sure really. Although I do think he invented
the color green. Before ol' Nathanael came around, people
thought grass was red and there was one less crayon per box.
That's odd.
Anyway, from its humble beginnings Greensburg has developed into
a thriving metropolis that is currently home to not only this
fine publication but also such noteworthy businesses as
Schaller's Bakery, Bugsy's Bagels, and The
Lollipop Tree. Yes, progress is a wonderful thing.
Greensburg has plenty else to offer, as well. If it's culture
you're after, Greensburg has its own library, art museum,
theater, and off-track betting facilities. Throw in more
drinking establishments per capita than most towns in Ireland and
the social scene starts to take shape.
While Greensburg does have an ice rink, the beautiful Kirk S.
Nevin Arena, the best feature of the city is its two shopping
malls. And get this, one of the malls is pretty desolate and in
need of a shot in the arm. See where I'm goin' with this?
That's right, the town could construct a makeshift rink in the
bottom floor of Greengate Mall, allowing the Whale to continue to
have the ice rink/shopping mall combination they enjoyed in
Hartford. It would be 50/50... a little bit of this, a little
bit of that. Watch a hockey game, buy some socks... just like
old times.
Granted, Greensburg only has a population of about 17,000, but
the good news is there's absolutely nothing else to do in town,
besides getting all liquored up, so filling the Mall really
wouldn't be much of a problem. And being just an hour south of
Pittsburgh, the Greensburg Whalers would have a natural rival in
the Penguins. Think of it, the Battle of the Burgs. I
can almost hear the sound of tickets selling out as I'm writing
this.
In order to help seal the deal, LCS is willing to dig into our
personal savings to help sweeten the pot. The minute the Whale
makes its move to Greensburg official, I will personally write
out a check for the sum of $14.32. Sure, it will clean out the
LCS bank account, but you gotta do what ya gotta do. Besides, we
already got the free toaster.
Yes, Greensburg truly is a green and pleasant land. I'm sure
other places may make more lucrative offers, but LCS only asks
that the Whale please give our proposition the serious
consideration it deserves. It would be an honor to welcome the
mighty sea mammals into our fine city. Plus, if the Whale
doesn't fill the professional sports void in town, there's talk
the local suit types might go after the L.A. Clippers... and that
would suck.
-------------------------------------------------------------
There She Blows! Blow Whale Blow!
-------------------------------------------------------------
By Matthew Secosky, Chimp B
From the icy cold Atlantic, enraged with many storms
Whales have lots of blubber, to keep them toasty warm
Though they never make the playoffs, it's quite o.k. by me
For they make their home inside a dome, that's half mall, half ice rink.
Oh mighty Whale, won't you rest a spell, and answer my riddle please?
If the world failed to be. And the Whale was a tree.
What tree would thou be?
The Whale is good, the Whale is great
The Whale can shoot, the Whale can skate
A Whale in a bar would soon be seeing double
A Whale in the bath would be awash in Mr. Bubble
Confused I often wonder, so I ask you, one and all
What if the Whale, weren't really a Whale at all?
My Whale! Oh Whale! Where will thou go?
To the House of the Rising Sun, or the Land of Ice and Snow?
My Whale! Oh Whale! Can you feel my heart lament?
The day I heard you'd leave your home, $20.5 million you had spent.
My Whale! My Whale! Why hast thou forsaken me?
Offer valid in forty-nine states
Sorry Tennessee.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Playoff Race Update
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell
A lot can change in two weeks. The competition for the final
pair of playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, once considered
a three-team race, has suddenly become a six-team derby thanks to
some inspired play from the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators,
and Tampa Bay Lightning. Out West, the Dallas Stars are actually
making a serious run at the top seed, while just about every
other team continues to swap playoff slots on a daily basis.
Here's a quick update of where things stand as of Tuesday
morning, April 1.
Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia Flyers (43-22-11, 97 pts): The Flyers
actually seemed to get a boost from Eric Lindros going out with a
bruised calf, as a result of the now infamous Rich Pilon hip
check. Without their captain, the boys rallied together for
impressive wins over the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey
Devils. The win over El Diablo is what's currently keeping the
Fly guys in first place by two points, although the Devils do
have a game in hand. Now that Lindros is back healthy, and Ron
Hextall appears to have found his game again, the battle down the
stretch for first place should be very interesting.
Key Remaining Games: The biggest game of the year could
be the season finale on April 13. That's when the Devils come to
town for what could be a winner-take-all event.
2. Buffalo Sabres (38-26-11, 87 pts): The Sabres have
fallen on hard times now that Dominik Hasek is out with a rib
injury, losing four in a row and five of their last six. The
good news is that Hasek should be back soon. And the Sabres were
pretty much locked into the second seed anyway, so the losses
really don't mean a whole lot.
Key Remaining Games: Buffalo is cemented in the two hole.
They could take the rest of the season off and it wouldn't
matter.
3. New Jersey Devils (41-21-13, 95 pts): El Diablo is
muy, muy bueno. The Devils stumbled a bit, going 1-2-1 and
allowing the Flyers to move ahead in the race for first place,
but have snapped out of it by winning their past two games. They
still trail the orange and black by two points, but they do have
that all-important game in hand.
Key Remaining Games: The most important game for the
Devils is that April 13 contest in Philly. While El Diablo has
to play it on the road, the Flyers will be playing their second
game in as many nights, having skated the night before in
Montreal. That might give the Devils a slight edge.
4. Florida Panthers (33-26-18, 84 pts): The Panthers have
problems. The Cats are 1-3-2 in their last six games, bringing
into question whether or not they'll be able to hold down the
fourth spot and home-ice advantage in the first round. John
Vanbiesbrouck is doing his best to keep the club competitive, but
the losses of veterans such as Brian Skrudland, Mike Hough, Gord
Murphy, and Johan Garpenlov to injury have really cramped
Florida's style. Kirk Muller is still looking for his first goal
as a Panther and hasn't exactly lit a spark under the team since
arriving from Toronto. Meanwhile, Ed Jovanovski, one of the main
cogs in the Panthers' miracle run to the Finals last year, is
playing the worst hockey of his young career. Things aren't
lookin' good.
Key Remaining Games: Florida has three more games on the
road, in Toronto (4/2), Boston (4/5), and Washington (4/6),
before returning home to close out the season with games against
the Devils and Penguins. Florida's last game is on April 11, so
the club will be able to watch the competition finish. And if
they don't beat Pittsburgh in that last game, they may be
watching the Penguins move into fourth place.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins (36-33-7, 79 pts): Jaromir Jagr is
back and the Penguins appear ready for a solid stretch run. With
Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, and Jagr reunited on the top line,
the sky's the limit for Pittsburgh. The Pens have now moved
ahead of the Rangers into fifth place, thanks to owning the tie-
breaker of more wins, and are only five points behind the
Panthers for fourth place. They also got that whole game-in-hand
thing on the Cats. The Penguins are easily the wild card in the
whole playoff picture. If the Birds get hot, a return to the
Finals isn't out of the question. Of course, they could also
fold like a chair in the first round. Go figure?
Key Remaining Games: The Pens have two remaining games
against the Bruins, so that's a good thing. The big game, tho',
is the April 11 meeting with the Panthers in Florida. Fourth
place should be up for grabs.
6. New York Rangers (35-32-9, 79 pts): The Blueshirts
continue to disappoint. With Mark Messier being bothered by
nagging injuries, the Rangers are really having trouble finding a
consistent level of play night after night. Wayne Gretzky isn't
enough to turn things around by himself. If the Rangers are
going to move back ahead of Pittsburgh or catch the Panthers,
Mike Richter will have to be the man to carry the team.
Key Remaining Games: The Rangers have a tough schedule
the rest of the way. Of their six remaining games, they play
both the Sabres and Flyers two times each.
7. Montreal Canadiens (28-34-14, 70 pts): The Habs
currently enjoy a two-point lead over the Capitals and Whale, and
a three-point advantage over the Islanders and Senators. They'll
have the chance to control their own destiny, playing five of
their final six games against the clubs they're battling. First
up is a home-and-home series with the mighty sea mammals. That's
followed by a home-and-home with the Isles and then a trip to
Washington. Montreal closes out the season with a home game
against the Flyers on April 12. That is not an easy schedule.
Key Remaining Games: Every game is an important one, but
the home-and-home series with both the Whale and the Isles really
stand out. If the Habs get swept in either one they could be in
trouble. Montreal is 2-2-0 against Hartford this season and 2-0-
0 against the Islanders.
8. Washington Capitals (30-38-8, 68 pts): Why do the Caps
suck? There is no reason for this club to still be fighting for
a playoff spot. It's time for Peter Bondra to step up and be the
man for the Caps. No one else seems willing to do it.
Key Remaining Games: The Caps have a tough road to hoe.
Their six remaining games are against the Devils, Senators,
Panthers, Canadiens, Islanders, and Sabres. The big ones are
obviously the contests with the Sens, Habs, and Fish Sticks. The
bad news for the Caps is that while they are 3-0-0 against
Montreal this year, they're 0-3-0 versus Ottawa and 0-4-0 against
the fishermen. To make matters worse, New York's Tommy Salo has
shut out the Caps the last three times the teams have met.
Washington could actually be in some serious trouble. LCS has
been backing the Capitals all season, but frankly we're a little
fed up with them. They don't deserve to make the playoffs.
9. Hartford Whalers (29-36-10, 68 pts): It was assumed by
most that the Whale would roll over and beach itself upon hearing
the news that they won't be returning to Hartford next season.
Surprisingly, almost the exact opposite has happened. The Whale
have won both their games since the announcement and seem to be
feeding off the emotion of the sad developments. SAVE THE WHALE!
YEE-HAW! PLAYOFF HOCKEY IN THE MALL! YEE-HAW!
Key Remaining Games: If the Whale get into the playoffs,
they're gonna have to earn in. Four of their final seven games
come on the road, where the club has been just dreadful this
season. The good news is that five of the seven games are
against teams in direct competition with the mighty sea mammals,
including two against the Canadiens and one each against Ottawa,
the Islanders, and Tampa Bay. If the Whale win those games,
they're all good. Keep hope alive!
10. New York Islanders (28-36-11, 67 pts): The arrival of
Robert Reichel at the trade deadline seemed to revitalize the
Fish Sticks. Reichel has teamed up with Ziggy Palffy and Bryan
Smolinski to give the Isles a potent top scoring line, with
Reichel bagging 12 points in his first five games with New York.
Over that time the club has gone 4-0-1, creating plenty of
playoff excitement on Long Island.
Key Remaining Games: The Isles' have seven games left,
including five against teams fighting for a playoff spot. After
games on the road in Dallas and St. Louis, the fishermen finish
the season with a home game against the Lightning Bolts, a home-
and-home with the Canadiens, a home game versus the Whale, and
then a trip to Washington to battle the Caps. These five games
will tell the tale.
11. Ottawa Senators (26-34-15, 67 pts): Ottawa has been
impressive in staying in the race this long. It would be nice to
see them make it, but the deck is stacked against them. They
only have two games left with teams they're fighting with for the
final spot and they have the least wins of any of the teams vying
for a post-season berth, meaning they could lose out on a tie-
breaker.
Key Remaining Games: Against Washington on April 3 and
Hartford April 9.
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (29-38-8, 66 pts): The Bolts are
hanging close thanks to Johnny Cullen and the triumphant return
of Daren Puppa, who stopped 28 shots in a 1-1 tie with the
Panthers on Sunday, March 30. The only hope Tampa has is if
Puppa stonewalls the competition from here on out. They have
games in hand on most of the other teams, so that's the good
news. The bad news is the Bolt's final games are against
Philadelphia, New Jersey (2), the Islanders, Pittsburgh, the
Rangers, and the Whale. That's tough.
Key Remaining Games: Obviously the games against the
Islanders (4/5) and Whale (4/13) are huge.
Western Conference
1. Colorado Avalanche (46-21-9, 101 pts): Suddenly, the
Colorado Avalanche doesn't look so unbeatable. The Champs have
lost three of their last four, Patrick Roy is out with a minor
shoulder injury, and Joe Sakic seemingly hasn't scored a point
since the Carter administration. What does this all mean? Well,
not much. They're still the best team in hockey.
Key Remaining Games: The men with feet on their shoulders
have April 11 circled on the calendar. That's when they travel
to Dallas to play the Stars in the contest that could decide the
top spot in the Western Conference.
2. Dallas Stars (46-23-6, 98 pts): The Stars have gotten
hot at just the right time, going 7-0-2 in their past nine games
to move within three points of Colorado with one game in hand.
The story for the Stars has been the play of Arturs Irbe. With
Andy Moog still sitting out because of a sore back and injured
ankle, the little Latvian has been real wizard in net. Listen
closely and you can almost hear the chant that rang true in 1993-
94... Chomp, chomp, chomp! Irbe Like wall! Chomp, chomp, chomp!
Key Remaining Games: If Dallas wants the top spot in the
West, they'll have to beat the Avalanche when they come to town
on April 11.
3. Detroit Red Wings (36-24-15, 87 pts): Detroit has
planted roots in the number three slot. Not much else to play
for except confidence entering the postseason.
Key Remaining Games: Um, they don't have any.
4. Edmonton Oilers (35-35-7, 77 pts): The Oilers have
settled into a nutty pattern. They've alternated wins and losses
over their past six games and have gone 4-5-0 in their past nine.
Being five points ahead of ninth place Calgary, the Oil should
still have a playoff spot wrapped up, but they could drop to a
lower position... maybe even as low as eighth.
Key Remaining Games: They've only got five games left, the
biggest of which are matchups with the Blackhawks (4/3) and
Coyotes (4/11).
5. Anaheim Mighty Ducks (33-33-11, 77 pts): The Ducks are
playoff bound, dude. Quack, quack, quack. The only thing that
could derail the Ducks' post-season plans is if Teemu Selanne
doesn't return soon from his bruised hip, or if Guy Hebert
doesn't return to form after his recent bout with dehydration and
exhaustion.
Key Remaining Games: The Ducks have a big game against
Chicago on April 1. After that they can feast on two remaining
games with the Sharks (4/2, 4/11) and one against the Kings
(4/9).
6. Phoenix Coyotes (35-35-6, 76 pts): The Desert Dogs
could be poised to move up in the standings. They own two more
wins than Anaheim and finish the season against the Oilers in
Edmonton. So the possibility of improvement is there. Of
course, the Coyotes also have games against Colorado and Dallas.
Those aren't gonna be easy.
Key Remaining Games: The season finale in Edmonton on
April 11 could be huge as far as playoff positioning is
concerned.
7. St. Louis Blues (33-34-9, 75 pts): Just when it looks
like the Blues are ready to fall apart, they come up with two
straight wins over Los Angeles and Philadelphia to pull back into
the thick of things. The club had lost three of four just before
the modest two-game winning streak. Grant Fuhr has been the most
valuable Blue, playing every game in recent memory. He doesn't
even go home at night, he just sleeps in the St. Louis goal
crease. Without Fuhr the Blues would be dead. With him they
should be able to sneak into the playoffs.
Key Remaining Games: The Blues have a big game against
Chicago on April 9. A win there would do wonders to cement their
playoff position. The depressing part of the Blues' schedule is
they still have two games left to play in Detroit (4/1, 4/13).
8. Chicago Blackhawks (31-33-12, 74 pts): With Chris
Chelios healthy and Tony Amonte leading the way on offense, the
Hawks look like a strong contender for the eighth spot. They
also have a slew of crucial games down the stretch that should
determine their fate.
Key Remaining Games: All of Chicago's games are enormous.
The Hawks have three straight road contests against Anaheim
(4/1), Edmonton (4/3), and Calgary (4/6), before they return home
to host St. Louis (4/9) and Calgary (4/11). The Hawks then close
out the season in Dallas on April 13. But those five games
against fellow desperation teams will decide where the Hawks end
up.
9. Calgary Flames (32-36-8, 72 pts): The Flames are a
hard working club, but that just doesn't look like it will be
enough to get them into the big show. Theo Fleury is going to
have to carry this team on his back if Calgary wants to keep
playing past April 12.
Key Remaining Games: The Flames have two games against
Chicago on April 6 and 11 that could decide which of the two
clubs gets invited to the postseason. Games against Colorado
(4/1) and Detroit (4/8) sort of put a damper on the wishful
thinking for El Scorcho.
10. Vancouver Canucks (32-40-5, 69 pts): Much like the
Capitals, the Canucks don't deserve to be in the playoffs. So
why bother talkin' about 'em?
Key Remaining Games: Aw, who cares?
Well, that's the big playoff picture for the moment. By the time
this is read things would have probably changed several times
over. Yes, there's nothing quite like the excitement of a
playoff race. Now just imagine what it would be like if the
hockey being played wasn't boring, clutch and grab wrestling
matches performed by mediocre teams made up of players that
wouldn't even be in the league if not for expansion. Ah, can you
imagine? That would be great, that would be fun.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Remaining Schedule Analysis
-------------------------------------------------------------
By Steve Gallichio, Hartford Correspondent
Legend:
Pts: current points
Record: duh...
GR: games remaining
H: home games remaining
R: road games remaining
Overall Pct: current winning percentage
Opponent Pct: average current winning percentage of remaining opponents
Vs Opponent Pct: average current winning percentage vs remaining opponents
All projections are derived by applying the current percentage against
the remaining games and adding to the current total [(1.0 - pct)
for OppPct].
Eastern Conference
Overall Opponent vs Opponent
Pts Record GR H R Pct Proj Pct Proj Pct Proj
1. Philadelphia 97 43-22-11 6 4 2 0.638 104.7 0.517 101.8 0.667 103.7
2. Buffalo 87 38-26-11 7 3 4 0.580 95.1 0.447 93.6 0.750 96.0
3. New Jersey 97 42-21-13 6 2 4 0.638 104.7 0.406 104.1 0.600 104.2
4. Florida 84 33-26-18 5 2 3 0.545 89.5 0.478 89.2 0.467 88.7
5. Pittsburgh 79 36-33- 7 6 3 3 0.520 85.2 0.439 85.7 0.548 85.6
6. NY Rangers 79 35-32- 9 6 4 2 0.520 85.2 0.534 83.7 0.382 82.8
7. Montreal 70 28-34-14 6 3 3 0.461 75.5 0.480 76.2 0.500 76.0
8. Washington 68 30-39- 8 5 3 2 0.442 72.4 0.496 73.0 0.353 71.5
9. Hartford 68 29-36-10 7 3 4 0.453 74.3 0.479 75.3 0.574 76.0
10. NY Islanders 67 28-36-11 7 3 4 0.447 73.3 0.416 75.2 0.389 72.4
11. Ottawa 67 26-34-15 7 3 4 0.447 73.3 0.542 73.4 0.271 70.8
12. Tampa Bay 66 29-38- 8 7 2 5 0.440 72.2 0.536 71.6 0.478 71.7
13. Boston 57 24-43- 9 6 3 3 0.375 61.5 0.554 62.4 0.395 61.7
Pts Record Home Road Division Conf NonConf
1. Philadelphia 97 43-22-11 21-11- 5 22-11- 6 13-12- 3 27-17- 6 16- 5- 5
2. Buffalo 87 38-26-11 23- 9- 6 15-17- 5 16- 6- 2 28-15- 6 10-11- 5
3. New Jersey 97 42-21-13 21- 9- 9 21-12- 4 13-10- 5 27-14-10 15- 7- 3
4. Florida 84 33-26-18 19-12- 8 14-14-10 12-10- 8 21-19-12 12- 7- 6
5. Pittsburgh 79 36-33- 7 23-11- 4 13-22- 3 11- 8- 5 21-23- 6 15-10- 1
6. NY Rangers 79 35-32- 9 19-13- 5 16-19- 4 8-15- 6 21-22- 7 14-10- 2
7. Montreal 70 28-34-14 16-16- 6 12-18- 8 7-12- 7 15-24-11 13-10- 3
8. Washington 68 30-39- 8 17-17- 4 13-22- 4 13-14- 3 20-24- 7 10-15- 1
9. Hartford 68 29-36-10 21-14- 3 8-22- 7 12- 8- 3 22-20- 7 7-16- 3
10. NY Islanders 67 28-36-11 18-16- 4 10-20- 7 14-12- 4 21-23- 7 7-13- 4
11. Ottawa 67 26-34-15 13-17- 8 13-17- 7 9-11- 4 20-21- 9 6-13- 6
12. Tampa Bay 66 29-38- 8 14-18- 7 15-20- 1 12-12- 3 17-27- 5 12-11- 3
13. Boston 57 24-43- 9 12-19- 7 12-24- 2 7-17- 1 17-28- 5 7-15- 4
Remaining Games
Philadelphia
04/06 Ottawa 1:00pm ET
11/30 Road W 4-3
02/13 Home W 4-2
02/26 Road W 8-5
04/07 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
11/13 Road W 2-1
12/04 Road T 1-1
02/01 Home L 2-4
02/23 Home W 2-1
04/10 NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
11/13 Road W 2-1
12/04 Road T 1-1
02/01 Home L 2-4
02/23 Home W 2-1
04/12 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road L 5-6
01/14 Home W 3-2
02/06 Home W 9-5
04/13 New Jersey 7:00pm ET
10/07 Home W 3-1
02/08 Road L 2-4
03/05 Home L 1-3
03/25 Road W 4-3
Buffalo
04/02 Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/29 Home W 3-0
12/21 Road W 3-2
02/09 Home W 2-1
03/01 Road W 3-1
04/04 NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/27 Road L 4-6
12/13 Home L 0-3
04/07 @ Hartford 7:00pm ET
10/26 Home W 6-3
11/09 Road L 3-4
12/07 Road L 4-6
12/26 Home W 5-1
01/25 Home L 1-5
04/10 @ Boston 7:30pm ET
11/23 Road W 3-2
12/14 Road W 4-0
02/23 Home W 5-1
03/17 Home W 5-1
04/12 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/29 Home W 3-0
12/21 Road W 3-2
02/09 Home W 2-1
03/01 Road W 3-1
04/13 Washington 7:00pm ET
10/18 Road W 4-1
02/02 Home T 2-2
03/21 Road W 4-1
New Jersey
04/04 Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road W 4-1
11/02 Home W 2-1
11/16 Home W 6-3
02/22 Road L 1-3
04/06 @ St. Louis 7:00pm ET
01/05 Home L 3-5
04/08 @ Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/26 Road W 4-1
11/02 Home W 2-1
11/16 Home W 6-3
02/22 Road L 1-3
04/09 @ Florida 7:30pm ET
12/03 Home W 2-0
02/07 Home T 2-2
02/20 Road T 2-2
03/17 Home L 1-4
04/11 Boston 7:30pm ET
10/29 Road L 2-5
12/12 Road W 7-4
01/14 Home W 4-2
04/13 @ Philadelphia 7:00pm ET
10/07 Road L 1-3
02/08 Home W 4-2
03/05 Road W 3-1
03/25 Home L 3-4
Florida
04/02 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
03/15 Home T 3-3
04/05 @ Boston 1:30pm ET
01/23 Road W 4-1
01/30 Home W 3-1
03/09 Home L 1-3
04/06 @ Washington 1:30pm ET
11/07 Home W 4-2
11/18 Home L 2-4
12/28 Road T 1-1
02/01 Home L 1-3
04/09 New Jersey 7:30pm ET
12/03 Road L 0-2
02/07 Road T 2-2
02/20 Home T 2-2
03/17 Road W 4-1
04/11 Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
11/09 Home W 4-2
02/18 Road L 2-4
03/31 Road L 3-4
Pittsburgh
04/03 Hartford 7:30pm ET
10/08 Road L 3-7
11/22 Road W 7-1
12/03 Home T 4-4
01/15 Road W 3-0
04/05 Ottawa 1:30pm ET
10/11 Road L 2-3
10/12 Home W 3-2
11/02 Home W 7-3
12/04 Road W 4-2
01/11 Road T 3-3
04/08 Boston 7:30pm ET
11/14 Road L 1-2
11/30 Home W 6-2
12/17 Home L 4-6
04/10 @ Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/05 Home L 3-4
11/08 Road T 5-5
01/04 Home W 7-3
04/11 @ Florida 7:30pm ET
11/09 Road L 2-4
02/18 Home W 4-2
03/31 Home W 4-3
04/13 @ Boston 1:30pm ET
11/14 Road L 1-2
11/30 Home W 6-2
12/17 Home L 4-6
NY Rangers
04/03 Boston 7:30pm ET
10/05 Road T 4-4
11/02 Road W 5-2
02/02 Home L 2-3
04/04 @ Buffalo 7:30pm ET
10/27 Home W 6-4
12/13 Road W 3-0
04/07 Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
11/13 Home L 1-2
12/04 Home T 1-1
02/01 Road W 4-2
02/23 Road L 1-2
04/10 @ Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
11/13 Home L 1-2
12/04 Home T 1-1
02/01 Road W 4-2
02/23 Road L 1-2
04/11 Tampa Bay 7:30pm ET
10/20 Road L 2-5
11/04 Home L 3-5
12/31 Road L 2-4
01/08 Home L 3-4
Montreal
04/02 @ Hartford 7:00pm ET
11/20 Road L 1-3
01/06 Home W 5-4
02/08 Home W 3-2
03/07 Road L 0-2
04/05 Hartford 7:30pm ET
11/20 Road L 1-3
01/06 Home W 5-4
02/08 Home W 3-2
03/07 Road L 0-2
04/07 NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
01/04 Home W 3-1
02/17 Road W 4-1
04/09 @ NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
01/04 Home W 3-1
02/17 Road W 4-1
04/10 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
11/15 Road L 1-3
11/30 Home L 0-2
03/22 Home L 1-3
04/12 Philadelphia 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home W 6-5
01/14 Road L 2-3
02/06 Road L 5-9
Washington
04/03 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/27 Home L 1-2
01/15 Road L 1-5
02/18 Home L 1-6
04/06 Florida 1:30pm ET
11/07 Road L 2-4
11/18 Road W 4-2
12/28 Home T 1-1
02/01 Road W 3-1
04/10 Montreal 7:30pm ET
11/15 Home W 3-1
11/30 Road W 2-0
03/22 Road W 3-1
04/12 NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
11/02 Road L 1-6
11/29 Home L 0-2
12/07 Road L 0-2
03/02 Home L 0-2
04/13 @ Buffalo 7:00pm ET
10/18 Home L 1-4
02/02 Road T 2-2
03/21 Home L 1-4
Hartford
04/02 Montreal 7:00pm ET
11/20 Home W 3-1
01/06 Road L 4-5
02/08 Road L 2-3
03/07 Home W 2-0
04/03 @ Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
10/08 Home W 7-3
11/22 Home L 1-7
12/03 Road T 4-4
01/15 Home L 0-3
04/05 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
11/20 Home W 3-1
01/06 Road L 4-5
02/08 Road L 2-3
03/07 Home W 2-0
04/07 Buffalo 7:00pm ET
10/26 Road L 3-6
11/09 Home W 4-3
12/07 Home W 6-4
12/26 Road L 1-5
01/25 Road W 5-1
04/09 @ Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/23 Road T 3-3
12/28 Home W 3-2
02/15 Home W 2-1
02/16 Road L 2-4
04/11 @ NY Islanders 7:30pm ET
10/17 Road W 3-1
10/30 Home T 2-2
01/24 Home L 2-5
04/13 Tampa Bay 1:30pm ET
11/30 Road W 6-3
12/21 Home W 6-5
03/27 Road W 5-2
NY Islanders
04/02 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
12/21 Home L 2-3
04/03 @ St. Louis 8:30pm ET
01/20 Home L 4-6
04/05 Tampa Bay 7:00pm ET
10/22 Home L 3-6
12/14 Road L 1-4
01/11 Road T 4-4
03/04 Home L 3-6
03/13 Road W 3-0
04/07 @ Montreal 7:30pm ET
01/04 Road L 1-3
02/17 Home L 1-4
04/09 Montreal 7:30pm ET
01/04 Road L 1-3
02/17 Home L 1-4
04/11 Hartford 7:30pm ET
10/17 Home L 1-3
10/30 Road T 2-2
01/24 Road W 5-2
04/12 @ Washington 7:30pm ET
11/02 Home W 6-1
11/29 Road W 2-0
12/07 Home W 2-0
03/02 Road W 2-0
Ottawa
04/02 @ Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/29 Road L 0-3
12/21 Home L 2-3
02/09 Road L 1-2
03/01 Home L 1-3
04/03 Washington 7:30pm ET
11/27 Road W 2-1
01/15 Home W 5-1
02/18 Road W 6-1
04/05 @ Pittsburgh 1:30pm ET
10/11 Home W 3-2
10/12 Road L 2-3
11/02 Road L 3-7
12/04 Home L 2-4
01/11 Home T 3-3
04/06 @ Philadelphia 1:00pm ET
11/30 Home L 3-4
02/13 Road L 2-4
02/26 Home L 5-8
04/09 Hartford 7:30pm ET
11/23 Home T 3-3
12/28 Road L 2-3
02/15 Road L 1-2
02/16 Home W 4-2
04/11 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
11/01 Home T 2-2
04/12 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/29 Road L 0-3
12/21 Home L 2-3
02/09 Road L 1-2
03/01 Home L 1-3
Tampa Bay
04/04 @ New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home L 1-4
11/02 Road L 1-2
11/16 Road L 3-6
02/22 Home W 3-1
04/05 @ NY Islanders 7:00pm ET
10/22 Road W 6-3
12/14 Home W 4-1
01/11 Home T 4-4
03/04 Road W 6-3
03/13 Home L 0-3
04/08 New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/26 Home L 1-4
11/02 Road L 1-2
11/16 Road L 3-6
02/22 Home W 3-1
04/10 Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
10/05 Road W 4-3
11/08 Home T 5-5
01/04 Road L 3-7
04/11 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/20 Home W 5-2
11/04 Road W 5-3
12/31 Home W 4-2
01/08 Road W 4-3
04/13 @ Hartford 1:30pm ET
11/30 Home L 3-6
12/21 Road L 5-6
03/27 Home L 2-5
Boston
04/03 @ NY Rangers 7:30pm ET
10/05 Home T 4-4
11/02 Home L 2-5
02/02 Road W 3-2
04/05 Florida 1:30pm ET
01/23 Home L 1-4
01/30 Road L 1-3
03/09 Road W 3-1
04/08 @ Pittsburgh 7:30pm ET
11/14 Home W 2-1
11/30 Road L 2-6
12/17 Road W 6-4
04/10 Buffalo 7:30pm ET
11/23 Home L 2-3
12/14 Home L 0-4
02/23 Road L 1-5
03/17 Road L 1-5
04/11 @ New Jersey 7:30pm ET
10/29 Home W 5-2
12/12 Home L 4-7
01/14 Road L 2-4
04/13 Pittsburgh 1:30pm ET
11/14 Home W 2-1
11/30 Road L 2-6
12/17 Road W 6-4
Western Conference
Overall Opponent vs Opponent
Pts Record GR H R Pct Proj Pct Proj Pct Proj
1. Colorado 101 46-21- 9 6 3 3 0.664 109.0 0.464 107.4 0.591 108.1
2. Dallas 98 46-23- 6 7 4 3 0.653 107.1 0.489 105.2 0.792 109.1
3. Detroit 87 36-24-15 7 4 3 0.580 95.1 0.375 94.5 0.639 94.7
4. Phoenix 78 36-35- 6 5 1 4 0.506 83.1 0.534 82.7 0.294 80.9
5. Edmonton 77 35-35- 7 5 4 1 0.500 82.0 0.494 82.1 0.533 82.3
6. Anaheim 77 33-33-11 5 3 2 0.500 82.0 0.451 81.4 0.500 81.0
7. St Louis 75 33-34- 9 6 3 3 0.493 80.9 0.513 79.9 0.433 79.3
8. Chicago 74 31-33-12 6 2 4 0.487 79.8 0.420 79.8 0.559 79.6
9. Calgary 72 32-36- 8 6 3 3 0.474 77.7 0.513 77.8 0.500 78.0
10. Vancouver 69 32-40- 5 5 3 2 0.448 73.5 0.471 74.3 0.500 74.0
11. Toronto 63 28-41- 7 6 3 3 0.414 68.0 0.472 69.3 0.381 67.6
12. Los Angeles 62 26-41-10 5 3 2 0.403 66.0 0.540 66.6 0.342 65.4
13. San Jose 57 25-44- 7 6 4 2 0.375 61.5 0.530 62.6 0.429 62.1
Pts Record Home Road Division Conf NonConf
1. Colorado 101 46-21- 9 25- 8- 5 21-13- 4 18- 6- 4 30-12- 4 16- 9- 5
2. Dallas 98 46-23- 6 23-11- 3 23-12- 3 13- 5- 2 29-13- 3 17-10- 3
3. Detroit 87 36-24-15 20-10- 7 16-14- 8 7-10- 4 18-19-10 18- 5- 5
4. Phoenix 78 36-35- 6 15-19- 6 21-16- 0 12- 7- 2 24-19- 2 12-16- 4
5. Edmonton 77 35-35- 7 20-15- 2 15-20- 5 12-15- 3 18-24- 5 17-11- 2
6. Anaheim 77 33-33-11 21-12- 5 12-21- 6 11-12- 6 20-20- 7 13-13- 4
7. St Louis 75 33-34- 9 16-19- 3 17-15- 6 8-12- 4 24-23- 5 9-11- 4
8. Chicago 74 31-33-12 15-20- 4 16-13- 8 7-11- 3 16-23- 6 15-10- 6
9. Calgary 72 32-36- 8 21-15- 2 11-21- 6 15-13- 2 21-21- 4 11-15- 4
10. Vancouver 69 32-40- 5 18-17- 3 14-23- 2 12-15- 1 20-23- 4 12-17- 1
11. Toronto 63 28-41- 7 16-19- 3 12-22- 4 5-11- 3 18-24- 4 10-17- 3
12. Los Angeles 62 26-41-10 17-15- 6 9-26- 4 10-15- 4 16-24- 7 10-17- 3
13. San Jose 57 25-44- 7 13-21- 3 12-23- 4 12-14- 0 19-27- 0 6-17- 7
Remaining Games
Colorado
04/02 @ Calgary 9:30pm ET
10/22 Road L 1-5
12/14 Road L 1-4
12/23 Home W 4-3
01/02 Home W 3-2
03/12 Home L 2-3
04/04 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/08 Home W 6-0
11/06 Road W 4-1
02/01 Road L 1-2
04/06 Phoenix 9:00pm ET
11/08 Road W 4-1
11/20 Home W 6-0
02/13 Road W 3-2
04/09 San Jose 9:00pm ET
10/08 Home W 6-0
11/06 Road W 4-1
02/01 Road L 1-2
04/11 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
10/05 Road L 1-4
12/29 Home W 3-2
02/27 Home L 2-6
04/13 Los Angeles 9:00pm ET
12/07 Road L 2-4
12/28 Road W 5-2
01/29 Home W 6-3
02/11 Home W 3-1
02/25 Road L 1-3
Dallas
04/02 NY Islanders 8:30pm ET
12/21 Road W 3-2
04/04 @ Anaheim 10:30pm ET
11/11 Road W 3-2
11/15 Home W 4-3
01/29 Home W 3-1
04/05 @ Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
01/27 Home W 7-2
02/09 Home W 2-1
02/17 Road W 2-1
04/07 @ Phoenix 10:00pm ET
11/06 Road W 3-2
01/10 Home L 3-4
02/08 Road W 5-4
02/12 Home L 0-5
03/19 Home W 7-2
04/09 Toronto 8:30pm ET
10/19 Home W 2-0
11/30 Home W 5-2
01/25 Road W 5-1
03/10 Road T 3-3
04/11 Colorado 8:30pm ET
10/05 Home W 4-1
12/29 Road L 2-3
02/27 Road W 6-2
04/13 Chicago 3:00pm ET
10/13 Road W 5-3
11/01 Home L 2-3
12/18 Road W 3-2
02/25 Road W 1-0
03/14 Home T 4-4
Detroit
04/03 Toronto 7:30pm ET
11/02 Road L 2-6
11/27 Home W 5-2
12/15 Home W 3-1
03/05 Road T 4-4
04/05 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
11/02 Road L 2-6
11/27 Home W 5-2
12/15 Home W 3-1
03/05 Road T 4-4
04/08 @ Calgary 9:30pm ET
10/11 Home L 1-2
12/18 Road T 3-3
02/19 Home W 4-0
04/09 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
10/09 Home W 2-0
12/10 Home T 0-0
12/22 Road W 6-2
04/11 Ottawa 7:30pm ET
11/01 Road T 2-2
04/13 St. Louis 3:00pm ET
02/01 Road W 4-1
02/04 Home T 1-1
02/22 Road T 2-2
Phoenix
04/03 @ Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
12/03 Home L 1-4
12/26 Road L 2-5
02/18 Home W 6-1
04/06 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
11/08 Home L 1-4
11/20 Road L 0-6
02/13 Home L 2-3
04/07 Dallas 10:00pm ET
11/06 Home L 2-3
01/10 Road W 4-3
02/08 Home L 4-5
02/12 Road W 5-0
03/19 Road L 2-7
04/09 @ Vancouver 10:00pm ET
12/27 Home W 7-4
01/25 Home W 4-0
02/27 Road L 2-6
04/11 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
10/14 Home L 3-6
10/30 Road L 1-4
03/29 Home L 1-3
Edmonton
04/03 Chicago 9:30pm ET
11/03 Road L 2-4
11/19 Home T 4-4
01/08 Road L 1-4
04/05 Vancouver 10:30pm ET
10/06 Home W 2-0
11/01 Home L 4-5
12/23 Road W 7-0
04/09 Detroit 9:30pm ET
10/09 Road L 0-2
12/10 Road T 0-0
12/22 Home L 2-6
04/11 Phoenix 9:30pm ET
10/14 Road W 6-3
10/30 Home W 4-1
03/29 Road W 3-1
04/12 @ Vancouver 10:30pm ET
10/06 Home W 2-0
11/01 Home L 4-5
12/23 Road W 7-0
Anaheim
04/02 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/18 Home L 1-4
11/01 Home W 4-3
11/23 Road W 3-0
04/04 Dallas 10:30pm ET
11/11 Home L 2-3
11/15 Road L 3-4
01/29 Road L 1-3
04/09 Los Angeles 10:30pm ET
11/08 Home W 7-4
01/25 Road T 2-2
02/20 Road L 1-3
03/19 Home W 6-2
04/11 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
10/18 Home L 1-4
11/01 Home W 4-3
11/23 Road W 3-0
St Louis
04/03 NY Islanders 8:30pm ET
01/20 Road W 6-4
04/06 New Jersey 7:00pm ET
01/05 Road W 5-3
04/09 @ Chicago 8:30pm ET
10/06 Home L 1-4
10/24 Road L 4-6
12/13 Home L 1-4
12/26 Road T 4-4
02/17 Home W 4-2
04/10 Toronto 8:30pm ET
10/17 Home W 6-1
11/05 Road L 3-6
12/03 Road L 0-2
12/27 Home L 2-3
01/29 Road W 4-0
04/13 @ Detroit 3:00pm ET
02/01 Home L 1-4
02/04 Road T 1-1
02/22 Home T 2-2
Chicago
04/03 @ Edmonton 9:30pm ET
11/03 Home W 4-2
11/19 Road T 4-4
01/08 Home W 4-1
04/06 @ Calgary 3:30pm ET
11/14 Home L 1-2
11/22 Road W 5-2
04/09 St. Louis 8:30pm ET
10/06 Road W 4-1
10/24 Home W 6-4
12/13 Road W 4-1
12/26 Home T 4-4
02/17 Road L 2-4
04/11 Calgary 8:30pm ET
11/14 Home L 1-2
11/22 Road W 5-2
04/13 @ Dallas 3:00pm ET
10/13 Home L 3-5
11/01 Road W 3-2
12/18 Home L 2-3
02/25 Home L 0-1
03/14 Road T 4-4
Calgary
04/02 Colorado 9:30pm ET
10/22 Home W 5-1
12/14 Home W 4-1
12/23 Road L 3-4
01/02 Road L 2-3
03/12 Road W 3-2
04/04 @ Vancouver 10:00pm ET
10/05 Road L 1-3
11/02 Road L 3-4
02/01 Home W 3-0
03/29 Home L 2-5
04/06 Chicago 3:30pm ET
11/14 Road W 2-1
11/22 Home L 2-5
04/08 Detroit 9:30pm ET
10/11 Road W 2-1
12/18 Home T 3-3
02/19 Road L 0-4
04/11 @ Chicago 8:30pm ET
11/14 Road W 2-1
11/22 Home L 2-5
04/12 @ Toronto 7:30pm ET
01/07 Home W 4-3
01/22 Road L 3-5
02/15 Home W 3-0
Vancouver
04/04 Calgary 10:00pm ET
10/05 Home W 3-1
11/02 Home W 4-3
02/01 Road L 0-3
03/29 Road W 5-2
04/05 @ Edmonton 10:30pm ET
10/06 Road L 0-2
11/01 Road W 5-4
12/23 Home L 0-7
04/07 @ San Jose 10:30pm ET
12/26 Road L 1-6
01/20 Home W 6-1
01/27 Home W 5-2
02/20 Road W 6-1
03/20 Home L 1-2
04/09 Phoenix 10:00pm ET
12/27 Road L 4-7
01/25 Road L 0-4
02/27 Home W 6-2
04/12 Edmonton 10:30pm ET
10/06 Road L 0-2
11/01 Road W 5-4
12/23 Home L 0-7
Toronto
04/02 Florida 7:30pm ET
03/15 Road T 3-3
04/03 @ Detroit 7:30pm ET
11/02 Home W 6-2
11/27 Road L 2-5
12/15 Road L 1-3
03/05 Home T 4-4
04/05 Detroit 7:30pm ET
11/02 Home W 6-2
11/27 Road L 2-5
12/15 Road L 1-3
03/05 Home T 4-4
04/09 @ Dallas 8:30pm ET
10/19 Road L 0-2
11/30 Road L 2-5
01/25 Home L 1-5
03/10 Home T 3-3
04/10 @ St. Louis 8:30pm ET
10/17 Road L 1-6
11/05 Home W 6-3
12/03 Home W 2-0
12/27 Road W 3-2
01/29 Home L 0-4
04/12 Calgary 7:30pm ET
01/07 Road L 3-4
01/22 Home W 5-3
02/15 Road L 0-3
Los Angeles
04/03 Phoenix 10:30pm ET
12/03 Road W 4-1
12/26 Home W 5-2
02/18 Road L 1-6
04/05 Dallas 10:30pm ET
01/27 Road L 2-7
02/09 Road L 1-2
02/17 Home L 1-2
04/09 @ Anaheim 10:30pm ET
11/08 Road L 4-7
01/25 Home T 2-2
02/20 Home W 3-1
03/19 Road L 2-6
04/12 San Jose 8:00pm ET
10/06 Home L 6-7
01/22 Road L 2-7
02/05 Road L 2-3
03/22 Home W 2-1
04/13 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
12/07 Home W 4-2
12/28 Home L 2-5
01/29 Road L 3-6
02/11 Road L 1-3
02/25 Home W 3-1
San Jose
04/02 Anaheim 10:30pm ET
10/18 Road W 4-1
11/01 Road L 3-4
11/23 Home L 0-3
04/04 Colorado 10:30pm ET
10/08 Road L 0-6
11/06 Home L 1-4
02/01 Home W 2-1
04/07 Vancouver 10:30pm ET
12/26 Home W 6-1
01/20 Road L 1-6
01/27 Road L 2-5
02/20 Home L 1-6
03/20 Road W 2-1
04/09 @ Colorado 9:00pm ET
10/08 Road L 0-6
11/06 Home L 1-4
02/01 Home W 2-1
04/11 Anaheim 10:30pm ET
10/18 Road W 4-1
11/01 Road L 3-4
11/23 Home L 0-3
04/12 @ Los Angeles 8:00pm ET
10/06 Road W 7-6
01/22 Home W 7-2
02/05 Home W 3-2
03/22 Road L 1-2
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hardware Hopefuls
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell
Now's the time of the season when LCS usually checks to see who
the front-runners are for the individual NHL awards. It's
tradition. And since pointless traditions and mindless rituals
are all that separate us from the animals, we're back at it again
this year.
There's only one minor problem. In looking back to see which
players performed the best during the 1996-97 season, the same
thought kept coming to mind... boy, did this season blow.
Without question, this had to be the worst season in recent
memory. It was, like, real lamesville, dad. Not since 1993-94,
the year the league originally shot itself in the foot by adding
Anaheim and Florida to a shrinking talent pool, has a season been
this pitiful.
It's tough to even think of a player to win each award, let alone
three possible candidates. So we just named as many as we could.
If your favorite player is missing, be sure to write a letter on
his behalf. And, oh yeah, make sure you mail it to someone who
cares.
Now, without further delay, here are this year's contenders.
(Note: all stats thru Sunday, March 30)
Art Ross
Contenders
Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins (46-66-112):
Mario pretty much has the scoring race wrapped up, with a
14-point lead over second place Teemu Selanne (47-51-98). It
will be the sixth Art Ross trophy of Lemieux's storied career.
The sad thing is that Mario will probably win the award with
something in the neighborhood of 120 points. If the winning
number is in the 120s, it will be the lowest point total to
clinch the honor since Montreal's Guy Lafleur bagged the award in
1975-76 with 125 points. And that's not a slight to Lemieux as
much as it is a testimony to how pathetic the league was this
season with its ignorance towards "marginal" penalties, allowing
interference to run wild and boring hockey to become the norm.
Hart
Contenders
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres (35-17-9, 2.33, .928, 5
shutouts): Even though he's been sidelined with a rib
injury recently, the mainstream media all but handed Hasek the
Hart Trophy months ago. He is clearly the man to beat,
backstopping a rather average Buffalo squad into the top spot in
the Northeastern Division while being among the leaders in every
goaltending category. It's hard to imagine where the Sabres
would be without Hasek between the pipes... or maybe it isn't,
that's why he's so valuable.
John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers (49-45-94):
Eric Lindros may get all the hype, but LeClair has been the man
in Philadelphia this season. After a tremendous performance at
the World Cup, LeClair got off to a rather slow start this season
before tearing up the scoring charts in carrying the Flyers on
his back into the top seed in the Eastern Conference. LeClair
leads the league in goals with 49 and is third in points with 94.
A perfect combination of power and skill, LeClair is without
doubt the most dominating left wing in hockey.
Tony Amonte, Chicago Blackhawks (40-32-72):
Without Tony Amonte, the Blackhawks wouldn't even have an
offense. In the absence of Jeremy Roenick, Bernie Nicholls, and
Joe Murphy, Amonte elevated his game this season and has become a
true superstar, already setting a new career high in goals with
40. Amonte's amazing speed always made him a threat throughout
his career, but he never buried all the glorious chances that he
often created. This year it was a different story. Amonte just
put it all together this season and is truly deserving of a Hart
nomination.
There's been plenty of talk about Paul Kariya (39-51-90)
deserving consideration, but that's almost a slap in the face to
Selanne. A lot was made about the fact that the Ducks struggled
when Kariya was out of the lineup at the start of the season, but
it's hard to believe the club's record would have been any
different had Kariya been healthy and Selanne was missing. It's
the combination of the two stars that makes the Ducks a threat.
Either one by themselves isn't really enough to make Anaheim a
serious playoff contender in the West.
Probable Winner: Dominik Hasek. If the Dominator takes
the trophy it'll be the first time since 1961-62 (Jacques Plante)
that a goaltender won the prestigious award.
Vezina
Contenders
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres: Blah blah blah.
Patrick Roy, Colorado Avalanche (36-14-7, 2.34, .923, 7
shutouts): Roy had perhaps the best regular season of
his glorious career. The only thing hurting his chances for the
Vezina, and really even the Hart, is that the Avalanche is just
so damn good that the overall strength of the whole overshadows
the greatness of the pieces. Wow, that was, like, deep or
somthin'...
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils (34-13-12, 1.95, .923, 7
shutouts): Playing behind the New Jersey defense isn't
exactly the hardest gig in show business, but Brodeur gets the
job done splendidly. It's always been a dream of LCS to use the
word "splendidly"... our work here is done.
Guy Hebert, Anaheim Mighty Ducks (27-25-11, 2.66, .920, 4
shutouts): The man who has LCS' backing for the Vezina
is Hebert. Outside of Kariya and Selanne up front, the Ducks
hardly have any talent whatsoever. Yet they remain a force in
the West because of the two superstars on offense and the
unheralded brilliance of Hebert in net. A recent convert to the
Francois Allaire school of goaltending, Hebert has been a mission
man for the Ducks, routinely turning aside 35+ shots a night. In
fact, Hebert has faced 33 or more shots in 11 of his last 16
starts; five times making 37 or more saves in a single contest.
He was also a fixture in net night after night, to the point that
he actually had to leave a game on March 23 because of
dehydration and exhaustion. Hebert is a bad man. It's unlikely
he'll be recognized as one of the three finalists for the award,
but Hebert definitely earned the respect of LCS this season.
Probable Winner: Dominik Hasek. If you're a goaltender,
it's kind of tough to win the Hart Trophy and not win the Vezina.
Hasek should take 'em both. It'll be his third Vezina win in the
past four years.
Norris
Contenders
Brian Leetch, New York Rangers (19-53-72, +32):
The only past winner to have a strong year, Leetch was a force
this season for the Rangers. He is once again leading all
defenseman in scoring with 72 points, while perhaps being the
most consistent player for the Blueshirts during their rather
up-and-down year.
Sandis Ozolinsh, Colorado Avalanche (21-41-62,
+9): It's kind of nutty to hear Ozolinsh's name
mentioned in a discussion about the Norris Trophy, but he has
clearly established himself as the most dangerous offensive
defenseman in the game today. When he's on the ice, something
interesting is going to happen. Sure, it could be a two-on-one
the wrong way, but that's okay... gotta break some eggs to make
an omelette. Ozolinsh's madcap approach to defense has paid off
this season, as the Latvian blueliner leads all defensemen with
21 goals and is second to Leetch in points with 62. He's an
impact player.
Um, your name here: This was a tough year for defenseman.
Outside of Leetch and Ozolinsh, no one else really stood up to
distinguish themselves from the crowd. Chris Chelios (9-34-43,
+14) had another steady, if unspectacular season, and will
probably get the third slot. Perennial finalists Ray Bourque
(17-30-47, -8) and Paul Coffey (9-24-33, +14) both had seasons
they'd soon rather forget, although Bourque was coming on a bit
before being slowed by an ankle injury the last few weeks.
Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom (15-41-56, +30) had a real nice season
in the absence of Coffey and could receive consideration, as
could teammate Vladimir Konstantinov (5-29-34, +35).
Probable Winner: Brian Leetch. He should be a lock to
win his second Norris Trophy.
Calder
Contenders
Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames (21-29-50): Iginla
was the favorite to win the award when the season started and he
certainly didn't disappoint. He's given the Flames an honest
effort every night out and leads all rookie scorers with 50
points.
Bryan Berard, New York Islanders (8-35-43): The
first overall selection of the 1995 Draft, Berard didn't make a
big splash at the start of the season but has slowly developed
over the course of the campaign into an impressive performer for
the Isles.
Janne Niinimaa, Philadelphia Flyers (4-38-42):
Unlike Berard, Niinimaa entered the league with very little
fanfare. A second-round selection of the Flyers in the 1993
Draft, Niinimaa caught the eye of LCS at the World Cup as much
for his abundance of vowels as for his skills along the blue
line. This guy is a walking Phonics lesson. His name's got more
vowels than a bowel of alphabet soup. He's the only person in
history to go on Wheel of Fortune and buy a consonant.
Hey, I'm just sayin' he has a lot of vowels in his name that's
all...
Jim Campbell, St. Louis Blues (23-19-42):
Campbell was a huge surprise for the Blues this year after
signing as a free agent over the off-season from Anaheim. The
Ducks' loss was definitely the Blues' gain. Campbell was dynamic
in scoring 23 goals in 66 games while going through the whole
Mike Keenan saga in St. Louis. If not for a shoulder injury that
knocked him off his stride and cost him 10 games, Campbell would
probably be running away with the Calder race.
Patrick Lalime, Pittsburgh Penguins (20-10-2, 3.00, .911,
3 shutouts): Lalime appeared to have the Calder wrapped
up when he bolted out to a 14-0-2 record while replacing the
injured Ken Wregget in Pittsburgh's nets. Unfortunately, the
Penguins just fell apart around the young netminder, pretty much
throwing him to the wolves after the All-Star break. Despite the
recent struggles, his numbers are still pretty good for a
22-year-old goaltender that never played in the NHL before this
season. It's doubtful he can win the award now, but his early
success should still be enough to make him a legitimate nominee.
Probable Winner: Jarome Iginla. He was picked at the
start of the year by most to win the honor, and the same people
will be voting for the award. A deserving winner, it will be
somewhat of a surprise if Iginla doesn't walk away with the
trophy. However, LCS would probably give support to Janne
Niinimaa. Defense is the hardest position for a rookie to break
in at and Niinimaa has been a workhorse for the Flyers.
Selke
Contenders
Mike Peca, Buffalo Sabres (19-27-46, +26): Part
of the Alexander Mogilny trade a few years ago, Peca exploded
onto the scene this year with the overachieving Sabres. Not only
has he chipped in 19 goals and 46 points, but he is assigned to
the opposition's top scoring line every night out, keeping
superstars around the league off balance with his feisty,
aggressive style. In a year of surprises in Buffalo, Peca has
been the biggest.
Mike Modano, Dallas Stars (32-45-77, +40): It's
kind of hard to believe Modano being mentioned in a Selke
conversation. Yet the 26-year-old, super-skilled center has put
together quite the impressive season in the Lone Star State,
vastly improving his overall game. Among the league leaders with
a plus-40, Modano is still the Stars' most dangerous offensive
weapon with 32 goals and 77 points. Although it is kind of odd
that he never displayed his strong two-way abilities under former
coach and four-time Selke winner Bob Gainey.
Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche (23-55-78,
+30): With all due respect to everyone concerned, Peter
Forsberg is without doubt the best all-around player in the game
today. Petey can do it all. The only catch to Forsberg winning
the honor is that his season was somewhat tarnished by a thigh
injury that cost him 17 games.
Probable Winner: This is a tough call. Forsberg is the
best in the game, but because of the injury he wasn't around to
impress for a whole season. Modano might be out of luck, since
too many voters may remember his past defensive ineptness.
Considering all the ink the Buffalo Sabres are getting this year,
Mike Peca could actually have a shot at winning the award. The
big problem Peca has, even with Buffalo's increased attention, is
a lot of people still don't know who the hell he is and the Selke
usually goes to an established veteran. So with that in mind,
Forsberg should take the honor.
Lady Byng
Contenders
Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers (23-68-91, 28
pim): Gretzky had an excellent start to the season,
unfortunately he hasn't been overly impressive the last couple
months. He's still the NHL's golden boy, tho', and has to get
nominated for something. It doesn't hurt that he's won the award
four times in the past.
Paul Kariya, Anaheim Mighty Ducks (39-51-90, 6
pim): Kariya is great and it's nice to see someone who
knows the game enough to stay out of the box, but six penalty
minutes? It might be time to check for a pulse. Rob Ray gets
more than that on the drive to the arena. Kariya won it last
year, so a repeat could be in the cards.
Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins (25-58-83, 14
pim): Francis put together another strong season,
despite fighting through a series of nagging injuries since the
All-Star break. As per usual, he didn't get a lot of attention
this season playing in the shadows of Mario Lemieux and Ron
Francis. So he might be overlooked for the Lady Byng, an award
he won back in 1994-95. If Francis doesn't get the nomination,
Teemu Selanne could fit the bill.
Probable Winner: Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky has to win an
award... it's like a law or somethin'.
Well, those are the most probable hardware hopefuls this season.
Now let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope that Alan Thicke
hosts the big award show. Remember "Growing Pains"?
Aw, that was great, that was fun.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Chasing the elusive 5-0
-------------------------------------------------------------
By Jim Iovino
Scoring is down throughout the National Hockey League this season.
One can look no further for proof than the league-leaders in goal
scoring.
Last season at this time, 14 players either scored 50 goals or were
close to eclipsing the magic number. By April 2, 1996, Mario
Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Alexander Mogilny had scored 64, 60 and
53 goals, respectively. And at the end of the season, a total of
eight players hit the back of the net at least 50 times.
However, heading into the day's NHL schedule for April 1, 1997, no
player in the league had reached the 50-goal mark. Philadelphia's
John LeClair was the closest, with 49 goals in 76 games. But hey,
the last time I checked, 49 does not equal 50, except if you're
using that new math.
There are several explanations for this lack of goal scoring in the
league. The first that comes to mind is, of course, the Heaven's
Gate theory. It centers on the fact that a superior race of space
goats will be arriving on Earth with the Hale-Bopp Comet. And
because of their arrival, they are tinkering with the Earth's
rotational spin, causing all NHL snipers to lose their timing.
Now of course, not everyone buys into this theory; especially those
who don't watch Sightings on the Sci-Fi Channel. For some reason
they need another, more "sensible", explanation. Damn
conservatives...
Alright, here goes. Perhaps the lack of goal scoring has to deal
with the fact that the league has reached a time of parody,
bringing about more clutching and grabbing, which takes away from
the pure scoring chances by good goal scorers.
And then there's always the insane goal crease rule theory... But
that's all I have to say about that.
But, no matter which theory you choose, the outcome is the same --
goal scoring is down. LeClair, who scored 51 goals last season, is
the closest to No. 50 this year, and he will probably get it any
game now. But besides the Legionnaire, just seven others have a
shot at the honored mark.
Teemu Selanne scored 76 goals during his rookie season in the NHL,
but hasn't seen anywhere near that number of goals in a season
since. The closest he has come since was the 40 pucks he deposited
last season. A huge factor in his lack of productivity was
injuries, and ironically, he might lose his chance at 50 this
season to injuries, as well. Selanne has 47 tallies this season,
but a recent injury has kept him out of the lineup for the past
couple games. If the Finnish Flash returns to the lineup
immediately, he'll have five games left to score three goals, which
are pretty good odds.
Mario Lemieux also needs three goals after scoring once against
Florida Monday night. He and teammate Jaromir Jagr, who needs four
goals, have six games left to accomplish the feat in back-to-back
seasons. Lemieux has five 50-goal seasons to his credit, and is
hoping to exit the league with a sixth. His lil' buddy Jagr
recorded his first 50-goal campaign last season when he racked up
62 goals. However, the man with the flowing locks was injured for
quite some time this season and played in just 59 games. But both
Lemieux and Jagr still have good shots to reach the big 5-0,
especially since they've been reunited on the dominating line with
Ron Francis.
While Lemieux and Jagr represent the league's finesse players,
Brendan Shanahan and Keith Tkachuk join LeClair in representing the
NHL's power forwards. And like LeClair, Shanahan and Tkachuk have
already been inducted into the 50-goal club over the years.
Shanahan scored 50 in back-to-back seasons with the St. Louis Blues
in 92-93 and 93-94. But Shan the Man has missed the mark the past
two seasons, scoring 20 in the strike-shortened 94-95 campaign and
44 last year as a member of the Mighty Whale. He has seven games
left this season to score four goals.
Tkachuk scored 50 goals last season with Winnipeg and has the
chance to match the feat this year in Phoenix. Despite the
up-and-down season the Coyotes have put together this season,
Tkachuk has been consistent in his production. He'll have to stay
that way in the final two weeks of the regular season to get No.
50. The Dogs have six games left, and Tkachuk needs four
goals.
The final two contestants in the race for 50 goals is Ziggy Palffy
and Peter Bondra. And if this really was a race, neither would
have any trouble reaching the finish line. Bondra and Palffy are
two of the fastest skaters in the game today, and have some funky
fresh moves, to boot.
Palffy is the only player with a chance to score 50 goals who has
never done it before. Ziggy took the league by storm last season
when he scored 43 goals and 87 points in 81 games for the lowly New
York Islanders. This season Palffy is once again leading the young
group of fishermen, but this time he has more confidence. It shows
in the stats, because he's already surpassed last year's goal total
by notching 44 goals in just 73 games. Palffy has been even hotter
of late due to the arrival of Robert Reichel from Calgary. The
pair are in the zone right now, so don't be surprised if Ziggy
Stardust racks up six goals in his last seven games.
Bondra is looking for a repeat 50-goal performance this season
after lighting the lamp 52 times in 67 games last year. There's no
doubt Bondra can put the biscuit in the basket. He led the league
in goal scoring in 94-95, when he tallied 34 goals in 47 games. And
as the Capitals fight for one of the last playoff spots in the
Eastern Conference this season, Bondra will be counted on to cash
in on every opportunity that comes his way. Bondra will need all
those chances -- he has just six games to score seven goals.
Name Team Games Goals Gms.Remain. 50-goal seasons
John LeClair Phi 75 49 6 1
Teemu Selanne Ana 73 47 5 1
Mario Lemieux Pit 70 47 6 5
Brendan Shanahan Det 73 46 7 2
Keith Tkachuk Pho 75 46 6 1
Jaromir Jagr Pit 59 46 6 1
Zigmund Palffy NYI 73 44 7 0
Peter Bondra Was 72 43 6 1
-------------------------------------------------------------
NHL Prepares to Take The Big Show to Japan
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Carol Schram - Vancouver Corespondent
At a press conference in Vancouver on March 26 before the
Canucks/Mighty Ducks contest that night, NHL commissioner Gary
Bettman announced that those two teams would open their 1997-98 NHL
regular seasons with a two game series at the 10,000-seat Yoyogi
Arena in Tokyo, Japan. This marks the first time that regular
season games will be played outside of North America, and will
serve as a warmup for the 1998 Winter Olympics in February in
Nagano, Japan -- the first-ever Olympics involving active NHL
players.
The reasoning behind the selection of the Mighty Ducks to
participate in this series is obvious enough. Their Captain, Paul
Kariya, is Canadian, but his father is of Japanese descent. He is
said to already be a popular commodity among Japanese sports fans.
In addition, the Disney name and image travels well globally.
There is an Asian Disneyland just outside of Tokyo, and that wacky
Mighty Ducks logo is popular all around the world, particularly in
the Land of the Rising Sun -- or so the NHL head offices would like
to have us believe.
Much has been made of the decision to choose Vancouver as the
Ducks' opponents in this series, but there are some logical reasons
for the selection. In the first place, Vancouver is a legitimate
Pacific Rim city, with strong ties to Japan, Hong Kong, China, and
other countries in South East Asia. Vancouver has a significant
Japanese population, and it is also a popular destination for
Japanese residents for vacations and weddings. In fact,
Vancouver's Parks Board has recently issued a decree requiring
wedding parties to obtain permits for photo sessions in the city's
parks, largely because of frequent and extensive wedding pictures
by the Japanese. Using teams from the west coast also minimizes
the already-extensive travel involved in traveling to Japan, and
the selection of Vancouver emphasizes that both Canada and the U.S.
are important home countries for the National Hockey League. Also,
while the Ducks are headed up by former Canuck assistant Ron Wilson
and there is generally a healthy camaraderie between the two
squads, the fact that Vancouver is Paul Kariya's home town always
seems to lend a little extra jump to his play when he faces the
Canucks. Finally, barring any significant deals over the summer,
the Japanese will have a chance to see Bure, Mogilny, Kariya, and
Selanne -- four of the league's most explosive offensive threats,
who should star for three different Olympic teams come
February.
Following training camp and their regular exhibition schedule, the
Canucks and Ducks will travel to Tokyo on September 29, arriving on
the 30th. They will acclimatize to the time change from October
1-3, practicing daily and participating in clinics and other
promotional activities. The games will be played at noon Tokyo
time on October 4 and 5, which means they will run live on North
America's west coast at 8:00 p.m. the night before. Hockey Night
in Canada and ESPN2 are tentatively scheduled to carry the games in
North America, and negotiations are currently underway to set up
cable and satellite distribution for most of Asia.
The NHL's participation in the Canada Cup and World Cup series is
well known, but the history of actual NHL squads suiting up on
other continents dates back nearly 40 years. In May of 1959, the
Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers undertook a 23-game tour of
Europe, with stops in Paris, London, Berlin, and Zurich. The
Rangers bolstered their roster for that series by adding Bobby Hull
and Eddie Shack to the lineup. In 1980, Washington and Minnesota
played in the DN Cup in Stockholm, Sweden, as part of their
pre-season tuneup. The Caps returned for an encore performance in
1981 along with the New York Rangers, and also played in Finland as
part of their pre-season that year.
In September of 1989, the Capitals and the Calgary Flames undertook a
pre-season "Friendship Tour" of the Soviet Union against Soviet
National League teams. The squads suited up for games in Kiev,
Leningrad (St. Petersberg), Riga, and Moscow. Then in 1990, the
Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota North Stars headed for Russia, while
the St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers competed in West Germany for
the Epson Cup, and the Oilers went on to play additional games in
Austria. In September of 1992, the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal
Canadiens marked the first faceoff of NHL teams against each other on
foreign soil in more than 30 years as they played two exhibition
games at Wembley Arena in London. The New York Rangers and Toronto
Maple Leafs duplicated that event the following season. Then, in
September of 1994, the Winnipeg Jets competed in the NIKE
International Challenge in Helsinki against teams from the Finnish
League. Now, with the critical Olympic year on the horizon, the NHL
has decided that it needs the lure of regular season NHL games to
truly "bring its product" to a more global audience.
The cost of the trip and event is being underwritten by the NHL and
Dentsu Sports Marketing of Japan, with the support of the NHL
Players Association, the Japan Ice Hockey Federation, and the
Nagano Olympics Committee. The two teams will each be reimbursed
for the cost of dropping one home game from their schedule -- and
with the cost of living in Japan, ticket holders all around the NHL
can breathe a sigh of relief that they don't have to pay prices
like those that will likely be charged in Tokyo.
While it was certainly a part of Gary Bettman's mandate when he was
hired as commissioner to bring increased exposure to NHL hockey, it
is ironic that the announcement of the NHL's foray into Japan
should come on the same day as Hartford Whalers' ownership quietly
announced that they had been unable to come to terms with the state
and would be paying a significant fine to leave Connecticut by the
beginning of the 1997-98 season. When asked if he was concerned
about the fall of yet another smaller-market franchise, this time
in America, Gary Bettman had a simple, smug answer: "WHA". He
looked almost satisfied that this weak sister would finally be put
to rest, and if part of his hidden agenda is to eliminate all
former WHA cities absorbed in the NHL expansion, then the message
is clear enough -- no matter how good your year is right now, watch
out Oiler fans, you're next.
Certainly, the Whalers have struggled for years, largely because of
their inadequate playing facility, but while Bettman's eyes grow
large at the thought of selling global cable and marketing rights
to his NHL product, it is sad that he can't stop to shed a tear for
the long-term hockey fans who are, at the very least, disturbed by
the changing face of their game.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Henderson Leads North Dakota to Sixth NCAA Title
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Chris Foreman
National Collegiate Athletic Association "madness" is not exclusive to
basketball during March.
While basketball prowls over the national scene analogous to a lion, hockey
is forced to discreetly showcase its tournament with the innocence and
patience of a lamb.
However, while the interest may be limited, the Bradley Center in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin hosted a competition March 29 as fierce as any championship
contest in sports.
Just as in basketball, winners rejoice and losers lament.
And heroes emerge.
North Dakota's Matt Henderson turned in one such heroic performance,
scoring two second-period goals in the Fighting Sioux's 6-4 victory over
the Boston University Terriers in front of 17,537. The Final Four's Most
Outstanding Player, Henderson connected on a short-handed breakaway, and
with the man-advantage for North Dakota's fourth goal, and a lead they
would not relinquish.
The third-ranked Fighting Sioux (31-10-2) earned their sixth NCAA Division
I title, and first since 1987, their last Final Four appearance.
North Dakota goaltender Aaron Schweitzer's poise proved pivotal in the
result of the game. The freshman surrendered goals to Peter Donatelli
and Chris Drury as the Terriers shutout the Fighting Sioux in the first
period, but maintained his composure to allow North Dakota to strike back
with five second-period tallies.
Schweitzer, who upended senior Toby Kvalevog from the starting position,
brushed aside a total of 25 Terrier shots to increase his record to 17-3-0.
Donatelli initiated Boston's apparent march to the championship with a
rebound goal at 8:44 of the first frame. Schweitzer swept Boston
defenseman Tom Poti's shot onto the stick of Donatelli, who stood to the
right of the North Dakota goal. Donatelli proceeded to throw the
puck between the pads of Schweitzer.
The second-ranked Terriers (27-9-6), still brimming with confidence
following their upset victory over the defending champion and top-ranked
Michigan Wolverines, punched in a second score as Henderson sat in the
penalty box for elbowing. Poti faked a slap shot from the right point,
then fed Drury to the right of the goal. With Schweitzer sprawling to
move toward Drury, the Boston center shot over the North Dakota netminder
for a 2-0 lead at 15:08.
North Dakota coach Dean Blais, a candidate for the American Hockey Coaches'
Association's Spencer Penrose Award as the top Division I coach, rallied the
Fighting Sioux's troops during the intermission, as a less-jittery club
skated out for the middle period.
Curtis Murphy slipped the biscuit behind Boston goaltender Michel Larocque
for the first time at 7:06. Murphy found the twine through a screen on a
shot from the right point.
David Hoogsteen knotted the game at two apiece on an unassisted breakaway
goal 1:32 later. The North Dakota forward hit the top-right corner for
the score.
Henderson electrified the Bradley Center at 12:35. The left-handed shooter
stole a pass from Drury on the penalty kill and beat Larocque on the
forehand following two dekes on a breakaway to put the Fighting Sioux on
top for the first time.
Terriers' defenseman Chris Kelleher finally answered for Boston on the
power play at 13:56. Kelleher kept the puck in the attacking zone at
center point after an attempting clearing pass, did a pirouette, and
tossed the puck above a sitting Schweitzer.
North Dakota regained the lead for good at 15:49. Dane Litke's slap shot
was deflected into the glass to the right of the goal. Adam Calder
corralled the puck behind the net and set up Henderson for the power-play
score.
The Fighting Sioux added another in the waning second of the period.
Following a scramble around the net, Hoogsteen recovered Murphy's slap shot
from the right point and backhanded the rebounder into the net at 19:55.
The five-to-three second intermission advantage spelled doom for Boston,
as North Dakota held a 19-0-1 edge when leading after the middle frame.
Boston had only come back once in six tries when trailing after the
second period.
North Dakota tightened their defense, yielding only eight third-period
shots, one of which scored at 19:21 with Larocque pulled. Senior
defenseman Jon Coleman's backhand cut the lead in half, but Calder's
empty-netter 26 seconds later sealed the victory.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Brawl
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Dino Cacciola
It has been touted as one of the most important games in the recent
history of the Detroit Red Wings. Bloody Wednesday was definitely a
night to remember in Motown, that's for sure, as the Red Wings and
Colorado Avalanche beat up on each other in a 6-5 overtime Detroit
win -- a game that saw revenge against Claude Lemieux.
"The Brawl," which it has been labeled, was shown on a Detroit cable
station for two straight days. VCRs in the Motor City were working
overtime to tape the event over and over. Blood thirsty fans? One
would think this is equivalent to the Romans feeding gladiators to
the Lions the way the local media and fans have reacted. You can
call it sweet revenge or justification or payback time or
retribution. Whatever you call it, it was important to the Red
Wings.
"This is a game that brought the Red Wings together," said Wings
goaltender Mike Vernon, who picked up his 300th career win against
the Avs. "Whether it was the first-period fighting or the overtime
goal, a game like this only helps give you confidence to go into the
playoffs. When you go to the playoffs, everybody has to be ready to
do the job and stay together. Tonight showed the guys were willing
to pay the price."
The fans
were willing to pay the price of admission for this game. This is
what the Wings needed with 10 games remaining before the playoffs.
For most teams, the Wings' win/loss record would be considered a
great season, but coming off of last year's record setting
performance, this has been a big letdown for Detroit. Something
was missing in the formula.
Last year's playoff elimination to Colorado was overshadowed when
Claude Lemieux checked Kris Draper from behind into the boards
face-first and rearranged his face. Lemieux received only a
two-game suspension and a $1,000 fine from the NHL while Drapes
spent the summer recovering from a broken jaw and numerous other
facial injuries. Lemieux became public enemy number one in Detroit
and has been a target of the fans and media for about 300 days. He
did not apologize for the incident and Draper has said that is all
he wanted. In fact, Lemieux has gone on about how he has made
Draper famous, made him money, and has helped his career.
There is no doubt that Lemieux has killed the Wings the last two
seasons as he rightfully has hoisted the Stanley Cup for New Jersey
and Colorado. His statements about Draper has partially fueled the
bad blood between the two teams establishing a Western Conference
rivalry like never before.
"Screw Lemieux" T-shirts were being sold all over the Detroit Metro
area. A local sports station labeled March as "Screw Lemieux
Month". The hype for this game has been building for a long time
and finally reached its pinnacle on Bloody Wednesday.
Kris Draper's grandfather died the night before the game and he
mentioned it to no one. He didn't want anything to be taken away
from the game. Draper's best friend is Darren McCarty. McCarty
had been incensed over the comments Lemieux made regarding the
incident regarding his friend.
"He did it to Drapes, but he did it to me, too," said McCarty. "If
one of your brothers gets taken advantage of, you respond. It's a
family thing."
The same stand has been taken by the Red Wing's fans who consider
their team as family. They wanted Lemieux and they wanted him to
pay. You will have your fans that are just blood thirsty. Call it
sick or morbid curiosity, it is human nature to be excited and
drawn to these situations.
The overwhelming consensus around town, with the exception of the
elitist media, are very content with the outcome of the game. The
outcome, unfortunate as it may have been for the game of hockey to
some in general, was ultimately inevitable. The beginning of this
story needed an ending. And in a game that meant nothing to the
standings, it meant everything to the Wings. And the final line was
written by not only Darren McCarty, but by the whole team. The eye
for an eye mentality is being questioned and talked about by
everyone from psychologists to school kids.
The Avalanche are still superior and the odds-on favorite to win
the Cup. The Wings haven't dented that fact one bit. But for the
Wings, winning that game in overtime by rallying from two goals
down and getting revenge on Claude Lemieux was a turning point.
The fans have finally been won over. They were shown that their
team wasn't going to get pushed around and wasn't going to get
stepped on for lack of effort. Mike Vernon, a scapegoat the past
few seasons, has won the hearts of Detroit fans just by bloodying
Patrick Roy in the fight.
For as long as fighting has been in hockey, there has been a
movement to remove it from the game. My contention is, if Lemieux
would have apologized then this would not have happened. But he
didn't and it was assumed that he had no remorse and did the hit
intentionally. Within the rules the Red Wings payed him back.
McCarty did not receive a fighting penalty because Lemieux turtled
away claiming he was jumped and sucker punched. He did not fight.
Video replay clearly shows Lemieux saw McCarty coming and ducked.
Lemieux had a cut reopened by McCarty and received 17 stitches but
returned to the game and nearly scored. The cut may have been
reopened when McCarty dragged Lemieux and his head hit the boards.
Colorado coach Marc Crawford claims that McCarty kneed Lemieux in
the head. That is debatable as the replay would indicate, but
McCarty has denied that he did. A few years ago Claude turtled to
Cam Neely in a similar situation. This is great fodder for Don
Cherry to spew!
Darren McCarty was not suspended or fined for the game, much to the
dismay of the Colorado officials. After the game, Wings defensemen
Aaron Ward filed a complaint to NHL officials in reference to an
alleged altercation between he and Colorado coach Marc Crawford in
the hallway outside the locker rooms. Crawford denies these
allegations and claims that this is just another Scotty Bowman ploy
to fuel the media. Also filed by the Red Wings was an incident where
Avs GM Pierre Lacroix was seen pushing a local sports writer in the
press box during the game.
Lady Byng candidate Igor Larionov took exception to visor-wearing
Peter Forsberg's hit from behind to start the fights. That being
the case, it would be farfetched to say that the fight was
premeditated as Colorado is proclaiming. But to say the
altercation as a whole was not premeditated is absurd. The time it
was going to happen was never planned and how it was going to
happen wasn't known. But the fact that it was going to happen was
well known. The electricity in the air was enough to light the
city that night. 19,983 fans crammed into Joe Louis Arena (a proper
name, don't you think?) and cheered furiously as 144 penalty minutes
were handed out. To finally beat the defending Stanley Cup
Champions in overtime and to get revenge was very sweet.
Ironically, Red Wing enforcer Joey "KO" Kocur didn't suit up for
the game due to the flu. Neither did tough defensemen Bob Rouse.
These teams could possibly meet again in the Conference Finals. If
the hockey gods choose this fate it should be a most interesting
battle. Otherwise anything as far as paybacks to the Wings by
Colorado will have to wait until next season. Roy, who played
stellar in goal, was bloodied by Vernon and injured his shoulder
when Shanahan ran into him at center ice. Lemieux was bloodied.
Forsberg was bloodied. Will these scenarios be repaid and relived
in the future? No one knows for sure. Picking and choosing a
right time and a right place is the key. The Red Wings picked this
time and place to get Lemieux back. Mike Keane wanted to know why
the Red Wings waited to do this at home? Does it really matter? In
hockey you pick and choose your time and place. Sometimes it takes
years, sometimes only 300 days. This event or debacle, depending on
your point of view, might be the great deterrent this game needs
for the cheap shots that occur. It will serve notice that you
can't get away with it.
The Red Wings have been criticized for being too small to match the
teams in the East, but on Bloody Wednesday they finally played very
big. Kris Draper feels closure has taken place. Hockeytown feels
that something has finally opened, it is called Aggressive Hockey!
This statement might be true, "The Romans had the gladiators... we
have hockey." The spirit of Gordie Howe has made a comeback. What
a game!
-------------------------------------------------------------
Goneau Hoping to Go Back to New York
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Tricia McMillan
Was there anyone in the National Hockey League who started the
season hotter than the Rangers' Daniel Goneau? Perhaps there were one
or two players, but Goneau started his rookie season with a flurry of
goals and took the league by surprise in October. Few people thought
the 1996 draft pick would make the Rangers' roster, let alone be a
team leader in goals. Goneau, however, wasn't surprised to find
himself in the NHL.
"All summer long while I was training, I was focussing on making the
big team this year," says Goneau, 21. "In my mind I was ready."
Certainly playing with centers like Gretzky and Messier can't hurt
either. "When you play with great guys, you know for sure you're
going to get the puck on the tape, so it was kind of easy," notes
Goneau.
It probably helped that Goneau is somewhat older than your average
draft pick: when the Rangers selected him in the second round, it was
Goneau's second trip through the draft process as he was drafted two
years earlier in the fourth round by the Boston Bruins. However,
recent Bruins tradition dictates that on those rare occasions when
they draft a good player, they will find a way to lose him (see:
Adams, Kevyn) and such was the case with Goneau, even though he grew
up a Cam Neely fan and missed his chance to play with his hero.
"They didn't offer enough money," shrugs Goneau. That simple?
"Yup."
He kept busy while waiting for the Bruins to make an offer he liked
though. While Goneau had played his first three years of juniors with
the Laval Titan, much of the Titan's ownership and front office left
the team to run the Granby Predateurs after the 1994-95 season and
one of their first moves in Granby was to trade for Goneau. His
numbers in his final juniors season with the Granby Predateurs were
worthy of a first-round selection (54 goals and 105 points in 67
games), but as the Bruins failed to sign him earlier, any team
drafting him in the first round was obligated to surrender their
second-round pick to the Bruins.
Thus, Goneau's draft fate was rather iffy. "A few teams spoke to my
agent, so I knew I was going to get drafted again and get another
chance," he says. "I didn't know when, and I know the round you get
drafted means a lot. I was kind of lucky the Rangers took me in the
second round."
But while the Rangers had the last laugh on Boston, it didn't take
long for Goneau's ice time in New York to begin dwindling. After
scoring all his goals in October, Goneau cooled off somewhat; plus,
the Rangers as a whole didn't start off the season particularly well
and decided to rely exclusively on their veteran players, with Goneau
and Christian Dubé the usual losers. The final blow to Goneau's ice
time came when the Rangers traded for another veteran player and
Goneau found himself in Binghamton.
"When I was up there [in New York] I was not enjoying the game
anymore, because I only played like two, three shifts a game, so it
was kind of hard," he says. "When I got sent down I had a meeting
with Colin Campbell...he told me, I didn't do any mistakes, that's
not why they're sending me down. [Brian]Noonan came to New York and
he took my ice time away, so that is why he told me to go down to
Binghamton. I had no ice time and he wanted me to make sure I get my
confidence back."
Goneau didn't get his confidence back right away, with few points
when he first arrived in Binghamton. But after a few weeks, his
scoring touch returned and he had 10 goals and 20 points, including a
point streak and a few Player of the Week nominations. Goneau is
ready to go back to New York, especially now that Noonan has been
traded away, but it appears the Rangers want him in Binghamton for
now. Goneau doesn't mind as long as it's 'for now'.
"If you can make the jump from junior to NHL, you better make that
jump because you don't want to stay too long in the AHL," he thinks.
"[The AHL]'s good for maybe a year, two years to get your confidence
and play a lot. The speed is more faster and the execution is faster
than junior, because you're playing with men, there's older guys...
while it's good, you don't want to stay too long down there."
Actually, Goneau wouldn't mind going back to New York just long
enough to pick up his new hockey cards. Goneau got his first look at
his freshly minted rookie cards in mid-March and was delighted with
them, especially the Fleer Metal, to the point of gleefully showing
them off to his teammates. "My Dad's probably got a hundred of
these already," he says.
The Montreal native has quite a few things for his father to collect
though, as his minor hockey teams had a knack for winning
championships the last few years. Goneau won an Air Canada
championship in AAA midget hockey four years ago and the revamped
Predateurs won the Memorial Cup last spring, the first QMJHL team to
win the championship since 1971.
"That was one of my greatest feelings," he says. "That's one of the
hardest trophies to win, because you play three years average, maybe
four years of junior and you've got so many teams trying to win that
trophy, so it was a big thing. Especially in Quebec, since it's been
twenty five years I think, since the Quebec league won the Cup...so
it was a real big thing for us and...the province of Quebec."
Given the luck his teams have had recently, will Binghamton win the
Calder? Or maybe Goneau should be in New York?
-------------------------------------------------------------
Greats of the Game: Bobby Clarke
-------------------------------------------------------------
by Chris Foreman
Armed with a pitchfork in his hand, and a gap-toothed scowl of enthusiasm
and determination, Bobby Clarke wreaked havoc on the league as the
swift-skating leader of the "Broad Street Bullies."
Born Aug. 13, 1949 in Flin Flon, Manitoba, the lifetime Philadelphia
Flyer had an appetite for destruction, playing a tenacious and
passionate brand of hockey night-in and night-out. And he demanded a
similar effort from those who joined him in the Philadelphia locker room.
Maturing into a star in "the City of Brotherly Love," Clarke effectively
executed the role of "big brother," guiding his team through the
ups-and-downs of the National Hockey League. His demonic style
was quite contradictory of his angelic-looking face. Such an evil
on-ice demeanor caused visitors to The Spectrum to suffer from the
mysterious "Philly Flu," of which the symptoms included extreme
intimidation and uncontrollable trepidation.
Clarke's infatuation with hockey was explicit at the age of eight.
Claiming he was a year older, he squeezed his way onto a pee-wee hockey
team.
At the age of 15, however, Clarke's aspirations hit thin ice as he
learned that he had diabetes, a condition in which a person cannot burn
the sugar that he or she consumes. The illness required that Clarke give
himself an insulin injection every morning to avoid the loss of
coordination and vision, listlessness, fainting or in extreme cases,
convulsions.
It was that very malady which nearly cost Clarke a shot at the National
Hockey League. Despite two magnificent seasons for his hometown Flin Flon
Bombers of the Western Canada Junior Hockey League, and medical clearance
to play professionally from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Clarke slipped
into the second round of the 1969 Amateur Draft where the Flyers
snatched him as the 17th overall selection.
Clarke compiled back-to-back scoring titles in two full seasons in Flin
Flon, accumulating 168 and 137 points, respectively during the 1967-68 and
1968-69 seasons. In fact, the league's current incarnation, the Western
Hockey League named the trophy awarded to its top scorer in Clarke's honor.
He continued to exhibit his flair for the game in his first training camp
with Philadelphia in 1969, surprising many by working his way onto the
roster. Once securing his position on the team, Clarke went about his
spirited play on not only an even-strength shift, but also on the
power-play and short-handed units.
His point production steadily improved from 46 in his rookie campaign to
104 in 1972-73. Clarke attained superstardom status that season,
as he became the first player from a modern-day expansion team to reach
the century mark, collected the Hart Trophy as the league's Most
Valuable Player and acquired the captaincy. At 23, coach Fred Shero
made Clarke the youngest-ever to sport the "C" on his sweater.
For his efforts, Clarke received a seven-year contract worth $140,000
per season. However, he opted instead to take $50,000 a year for 21
years, essentially making him a stalwart of the Philadelphia payroll
until 1994.
Preceding the events of that year was another defining incident in
Clarke's career. In a September 1972 battle against the Soviet National
team, the Team Canada center singlehandedly knocked winger Valeri
Kharlamov out of the series. With one infamous whack at his skates,
Clarke upended the Russian star and his team's hopes of victory. The
Canadians went on to prevail, largely due to Clarke's vicious slash.
His competitive drive reappeared one year later as Clarke carried
the Flyers to their first Stanley Cup over the Boston Bruins, as
Philadelphia became the earliest modern-day expansion
franchise to win the National Hockey League's post-season tournament.
The Flyers repeated the feat in 1974-75 against Buffalo, in Clarke's
second award-winning season. Clarke scored 27 goals and recorded 89
assists en route to his second Hart Trophy.
He added another piece of hardware in 1975-76, gaining his third Most
Valuable Player award in his best season, regarding points. Clarke
duplicated the 89 assists from the previous season and found the net with
30 goals of his own.
In the six succeeding seasons, Clarke's point totals dropped from 90 in 1976-77 to
63 in 1981-82. He put together an 85-point season in 1982-83, the fifth
time that the gritty five-foot-10, 185-pound forward participated in all
80 regular season games. His defensive work during the season also
earned him the Selke Trophy. One year later, Clarke scored 60 points in
his final season.
Fifteen years after every team passed on him in the Amateur Draft,
Clarke left the sport having stepped onto the ice for 1144 regular
season games, lighting the lamp 358 times and assisting on 1210 others
for a lifetime total of 1433 points. He retired as the fourth-greatest
assister in NHL history when he walked away from the game in 1984.
The NHL enshrined Clarke into its Hall of Fame in 1987.
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA PANTHERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Doug MacLean
Roster: C - Kirk Muller, Brian Skrudland, Rob Niedermayer, Martin Straka,
Chris Wells. LW - Johan Garpenlov, Dave Lowry, Bill Lindsay,
Mike Hough, Radek Dvorak, David Nemirovsky. RW - Scott Mellanby,
Ray Sheppard, Jody Hull, Tom Fitzgerald. D - Robert Svehla, Gord
Murphy, Ed Jovanovski, Paul Laus, Terry Carkner, Rhett Warrener,
Per Gustafsson, Geoff Smith. G - John Vanbiesbrouck, Mark Fitzpatrick.
Injuries: Johan Garpenlov, lw (MCL, day-to-day); Brian Skrudland, c
(MCL and ACL, out for the season); Geoff Smith, d (separated shoulder,
indefinite); Martin Straka, c (pulled groin, day-to-day).
Transactions: Last week I reported Florida had returned Geoff Smith, d,
to Carolina (AHL) -- this was in error. He is still on our team and out
with a separated shoulder. Acquired Kirk Muller, c/lw, from Toronto for
Jason Podollan, rw.
Game Results:
3/17 at New Jersey W 4-1
3/19 at NY Islanders L 7-4
3/20 at Ottawa T 2-2
3/22 Buffalo W 3-2
3/27 Ottawa L 3-2
3/29 Tampa Bay T 1-1
TEAM NEWS by Eric Seiden
"It's a hockey night in South Florida, and here come your Panthers," screamed
the announcer. The fans were screaming too, but at the bad play the Panthers
have been producing. A matter of inconsistency is the real culprit in a 2-2-2
record for the past six games before embarking on the final road trip of the
season.
All things considered, the biggest off-ice news for the Panthers was their
newest player. Forward Kirk Muller was acquired by the Florida Panthers for
right wing Jason Podollan. Muller was the second-leading scorer on the
Montreal Canadiens' 1993 Stanley Cup Championship team which gave the
Panthers some hope he might end the Panthers scoring drought.
The biggest on-ice news was the benching of Ed Jovanovski for costing the
Panthers a game all by himself. It was the second time this month he was
benched. He was benched a few weeks ago, early in the month, for checking
John Vanbiesbrouck.
Yes, Eddie hit a new low in lowness. In one of the single worst player
performances anyone has ever seen on our team, he was personally and single-
handedly responsible for all three Senator goals. Why MacLean continues to
play him when he's working against our team, no-one is sure. It's not a
question of the talent being there: Eddie has it. He needs to be sent down to
one of our minor league teams. Any number of players on the Monarchs are
better than Eddie is right now including the team mascot, and the guy who
washes the restrooms.
Eddie continues to be aloof and pig-headed according to many fans. At the
game against the Lightning where he was benched, a girl asked him why he
wasn't playing and his reply was "Because I suck." At least four members of
the Florida Panthers mailing list verified this statement. Frankly, Eddie, I
agree. It's sad when a player believes his own hype. Perhaps reality will set
in and Eddie will return to being the solid player he once was.
A brief sad note about the game: Gord Murphy accidentally diverted a tossed
Senator's stick up into the stands during a fight, and it hit an 11-year old
girl in the face injuring her and then a guy a few rows back caught it after
it bounced off her head. The girl was seriously hurt apparently, and the fan
gave the stick to the kid. Gord was rightfully given a misconduct for his
actions in addition to his fighting penalty. The Ottawa Senator (who was also
sent to the box for a cross-check and fighting major) demanded his stick back
-- and the arena security staff got it for him from the injured girl. There
were only 3000 or so people left because the game was 3-0, but it was the
loudest BOOOOOO anyone has heard in a long time.
Gord Murphy called and apologized to the little girl he hit with the stick.
She's okay but just bruised. He claims he threw it sideways at the glass and
not at the girl. After the game MacLean said "I'm more concerned with the
cross check than the thrown stick" -- he says he didn't know that anyone was
injured -- he also called the girl and apologized after this comment appeared
in the paper.
While the final score shows a 3-2 result, it doesn't show the true story. The
Panthers were outplayed except for the final two minutes of the game, and the
same story would hold true against Tampa two days later.
The tie against Tampa was pretty lame considering the Panthers could have
won, but Daren Puppa was stupendous in net. Once again all Panther shots on
goal fanned, posted, deflected, and did everything but be good shots. Thank
the gods for Fitzgerald and his taped ankle.
CAPTAIN WHO?: Skrudland is an unrestricted free agent at the end of
the season. He says he's not ready to retire or coach. He's also said he
won't play for another team. The scuttlebutt is that he's going to play
one more year for the Panthers and then be an assistant coach.
SIT ON IT SOME MORE: In order to rest key players, Doug MacLean is
continuing the rotation of a night off for defenseman, each night seeing one
defenseman warm the bench. Other key positions are also entering the night
off rotation.
ADDITIONAL ICE ACQUIRED: The Florida Panthers Hockey Club signed
an agreement to purchase Gold Coast Ice Arena which is where they
currently practice. There was some surprise at this since they already
bought another rink a few months ago. The Arena will be used as an
alternate practice facility for the times when the new Sunrise arena won't
be available to the club or for when their other rink is also unavailable.
FITZY SAVES FOR KIDS: Mark Fitzpatrick is donating $5 for every
save he makes and $500 for each shutout to the Boys and Girls Clubs of
Broward County. Last year he netted $3610 for the club and this year's
total is $3610 so far.
PANTHER FAMILY CLINIC: The Florida Panthers had a family clinic on
the 23rd. It was available to fans as an educational effort.
Supplemented and edited by your intrepid reporter.
Nobody knew exactly what the family clinic was supposed to be: Some thought
it was where you could skate with the players, others thought you could
mingle with them, and most didn't know what the hell was going to happen.
When I first arrived, there wasn't much of a crowd, but at about 2:50PM, most
of the lower bowl was filling up on the sides. A few people came out -- not
players, they were just there to help with the example drills -- and started
taking shots on goal. A minute or two later, Beezer -- uh, Beezer Jr. came
out.
Ian Vanbiesbrouck was pretty impressive. He stopped most of the shots thrown
his way, and even made some spectacular saves like his dad. Eventually, after
a decent amount of warm-ups, they were replaced by the Panther Patrol, who
just dumped t-shirts into the crowd. Also, the "Panther Mobile" -- the
Mercury Van with a "Panthers" mural painted all over the entire thing,
circled the ice for show.
There was a nice surprise for the fans, as Brian Skrudland popped out to
speak to the crowd. His microphone was messed up, so it was very hard to
understand what he was trying to say, even with the entire crowd being dead
silent. It was a good thing to see Skrudland walking: slowly, but still, he
was moving around. He seemed very cheerful and even stayed around to watch a
bit of the fun.
After the Panther Mobile left, it was time for action. Emceeing the event was
former Panther and current broadcaster Randy Moller. Next out was Ray
Sheppard, then Beezer was introduced. Out came Beezer with two of his
children, Ian and Nicholas. Beezer said, "I wanted to show all of you that
even four-year-olds can skate," referring to Nicholas. Finally, the crew was
joined by Doug MacLean.
For the next hour, the players demonstrated stretching, balance (demonstrated
by Ian and Beezer -- who kept trying to push each other down -- Ian ended up
on his butt with 'awwwww's from the crowd), simple goaltending, shooting,
passing, and several drills the players run in practice. At the end, Coach
MacLean explained what a normal game day routine is like and finally, the
event ended in a question and answers session.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Jacques Lemaire
Roster: C - Doug Gilmour, Bob Carpenter, Bobby Holik, Denis
Pederson, Peter Zezel. LW - Dave Andreychuk, Steve Thomas, Valeri
Zelepukin, Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo, Patrik Elias. RW - Bill
Guerin, John MacLean, Randy McKay, Reid Simpson. D - Scott
Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko, Lyle Odelein, Shawn
Chambers, Dave Ellett, Kevin Dean. G - Martin Brodeur, Mike
Dunham.
Injuries: None.
Transactions: None.
Game Results:
3/17 Florida L 4-1
3/19 at Washington T 2-2
3/22 at Pittsburgh W 3-2
3/25 Philadelphia L 4-3
3/27 Rangers W 4-0
3/30 Los Angeles W 5-2
TEAM NEWS by Philip Aromando, guest correspondent
Have the Devils peaked? Do they rely too much on Doug Gilmour?
Has clinching a playoff berth so early taken some of the edge
off? Is first seed in the Conference there for the taking? Is it
even something they want?
These are some of the questions that swirled around the Devils
over the past two weeks. Their unquestionable excellence over
the previous month and a half left little room for concern but a
few inconsistencies during the early part of the last two weeks
seemed to indicate that they may be faltering.
It all started with the game against Florida. Tied with
Philadelphia at 88 points apiece, a victory against the Panthers
would have given the Devils two more points in the same number of
games played and sole possession of first place in the
Conference. But, for the first time since January 5th, the
Devils lost at home. A 15-game home unbeaten streak, (9-0-6) a
franchise record (the previous was 9-0-1 set in 1994) and the
longest in the league this season, was history.
The beleaguered Panthers played with more heart and determination
than the Devils despite utter statistical similarities after two
periods (Score: 1-1, each team 22 shots, 11 each per period.) The
Panthers capitalized in the third, but not in a way either team
had anticipated. 2:24 into the third, Bobby Holik scored the
game-winner. Attempting to clear the puck from the front of his
own net, into the corner out of harm's way, he inadvertently put
the puck past goalie Mike Dunham. To put it mildly, it deflated
the team. By the 11-minute mark of the third, they were down
4-1. One of the rare games where they simply looked uninterested.
The goal was a fluke but the Devils' effort was marked by a
complacency that seemed out of place considering their
opportunity to take control of the top spot in the Conference.
Two night later, they tied the Capitals, a team they beat a mere
four days earlier. Despite outchancing the Capitals 19-13 in
regulation, coming back to tie the score twice (after having a
goal disallowed in the first) and starting the overtime with a
power play, the Devils were unable to put Washington away. Doug
Gilmour's sixth goal in nine games tied it early in the third
(his goal was reviewed as well). But the revamped Capitals,
fighting for the final Eastern playoff spot, played with
desperation. Especially Bill Ranford in goal. Granted, the
Devils didn't lose, but he was the difference. They simply could
not get a break offensively.
This was the first game with Gilmour in the lineup where the
Devils played as if he wasn't there; it felt like a pre-Gilmour
era effort. That reminds people of one thing: struggle. And not
just struggling to score. Martin Brodeur added to the perception
by allowing an early goal that was reminiscent of the
"soft-goal-a-night" portion of his season. Later in the same
game he would stop Joe Juneau's blast from ten feet out with
forty-seven seconds left in overtime to preserve the tie, but
small imperfections seemed to be mounting. Were the Devils
quickly regressing? Had the presence of the playmaking center
given them the impression that three or four goals a night could
be easily had at will? Not really. But their confidence seemed
to have escaped them.
Aside from all this, Jacques Lemaire scratched a healthy Brian
Rolston. This is part of a policy instituted in preparation for
the playoffs. He is going to rest key players on a rotating
basis in order to keep them fresh and healthy. Apparently,
Rolston didn't know this when asked if he was tired and needed a
rest. Rolston's answer: "No." It seemed that there may be less
communication in the dressing room than we were led to believe.
Remember last season?
Luckily for the Devils the Penguins are injury-ridden. Had
anyone other than Stu Barnes and Josef Beranek shown up, they
would have lost convincingly. As it was, they stole the game.
The Penguins controlled play through two periods until they
decided Patrick Lalime could finish the game on his own. The
Devils launched 18 shots on goal in the third period alone. They
scored twice and walked away with the points and a renewed sense
of confidence. The Holik-Andreychuk-Thomas line was consistent
throughout. They were responsible for the first and last goals
and generally were the only line creating any chances. The third
period of this game was the first sign since clinching a playoff
berth that maybe the Devils as a whole weren't going to rest up
for the playoffs on and off the ice. (John MacLean was the key
player given an involuntary day off. The win was the Devils
20th road victory of the season.)
Rested or not, the game against Philadelphia was huge. A
four-point game for the Devils, the Lindros-less Flyers were
coming off a shutout of Colorado (only the second team to do that
all year) and into the Swamplands intent on making the Devils
further regret their inability to turn "the game in hand" into
something tangible. The game had a playoff-like atmosphere and
many nasty skirmishes after play stoppages.
Despite scoring 41 seconds into the game, the Devils let the
Flyers dictate play. Echoes of the previous three games. This
time it was because they were overexcited. After taking so early
a lead, they seemed to be standing around waiting for something
to happen instead of initiating and protecting the lead. This
left them out of position on defense and panicking with the puck
on offense. The Flyers scored two goals on low, cross-ice feeds.
The Devils rarely allow textbook goalmouth one-timers.
The Devils regained a bit of composure in the second and tied it
midway through the third. Just as soon as it looked like they
were playing like the team we know and admire, the rug was pulled
out from under them. Vaclav Prospal, skating around deep in the
Devils zone, nowhere in particular to go, lifted a waist-high
featherweight backhander towards the net. It seemed to catch
Brodeur off guard. He pulled his catching glove up to snag it,
maybe too quickly, only to have it hit the heel of his glove and
drop at his feet and into the goal. The Flyers celebration was
euphoric. A tie game had been broken on a most harmless shot
that Broduer normally would stop without a second thought.
84 seconds later, the Devils defense hung Brodeur out to dry. A
turnover in the neutral zone and the Flyers came in three-on-one
for an easy score and two goal lead with less than five minutes
left. Insult to injury as the large and loud Flyer fan
contingent erupted. Although the Devils did not quit and scored
with less than three minutes to go in an effort to mount a
comeback, it seemed as if all were lost.
The loss magnified the inconsistencies and sloppiness of the
previous week. Although it left them a few steps behind in the
race for the first seed, it woke the Devils up. It finally
convinced them that they were getting away from their game. It
was the first game where they experienced what it felt like to
LOSE in a while.
This knowledge could not have come at a better time. The Rangers
have owned the Devils this season, usually using them to start
winning streaks of their own. In fact, they were the only team
in the whole league that the Devils had not beaten once (0-2-2)
this season. But, this was the first game with Gilmour in the
lineup. They had something to prove even though all indications
were that they would struggle through this key game as well.
People keep forgetting that Dave Ellet came over in the trade
with Gilmour. He reminded everyone by assisting on two first-
period power-play goals. The Devils had been 0 for 14 on power
plays against the Rangers up to this point in the season.
Gilmour and Carpenter effectively took Messier and Gretzky out of
the game. So well they seemed invisible. The Devils forechecked
and allowed little through the neutral zone. They played with
precision and efficiency. They played with fear. If anything it
gave them a psychological rallying point if these dreaded rivals
were to meet in the postseason.
The Rangers played like the Devils had been playing. Even Mike
Richter let in an uncharacteristic goal through his pads from a
bad angle. It also showed how important he is to their team. He
had been the difference in the two games the Devils tied back in
February.
The Rangers had few good scoring chances but Brodeur played like
Brodeur and fears about his focus vanished. It was his seventh
shutout of the season and the Devils league-leading ninth team
shutout of the year. It was also the Devils twentieth home
victory and fortieth of the season. Also encouraging was the
presence of Devils fans at the game. Normally when the Rangers
come to town, they sound like they outnumber Devils fans.
The confidence and dominance displayed against the Rangers
carried over into the game against the Kings on Sunday. Instead
of a letdown, the Devils scored four times on their first six
shots in the first period and exploited the Kings defensive
breakdowns time after time in front of the net. The score could
have been much higher.
Bill Guerin scored the first goal as he had in each of the last
three games. He now has a career high twenty-nine goals and has
benefited from playing with Gilmour on the power play and regular
shifts here and there. He had two goals in the game against the
Kings. Scott Stevens had three points (1G,2A) as did Valeri
Zelepukin (1G,2A) who has been playing real well, even through
the team's slump. Mike Dunham made his twenty-fourth appearance
(and fourteenth start), one away from magic number twenty-five.
Ken Daneyko and Bob Carpenter were the key scratches.
Obviously, the Devils are not in any kind of real trouble. They
simply slumped. It only appeared worse because every game is
imbued with significance as the season winds down. But one thing
is clear through all of this and it has nothing to do with
whether the Devils get first seed, third seed or eighth seed.
They thrive when they have something to prove. They are an
excellent underdog. If not making first seed takes some of the
pressure off them to be the favorite out of the East, then so be
it. A little fear goes a long way with this team. The final
game of the season at Philadelphia may be for first seed overall
in the Conference but it may also serve to remind the Devils just
how important it is to remain focused and take each game a shift
at a time, particularly during the playoffs.
NOTES:
* The Devils have racked up more points than any NHL team
since the All-Star break with 26. Their record during March
(10-3-1) was also the best in the NHL.
* Ken Daneyko was named as the Devils' candidate for the
Masterson Trophy (an award given "to the player who best
exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and
dedication to hockey") by the New Jersey chapter of the
Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
* Playoff tickets for the first two rounds went on sale
Tuesday March 25th. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster
(201) 507-8900 or at the Continental Arena Box Office. They must
be bought in eight-game strips. Single game tickets may be
available at a later date.
* Michigan center Brendan Morrison, a 1993 second-round Devils
draft choice, was awarded the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. The
award goes to the top college hockey player in the United States.
Ex-Devil Neal Broten was the first-ever recipient in 1981.
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NEW YORK ISLANDERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Rick Bowness
Roster: C - Travis Green, Bryan Smolinski, Derek Armstrong,
Claude Lapointe. LW - Derek King, Marty McInnis, Niclas
Andersson, Brent Hughes, Paul Kruse. RW - Zigmund Palffy, Dan
Plante, Randy Wood, Steve Webb, Todd Bertuzzi. D - Scott
Lachance, Dennis Vaske, Richard Pilon, Bryan McCabe, Kenny
Jonsson, Bryan Berard, Doug Houda, Jason Holland. G - Eric
Fichaud, Tommy Salo.
Injuries: Rich Pilon, d (foot bruise, day to day); Paul
Kruse, lw (abdominal strain, 7-10 days); Niclas Andersson, lw (foot
bruise, day to day); Eric Lindros' Ego, day to day.
Transactions: 3-29-97 Recalled F Dave McLlwain from Cleveland (IHL).
Game Results
3/19 Florida W 7-4
3/22 Philadelphia T 3-3
3/26 at Buffalo W 3-2 OT
3/27 at Boston W 6-3
3/29 Boston W 8-2
TEAM NEWS by David Strauss
Okay, take a deep breath. Get ready for this next sentence, because you
may not believe it.
The Islanders are in the playoff race.
How is that possible? Did they sign Gordie Howe instead of Syracuse?
Did the mysterious Badaboum tumble out of the equally mysterious
twilight zone like some Flying Dutchman of hockey, a 20th-century
Babylon Four, and cast a spell on the rest of the East? Did your humble
author finally overdose on too many pints of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate
Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream? (No on the first two. I'll let you know
about the latter question next issue.)
Part reason would be the trades made by GM Mike Milbury on the
deadline. Another part would be the excellent play turned in by the
defense and goaltending, and even further would be the return of the
steadying influence of Dennis Vaske on defense.
The arrival of center Robert Reichel has transformed the low-scoring
Isles into an offensive machine the last few games, with the line of
Reichel with Ziggy Palffy and Bryan Smolinski on the wings putting up
numbers of Lemieux/Jagr/Francis proportions. (Well, those three when
they were scoring, that is, not now...alright, so maybe most metaphors
don't hold up under close examination.) The trio has put up 31 points in
the five games since the arrival of the Czech Reichel, and the Isles are
unbeaten, 4-0-1. While two of the wins were against the
soon-to-be-drafting-Joe-Thornton Boston Bruins, they also defeated the
Sabres in Buffalo on a Bryan Berard overtime goal, and came back from a
3-0 early deficit to tie the Flyers.
And they're now just one point out of playoff spot.
And reports indicate that Calgary is also eating close to 40% of the
$3.4-million US Reichel is scheduled to pull in over next season
and the year after. The New York Post reported the figure, culled from
sources inside Islander management. "Do I think they made a mistake?"
asked Reichel, fresh off a five-point outburst against the Bruins on
Thursday. "Yes, I think so."
"Here, they have confidence in me. After the trade, I was sad to
leave, to play so long in one place and then ... gone. But now I'm glad
the trade happened. Something new. The pressure was on me in
Calgary. I come to the Islanders and it's different. More relaxed. "
"Rick Bowness, he tells me my first day `We can make the playoffs now
that you're here.' And I think `Oh my God, I'd better start scoring some
goals, getting some points!' "
"If I don't score the first shift now, I don't sit. It was that way
for some guys, like me, in Calgary. Rick Bowness is always pumping up
the players. Pierre never talked to me. Is that right? I have some
bitterness towards (management) in Calgary. But I don't want it in the
papers. It's not worth it." (Uh, too late Robert.)
The team, after struggling all season, is now over .500 since Bowness
took over as coach. They also seem to have their fate in their hands,
with remaining games against Tampa, Hartford, a home and home with
Montreal, and the final game at Washington, who hasn't scored a goal
against the Isles since, oh, October or so.
As for the other deal, the Isles traded veteran Derek King to Hartford
for a 5th-round pick. While Isles fans were disappointed to lose King
without much in return, he is an unrestricted free agent after the
season, and might return to the Island. It could mean King was rented
to the Whale for a dozen games in return for a 5th-rounder. The Isles
now have at least one pick in every round of the 1997 Draft.
King was a bit mystified, however, at the turn of events at the Mall
after his deal. "Ten years with the Islanders, they couldn't sell the
team; they finally sell it, I get traded. I come here, and now the
franchise is moving."
"I've got to look at teams who want me to play for them," said King, who
scored his first goal as a Whaler in Hartford's 2-1 victory
over the Rangers. "It's going to come down to money. If the Islanders
are interested, I'm interested. If the Hartford Whalers are interested,
then so am I. I'll go back to the Island this summer and work out."
One Final Note
And just one note to the Philadelphia media: Take a chill pill. The
infamous hit that Rich Pilon put on Eric "Crybaby" Lindros was at the
THIGH. There was no knee-to-knee collision, and the only reason Lindros
got hurt was because his calf was unlucky enough to slam into a glass
partition. That's right, the glass. I note this because otherwise, you
might not have known: the Philadelphia Daily News didn't seem to mention
that minor detail. And as for Bobby Clarke, calling for dirty hits to
be punished...well...pot, meet kettle. Kettle, meet pot.
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NEW YORK RANGERS
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Head Coach: Colin Campbell
Rosters: C - Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Esa Tikkanen, Mike
Eastwood, Chris Ferraro. LW - Adam Graves, Luc Robitaille,
Darren Langdon, Bill Berg, Sylvain Blouin. RW - Niklas
Sundstrom, Russ Courtnall, Pat Flatley, Shane Churla, David
Oliver, Ryan VandenBussche, Alexei Kovalev. D - Brian Leetch,
Ulf Samuelsson, Jeff Beukeboom, Bruce Driver, Doug Lidster,
Alexander Karpovstev, Eric Cairns, Dallas Eakins. G - Mike
Richter, Glenn Healy.
Injuries: Alexei Kovalev, rw (torn anterior crucuiate ligament,
out for the season); Luc Robitaille, lw (broken foot, out 4-6
weeks); Mark Messier, c (bruised left leg, day-to-day).
Transactions: Recalled Chirs Ferraro, c, from Binghamton (AHL).
Recalled Dallas Eakins, d, from Binghamton (AHL).
Game Results
3/17 Ottawa L 4-3
3/19 Montreal L 5-4
3/21 Detroit W 3-1
3/24 Pittsburgh W 3-0
3/27 at New Jersey L 4-0
3/29 at Hartford L 2-1
TEAM NEWS: Alex Frias, NY Rangers Team Correspondent
The "Eastie Boys": With Esa Tikkanen filling in for
injured Luc Robitaille at left wing, Mike Eastwood has been a
force offensively and defensively as a checking line center with
Patrick Flatley and Bill Berg on the wings. The "Eastie Boys"
have been the only forwards making a statement on a team filled
with big names. They were the most effective against the
suffocating Devils because they dump, chase and create scoring
chances. Nothing fancy, and it works.
Kovalev Status: Injured right winger Alexei Kovalev is
progressing right on schedule. He's had the brace that has been
stabilizing his surgically repaired right knee removed and he
goes to therapy three times a week under the supervision of team
physician. To stay fit, Kovalev rides a stationary bike and uses
a stair climber. He is strengthening the leg with hamstring
curls and a slide board that simulates skating.
"I'm kind of bored right now, but every week there's something to
do," Kovalev said. "I said [to my wife], as soon as they let me
play golf you won't see me."
Merrily, Merrily, Merrily... Life is But a Dream: A few
weeks ago David Oliver is chillin' at the end of the bench in
Edmonton, having another interesting conversation with backup Bob
Essensa about the delicious hot dogs they serve up in the press
box, when he's put on waivers and picked up by the Rangers.
Shortly thereafter he's playing on the right side of boyhood idol
Mark Messier.
"I guess you could call it a dream within a dream to play with
Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, even for a week or two," Oliver
said.
Oliver said it best, for a week or two. After GM Neil Smith's
acquisition of Russ Courtnall and Esa Tikannen, Oliver returned
to spot duty on the fourth line and those yummy press box dogs.
But the 25-year-old says he is not discouraged.
"The whole move for me is a positive, whether I'm on the ice or
watching," said Oliver. "I'm learning. It's something I didn't
get exposed to in Edmonton. I went from the top of the age
bracket to one of the youngest guys. I almost feel like a rookie
now."
Game Recaps
Mar. 17, lost to Ottawa 4-3: Fluky goals were as much to
blame for the 4-3 defeat to a Senators team that likely won't
make the playoffs as undisciplined defense. The team played with
the intensity it lacked before the Tikkanen/Courtnall trade as
they rebounded from a 2-0 deficit in the second period on goals
from Flatley and Graves. And just as it appeared the Rangers
might pull another come-from-behind victory as they had in Ottawa
two nights earlier, Bruce Gardiner put an Alexei Yashin rebound
between Richter's legs for the 4-3 win.
Mar. 19, lost to Montreal 5-4: The Captain set a terrible
tone and neither he nor any of his loyal teammates could change
their tune until a sorry song had been sung. Abandoning all
pretense of defense for 60 straight minutes, the Rangers handed a
5-4 victory to the Montreal Canadiens at the Garden.
Mar. 21, beat Detroit 3-1: The Blueshirts sacrificed
their bodies, sped to pucks, covered for each other's mistakes
and harassed goaltender Chris Osgood for a indulgent 3-1 victory
over the Red Wings. The third line of Bill Berg, Patrick Flatley
and Mike Eastwood shone at both ends of the ice as Eastwood's
speed generated several chances and he assisted on Courtnall's
winning goal.
Messier's first period goal was the 574th of his career, placing
him alone in 10th all-time.
Mar. 24, beat Pittsburgh 3-0: With The Great One
outplaying the Super One, and Richter turning in an outstanding
goaltending job, the Rangers shutout the Penguins 3-0 in the
Garden. Richter turned in one of his better performances in
recent weeks. After getting rocked for nine goals in two
previous losses to Ottawa and Montreal, Richter helped shut down
the high-flyin' Pens.
Mar. 27, lost to New Jersey 4-0: Playing the impenetrable
defense that has made them one of the NHL's least favorite
opponents - and finally doing it against the team they live to
beat - the Devils hammered out an air-tight 4-0 victory over the
Rangers at the Meadowlands.
Mar. 29, lost to Hartford 2-1: Without Mark Messier in
the lineup, the Rangers didn't manage a healthy sniff offensively
against Sean Burke until it was way too late, with Jeff
Beukeboom's slap-shot goal the only offense they would produce on
the day.
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PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
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Head Coach: Terry Murray
ROSTER: C - Eric Lindros, Rod Brind'Amour, Dale Hawerchuk, Joel Otto,
Daniel Lacroix. 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, Frantisek
Kucera. G - Ron Hextall, Garth Snow.
Injuries: Kjell Samuelsson, d (sustained a ruptured disk in his back,
required surgery, out indefinitely); Dale Hawerchuk, c (sustained a
pulled groin Mar. 2, sidelined one week); Paul Coffey, d (sustained a
shoulder separation, out one to two weeks)
Transactions: March 18- acquired Frantisek Kucera, d, from Vancouver in
exchange for a 1997 seventh-round draft pick.
Game Results:
03/20 at Toronto W 6-3
03/23 at NY Islanders T 3-3
03/24 Colorado W 2-0
03/26 at New Jersey W 4-3
03/29 at Washington W 4-3
03/30 at St. Louis L 3-2
TEAM NEWS by Eric Meyer
Coming up Clutch!
Let's flash back a week or so to Saturday, March 22 at the Nassau
Coliseum on the Island as New York, trying to grab hold of the final
playoff spot, and Philly, trying to maintain their grasp on the top spot
in the conference, did battle:
- First period - With the Flyers leading the Isles by the score of 1-0,
Eric Lindros takes a low hip check along the boards from the Islanders,
Richard Pilon. Lindros is forced to leave the game with a deep bruise on
his leg, and Pilon is given a five-minute major plus a game misconduct.
Flyers score two goals on the ensuing power play and that a 3-0 first period
lead.
- Third period - Despite having a two-goal lead heading into the third
period, the Flyers give up two goals to the Isles in a span of 24 seconds,
and leave Long Island with a 3-3 tie, falling to just 11-2-3 against Atlantic
Division competition.
- Lindros will be missed for the next two games: Colorado and New
Jersey.
So on the Flyers went, back down the turnpike to Philadelphia to take
on the NHL's best in the Colorado Avalanche at the CoreStates Center. These
two teams had done battle earlier in the season, in one of the most memorable
games all year. It was a game where the Flyers fought back from two down
to tie the Avs in the third perios and skate to a 4-4 tie. But on paper,
March 23rd's game seemed to be a huge mismatch. Coming off a debilitating
tie, without Eric Lindros, and with shaky goaltending in previous games,
the Flyers were given the task of taming one of the most potent offenses
in the game, while also having to solve the riddle of how to get the puck
past 'Rado netminder Patrick Roy.
What happened that night; however, was something that just about no
one on that brand new building could have possibly expected: one of the
grittiest displays all year by a Flyers team that had its backs against
the wall, as they beat the Avs, 2-0.
The following Tuesday, it was back up the turnpike to New Jersey where
the Flyers and Devils did battle in a classic Atlantic Division matchup.
Though the Devils scored with just 41 seconds ticking off the clock in
the first period, the Flyers fired back on all cylanders, gaining some
excellent chances around the Jersey net, finally capitalizing on the power
play in the middle of the first epriod to tie the score. And with just
over a minute to play in the period, John LeClair put the Flyers ahead,
firing a shot past Martin Brodeur for a 2-1 Flyers lead.
After Jersey tied the score in the third period, Vaclav Prospal carried
the puck into the Jersey end and let go a seemingly harmless backhand shot
from the right circle which managed to elude Martin Brodeur for a 3-2 Flyers
lead. Mikael Renberg added the insurance goal which would actually turn
out to be the game-winner as the Flyers pulled off the nearly impossible,
going win-win against two of the best teams in the game without Eric Lindros
in the lineup.
From the Dog House to the Penthouse
I've given this guy heat all season. I've badmouthed his play. I've
considered him an underachiever. I've even called him a bum. But let me
give credit where credit is due, Pat Falloon, has REALLY picked up his
game as of late. Against the 'Lanche, it appeared that Pat Falloon was
reborn out on the ice. Skating with a tenacity that I hadn't seen from
him in a long time, Falloon created many scoring opportunities for himself
and for his linemates, especially in the first and second periods, netting
a goal and many other near goals for his troubles.
Against New Jersey, it was more of the same. Though it appeared that
Falloon had choked on a chance early in first period that would have tied
the game at one with Devils, Pat redemeed himself later on firing a pass
past Martin Brodeur on the near post, to tie the game and pace the Flyers
to a victory.
Another player who had found his way into head coach Terry Murray's
dog house was defenseman, Chris Therien. And much like the man they call,
'Loon, Mr. Therien was more than up to the task against both New Jersey
and Colorado.
Against the Avalanche, Therien paced the defense in one of their stongest
showings of the year. It's often said that players should learn to take
the body and not the puck. Well, that being said, Chris Therien put on
a defensive clinic against Colorado, consistently riding opposing players
into the boards, lodging them away from the puck. The fans appreciated
his hard work, and despite being kept off the score sheet, Mr. Therien
earned the second star for his effort.
And though he would allow a tough goal, stemming from a miscommunication
with goaltender Ron Hextall, against New Jersey on Tuesday night, take
nothing away from how Therien's overall play that night. Once again, it
was a matter of taking the body and not the puck as Chris Therien helped
lead the Flyers to 4-3 victory, exemplified by some strong, all-around
defensive play.
Prognosis Negative
Breathe a sigh of relief, because Eric Lindros has returned and it
appears that he is felling no ill effects from his leg injury. Now take
a deep breath because the news might not be as good for three other Flyers.
It appears that Dale Hawerchuk is have more trouble than expected with his
sore groin, and may not be back for a little while. He was originally
expected to make his return this past Saturday against the Caps, but further
complications have pushed his return date back. Another Flyer who's been
having problems is Kjell Samuelsson. Originally thought to be missing two
months with a ruptured disk, it appears that Sammy might not make it back
until possibly the playoffs, or more likely, next season. Finally, we have
Paul Coffey. Having sustained a shoulder separation against the Devils on
a hit by Dave Andreychuk, it looks as if Coffey will take his time getting
back to the lineup, sitting out longer than the expected one to two weeks
in order to rest up and be ready for the playoffs.
Meyer's Flyers Tidbits...
* Talk about demanding blood! Following the Flyers 3-3 tie against the
New York, Flyers fans took to the phone lines in a barrage of vengeance
seeking fury on local sports radio station 610 WIP AM. While most fans
had hoped that the Flyers would have retaliated by attacking Richard Pilon
(sorry folks, he was kicked out of the game), or by taking a run at star
forward, Zigmund Palffy, one fan had a different idea altogether. The
suggestion: call up Frank "The Animal" Bialowis, a skill-less
fighting behemouth from the Flyers' AHL affiliate, for the following
night's game against Colorado and have him take out Peter Forsberg.
Hmmm... Terry Murray and Bob Clarke could not be reached for comment.
* Some telling stats:
- When scoring first the Flyers are 28-4-5
- When leading after two periods the Flyers are 29-2-3. When leading after
one period, they are 23-2-5.
- Against the Atlantic division the Flyers are 13-12-3, combined record
again the other three divisions: 30-10-8.
- The Flyers have outscored the opposition in the third period 101-61.
- The Flyers' power play at home is ranked 25th. The Flyers' power play
on the road is ranked 13th.
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TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
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Head Coach: Terry Crisp
Roster: C - Brian Bradley, Chris Gratton, John Cullen, Daymond
Langkow, Allen Egeland. LW - Paul Ysebaert, Shawn Burr, Rob
Zamuner, Jason Weimer, Rudy Poeschek, Patrick Poulin, Brent
Peterson, Jeff Toms. RW - Brian Bellows, Alexander Selivanov,
Mikael Andersson, Paul Brousseau. D - Roman Hamrlik, Bill
Houlder, Cory Cross, Dave Shaw, Igor Ulanov, Jeff Norton, Jay
Wells. G - Daren Puppa, Corey Schwab, Rick Tabaracci.
Injuries: Brian Bradley, c (suffered wrist injury Jan. 9, sidelined
indefinitely, placed on IR Jan. 9).
Transactions: Traded Drew Bannister, d, to Edmonton in exchange for
Jeff Norton, d.
Game Results:
3/20 at Edmonton L 3-1
3/22 at Calgary W 4-3 OT
3/23 at Vancouver L 3-2
3/25 Ottawa W 5-0
3/27 Hartford L 5-2
3/29 at Florida T 1-1
4/01 at Philadelphia T 1-1
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
The men with lightning bolts on their pants are still hangin'
around the playoff race with a record of 29-38-9, good for 67
points. They are now tied with the Islanders and Senators, with
all three clubs being a point out of the final playoff spot. The
Bolt cause got a big shot in the arm from the return of Daren
Puppa. And this time he appears back to stay.
It was about a month ago when Puppa first attempted a comeback
from back surgery only to admit afterwards that he returned too
soon. So there were more than a few anxious onlookers when Puppa
took to the pipes on Saturday, March 29 to face the Panthers on
the road.
This time the experiment was a rousing success, as Puppa stopped
28 of 29 shots in a 1-1 tie. He was back in the net for Tampa's
next game on Tuesday, April 1 in Philadelphia. Puppa was once
again a bad man, turning aside 32 of 33 Flyer shots. Hey, it's
easy when you know how.
This club will only go as far as Puppa carries them. If he can
stay healthy and play up to his former Vezina-nominee form, the
Bolts might have a shot at it. But then again, maybe they
won't... you really just can never tell with this sort of stuff.
I called to ask the Billy D. Williams psychic hotline and I got
put on hold... how did they know I had some extra time to waste?
Unless... wow...
Well, anyway, that's all I know about the Bolts. I haven't seem
them play in about three months. Our Tampa Bay Correspondent,
Troy Ely, is still missing.
Troy has apparently gone the way of Badaboum. He
has been missing now for over two months. We've arranged to have
Troy's picture placed on the side of 40-ounce bottles of Colt 45
Malt Liquor. Hopefully, this will help uncover a few leads. If
you know what happened to Troy, please, write and let us know.
We fear it might be a secret plot perpetrated by our arch-nemesis
Bil Keane, the creator of the hilariously funny Family
Circus cartoon strip. Keane is evil, I tell ya, evil! And
just because we're paranoid doesn't mean he's not after us.
Keane could be trying to kidnap our writers one by one in hopes
of slowly dismantling LCS. Well, it's not gonna work, Keane!
You hear me, punk! It's not gonna work!
And by the way, I see you out there in my front lawn, Keane. You
can try and hide all you want, but I know you're out there
lurking in the shadows and scurrying behind bushes. You might be
able to fool evreyone else with that family-oriented, goody-two-
shoes garbage you fill your comic strip with but we're on to you,
Keane! You hear me? We're on to you!
Not only is Keane behind the sudden disappearances of several LCS
correspondents, including Troy Ely and Brad Ross, but we also have
linked him to a number of other conspiracies. We believe that
Keane is also responsible for the disappearances of:
* Gabe Kaplan
* Chuck Cunningham, Richie's older brother on "Happy
Days"
* The Trix Rabbit... oh sure, a Trix Rabbit is still seen in
public, but that's not THE Trix Rabbit. Silly, Bil
Keane, Trix are for kids...
Hmm ha... it all makes sense now, doesn't it? If you still can't
follow, pound back some Night Train and it'll all be good.
Where's that damn bottle?
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS
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Head Coach: Jim Schoenfeld
Roster: C-Adam Oates, Andrei Nikolishin, Dale Hunter, Pat Peake, Mike
Eagles. LW- Steve Konowalchuk, Michal Pivonka, Joe Juneau, Kevin
Kaminski. RW-Peter Bondra, Rick Tocchet, Kelly Miller, Todd Krygier,
Craig Berube. D-Mark Tinordi, Calle Johansson, Sergei Gonchar, Sylvain
Cote, Joe Reekie, Brendan Witt, Ken Klee. G-Bill Ranford, Olaf Kolzig.
Injuries: Joe Juneau, c (hip flexor, day-to-day); Chris Simon, lw
(separated shoulder and back spasms, 2 weeks); Michal Pivonka, c
(concussion, day-to-day).
Transactions: Recalled Stewart Malgunas, d, from Portland (AHL). Sent
Stewart Malgunas, d, to Portland. Recalled Eric Charron, d, from
Portland. Sent d Eric Charron to Portland. Recalled Pat Peake, c, from
Portland, who had been on a reconditioning assignment.
Game Results:
3/19 New Jersey T 2-2
3/21 Buffalo L 4-1
3/22 at Montreal W 3-1
3/25 St. Louis W 3-2
3/26 at Chicago L 5-3
3/29 Philadelphia L 5-3
TEAM NEWS by Jason Sheehan, Washington Correspondent
Rev Up the Harley; Playoff Fever is in the Air
For every member of the Washington Capitals, it's now gut check time.
Whether or not the Capitals extend their playoff fortunes to a 15th
straight season will solely depend on how the club performs in the next
two weeks.
As of March 31, Washington is tied for the eighth and last playoff spot
with the Hartford Whalers, who will be relocating after this season.
The Capitals have the tiebreaker, because of the win differential;
Washington has 30 wins and Hartford has 29. But the Whalers do have one
game in hand.
This isn't your ordinary playoff race involving only two teams.
Instead, Six clubs are vying for the last two spots in the Eastern
Conference. There is no quit in the Islanders, Senators or Lightning;
Johnny Cullen is paddling hard. The Boston Bruins are the only team in
the East that doesn't have a chance to make the playoffs.
The Montreal Canadiens are in the best shape of the bunch, temporarily
holding the seventh spot by a two-point margin. But like the Capitals,
they also are holding on by the skin of their teeth and could be
eliminated from post-season play at the blink of an eye.
For the Capitals, life, believe it or not, is simple. They control
their own fate. If the Capitals lose, they'll be watching the playoffs
from the nineteenth hole at the local country club. If they accumulate
a winning record in their last six games, the Capitals will likely be
facing either the Philadelphia Flyers or New Jersey Devils in the first
round. It all looks simple on paper, but on a 180-feet sheet of ice,
the task becomes tedious.
The time to act is now.
Race for Number Eight (as of April 1, 1997)
Eastern Conference
GR W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
7 MONTREAL 6 28 34 14 70 234 263 16-16-6 12-18-8
8 WASHINGTON 6 30 38 8 68 194 216 17-16-4 13-22-4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 HARTFORD 7 29 36 10 68 202 232 21-14-3 8-22-7
10 NY ISLANDERS 7 28 36 11 67 219 222 18-16-4 10-20-7
11 OTTAWA 7 26 34 15 67 208 221 13-17-8 13-17-7
12 TAMPA BAY 7 29 38 8 66 202 232 14-18-7 15-20-1
13 BOSTON 6 24 43 9 57 217 280 12-19-7 12-24-2
Recent Games and New Trends
First, the good news. Washington won the game it had to have with a 3-1
victory at Montreal on March 22. At the time, the win moved the
Capitals into a seventh place tie with Montreal and separated themselves
from the rest of the pack. Now, that has all changed.
The bad news; two straight losses to Chicago and Philadelphia and
winning streaks by the Islanders, Ottawa and Tampa Bay have turned the
final two weeks of the season into one of the greatest of all-time.
Against the Canadians, Rick Tocchet scored twice and Steve Konowalchuk
added another to lead the Capitals into the comfort zone. Tocchet's
on-ice play has enabled him to become the best player the Capitals
received in the blockbuster deal that sent Adam Oates, Bill Ranford and
Tocchet from the Bruins for Jim Carey, Jason Allison and Anson Carter.
Tocchet has registered five goals and five assists in 11 games.
His line, which includes Oates and Konowalchuk, has quickly become Coach
Jim Schoenfeld's favorite trio to send to the ice in times of need.
Konowalchuk, who struggled before the big trade, only had 12 goals and
21 assists in his first 64 games. But with his new linemates, he has
scored four goals and three assists in his past seven games. Oates,
meanwhile, has accumulated three goals and eight assists in 13 games.
In the 90s, Oates only trails Wayne Gretzky for having the most assists.
In the meantime, Washington's former number one line of Peter Bondra,
Michal Pivonka and Chris Simon has had trouble making goal judges flick
the magical switch. Bondra has been stuck on 43 goals for the last four
games, and only has three goals in his last eleven games. He has had a
few scoring chances, but has been unable to make opposing goaltenders
pay.
"I'd like to reach 50, sure, but I'm really not thinking about it,"
Bondra told The Washington Post.
His recent trouble can be attributed to the loss of his linemates.
Pivonka left the game against Chicago with a concussion after getting
leveled in open-ice by Bob Probert in the second period. He is now
skating again, but is feeling dizzy when going at full speed. Schoenfeld
said Pivonka will return when his symptoms vanish. There has been no
timetable placed on his return.
Simon, Bondra's other linemate, also is on the shelf again. This time,
he was hit by his own teammate, when Dale Hunter tried to check
Philadelphia's John LeClair but inadvertently ran into Simon. Simon
immediately collapsed to the ice and separated his shoulder once he came
crashing down. He will miss the next two weeks of action. If the
Capitals fail to make an impact in this time, Simon will have plenty of
time to recuperate his shoulder and injured back.
Skating with an entirely new set of linemates is nothing new for
Bondra. The Capitals have been banged up all season, and Schoenfeld has
placed his star winger on a variety of lines. So, chemistry shouldn't
play a factor in Bondra's race for his second consecutive 50-goal
season.
Players Leave ER; More Players Join the Injured Elite
For the first time this season, the Capitals were almost completely
healthy when they skated into Chicago March 26. Defensemen Joe Reekie
and Sergei Gonchar (four goals in last two games) had returned to the
lineup after lengthy absences, and left wing Todd Krygier was feeling
better after resting his sore wrist.
Defenseman Mark Tinordi was the only impact player missing from the
lineup that night. He had been sidelined with a hip flexor, which
resulted from coming back too soon from a broken ankle a few weeks ago.
But he returned just in time for a 5-3 loss to the Flyers.
But as has become the case, the Capitals' rainbow was replaced by dark
clouds before the game came to a conclusion. As was mentioned above,
Pivonka left after getting crushed from an open ice hit by Probert.
And to make matters worse, it was reported after the game that center
Joe Juneau had been playing hurt with a hip flexor. Juneau missed
Washington's next two games (all losses) and will probably be sidelined
for at least two more.
Yet, the last two weeks, as far as injuries go, were not all that bad.
Center/winger Pat Peake returned to the lineup for the first time since
shattering his heel in last season's playoffs. He didn't register any
points against the Flyers and looked sluggish, skating on the Capitals'
fourth line for most of the night. Peake said his heel was a little
tender after the game but was happy with his performance.
With the Capitals' blue line corp in shape, it makes you wonder how they
could allow 10 goals in the last two games. But as they say, that's
hockey!
Analysis on Capitals' Remaining Six Games
On paper, the Capitals' schedule looks favorable. Half of their games
will be played against teams vying for a playoff spot; Montreal, Ottawa
and the Islanders. Four out of six will be played at USAir Arena, with
the only road games at Ottawa and Buffalo. Yet, the Capitals don't have
any easy opponents on the schedule as they try to clinch their 15th
straight playoff spot.
April 1: vs New Jersey
There will be no fooling around in this game. The Devils are
challenging Philadelphia for the first seed in the Eastern Conference
and the Capitals are just fighting to stay alive. The clubs have met
five times this season and are deadlocked at 2-2-1. In the last meeting
at USAir Arena, the Devils fought back from a 2-1 margin to earn a 2-2
tie.
Of course, by the time you read this, the game will already be in the
books.
April 3: at Ottawa
This is a game that the Capitals must have. And it won't be easy.
Ottawa has mastered the Capitals this season, winning all three
meetings. The Senators thrashed the Capitals 6-1 the last time they met
Feb. 18 at USAir Arena. Whoever wins this game will be in great shape
for possible post-season glory.
April 6: vs Florida
The Panthers have stumbled badly since the All-Star break. But this
isn't unfamiliar ground for Florida. They also played poorly in the
second half last year and advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals before
losing to Colorado. Florida probably won't care too much about this
game, which is a plus for Washington.
April 10: vs Montreal
This is yet another must-win game for the Capitals. Of course, by the
time these teams lock horns, the standings will look completely
different then they do now. But the Capitals do have one thing going
for them; they haven't lost to Montreal all season. Another win will be
in order here.
April 12: vs NY Islanders
Games like these are starting to make the schedule-makers look like
geniuses. Unlike the triumphs over Montreal, the Islanders hold the
upper hand in this season series. The Capitals haven't been able to
defeat the boys from Long Island all season. And to make matters worse,
Islanders goaltender Tommy Salo has shut out the Capitals three
straight times. No one said it would be easy.
April 13: at Buffalo
Either the last game of the season will mean everything or it won't mean
anything at all. But there is one thing for sure: Buffalo probably
won't care about the outcome of this one. As a result, it's a good bet
that the Sabres' goaltending ace and possible league MVP Dominik Hasek won't
receive the starting nod from Coach Ted Nolan. Nolan will probably ask
Steve Shields to man the twine. Shields was the winning goaltender on
March 21 when the Sabres defeated the Capitals, 4-1.
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TEAM REPORTS
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHEASTERN DIVISION
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BOSTON BRUINS
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Head Coach: Steve Kasper
Roster: C - Anson Carter, Jason Allison, Jozef Stumpel, Ted Donato,
Brett Harkins, Trent McCleary. LW - Troy Mallette, Brett Harkins, Rob
Dimaio. RW Steve Heinze, Sandy Moger, Sheldon Kennedy, Jeff Odgers,
Landon Wilson, Tim Sweeney, Jean-Yves Roy. D - Ray Bourque, Don
Sweeney, Kyle McLaren, Jon Rolhoff, Dean Chynoweth, Barry Richter,
Dean Malkoc. G - Jim Carey, Rob Tallas.
Injuries: Steve Heinze, rw (torn MCL, hip and groin strain, rest of
season); Ted Donato, c (broken finger, indefinite); Robbie Tallas, g
(ankle sprain, rest of season); Sandy Moger, rw (broken finger,
indefinite); Randy Robitaille, c (shoulder sprain, rest of season).
Transactions: Signed free agent Randy Robitaille, c (Miami of Ohio) to
a three-year contract. Lost Steve Staios, d, on waivers to Vancouver.
Game Results:
3/19 at Detroit L 4-1
3/22 Ottawa L 5-4
3/24 at Montreal L 3-1
3/27 Islanders L 6-3
3/29 at Islanders L 8-2
TEAM NEWS by Matt Brown
It’s deja vu or something worse. Last time we met, the Bruins had 57
points and were about to embark on a "do or die" crusade to make the
playoffs. Well, it didn’t turn out to be "do" for the Bruins, and they
didn’t have the grace to just die and take Bruins fans out of their
misery. Two weeks later, the Bs are five losses poorer and still stand at
57 points, challenging for the bottom spot in the league with the
just-as-hapless San Jose Sharks. The Bruins have played one more game (76)
and have one less win (24), so they are behind (or ahead, depending on
your point of view) in all the tiebreakers.
Unless the Bruins win every remaining game, or the Washington Capitals
and (city to be named later) Whalers planes collide in midair, the
Bruins are home alone after April 5. Their farewell to Mario Lemiuex
will also be their farewell to 29 years of playoffs and winning
records. It is a sad day for fans of the black and gold. But real fans
will persevere. After all, Boston is a city steeped in a tradition of
fan disappointment. The Bruins have only gone a quarter of a century
without a Stanley Cup, after all. Unlike Red Sox fans, who have waited
75 years, at least some Bruins fans were still alive when the Bruins
last won. The Bruins have had a marvelous run of winning teams since
Bobby Orr first came to town. Maybe a fresh start is needed.
Talk around Boston has already turned to the NHL draft and sure-thing
first pick Joe Thornton. Not here. Not yet. Not until the ping pong
balls drop. This team is jinxed enough already without one more
desperate journalist hopping on the Joe Thornton bandwagon. With the
Bruins luck, it might tip over.
So who should you feel worse for, a guy like Tim Sweeney, who plays as
hard as he can to contribute and stick with this NHL team, only to be
waivered to Providence so that he can play for them if they make
the AHL playoffs. Or for Kevin Sawyer, who was only deemed worthy of a
two-game stint all season; what are his prospects for an NHL career if
the worst team in the NHL can only spare him two games?
Or Randy Robitaille, who signed a three-year contract with the Bruins
last week, dressed for his first NHL game against the Islanders, and
promptly proved himself a worthy member of the 1996-97 Hard Luck
Bruins. Robitaille took a nasty check from Ken Belanger in the first
period, 49 seconds into his first shift, and ended up with a
third-degree sprain of his left shoulder. Randy is out for the season,
has started rehabilitation (for the shoulder, not for signing a Bruins
contract), and is going back to finish the semester at Miami of Ohio,
where he was a sophomore.
Or right wing Jeff Odgers, who all season long has stuck his nose in
front of every guy who tries to push around a Bruin. Well, it shows.
Odgers, who often looked as if his Breathe-Right strip was actually a
tie-down holding his proboscis on, went and got it busted again. He
went after Belanger for that check on Robitaille, as if to say "Pick on
one of my teammates, and I’m gonna force you to break my nose again."
Unfortunately, it hasn’t been enough of a deterrent most of the season,
and it didn’t seem to phase Belanger, who promptly complied.
According to the Boston Globe, Odgers returned to the game after
repairs, "with his nose easily three times its normal size." Truly
frightening. It is a wonder that the Islanders didn’t call for a
measurement for an illegal curve. Seriously, Jeff Odgers isn’t a Hall
of Fame hockey player, and he isn’t a Golden Gloves boxer by any means
either, but he is more of a true Bruin player than just about anyone
else who has come down the pike in the last three or four years. The
Bruins could do much, much worse than to make Jeff Odgers an offer as an
Assistant Coach (see below) next year, should he chose to hang up the
skates.
No one around the Bruins is feeling sorry for Steve Staios, rookie
defenseman who was claimed off the waiver wire the night of the trading
deadline. The Bruins tried to move Staios to Providence, figuring that
his league worst +/- rating of -26 or so would give pause to any team
thinking of picking him up. But Vancouver, which lost Dean Malkoc to
the Bruins on waivers early in the season, apparently couldn't pass up a
chance to tweak the bear's nose a little. Now Steve at least has a
chance at the playoffs.
Steve Kasper implied that it wasn't a big loss. Beg to differ. The kid
had a great start, and then was injured. By the time he got back, the
team was sinking, and he went down with it. But Steve Staios now has a
fresh start, and hopefully he can make the best of it.
Just like the Islanders, Ottawa, and the Mighty Ducks a few years ago,
the Bruins are finding out that confidence is a problem with young kids
on a weak team. Young players who begin to believe that they will lose,
do. They even lose the games they should win. This, more than any draft
picks, will be the limiting factor in the next few years, unless Harry
buys some solid veteran talent (rather than guys on their last legs).
It will take some time before the kids on this team believe in
themselves, the way the Islanders are starting to.
The back-to-back losses to the Isles earned Zigmund Palffy NHL player of
the week honors. Palffy, who is deadly to the Bruins, scored five goals
in two games to lead the aspiring Islanders to 6-3 and 8-2 stompings of
the toothless bears. With all the talk about character and guys playing
for next year’s roster spots, one might expect the second game in a home
and home series to be tighter if the first game was a laugher. But no,
the Bruins were positively blasted out of Uniondale, 4-1 by the end of
the first period. Coach Steve Kasper pulled goaltender Jim Carey only
because NHL rules don’t allow him to pull the rest of the team. Fans
were speculating if there was an unofficial mercy rule in the NHL.
After Palffy got his hat trick and the Isles led 8-1 at the end of the
second period, the Islanders seemed content to let the Bruins bumble
around for the rest of the game.
Kasper voiced the usual refrain after the game that next year’s jobs are
won by playing hard to finish out the season, and wondered if his
players were listening. The answer to this rhetorical question is
usually "No." But in this case, maybe they were. Maybe they don’t want
to play here next year. Maybe they would rather take their chances
elsewhere. Or maybe they are pretty sure that Steve Kasper won’t have
much to say about who is or isn’t on the team come September’s training
camp.
Jim Carey was quoted after the second Islander game about the Bruin’s
goaltending situation, saying that he had no idea what it was like to
play on a team like the Bruins: "It was a joke in Washington. Don't
they have a goaltending coach?" Carey was referring both to the
acrobatics of Bill Ranford, and the number of times Ranford ended up
injured. Now Carey knows why, firsthand, after spending a few weeks in
Bill Ranford’s crease, "But until you're put in a situation like that
... I don't think I'll ever criticize another goaltender in the
league."
This is a pretty damning, unintentionally, of the state of the team.
The Bruins have been criticized for having only Steve Kasper and one
assistant, Cap Raeder, on staff. Harry Sinden said that this is
Kasper’s choice. Looking at the results, this choice makes Kasper an
easy target. A critic could say that Cap hasn’t been able to devote
enough attention to both the goaltending and the defense, and that
another assistant would have helped, and given the record, couldn’t have
hurt. Similarly, if Kasper has handled the forwards himself, the
results have been dismal, and leave one to wonder if there were head
coach tasks slighted as a result. After all, some teams have three or
more assistants, and all of them are doing better than the Bruins.
Then again, given the thinness of the talent on the team, even before
the big trade, Steve Kasper could have cloned himself several times and
achieved no difference in results.
Perhaps the only real surprise of the week was that GM Harry Sinden
didn’t try to pick up Gordie Howe when the deal with the AHL Syracuse
Crunch fell through. Even though Gordie was a few years older than the
typical Sinden retread, Harry could have talked about Gordie’s great
years and winning attitude. Then again, maybe Gordie was asked and
declined, saying "Hey, I still have some dignity."
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BUFFALO SABRES
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Head Coach: Ted Nolan
Roster: C - Michael Peca, Derek Plante, Brian Holzinger, Wayne Primeau.
LW - Brad May, Michal Grosek, Rob Ray, Ed Ronan. RW - Dixon Ward,
Donald Audette, Jason Dawe, Matthew Barnaby, Miroslav Satan.
D - Alexei Zhitnik, Garry Galley, Darryl Shannon, Jay McKee,
Mike Wilson, Bob Boughner, Richard Smehlik. G - Dominik Hasek,
Steve Shields, Scott Buehler.
Injuries: Dominik Hasek, g (ribs, day-to-day); Andrei Trefilov, g
(shoulder, indefinite); Pat LaFontaine, c (post-concussion syndrome,
indefinite); Anatoli Semenov, rw (shoulder, indefinite).
Transactions: Recalled Martin Biron, g, from Hull (QMJHL). Assigned
Martin Biron, g, to Hull (QMJHL). Recalled Scott Buehler, g, from
Medicine Hat (WHL).
Game Results
3/18 at Pittsburgh L 5-3
3/21 at Washington W 4-1
3/22 at Florida L 3-2
3/26 vs NY Islanders L 3-2 OT
3/28 at Detroit L 2-1 OT
3/30 at Chicago L 3-2
TEAM NEWS by Valerie Hammerl
What happens when your star goaltender cracks a rib? For the Sabres, it
meant their longest losing streak of the season. The Sabres took great
pride in not having more than two consecutive losses, but those days are
gone, as the team lost four in a row, and five of their last six games.
It started in Pittsburgh. With Dominik Hasek out, the Sabres put backup
Steve Shields in goal, but the Sabres couldn't manage a win. On to
Washington. Steve Shields faced 32 shots compared to Bill Ranford's
12, but the Sabres managed a victory.
With their confidence restored, they headed for Florida. Garry Galley
was out with stomach pains, and the team lost 3-2 despite a late goal by
rookie Jay McKee and Miroslav Satan's first goal as a Buffalo Sabre.
Worse than the loss, center Brian Holzinger, one of the club's top
scorers, broke his hand.
Trouble continued to dog the Sabres. Home against the Islanders, they
got a late goal by Satan to tie the game, but lost in overtime. Back
on the road to Detroit, another overtime loss. It was the first time
all season that the Sabres lost more than two in a row. Capping the
week was a 3-2 loss at Chicago, where Buffalo managed to outshoot
the Blackhawks, and the return of Brian Holzinger. It wasn't enough,
the team lost 3-2, including a goal by former Sabre Keith Carney.
* Goaltender Dominik Hasek has rejoined the team and is expected to play
soon.
* The Sabres' current losing streak of four games is their longest this
season.
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HARTFORD WHALERS
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Head Coach: Paul Maurice
Roster: C - Andrew Cassels, Keith Primeau, Jeff O'Neill, Kent
Manderville. LW - Geoff Sanderson, Derek King, Steven Rice,
Paul Ranheim, Stu Grimson. RW - Kevin Dineen, Robert Kron,
Nelson Emerson, Sami Kapanen, Chris Murray. D - Glen Wesley,
Adam Burt, Steve Chiasson, Kevin Haller, Curtis Leschyshyn,
Alexander Godynyuk, Marek Malik. G - Sean Burke, Jason
Muzzatti.
Injuries: Jeff Brown, d (back surgery [23 October], out for
regular season); Sami Kapanen, rw (knee [15 March], day-to-day);
Transactions: 28Mar97: Jeff Daniels, lw, assigned to Springfield
(AHL); 19Mar97: Alexander Godynyuk, d, recalled from
Springfield; 18Mar97: Alexander Godynyuk, d, loaned to
Springfield.
Game Results:
03/20 at St. Louis L 4-1
03/21 at Dallas L 2-0
03/25 Colorado L 4-0
03/27 at Tampa Bay W 5-2
03/29 NY Rangers W 2-1
TEAM NEWS by Steve Gallichio
And through it all, they actually played some hockey games.
On Wednesday, March 26, 1997, the Whalers announced that
they would be terminating their 18-year NHL stay, and 22-year
total stay in the city, effective at the end of the 1996-97 season.
Some would say that they left long before that.
Al Strachan of the Toronto Sun reported the previous week
that the Hartford owner, Peter Karmanos, held a team several
weeks previous to inform the team that the franchise would be
moving. The meeting, later confirmed, led right into a lethargic
six-game losing streak in the heart of a playoff drive.
Reactions among the players was generally regretful, but not
surprised. For the most part, the team was looking forward to
playing without a black cloud hanging over every sky.
"Whether guys want to use it as an excuse or not," Sean
Burke said, "it's not an easy way out, but no other team in this
league has had to play for two years with everybody questioning
whether the team is going to be there. In 25 other cities,
there's guys that go out and play. And they just play. There's
nobody asking them questions about location, or why guys don't
want to be there, or whatever.
"When that hangs over a team, it's really, really hard to
have guys focus on hockey."
But now the weight has been lifted. In the first games
after the announcement, it showed. Hartford defeated Tampa Bay,
5-2, at the Ice Palace - just the team's eighth road victory of
the season - in there first game Post Hartford. In their first
home game PH, the Whalers defeated the Rangers 2-1 to climb back
onto the edge of the playoff scene. Hartford remains in a tie
for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot with
Washington, with games in hand.
"We've got a legitimate chance of making the playoffs and
that's our goal," said Glen Wesley. "We want to continue to push
ourselves, because we owe that much to ourselves and our fans and
the city to at least get in the playoffs and see what happens."
Too bad the players couldn't have felt that way in any of
the past four (non-playoff) seasons. Now, it's too little and
too late for the franchise in Connecticut.
Recently departed Kelly Chase got in one final crack at the
city and fans by referring to Hartford as a "horseshit hockey
town."
Well, let us be well past the first to point out that Mr.
Chase is a horseshit hockey player...
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MONTREAL CANADIENS
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Head Coach: Mario Tremblay
ROSTER: C - Saku Koivu, Marc Bureau, Darcy Tucker, Vincent Damphousse.
LW - Shayne Corson, Martin Rucinsky, Benoit Brunet, Scott Thornton, Terry
Ryan, Brian Savage, Pierre Sevigny. RW - Mark Recchi, Stephane Richer,
Turner Stevenson, Valeri Bure. D - Vladimir Malakhov, Jassen Cullimore,
Stephane Quintal, Patrice Brisebois, Peter Popovic, David Wilkie,
Dave Manson. G - Jocelyn Thibault, Jose Theodore.
INJURIES: Patrice Brisebois, d (bruised shoulder, day-to-day).
TRANSACTIONS: 03/18: Pat Jablonski, g, Murray Barron, rw, traded to
Phoenix as Chris Murray went to Hartford in exchange for Dave Manson
(Coyotes) and Steve Cheredary, d, a 21 years old minor-leaguer from Phoenix
Coyotes.
GAME RESULTS:
3/19 at Rangers W 5-4
3/23 Washington L 3-1
3/24 Boston W 3-1
3/26 Pittsburgh W 8-5
3/29 at Ottawa L 5-2
TEAM NEWS by Jacques Robert
"Les Boys" can consider themselves to be very lucky guys who may
eventually be earning a spot in the next playoffs. Undoubtedly, odds are
on Habs' side as the regular season is winding down even though a spot
among the best teams is not in the bag. However, for a couple of weeks,
Montreal has been playing teams that either are all focused on the
postseason or are having big troubles in the race for a playoff spot. The
teams Montreal will face at the end of the season are no big shots (except
Flyers). Still, do Mario's boys have enough pride to figure out how
fortunate they are? One does not think so.
Actually, The Habs and the NHL are all alike: Nothing goes as it used to.
Take one of the greatest NHL rivalries which used to oppose Montreal and
Boston in the 70-80's. This season, Boston was turned upside down. Today
barely no interest surrounds the game. And this feeling was felt as the
Habs were to entertain the Bruins.
As a matter of fact, goalie Jim Carey kept the Bruins in the game until
late in the third. But, what a dull confrontation! Even though only success
counts for Montreal fans at this stage of the season. Yes, their
"favorites" got away with two points which served to release pressure on
Mario's boys who, two days before, had been humiliated by the Washington
Capitals.
From Grace to Capital Punishment
What a punishment! Once again, Montreal showed how inconsistent it is
whenever it comes to starting out strong. Therefore, all was set up to
provide the locals with a victory likely to strengthen their confidence: the
Canadiens brought a five-game (2-0-3) undefeated streak into the game while
goaltender Jocelyn Thibault had allowed only 13 goals in his last six
games... Alas, the game turned out to be a nightmare for Damphousse's
teammates. Defencemen were not showing up at all! For his first game on
Montreal ice, Dave Manson, the newest Canadien guard, was on the ice for
two of the three Capitals goals. Actually, The Caps capitalized on three
Montreal mistakes. Plus, Goalie Ranford showed what an experience goalie
must deliver.
Goaltending? Have we ever before addressed this big issue! Thibault is not
a bad goalie. But Tremblay is entitled to demand outstanding performances
like the one Ranford delivered this time around. Especially when you think
that Thibault gave up three goals on the first 13 shots he faced in a
crucial game. OK, Montreal may be making it to the playoffs this year...
and so what? Actually, I wouldn't bet a dime on their chance to stay alive
after the first round provided that Thibault was ensured to remain the #1
goalie for the rest of the season.
Montreal - Pittsburgh: A night to remember thanks to Mario Lemieux
If Montreal fans are not satisfied with their favorites' performances
against Washington - that, incidentally, moved the Habs into a tie for
seventh place in the Eastern Conference - they can, at least, be satisfied
with the fact that, somehow, they happened to be part of NHL history.
That kind of situation occured as The Penguins visited the Habs. What a
night! On this occasion, Mario Lemieux bid farewell to his hometown with
two goals and three asists. One of the longest ovations ever was heard at
the Molson Centre as Mario's scored the first goal. Mario was so touched
that he was even driven to tears. A real good night for Les Canadiens
that have seen their chances to participate to the playoffs get better.
As a matter of fact, it's like Tampa Bay and Hartford might be coming short
of extending their hockey season.
Habs inconsistency gets on Fans' nerves
But, today, who can predict the Canadiens' performances? Haven't those
performances taken fans on a roller coaster ride all season long? One more
time, over the past two weeks, Mario's boys have posted the best and the
worst performances. Look: at NY Rangers, the Habs were outstanding. Verses
Washington? Miserable. At Boston? Nothing to be proud of despite the
success. And against Pittsburgh, fans were riding high thanks in part to
two goals from Richer!
Provided that Hartford had beaten Rangers earlier in the day, Montreal had
no choice but to win against the Senators, a team against whom Canadiens
were still seeking their first victory of the season. Goalie Theodore, back
in front of the net after an absence of three weeks, didn't deliver at all,
and Montreal is left with a 0-3-2 over-all record against Ottawa.
Habs so close to get burned!
With all that said, the Canadiens have to win the next two games to be
played against Hartford, one of their most serious opponents if they wish to
extend the current regular season. Les Canadiens are used to coming out
strong when it's time to play with fire. And needless to say that they have
never been so close to getting burned...
ON MY NOTE PAD
Mario Tremblay collapsed!
As the Canadiens clinics was emptied out, coach Mario Tremblay felt the
bad taste of... being injured. During a practice session, Tremblay suddenly
collapsed along the boards. Nobody knows what caused Mario to fall down and
on his way out of the ice, Mario seemed to be in pain. Therapist Gaetan
Lefevre, with a smile, merely stated that Mario Tremblay will certainly be
dressed for the next game... (Ottawa)
Manson? No big deal
Thus far, Dave Manson is not of any help for the Canadiens! At Boston, he
has been suspended for two games for instigating penalties. He is to be
back in the lineup against Hartford (04/02). A team the Habs will face
twice in four days. two games that have to be played flawlessly by the
Habs.
Games remaining
04/02: at Hartford
04/05 Hartford at home
04/07 Islanders at home
04/09 at NY Islanders
04/12 Philadelphia at home
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
" If Jacques Lemaire could have faith in me (in penalty killing situations)
why couldn't..." -Stephane Richer.
(NOTE: Richer would like to be utilized more often in penalty-killing
situations since Les Canadiens show the worst penalty-killing record in the
League)
WHO IS HOT
Defenceman, Benoit Brunet is flying high since returning in the lineup
after being injured (broken hand). Benoit has six points in eight games
(before playing Ottawa).
Vincent Damphousse, Martin Rucinsky, Marc Recchi and Richer are also in
good shape.
WHO IS NOT
Brian Savage, demoted to 4th line along with Scott Thornton and Turner
Stevenson, is out of it...
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OTTAWA SENATORS
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Head Coach: Jacques Martin
Roster: C - Alexei Yashin, Radek Bonk, Shaun Van Allen, Bruce Gardiner,
Sergei Zholtok LW - Shawn McEachern, Tom Chorske, Randy Cunneyworth, Dennis
Vial, Denny Lambert RW - Daniel Alfredsson, Alexandre Daigle, Andreas
Dackell, Phil Crowe, Mike Prokopec D - Steve Duchesne, Sean Hill,
Stanislav Neckar, Frank Musil, Lance Pitlick, Jason York, Wade Redden,
Janne Laukkanen, Radim Bicanek G - Damian Rhodes, Ron Tugnutt
Injuries: Sean Hill, d (torn ACL, out for season); Stanislav Neckar, d
(torn ACL, out for season); Dennis Vial, lw (finger surgery Jan 20,
out indefinitely).
Transactions: 0320 - Mike Bales, g, returned to Baltimore of the AHL.
Game Results
03/17 at New York Rangers W 4-3
03/20 Florida T 2-2
03/22 at Boston W 5-4
03/23 Senators Alumni vs Dawson City Nuggets W 18-0
03/25 at Tampa Bay L 5-0
03/27 at Florida W 3-2
03/29 Montreal W 5-2
TEAM NEWS by The Nosebleeders
Just when you thought they were out of it...
The Sens end this period just one point shy of a playoff position. Two
weeks ago they were six points out and many were looking forward to the
draft lottery where they were posed to perhaps again get the first
pick. The team didn't give up - nor did the coaching staff and now
they are one point away from the playoffs with a game in hand on both
Washington and Montreal.
There are still two teams between the Sens and the playoff in this
tight Eastern conference race but the young team is hopeful as the
last weeks of this best ever season for the team winds down.
Coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Rangers in overtime in Ottawa
and then a back breaking tie against the Canadiens, the Sens playoff
hopes looked slim. The trading deadline loomed - what would Gauthier
do? Would he go for an enforcer that the team badly needed, a goalie
perhaps, maybe make a trade for next season? The Tuesday deadline
loomed....but first...
Home, Home On The Range
They flew to New York ready to play the Rangers, who had not played
since beating the Sens in overtime - a game the Rangers knew that
they should not have won. Starting goalie Ron Tugnutt was on a high
after stopping 35 of 37 shots against Montreal on Saturday - his start
necessitated due to the nagging calf injury to Damian Rhodes.
Tughutt was the difference in this one, facing 41 shots and outplaying
all-star Mike Richter. Bruce Gardiner again dipped his stick into the
toilet before becoming the offensive hero in the second straight game.
He converted an Alexei Yashin rebound with 2:13 remaining. The Sens
lost a 2-0 lead when the Rangers shifted into high gear in the second
and badly outplayed the young Ottawa club. Coach Martin used the game
to try out a combination of right wingers on the Yashin-McEachern
line.
Janne Laukkanen missed the game with the flu and this may have
contributed to the Senators defensive breakdown.
Back to the Trading Floor
While others moved in, the Sens choose to move away. Not wanting to
shake things up ("sometimes the best deals are the ones you don't
make"), GM Pierre Gauthier made a minor trade before the trading
deadline - sending three players to Chicago for 22-year-old prospect Mike
Prokopec. Prokopec was a 7th-round draft choice of the Hawks in 1992,
161st overall. The 6'2", 190 lb winger has no points in nine NHL
games. The Sens gave up forward Denis Chase, Peterborough defensemen
Kevin Bolibruck, and the their sixth pick in the 1998 draft.
Prokopec was at his home in Indianapolis when told of the trade, he
was shocked: "When I found out that three guys were going to Chicago
for me, I had to wonder if they had the right guy." So too did the
Nosebleeders if perhaps the Sens had invested in Bre-X and were
looking to offload salaries. Prokopec explained, "I hadn't proven
myself in this league." GM Gauthier was looking for a big tough
forward who could play in the NHL - only time will tell on this one folks.
Even a Tired Cat Can be Dangerous
The return of Sens goalie Damian Rhodes dominated the airwaves in the
hours leading up to the Florida game. Should coach Martin start the
hot Ron Tugnutt or go back to his proclaimed number one goalie, who
earlier in the week had declared himself fit after missing almost one
month with a bruised leg. The length of time missed by Rhodes had
some believing his confidence was bruised more than his leg. Rhodes
agreed that it seemed strange to miss a month with what first seemed
like a bruise; it was later diagnosed that internal bleeding had
caused his calf tendon to bond to his leg bone. A New York doctor
managed to free the tendon by gently massaging his leg (cue romance
music...).
Coach Martin elected to warm up both goalies before the game but he
had previously declared Rhodes would start and he did. Florida had
been beaten the night before 7-4 by the Islanders and the Sens felt
that they could steal one from the declawed Cats.
The Sens outshot the Panthers 28-20 (16-4 in the second) and outplayed
them by much the same margin. Gardiner, on a great short-handed
effort, again scored for the Sens who had plenty of chances including
a four-on-one break where defensive defensemen Lance Pitlick missed
the net by a couple of feet. Goalie Rhodes gave up a weak goal to
Florida's high-scoring Steve Washburn who now has three goals on the
year. Bottom line: a 2-2 tie in a game the Sens should have won.
Beantown
With an almost even home and away record the Sens entered Beantown
ready for the Saturday afternoon game at the Fleet Centre. Gardiner
was on a three-game scoring streak for the Sens and Boston entered the
game with little hope for a playoff spot - it looked like this would
be the first time in 30 years that they would miss the playoffs. The
Sens had not made the playoffs in over 70 years but needed this one to
keep their 96/97 chances alive.
Coach Martin returned to Tugnutt in the Sens net. His play and a
goal post late in the third won them the game. Alexei Yashin helped
the Sens to a 5-2 lead with two assists before scoring a nice goal
himself, flipping a pass to himself and forcing goalie Rob Tallas down
and easily sliding the puck in. Ottawa was badly outplayed in the
third but held on for the win. Gauthier: "sometimes you play lousy
and win".
The win brought the Sens to within three points of the Canadiens and
Capitals for the 8th playoff spot.
Incredible Journey
On Sunday March 23rd, the Ottawa Senators alumni defeated the Dawson
City Nuggets 18-0 (6-0, 6-0, 6-0). The Nuggets, wearing traditional
fur hats and gloves during the warmup, came out flying and ended the
game exhausted, beards dripping with sweat and grinning from ear to
ear. The original 1905 challenge had ended much the same way with the
Senators winning a two game series 9-3 and then 23-2, with one-eyed
Frank McGee getting 14 goals in the second game. This time the team
was proud to be going home having been scored on five times fewer than
the last - good for a few bragging rights back at the pub in Dawson
City. At this rate, Dawson should win their first encounter in the
year 2563.
The days leading up to this exhibition game included many events to
remember the 1905 Cup and to honour the 1997 Dawson City Nuggets who
had traveled by dog-sled and train to take on the Ottawa Senator
oldtimers in a re-enactment of the 1905 series.
Asked about the 20-day journey to the game, Nugget defensemen
Steve Craig noted that "it was the experience of a lifetime." He
further admitted he is relieved that the team won't be re-creating the
journey home (sounds like a bus trip I once took to Florida).
Plaque Unveiled At Corner of Bay and Gladstone
The former site of Dey's Skating Rink, home of the mighty
Ottawa Silver Seven and the host arena of the 1905 Stanley Cup
challenge, was the site of a plaque unveiling the words "The Ottawa
Hockey Club Defeated the Montreal Victorias at this site on March
10th, 1903 to bring Ottawa its first Stanley Cup."
Ok, Back to the Regularly Scheduled Playoff Race
A quick trip to Florida started with the Sens taking on the Tampa Bay
Lightning - both teams entered the game tied for 10th with 63 points.
Goalie Rhodes got the call from Martin but was pulled after three
quick goals in the first and one early in the second (four goals on 13
shots). The Sens enjoyed plenty of opportunities to get back into the
game including seven minutes of first-period power plays including 75
seconds of 5-on-3. The league's fourth-best power play could not
capitalize, firing 18 shots at Rick Tabaracci with no return.
This game was crying out for a Sens enforcer to start something early
in the second - the Sens had outplayed Tampa Bay but were down 4-0. A
very big win for Tampa Bay and a big loss for the Sens who found
themselves five points from the playoffs.
Standout defensemen Janne Laukkanen injured his right knee in the
game.
The Cat - Part Two
The Sens traveled south to Miami to take on the tight-
checking Panthers in a must-win game with the weight of the team
on 155-pound goalie Ron Tugnutt. Stopping two 2-on-1 breaks early in the
first period gave the Sens the confidence they needed; they did not
allow another shot on goal that period. The Sens opened up a 3-0 lead
and coasted to what could have been Tugnutt's (or "Ron Toughluck" as he
sometimes likes to call himself) first shutout were it not for the
last three minutes of the game.
Adding emotion to his game, Yashin lifted himself to another level in
this one, elbowing Panthers defensemen Robert Svehla-va-guy and
assisting on Steve Duchesne's second-period power-play goal. He was
dominating and his play did not go unnoticed by his teammates.
Trivia Time
This season the Sens have not had a game where one of their players
has scored three or more goals. Who was the first modern day Senator
to pot a tour-du-chapeau? Answer at the end of this column.
The Rivalry Continues...
The Sens returned home after the game to prepare for a Saturday night
match against the Montreal Canadiens, who led them by five points in the
hunt for the playoffs.
A surprise start for the Habs was goaltender Jose Theodore, instead of
number one goalie Jocelyn Thibault. Coach Mario Tremblay said that
Theodore was looking good in practice and that he may get a
psychological boost from playing before what is essentially a home
town crowd (he played junior in Hull). The Sens chased Jose from the
nets early in the third.
The Canadiens opened the scoring in this one on a pretty goal from
Montreal sniper Stephane Richer. Ottawa then responded with five straight
goals, including two within the first two minutes of the third (chasing
Jose from the net). Yashin netted one goal for the Sens and assisted on
two others. The best goal of the night was Daniel Alfredsson's 24th of
the season, a meaningless goal for the Sens as it came late in the game
but one well deserved for the hard working Alfredsson, who has not been
on the scoring sheet of late.
The Sens end the year against the Hab 3-0-2 and now find themselves
one point from a playoff spot.
Down on the Farm...
The Western Hockey League (WHL) has voted Chris Phillips, the Senators'
96 number one pick, as its top defensemen. In 58 games he had seven
goals, 41 assists, and 86 penalty minutes averaging 35-40 minutes per
game. He was a key reason the Lethbridge Hurricanes (owners of the
ugliest team jersey in hockey history) finished first overall in the
WHL.
Trivia Answer
Bob Kudelski scored the first hat trick for the team in the 1993-94
season.
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PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
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Head Coach: Craig Patrick
Roster: C - Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Petr Nedved, Stu Barnes,
Alex Hicks. LW - Joe Dziedzic, Garry Valk, Josef Beranek, Roman Oksiuta,
Alek Stojanov. RW - Jaromir Jagr, Greg Johnson, Ed Olczyk, Joey Mullen.
D - Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Hatcher, Chris Tamer, Fredrik Olausson,
Jason Woolley, Francois Leroux, Craig Muni, Neil Wilkinson, Ian Moran.
G - Tom Barrasso, Ken Wregget, Patrick Lalime.
Injuries: Alek Stojanov, lw (abdominal strain, day-to-day);
Tom Barrasso, g (shoulder, out for season).
Transactions: Traded Richard "Dickie" Park, c, to Anaheim for Roman
Oksiuta, lw. Traded Glen Murray, rw, to Los Angeles for Ed Olczyk, rw.
Acquired Josef Beranek, lw, from Vancouver for future considerations.
Assigned left wingers Dave Roche and Jeff Christian to Cleveland (IHL).
Assigned Philippe DeRouville, g, to Kansas City (IHL).
Game Results
3/18 Buffalo W 5-3
3/20 Toronto W 6-3
3/22 New Jersey L 3-2
3/24 at Rangers L 3-0
3/26 at Montreal L 8-5
3/29 Los Angeles W 4-1
3/31 Florida W 4-3
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
Things are lookin' good all over. Amazing what a team of healthy
players can do, isn't it? Granted, the Penguins have only won
two games in a row, but spirits are high in the Burgh thanks to
the return of Jaromir Jagr.
The Czech wonderkid missed 17 consecutive games with a severely
strained groin muscle before returning to action on March 29
against the Los Angeles Kings. Well, technically he missed 16 of
17 games, but he only played a period of hockey on February 27 at
Detroit before being forced out of the lineup for a second time.
With Jagr on the shelf, the Penguins went 4-11-2. That's not
good. In the two games since his return, the Penguins are 2-0-0
with wins over Los Angeles and Florida. That is good.
The real good news is that Jagr is reporting no pain whatsoever
when he skates. He's looked extremely strong, being reunited
with fellow superstars Mario Lemieux and Ron Francis on the top
line. He has a goal and three assists in the two games and has
made a dramatic impact on the Pittsburgh offense. His mere
presence on the ice causes problems for the opposition and opens
up space for his teammates. Now that Jagr is back, the Pens seem
poised for a serious stretch drive towards the playoffs.
Playoff Picture: Speaking of the postseason, the Birds
are actually moving their way up in the standings. The recent
modest two-game winning streak was enough to push the Penguins
(36-33-7, 79 pts) into a fifth-place tie with the New York
Rangers (35-32-9, 79 pts), only five points back of the
struggling Florida Panthers. Pittsburgh's remaining schedule is
also favorable, with two games against Boston and one each
against Ottawa, Hartford, Tampa Bay, and those same Panthers.
The Penguins will play their next three games at home, closing
out a five-game homestand, against the Whale (4/3), the Senators
(4/5), and the Bruins (4/8). Then it's off on the road to finish
out the regular season in Tampa Bay (4/10), Florida (4/11), and
Boston (4/13).
Mario Comes Alive: Mario Lemieux was havin' troubles.
The club was losing and he wasn't scoring. Mario went a career-
worst three straight games without a point and another career-
worst eight straight games without a goal over the past two-week
stretch. The worst part of it was that both dubious streaks
reached their peak in a March 24, 3-0 loss to Wayne Gretzky and
the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Not only was
Mario not scoring, but he really wasn't looking too happy. It
was actually kind of depressing to watch him play. All appeared
bleak. Then Mario went home.
When the Penguins traveled to Montreal on March 26 to battle the
Canadiens, it marked Lemieux's final game in his home town,
barring an improbable post-season meeting with the Habs. Always
having a flair for the dramatic, Mario said good-bye to his
hometown fans in style.
The Canadiens stormed out of the gate and scored on four of their
first five shots against Patrick Lalime to stun the Penguins and
seemingly throw a halt to Lemieux's farewell party. But Mario
wasn't goin' out like that. Good ol' 66 went buckwild, putting
on a brilliant display of hockey skills that left all in
attendance wanting more. When the evening ended the Canadiens
left with an 8-5 win, but Lemieux left with the respect and
admiration of all who witnessed his glorious two-goal, three-
assist performance.
The highlight of the evening came at 15:59 of the third period.
Already owning three assists on the night, Lemieux was on a
mission to give the Montreal fans something more to remember him
by. After working a nifty give-and-go with Ron Francis in the
neutral zone, Mario, as only he can, busted around the defense
and was in alone against goaltender Jocelyn Thibault. Lemieux
has missed numerous breakaways this season, often electing to
just shoot the puck without even deking. Not this time. In a
move that is vintage Lemieux, Mario totally freaked Thibault with
a forehand-backhand move before depositing the puck behind the
bewildered netminder.
The crowd voiced its approval with a standing ovation. And they
kept cheering. And cheering. And cheering. Mario was visibly
touched by the outpouring of affection, although he was doing his
best to hide his emotions. With the cheers still raining down
from the heavens and no apparent end in sight, Lemieux finally
raised his right arm in gesture to the fans. It was just one of
them there special moments.
The lovefest continued when Mario rifled a one-timer from the
slot over Thibault's left shoulder on the power play with just 52
seconds left in regulation. The goal once again brought the
Montreal fans to their feet and another heartfelt tribute was
bestowed upon Lemieux.
As the final horn sounded, Mario was congratulated by teammates
and opposition alike. Vincent Damphousse even asked Mario for
his stick, but he had to politely decline since it was already
promised to someone else. Lemieux was again greeted by a
deafening roar from the crowd when he was announced as the game's
number one star. Instead of the customary quick circle onto the
ice and back down the hall that is the norm for visiting players,
Mario skated out to the center of the ice and waved to the crowd.
He also went on to the Montreal bench to receive a handshake and
hug from Canadiens president Ronald Corey, who also asked for one
of Lemieux's sticks. Before leaving the Habs' bench Mario would
shake hands with the other two stars of the game, Mark Recchi and
Shayne Corson, as well as injured defenseman Patrice Brisebois.
It was truly a special evening and a fitting tribute to the
game's greatest player.
As a final note, while Lemieux couldn't give them sticks that he
used during the game, he did make sure that both Vincent
Damphousse and Ronald Corey received sticks from his equipment
bag. Mario is swell like that.
In the two games since his triumphant outing in Montreal, Mario
has a goal and three assists and is once again looking like his
old self. He's also displaying plenty of fire.
Witness the March 29 game against the Kings at the Igloo. Having
already been sticked in the face once in the first period, Mario
had enough when defenseman Aki Berg got careless with the lumber
and clipped him above the right eye. With no penalty called on
the play, Mario took justice into his own hands. After chasing
Berg to the boards and following him into the left wing corner,
Lemieux belted the Finnish blueliner into the backboards with a
solid shoulder check. Berg took exception and cross-checked
Lemieux in the chest. Mario whacked Berg right back. When Berg
came with the stick a second time, it was on. Both men dropped
the gloves and went at it. That's right, Mario dropped the
gloves... he's not scared to bust heads.
Seeing Berg trying to rough up Mario, several Penguins rushed
behind the cage to help out, bringing with them a slew of Kings.
With all the traffic and Lemieux pushing him, Berg lost his
balance and stumbled to his knees before he could really even
throw a punch. Lemieux took advantage by firing two sweeping
uppercuts with his right hand. The first grazed the top of
Berg's head, while the second one drilled him right in the face
and knocked him into the back of the goal, all loopy from the
blow. In the words of Smokey from that cinematic treasure
"Friday", Berg, "You got knocked the f*** out!"
Despite Mario's TKO, the battle won't go into the books as a
fight. With so many players crowding behind the net during the
scrum, the referee missed Mario throwing the two big haymakers,
and only gave him a double-minor for roughing. But it was a damn
good double-minor.
Needless to say the Civic Arena crowd went crazy. It's not that
the fans want to see the best hands in show business punching
helmets instead of scoring goals, it's just that the fight was a
sure sign that Mario was into the game and back to playing with
his old spirit and intensity.
It's Ah In There: It seems like a moot point now, but
Montreal reporters were actually mad at Mario when he failed to
show up for a practice at the Molson Centre on the day before the
Canadiens game. Mario took the day off to spend time with his
family at his childhood home. Lemieux's parents still live in
the same house where he was raised, refusing to leave their
modest home despite the wealth of their famous son. For dinner
that night Mario enjoyed his mother's famous spaghetti and
meatballs. Maybe there was something magical in the sauce?
Considering his play since that night, Lemieux's mom should cook
for the whole team.
Francis Milestone: There's been a lot of goal-scoring
milestones in Pittsburgh this year. Mario hit 600 and Joey
Mullen notched 500, now Ron Francis has also reached an
impressive plateau of his own. Francis bagged his 400th career
goal on March 29 against the Kings.
Like Lemieux, Francis was mired in a brutal scoring slump before
the Montreal game. Ronnie broke out of it with a goal and four
assists against the Habs, following that up with two goals and an
assist against the Kings, and two more assists at the expense of
the Panthers.
While on the subject of historical goal-scoring feats, Mario
scored his 610th career goal on March 31 against Florida, tying
him with Bobby Hull for the sixth spot on the all-time goal-scoring list.
Healthy Bunch: The Penguins are finally getting healthy.
Over the past two weeks Jagr, Petr Nedved, Garry Valk, Jason
Woolley, Darius Kasparaitis, and Ken Wregget have all returned
from injuries. The only person still ailing is left winger Alek
Stojanov, who is still recovering from an abdominal strain.
Moran's Mad Skills: The injuries were so bad that the
Pens actually dressed nine defensemen against the Sabres on March
18. Ian Moran was one of the blueliners used on offense and
played extremely well, even bagging an empty-net goal in the 5-3
win. He was back on the right wing the next game against Toronto
and scored another goal in a 6-3 win. In fact, Moran has played
so well that he is now a fixture on the right side of
Pittsburgh's fourth line, centered by Alex Hicks with Joe
Dziedzic on the left. Moran posted his third goal as a forward
in the 4-3 win over Florida on March 31, deflecting a shot
between the pads of John Vanbiesbrouck.
When Moran was entering the Draft back in 1990, several clubs had
him pegged as a forward prospect. However, the Penguins thought
he'd make a swell mobile defender and selected him in the fifth
round in hopes of him one day patrolling the blue line. Moran is
a good skater with some offensive talent, but at just 5'11", 175
pounds, he hasn't been big enough to make an impact on
Pittsburgh's defense to this point in his career. He plays a
physical game for his size, it's just that he often gets
outmuscled in front of the net.
Playing him on wing seems like a perfect solution. Not only does
he have enough talent to score the odd goal, but as a natural
defenseman he doesn't shy away from physical contact and he's
always thinking defense first. It's almost like having a third
defender out on the ice. Moran may have finally found his niche.
New Players: The last report came out just before the
trades were announced for Roman Oksiuta, Ed Olczyk, and Josef
Beranek. In case you haven't heard by now, the Pens sent Glen
Murray to Los Angeles for Olczyk; Richard "Dickie" Park to
Anaheim for Oksiuta; and future considerations to Vancouver for
Beranek.
Of the three players, Beranek has been the most impressive. The
6'2", 189-pound Czech winger has showed plenty of talent and
determination as a Penguin. He bagged his first goal on March 31
in the 4-3 win over Florida, although he's been generating
scoring chances every night for his new team. Depending on what
the future considerations turn out to be, Beranek looks like a
steal. While he couldn't fit in with Vancouver and elected to
play this season over in the Czech Republic, the 27-year-old
should feel right at home on the Penguins alongside countrymen
Jaromir Jagr and Petr Nedved.
Beranek and Nedved actually have a cool history. Beranek's dad
was Nedved's coach when he defected to Canada in 1989. Not only
that, but Beranek's dad and Nedved's dad actually played on the
same line with the Czech national team back in the day. Now
their two sons are skating on the same line in the NHL. Pretty
cool, huh?
Eddie Olczyk has played okay so far. Nothing spectacular, but as
good if not better than anything Glen Murray was doing. He
scored his first and only goal as a Penguin on March 29 against
his former team, blasting a slap shot over the shoulder of Los
Angeles netminder J. C. Bergeron.
Roman Oksiuta has been the least effective of the three. He
showed some good hands in his first few games, but his skating is
forced and he's not real strong in his own end. With the return
of Jagr, Nedved, and Valk from injuries, Oksiuta has been a
healthy scratch for the last few contests.
Kaspar Got Troubles: Darius Kasparaitis continues to have
terrible luck with facial injuries. Since joining the Penguins
Darius has had his nose broken twice and has been cut more times
than Tony Zendejas... if you're scoring at home, that's an
obscure late 1980s, early 1990s NFL reference. Believe me, it's
funny stuff.
Anyway, after breaking his nose for the second time, courtesy of
the Islanders' Rich Pilon slamming his face into the ice, Darius
decided that he would wear a visor next season. He thought the
adjustment to wearing one would be difficult, so he didn't want
to try and put it on immediately.
So wouldn't ya know it, a few games later Buffalo's Mike Peca
drills Darius right in the kisser with an elbow, knocking Kaspar
all silly and giving him a mild concussion. Darius missed the
next three games while he waited for the headaches to go away.
When he returned against Montreal on March 26, Darius was wearing
a visor. Good decision.
Current Lines: Here's a look at the current line
combinations...
OFFENSE
Lemieux - Francis - Jagr
Beranek - Nedved - Olczyk
Valk - Barnes - Johnson
Dziedzic - Hicks - Moran
DEFENSE
Hatcher - Kasparaitis
Woolley - Olausson
Tamer - Wilkinson
I'm Tired: Um, I'm tired, so that's all I'm writin'...
================================================================
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TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
WESTERN CONFERENCE
CENTRAL DIVISION
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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
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Head Coach: Craig Hartsburg
Roster: C - Alexei Zhamnov, Kevin Miller, Denis Savard, Jeff
Shantz, Brent Sutter, Steve Dubinsky, Kip Miller. LW - Murray
Craven, Bob Probert, Jim Cummins, Ethan Moreau, Dave Chyzowski,
Eric Lecompte. RW - Tony Amonte, Eric Daze, Darin Kimble, Sergei
Krivokrasov, Ulf Dahlen, Denis Chasse. D - Chris Chelios, Gary
Suter, Steve Smith, Eric Weinrich, Cam Russell, Keith Carney,
Enrico Ciccone, Michal Sykora. G - Jeff Hackett, Chris Terreri.
Injuries: Brent Sutter, c (sprained knee, day-to-day).
Transactions: Signed Dmitri Nabokov, c, to a multi-year contract
Game Results:
3/20 Phoenix L 4-2
3/23 Detroit W 5-3
3/26 Washington W 5-3
3/28 Anaheim L 4-3
3/30 Buffalo W 3-2
TEAM NEWS by Dan Glovier
Trade This!
There is usually plenty of talk around the Hawks as the trade
deadline approaches, and, historically, there has been some
movement. Notice how I said "plenty of talk" and "some movement." A
historical background: In the mid-80's, Hawk fans were always
amazed at how close the Hawks were to getting Paul Coffey and other
top-notch players of the time. Somehow, Steve Ludzik was always in
the middle of these trade talks. You now understand why the Hawks
never landed Coffey.
Despite these rumors and supposed just-misses, the reality of it is
that the Hawks will make a move, but only if it is fiscally sound.
Yep, "Dollar" Bill Wirtz has a definite agenda: the bottom line.
All of those rumors we have heard were nothing but smoke being
blown up our chimneys. Huggy Bear gave us better tips!
The Hawks just want to get some good goaltending, some good defense,
and score the occasional goal. Keep the games tight, hope for a
bounce, get the big save, and hang on to win it 2-1. The worst thing
that could have happened was for the Canadiens to win the Cup in
1993. It showed the rest of the league what could happen if you got
a hot goalie and played good defense. You don't need a bunch of
(high-priced) stars to win it all. History says so!
Several years ago, the Penguins picked up Joe Mullen for a
third-round pick. A third-round pick! Do you think he was worth
it?! Didn't the Hawks have a third-rounder laying around? However,
Joe Mullen came with a contract that was a bit more than Hawks
management likes to pay.
Now, if I told you that a team was shopping a left winger who had
scored 30 goals (including a 38- and a 40-goal season) in three out
of the last five years, what would you pay if you were a team in
the middle of a playoff race? A prospect in the minors? But wait,
there's more! He is also on pace to score 25-30 goals this year.
Now what would you pay? A second-rounder? A combination of players
and picks? Well, for this week only, you can pick up your own Derek
King for a fifth-round pick! That's right, a fifth-round pick! And
we promise overnight delivery straight to your door!
Gaahhhhhh!!!!!!!!
A fifth-round pick for a player who can score goals. Do you think
that the Hawks could use that? I can't find the logic in not
picking up a player who has been in the league (he's 30) and who
can score. It has to be the money, the bottom line. That's the only
possible explanation for not giving up a fifth-round pick for him.
That's nothing!
Also, has anyone else noticed how Robert Reichel is absolutely
flying around the ice in New York? I'm very happy about his output
(I have him in my hockey pool), but those points would have looked
better wearing the jersey of the Hawks.
Now why am I so adamant about the Hawks picking up some scoring and
spending some cash? Let's do some math. C'mon, it's fun!
This year, the Hawks are 24-5-6 when they score three or more goals.
On the flip side, they are 6-26-6 when they score two or less goals.
It's not surprising that a team loses when they score two or less
goals, but when you score only two or less goals a game more often
than Gary Nylund turned over the puck, this situation has to be
addressed, even if it affects the BOTTOM LINE.
Home Stand
Despite not getting any help at the trade deadline, the Hawks just
completed their biggest home stand of the year, going 4-2 while in
this critical time. Getting used to the United Center couldn't have
come at a better time.
Playoff Stumble
The Hawks are in the middle of a playoff run with Phoenix, St.
Louis, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Calgary. Each of these teams are only
a handful of points apart with only a handful of games left. A
slump now would be devastating. As of this writing, the Hawks had a
slim two-point lead on Calgary with six games left. However,
Calgary has one more win, which would give the Flames the
tie-breaker if the teams end up tied in points.
All of these teams are floating around .500. I guess that's what the
NHL wants. Playoff races supposedly keep it interesting right down to
the wire, and I suppose it does. However, when only three teams in a
conference are assured of a .500 record or better with less than six
games to play, it makes you wonder why they are still discussing
expansion.
Do You Believe In Miracles?
Some say the Hale-Bopp Comet has some special powers. I have to
agree. How else can you explain the fact that both Murray Craven
and Keith Carney scored in the win against Buffalo? Heck, center
Murray Craven has scored only three goals during the baseball
off-season. Ouch!
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DALLAS STARS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head coach: Ken Hitchcock
Roster: C-Mike Modano, Todd Harvey, Guy Carbonneau, Joe Nieuwendyk,
Neal Broten, Bob Bassen. LW-Dave Reid, Greg Adams, Benoit Hogue,
Brent Gilchrist, Bill Huard. RW-Pat Verbeek, Jamie Langenbrunner,
Jere Lehtinen, Grant Marshall, Mike Kennedy. D-Derian Hatcher, Craig
Ludwig, Darryl Sydor, Grant Ledyard, Mike Lalor, Richard Matvichuk,
Sergei Zubov. G-Arturs Irbe, Andy Moog.
Injuries: Richard Matvichuk, d (re-injury of groin strain,
indefinite); Brent Gilchrist, lw (groin strain, indefinite); Andy
Moog, g (sprained ankle, day-to-day); Derian Hatcher, d (knee
surgery, indefinite).
Transactions: Recalled Roman Turek, g, from Michigan K-Wings (IHL).
Recalled Manny Fernandez, g, from Michigan.
Game Results:
3/19 Phoenix W 7-2
3/21 Hartford W 2-0
3/23 at St. Louis W 4-1
3/30 at Vancouver W 3-2
3/31 at Edmonton W 3-1
Team News by Jim Panenka
All Quiet on the Western Front
Things are going quite well for the Stars. Even though the number
one goalie (Moog), and the top defensive pairing (Hatcher,
Matvichuk) have been on the shelf for the past few weeks, the team
has still kept right on truckin'.
Dallas now owns a 10-game unbeaten streak. They are 8-0-2 since
March 1. They are on a possible pace to break the all-time
franchise unbeaten record of 12 games, which was set in 1981-1982.
Things are relatively quiet for the team now, there has been no
indication that their winning ways will change in any way, any time
soon. The Stars have followed the same formula all year long, they
utilize their depth by rotating four solid lines, and a six-man
defensive squad continuously. They play sound defensive hockey, and
forecheck relentlessly until the opposition wears down and begins
to make mistakes. Then, all hell breaks loose.
The hell I am referring to is the team's top line of
Adams-Modano-Lehtinen. This line is a legitimate threat to any
opposing squad. Since Adams' return from varying injuries, the line
was immediately re-formed, and has picked up right where it left
off.
Modano is having a career season, and the league now recognizes he
is no longer just a flashy, goal scoring center. Modano has worked
hard, and worked smart, to overcome all the obstacles thrown in his
path on the journey towards NHL super-stardom.
Dallas is fortunate that Mo decided to stick with this team, rather
than jumping ship and looking for the quick buck. He was to be a
free agent, if Dallas was unable to re-sign him prior to this
season's start. But, Mike said all along that he felt he owed the
club for drafting him and making him a franchise player.
Modano quietly refined his two-way skills. And, even though he is
double-teamed any time he carries the puck, he has used his skills
to score short-handed, and to set up either Adams or Lehtinen
whenever possible. He has found a way to continue to score and
contribute, when most flash-only one-way goal scorers would have
packed up the bags and left for Moneysville.
Modano still leads the team in production with 32 goals, 45 assists
for 77 points.
Jere Lehtinen should win the Selke. The man is a highly underrated
player. That will change quickly. Even though Jere has been in and
out of the lineup for months now, whenever he is on the ice, he
usually ends up being one of the three stars of the game, and
usually has two or more points under his belt.
Lehtinen bagged three points on March 23 in St. Louis. He scored two
goals, one of them a short-handed tally. And, he assisted on
Modano's goal, another short-handed score.
The very next game, March 30 at Vancouver, Jere scored a goal, and
assisted on Greg Adams' goal.
In only 57 game appearances, Lehtinen has 13 goals, 24 assists for
37 points. But, it is not Jere's point-production that the Stars
count on, it is his forechecking and penalty-killing skills that
make him such a valuable player.
The most consistent thing that can be overheard when people speak of
Lehtinen is that he always seems to be in the perfect position,
defensively.
Many times, when a game opens up, and the defenders are caught on
the wrong end, Jere will magically appear as if out of nowhere to
break up the play that is headed toward his own net. More often
than not, he will break the play, or make one of his own.
He works very hard every shift, every game. He can be seen buzzing
about relentlessly on power plays, tracking down the puck like a
heat-seeking missile.
Lehtinen gets quite a bit of help from Greg Adams. Gus is a very
prolific goal-scorer. He is on pace for a 40-goal season, had it
not been for the varying injuries that have kept him out of the
lineup more or less since December.
Adams loves to crash the net, and he has the mad hands close in on
goal. Before you can say "OT Adams" he has usually deposited the
biscuit behind the hapless goaltender.
The goal he scored against Pittsburgh on March 16 was a classic
example. Derian Hatcher found himself pressing up on a rush with
the puck. Hatcher slipped a beautiful backhanded pass across to
Adams, who dove toward the goal post with his body, and redirected
the pass into, and over, Lalime's shoulder. That one made the
highlight reels.
The Stars' last game, against Edmonton, saw yet another classic "Gus
goal." Early in the third, Modano was camped along the boards at the
right point. Adams was moving into the slot, with a defender draped
all over him. Modano sent in a pass right onto the tape of Adams'
stick, and Gus redirected the pass low, tucking it between the post
and Cujo's left pad.
Yep, them boys have the mad skills. Only Joe Nieuwendyk scores
prettier goals. His line is a whole other story!
The Stars are sitting pretty, and are now in the driver's seat.
Arturs Irbe is riding an eight-game unbeaten streak (6-0-2). Irbe
still like wall!
Andy Moog is due to return soon, but in his absence, Irbe has
proven he has the stuff to keep the good thing going for the team.
Irbe is showing all of the signs of quiet confidence, which is
consistent with the entire team.
Whenever the Stars need someone to step up and fill in a vacant
position, they have been able to rotate personnel in and out of the
lineup with almost no noticeable difference at all.
That has been the case for Dan Keczmer, who is doing a great job in
filling in for Matvichuk. Keczmer has been doing nothing more than
his job, which is exactly what the Stars need him to do.
Also, Arturs Irbe has filled in well for Andy Moog. And, Manny
Fernandez is always available as a backup.
Unfortunately, Roman Turek injured a knee on Monday in Edmonton.
This was his first game back as a backup netminder since a groin
injury in Michigan. He also got the start. Arturs Irbe had to come
into the game after Turek left the ice late in the first period
with the twisted knee.
So, goaltending seems to remain as the Stars' only Achilles heel.
Irbe is doing a great job, but Fernandez is not a consistent
winner, and Turek is now out indefinitely.
To compound things further, Andy Moog has been reported to have a
confidence problem since recovering from several differing
injuries. Hopefully he will be ready before the season ends.
As far as the standings go, Detroit is almost an afterthought. The
Stars have their sights set clearly ahead of them. They are gunning
for the Avalanche, and for first place overall in the West.
Currently, Dallas remains only three points behind the Avs. Detroit
is a distant 11 points behind Dallas.
If the Stars win every remaining regular season game, it would be
impossible for any other team to finish with a higher ranking in
the West. That is a tall order, but with the way things are going,
you never know.
The Stars are heading into the post-season with a full head of
steam. Let's just say the Cup is definitely not out of reach.
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DETROIT RED WINGS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Scotty Bowman
Roster C - Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Igor Larionov, Kris
Draper. LW - Brendan Shanahan, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Martin Lapointe,
Tim Taylor, Tomas Holmstrom, Mike Knuble. RW - Doug Brown, Mathieu
Dandenault, Darren McCarty, Kirk Maltby, Joey Kocur, Tomas
Sandstrom. D - Nicklas Lidstrom, Bob Rouse, Vladimir Konstantinov,
Slava Fetisov, Larry Murphy, Jamie Pushor, Brian Glynn, Aaron Ward,
Anders Eriksson. G - Mike Vernon, Chris Osgood, Kevin Hodson.
Injuries:Tomas Holmstrom, lw (bruised shoulder, day-to-day); Bob
Rouse, d (flu, day-to-day).
Transactions: Recalled Mike Knuble, f, from Adirondack (AHL).
Extended the option on Brendan Shanahan's contract through the
1999-2000 season.
Game Results:
3/19 Boston W 4-1
3/21 at Rangers L 3-1
3/23 at Chicago L 5-3
3/26 Colorado W 6-5 OT
3/28 Buffalo W 2-1 OT
3/30 Anaheim L 1-0 OT
TEAM NEWS by Dino Cacciola
Tea Party
The Red Wings returned home after a long road trip. "Professor"
Igor Larionov scored two goals and set up another against the
Bruins and Kevin Hodson made 13 saves in his first start in almost
three months. Aaron Ward and Larry Murphy also tallied in the 4-1
victory over the Boston Bruins. The Wings have now beaten the
Bruins eight straight times.
"I was a little more nervous than I'd like to be and after the first
goal I was even more nervous," Hodson said. "When you don't play a
whole lot, you don't always have a feel for where the defense is
going. I didn't really fight the puck at the start, but you almost
have to learn your way around the crease again and learn the angles
all over again."
Hodson's last start was Dec. 20 against Vancouver. His record
improved to 2-1-1 as the Wings third goaltender. Newly acquired
Larry Murphy scored his eighth goal of the year and first as a Red
Wing on the power play early in the second period. The Wings
outshot Boston 30 to 14.
On the Road Again
The Wings lose to the Rangers 3-1 for their third loss in the last
four road games. Nicklas Lidstrom scored the only goal for the
Wings. Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman said. "We didn't have a lot
going offensively. I think they worked harder than we did."
The highlight of this game may have been when Mark Messier was
checked hard into the boards by Detroit defenseman Slava "Grampa"
Fetisov with just under seven minutes to go in the third period and
did not return. Messier said,"He's one up on me. I have to see if
I can even the score." The Red Wings out shot the Rangers 33 to
31. They seem to be outshooting everyone lately.
Chicago Blues
Mike Vernon surrendered three goals on four shots in the first seven
minutes of the game to the Blackhawks. His replacement Kevin Hodson,
turned aside 25 of 27 attempts in the 5-3 road loss. Brendan
Shanahan had his 45th goal and an assist. The Wings went 1-3-2
against their longtime rivals this season. The Captain Steve
Yzerman netted his 17th goal of the season to end his scoring
drought.
"We battled back, but it is hard to win when you give up that many
goals early in the game," said Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman.
To Av and to hold
Tough guy Darren McCarty scored 39 seconds into overtime as the
Wings rallied to defeat the Avalanche for the first time this
season 6-5. Mike Vernon notched his 300th carreer victory in the
win. The Wings peppered St. Patrick Roy 47-19 in the fight-filled
contest.
Bad blood left over from last year's Western Conference Finals led to
18 major penalties for fighting, including one each to goaltenders
Patrick Roy of Colorado and Mike Vernon of Detroit. There was a
total of 144 penalty minutes handed out in the exciting game. The
game also marked the trial of Sergei Fedorov playing on defense with
Larry Murphy.
Tempers escalated at 18:22 of the first period when Peter Forsberg
and Igor Larionov got into a fight. Darren McCarty then jumped the
turtling Claude Lemieux (a.k.a Public Enemy Number One), a longtime
Red Wings' target after he fractured the jaw of Detroit's Kris
Draper by checking him face-first into the boards during last
year's playoffs. Roy raced to Lemieux's defense but was
intercepted at center ice by Shanahan with a body check. Adam
Foote also got involved with Shanahan and Roy and Vernon paired off
with each other.
Meanwhile McCarty pummled Lemieux near the Red Wings benched. Roy
and Vernon exchanged several wailing rights and lefts on each other.
Roy had the height advantage, but Vernon landed a few square to the
buckling Roy.
"Guys just got paired off. I guess it was just God's will I got
paired off with Lemieux," McCarty said. "But that's the way hockey
is. Sometimes things like that happen when you're 7 years old and
you have to wait until you're 10 to get back at the guy. Some guys
are still getting even for things that happened when they were
kids. You just wait for your chances. It was intense."
The end of that escapade resulted in Lemieux being bloodied,
Forsberg bloodied, and Roy bloodied. The crowd of 19,983 stood for
most of the game.
Other matchups in the game included Brent Severyn ousting Jamie
Pushor. Rene Corbet taking it from Kirk Maltby. Adam Foote and
Brendan Shanahan squaring off four seconds into the third. Brent
Severyn pummeling Aaron Ward. Mike Keane and Tomas "The Demolition
Man" Holmstrom. McCarty and big Uwe Krupp. Deadmarsh and Pushor.
Mike Keane of Colorado said that this team (Detroit) has no heart
and is phony. Go figure? Sugar Ray Leonard was ruomored to fight
in the third period but never showed.
OT AGAIN
Larry Murphy's point shot skipped through Steve Shields' pads 3:10
into the extra session, giving the Wings a 2-1 victory over the
Sabres.
"I was just hoping someone would be there for the rebound," Murphy
said. "That's a tough shot to save when it's bouncing around. The
goalie would rather have me hit it as hard as I could instead of
that."
The Red Wings outshot the Sabres 44-21. Steve Yzerman scored his
second goal since Feb. 16 on the power play.
"We've had two overtime wins, that's a plus for our hockey club
considering the amount of times we've had (overtime) this year and
blowing leads in the third period," said Detroit goalie Mike Vernon,
who had 21 saves. "There was a lot of emotion against Colorado, but I
thought we played really well tonight. We had our shots on net."
Vernon has finally won the hearts of Red Wings fans, something he
has failed to do in three seasons.
The Wings improved to 5-1-15 in overtime and avoided their first
three-game losing streak of the season.
Duck Soup
Steve Rucchin scored off a rebound at 3:41 of overtime and Mikhail
Shtalenkov recorded his second shutout of the season as the Mighty
Ducks of Anaheim blanked the Red Wings, 1-0, for their first-ever
win at Detroit.
The game featured very few penalty minutes and 31 shots for the
Ducks and 26 for the Wings. The Ducks improved to 3-0-1 against
the Red Wings this season after entering the campaign with an 0-9-3
all-time mark against them. The Red Wings had their eight-game home
unbeaten streak finally snapped. All and all the game was rathering
entertaining with quality shots being taken by both teams.
On Deck:
Two with the Blues, two with the Leafs. One with the Flames and
Senators. And a match with possible playoff first-round matchup
Edmonton!
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PHOENIX COYOTES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Don Hay
Roster: C - Jeremy Roenick, Cliff Ronning, Craig Janney, Mike
Stapleton, Bob Corkum. LW - Keith Tkachuk, Darrin Shannon, Kris
King, Jim McKenzie, Igor Korolev, Jocelyn Lemieux. RW - Mike
Gartner, Shane Doan, Dallas Drake. D - Teppo Numminen, Oleg
Tverdosky, Norm Maciver, Brad McCrimmon, Jeff Finley, Jim Johnson,
Jay More, Murray Baron, Gerald Diduck, Kevin Dahl. G - Nikolai
Khabibulin, Darcy Wakaluk, Pat Jablonski, Parris Duffus.
Injuries: Jocelyn Lemieux, lw (hairline fracture in forearm, out
until early-to-mid April); Jim Johnson, d (sprained right thumb,
out until at least early April); Darcy Wakaluk, g (arthroscopic
surgery on right knee, out until at least early April).
Transactions: Announced a three-year affiliation with an option with
Springfield (AHL).
Game Results:
3/17 St. Louis W 3-2
3/19 at Dallas L 7-2
3/20 at Chicago W 4-2
3/22 at Toronto W 3-0
3/27 Toronto T 1-1
3/29 Edmonton L 3-1
4/01 San Jose W 7-1
TEAM NEWS by Jim Iovino
What a wild ride it has been for the Phoenix Coyotes this season.
The Dogs have had more ups and downs in 96-97 than a drug addict.
Some weeks they look great, others they're downright terrible.
Good ol' Mr. Consistancy took a wrong turn at Albuquerque, if ya
know what I mean.
But now we're at the end of the season, and the Coyotes are once
again on the upside. That's a good thing, considering Phoenix has
been fighting to get into the playoffs all season long. The
Coyotes have gone 8-3-2 in their last 13 games after losing four
out of the five games before that. See what I mean by consistancy?
It's just not there.
The Dogs have been heating up the desert lately, however, which is
great news for first-year coach Don Hay. Not only have they only
lost three of their last 13, but they've moved up the playoff
ladder, as well. With a blowout win against the Sharks, 7-1, and a
tie between the Mighty Ducks and Blackhawks, the Coyotes moved into
a tie for fourth in the Western Conference with Anaheim. However,
if the regular season was to finish now, the Coyotes would get the
fourth spot, and home-ice advantage, because they have more wins
than the Ducks.
Several players have stepped up their play over recent weeks in an
effort to make the Coyotes the best they can be. Jeremy Roenick is
starting to gain his old form once again. The former Blackhawk
star has scored six goals and 11 points in his last eight games.
Of course, Roenick is still far below the scoring pace he's used to
being at. Even with the current hot streak, J.R. isn't close to a
point-per-game pace. He has 61 points in 67 games with the
Coyotes. Oh well, Nike still loves him.
Unlike the Nike goalies in the commericals without NHL jobs, the
Coyotes' Nikolai Khabibulin has had plenty of work. Due to a knee
injury to backup Darcy Wakaluk, Khabby hasn't had a break for quite
some time. He's started 38 consecutive games. That's right, 38.
The Coyotes even went out and acquired another backup, Pat
Jablonski, at the trading deadline, but Khabby refuses to leave the
ice.
Originally it was thought that Khabby was guarding his crease 24-7
in case the mutant band of space goats, which are threatening the
entire human population, decided to unleash a quick strike on an
NHL arena. But those rumors turned out to be false. Instead, it
seems one of the straps on Khabby's pads is caught in the side of
the net and the only way to dislodge Khabby would be to break the
strap. Instead of harming the innocent strap, team equipment
managers have decided that it would be best if Khabby just stay
with the net for the remainder of the season. And, I think you'll
agree, all of humanity is better because of this move.
It doesn't seem like Khabibulin is minding the challenge. He
hasn't let up more than three goals in seven of his last eight
games.
Upcoming games
Khabibulin and the rest of the Coyotes have just five games left in
the regular season. Only one of those games is against a team the
Dogs are currently competing against for playoff positioning: the
April 11th tilt against the Edmonton Oilers in Edmonton. The Oil
are right below the Coyotes in the standings. The game is also the
final game of the season for the Coyotes, so it could be the
deciding factor in each team's postseason standings.
Extra note
The Coyotes and the Springfield Falcons of the AHL have reached a
new agreement that will last three years with an option for more.
When the Hartford Whalers announced they were leaving town,
Springfield severed their ties with the big club, leaving the door
open for Phoenix to step right in. The Coyotes had been sending
several players to Springfield this season, but next year the teams
will have a full affiliation, including a full supply of players,
coaches, and even a bucket of non-marking pucks to Springfield, the
home of the Simpsons.
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ST. LOUIS BLUES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Joel Quenneville
Roster: C - Pierre Turgeon, Craig MacTavish, Harry York, Jim
Campbell, Craig Conroy. LW - Geoff Courtnall, Tony Twist, Stephane
Matteau, Scott Pellerin, Mike Peluso. RW - Brett Hull, Joe Murphy,
Brian Noonan, Steve Leach, , Robert Petrovicky, Pavol Demitra. D -
Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, Igor Kravchuk, Marc Bergevin, Trent
Yawney, Ricard Persson, Chris McAlpine. G - Grant Fuhr, Jon Casey.
Injuries: Brett Hull, rw (sore groin, day-to-day), Craig Conroy, c
(knocked loopy against Detroit, day-to-day).
Transactions: None.
Game Results:
3/20 Hartford W 4-1
3/23 Dallas L 4-1
3/25 at Washington L 3-2
3/27 Los Angeles W 2-1
3/30 Phildadelphia W 3-2
4/01 at Detroit T 1-1
TEAM NEWS by Jim Iovino
Late February and early March were filled with bad times for the
St. Louis Blues. What looked like a guaranteed playoff spot in
mid-February turned out to just be a mirage. The Blues were secure
in the fourth spot in the West and on cruise control when all of a
sudden...BANG! The team goes winless in eight of their next 10
games.
St. Louis found itself all the way down in the eighth spot in the
West, trying desparately to cling to a playoff berth. But since
that scare, head coach Joel Quenneville has righted the ship and
has the Blues back on course.
The team has climbed back up to the seventh spot in the West, one
point ahead of the eighth-place Blackhawks. While that sounds
pretty scary, the Blues are also just one point behind the Oilers
in sixth and a mere two points behind the Coyotes and Ducks, who
are tied for fourth. Things might not be so bad after all...
As long as the Blues continue to play like they have the past couple
weeks, they should be home free. The Bluenotes have lost just three
times in their last 10 games.
Perhaps the biggest win of that stretch came against, of all teams,
the Philadelphia Flyers. The Blues somehow managed to sneak two
points away from the Flyers with a 3-2 victory on home ice, making
many in St. Louis happy. At the same time, the win made many other
teams in the Western Conference who are fighting for a playoff spot
unhappy. No one expected the Blues to beat the Flyers, so the game
threw a wrench into most of the other team's plans down the
stretch.
Following up the big win over the Flyers, the Blues' next opponent
was the Detroit Red Wings, another game in which the Blues had
little chance of winning. The Blues didn't beat Detoit at Joe
Louis Arena, but they did the next best thing -- they tied the
Wings, 1-1. A point is a point is a point...the Blues got it,
making many other teams quite irate.
So as the Blues look ahead, they see just five games remaining.
Only one of those games, an away match against the Blackhawks, is
against a team fighting for the same playoff spots as the Blues
are. Oddly enough, the Blues' next two games are against Eastern
Conference teams, the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils.
However, both of those teams are still fighting for a spot in the
East, so the competition will be just as tough.
The Blues also face Toronto, and the final game of the year will be
in Detroit on April 13. If the Blues head into the final game of
the season in need of points, they could be in trouble.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Mike Murphy
Roster: C - Jamie Baker, Darby Hendrickson, Steve Sullivan, Brandon
Convery, Jason Podollan. LW - Fredrik Modin, Wendel Clark, Todd
Warriner, Mark Kolesar. RW - Mats Sundin, Sergei Berezin, Tie Domi,
Mike Craig, Zdenek Nedved, Mike Johnson, Kelly Chase. D -Matt
Martin, Jamie Macoun, Dimitri Yushkevich, Mathieu Schneider, Craig
Wolanin, Tom Pederson, Greg Smyth. G - Felix Potvin, Marcel
Cousineau.
Injuries: David Cooper, d (strained knee, out indefinitely); Jamie
Baker, c (headaches, day-to-day); Mathieu Schneider, d (abdominal
surgery, out for season).
Transactions: Recalled Yannick Tremblay, d, from St. John's (AHL);
reassigned Don Beaupre, g, from St. John's to Utah (IHL);
reassigned Doug Bonner, g, from St. John's to Peoria (ECHL);
recalled Marcel Cousineau, g, Jason Podollan, rw, and David Cooper,
d, from St. John's; returned Don Beaupre, g, to St. John's.
Game Results:
3/19 Philadelphia L 6-3
3/20 at Pittsburgh L 6-3
3/22 Phoenix L 3-0
3/26 at San Jose W 2-1
3/27 at Phoenix T 1-1
3/29 at Colorado W 3-2
TEAM NEWS by Matthew Secosky
MAPLE LEAFS BLOWIN' IN THE WIND
Despite going undefeated in their last three games, including an
amazing 3-2 win over the Avalanche, the Toronto Maple Leafs have no
chance at seeing post season action. Perhaps I shouldn't be so
negative though. Technically they still have a chance, but only if
the four teams ahead of them in the standings drop out of the
league this afternoon. While the odds of such an event occuring
have been estimated to be 3,452,763:1 by government-sponsored
scientists in Toronto, they were quick to down play this ray of
hope.
"People of Toronto, we have determined the Maple Leafs could easily
make the playoffs if Chicago, Vancouver, Calgary, and St.Louis
remove themselves from the league immediately." But the scientists
further warned, "even if this mass exodus does occur, the Leafs
would still, in all likelyhood, find a way to miss the playoffs."
In other medical news, the scientists released the results of a
year-long study on the dangers of cigarettes. "We have found that
cigarettes pose absolutely no danger to the public at large. Sure
they do a job when they are lit with a match and placed in the
mouth, but who's fault is that. We are just fed up with cigarettes
always being given a bad rap as 'causing this and causing that'.
All they want is to be loved."
While the scientists did agree cigarettes were highly addictive,
they did have this to say: "People are going to form
self-destructive habits. That is a given. Cigarettes just offer
them a cheap and effective way to do so. We can't all be heroin
addicts you know."
Anyhow, back to the topic at hand. The Maple Leafs may have had a
disappointing season, but the future seems secure as a result of
late season trades that saw aging veterans depart and bright-eyed
youngsters arrive. In fact, Toronto may have one of the better
young teams in the league today. After all they did beat Colorado
3-2 didn't they? Yet with this season a write-off, it's time to
look towards next season and the players the Leafs will count on.
Mats Sundin (C) - The folks in Toronto love him and with good
reason, he has mad skills. At only 26 years of age, he is just
entering his best years. Considering he has 39 goals already this
season, 50 is not out of reach next year.
Felix Potvin (G) - Loved by Stat Girl and fans worldwide,
Potvin has been one of the top goalies in the league since his
rookie season in 1992-93. Despite a 3.21 goals against average this
season, Potvin has been the last and often only line of defense for
Toronto this season. A big year next season by Potvin and the Leafs
will be in the playoffs once more.
Steve Sullivan (C) - When they picked him up from Toronto,
they knew what they were doing. He has enough talent to become an
offensive star and he doesn't think twice about getting back to
cover on defense. Last year for New Jersey he posted five goals and
nine points in 16 games. This year between the Devils and Leafs he
recorded 12 goals and 33 points in 48 contest. More importantly, he
had four goals and 12 of those points in only 15 games for the
Leafs after the trade. Look for him to do even better next year.
Sergei Berezin (RW) - Although 25 years old and in his first
NHL campaign, Berezin has shown why he was tearing up the German
leagues. With 22 goals and 35 points in 67 games this season, look
for bigger and better things once he gets acclimated to the rough
and tough NHL.
Other young players the Leafs will be expecting good things of in
the near future include:
Todd Warriner (LW) - Age:23 Stats: 70 12-17-29
Zdenek Nedved (RW) - Age:22 Stats: 23 03-05-08
Brandon Convery (C) - Age:23 Stats: 35 02-07-09
Jason Podollan (C) - Age:21 Stats: 04 00-02-02
Fredrick Modin (LW) - Age:22 Stats: 70 06-07-13
Jeff Ware (D) - Age:19 Stats: 13 games, +2
RANDOM THOUGHT
The Leafs are just 1-for-21 on the power play over their last seven
games.
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TEAM REPORTS
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
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ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS
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Head Coach: Ron Wilson
Roster:C - Steve Rucchin, Kevin Todd, J.F. Jomphe, Sean Pronger,
Mark Janssens, Richard Park. LW - Paul Kariya, Ted Drury, Shawn
Antoski, Brian Bellows, Joe Sacco, Ken Baumgartner, Warren Rychel,
Mike Leclerc. RW - Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Peter LeBoutillier. D
- Dave Karpa, Bobby Dollas, Dan Trebil, Dmitri Mironov, Darren Van
Impe, Jason Marshall, J.J. Daigneault. G - Guy Hebert, Mikhail
Shtalenkov.
Injuries: Teemu Selanne, rw (hip strain, day-to-day); J.F. Jomphe, c
(abdominal strain, day-to-day); Shawn Antoski, lw (hernia surgery,
indefinite).
Transactions: 3/18, acquired Mark Janssens, c, from Hartford in
exchange for rights to Bates Battaglia (Lake Superior State, CCHA),
and 1998 fourth-round draft pick; acquired Richard Park, c, from
Pittsburgh in exchange for Roman Oksiuta; 3/27, recalled Mike
Leclerc, lw, from Baltimore (AHL).
Game Results:
3/19 Los Angeles W 6-2
3/21 at Colorado L 4-3
3/23 at Edmonton W 4-1
3/25 at Calgary L 3-2
3/26 at Vancouver L 5-3
3/28 at Chicago W 4-3
3/30 at Detroit W 1-0 OT
TEAM NEWS by Viktor Malakoff
STREAK ENDS AGAINST AVS
After thrashing the Kings at home to bring their undefeated streak
to 12 games (7-0-5), the Ducks let one get away in Colorado.
Leading 3-2 with just over three minutes to play, theretofore
invisible referee Paul Stewart awarded a cheapie power play to the
host Avalanche. Colorado capitalized with a Valeri Kamensky PPG,
then capped the Ducks when Peter Forsberg got the winner with 1:24
to play.
GUY GASPS, SELANNE STRAINS
After virtually living in the net for three months, Guy Hebert was
pulled after a hyperventilating episode in Edmonton. Having just
killed off a two-man disadvantage, Anaheim's meal ticket was left
gasping for breath and fearing for his life. "I thought I was going
to die," he later said. Hebert was replaced in the second period by
Mikhail Shtalenkov, who stopped 32 of 33 shots to secure the
win.
In the same tilt, sniper Teemu Selanne pulled up lame with a
strained hip muscle that knocked him out midway through the second
period. Though he was hopeful he wouldn't miss further playing
time, he was scratched from the rest of the season-long six-game
roadie. After losses in Calgary and Vancouver, Coach Ron Wilson
invited Selanne behind the bench for moral support. The team
responded with gutsy wins over Chicago and Detroit. "I'm 1-0 as a
coach," Selanne quipped after the Chicago game.
Ducks fans who have watched the team's offense sputter without
Selanne, however, are hoping that 2-0 is as far as the Finnish
Flash's coaching career goes.
MIKHAIL LIVES!
Though Hebert got the next two starts after his hyperventilating
episode in Edmonton, he was pulled after giving up four goals on 12
shots against Vancouver. Shtalenkov cleaned up, then started
against both Chicago and Detroit. He was sensational against the
Red Wings, matching Detroit's Mike Vernon save for save until
overtime, when Steve Rucchin potted the winner. He finished with 26
saves for his second shutout of the year. Shtalenkov, who was a
dutiful soldier during Hebert's hot streak, was thankful to get
back into action. Sitting down at the end of the bench for so long,
said Shtalenkov, "You lose that feeling that you're part of [the
team]."
NEW FACES
The deadline deals that brought in Mark Janssens and Richard Park
further reinforced GM Jack Ferreira's reputation as an astute
trader. The Ducks had been desperate for someone dependable to take
big draws, particularly in the defensive zone, and Janssens fits
the bill. He has proven a solid contributor since his arrival, and
was made to feel a part of the team right off the bat when he was
given the starting nod in his first game with the team (vs. Los
Angeles). He garnered an assist in that tilt while fellow newcomer
Park scored a goal. The Park trade also added by subtraction, when
Roman Oksiuta's moping presence was removed from the room.
After the team faltered in back-to-back efforts against Calgary and
Vancouver, Ferreira injected some youthful enthusiasm into the
lineup by calling up left wing Mike Leclerc from Baltimore. Leclerc
was credited with an early assist in his first NHL game (vs.
Chicago), then promptly notched his first goal. It gave the Ducks a
4-2 lead, and proved to be the game-winner. Leclerc lined up with
center Sean Pronger and right wing Jari Kurri, and made center
Kevin Todd a healthy scratch.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
By closing their roadie (3-3-0) with wins over Chicago and Detroit,
the Ducks are all but guaranteed a playoff spot. As this issue of
LCS is posted, Anaheim (33-33-11) holds the fifth playoff position
in the West. They are tied with Edmonton in points (77), but the
Oilers have a game in hand and two more wins (the first
tie-breaker). Behind the Ducks lurk the Phoenix Coyotes (76 points,
35 wins, one game in hand) and St. Louis Blues (75 points, 35 wins,
one game in hand).
The rest of the schedule: Chicago, @ San Jose, Dallas , Los
Angeles, @ San Jose.
The Ducks would happily take a playoff matchup with Edmonton or,
believe it or not, Detroit. After going 0-9-3 against the Red Wings
in their first three seasons, Anaheim took this year's season
series over Detroit, 3-0-1. The 1-0 OT thriller on 3/30 was
Anaheim's first-ever win in Joe Louis Arena.
And while it might seem ludicrous to look forward to playing
Detroit, the alternatives, Colorado or Dallas (against whom the
Ducks are 0-3 this season), are not pretty.
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CALGARY FLAMES
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Head Coach: Pierre Page
Roster: C - Dave Gagner, Cory Stillman, Corey Millen, Aaron
Gavey. RW - Theoren Fleury, Jarome Iginla, Ron Stern, Ed Ward,
Sandy McCarthy. LW - Jonas Hoglund, Marty McInnis, German Titov,
Todd Hlushko, Mike Sullivan, Hnat Domenichelli. D - Jamie Allison,
James Patrick, Glen Featherstone, Tommy Albelin, Joel Bouchard,
Todd Simpson, Cale Hulse, Zarley Zalapski, Yves Racine. G - Trevor
Kidd, Dwayne Roloson.
Injuries: James Patrick, d (underwent knee surgery Dec. 12 to repair
torn ligament in left knee, out for season); Zarley Zalapski, d
(suffered bruised knee Oct. 6, underwent knee surgery to repair torn
ligament in right knee, out for season); Mike Sullivan, lw
(suffered back spasms March 16, returned March 25 after missing two
games); Cale Hulse, d (suffered bruised ankle March 1, returned
March 12 after missing 4 games, still in and out of the line-up,
bothered by fluid build-up in ankle); Aaron Gavey, c (neck strain,
placed on injured reserve retroactive to February 28th,
day-to-day); Todd Hlushko, lw (suffered concussion March 16,
day-to-day).
Transactions: Recalled Jamie Allison, d, from Saint John (AHL),
March 18; traded Robert Reichel, c, to the New York Islanders for
Marty McInnis, lw, Tyrone Garner, g (Oshawa, OHL), and a sixth
round draft pick in 1997, March 18; traded Jamie Huscroft, d, to
the Tampa Bay Lightning for Tyler Moss, g (Grand Rapids, IHL),
March 18; traded Marc Hussey, d (Saint John, AHL) to the Chicago
Blackhawks for Ravil Gusmanov, rw, (Indianapolis, IHL), March 18.
Assigned Tyler Moss, g, Ravil Gusmanov, rw, and Pavel Torgajev
(Swiss National League) to Saint John (AHL), March 19.
Game results:
3/19 San Jose W 4-2
3/21 Tampa Bay L 4-3 OT
3/25 Anaheim W 3-2
3/29 Vancouver L 5-2
TEAM NEWS by Tony Wong
Two Weeks at a Glance:
With only four games in two weeks, Calgary had finally hit on some
peace and quiet after two months of "pedal to the metal" action.
To help them ease into the home life, all four of Calgary's home
games came against sub .500 clubs. Well so much for making the
playoffs the easy way. By blowing an early lead against Tampa Bay
and failing to wake up for their afternoon tilt against the
Canucks, Calgary finished the four games at just 2-2. With Chicago
and others making up games in hand, Calgary now sits in ninth place
in the division, two points behind the Chicago Blackhawks. Tsk,
tsk.
Coming off the trading deadline, the Flames came out on fire against
San Jose. Calgary outshot the Sharks 17-2 in the first period and
Theoren Fleury did the rest, scoring unassisted goals in the second
and third periods. Marty McInnis also picked up a point in his first
game as a Flame, assisting on Stillman's fourth of the year. Trevor
Kidd barely stayed awake for the win, as San Jose managed only 13
shots on net.
Two days later, the much anticipated Tabaracci versus Kidd match-up
finally came to fruition. However after falling behind 3-1,
Tabaracci was yanked by Crisp. The move seemed to energize the
Lightning as they dominated the rest of the way, scoring the winner
in overtime. While Kidd won the battle, the Lightning won the
game.
Against the Ducks, the Flames won a borefest against the Teemu-less
Ducks. Without the Finnish Flash, Anaheim struggled to create any
sort of offense. With Kariya effectively mugged for most of the
game, Cory Stillman had a goal and an assist to lead the way to a
quiet 3-2 victory.
Against Vancouver, the Flames were equally sluggish. However the
Canucks chose to show up for the first period and jumped out to a
quick 3-0 lead. While Calgary woke up to score two in the second
period, it was too little, too late, as the Canucks went on to a
5-2 win.
While their 2-2 record over the last two weeks was respectable, it
took away some of the momentum that the Flames had built up over
their last four weeks on the road. While their record was only
.500, Calgary had been playing a hard working, punishing playoff
style of hockey. Rarely were they outworked or out-hustled at the
end of their road trip. Their losses only seemed to come when an
opposing player put in an outstanding individual performance.
With their two losses, the Flames showed that they are still
vulnerable to lapses in concentration. While it has not ended their
playoff hopes, it has damaged what could have been an easy stretch
into the playoffs. Instead, the Flames find themselves fighting
for the last playoff spot with Chicago. With six games left, we'll
see what these young Flames are made of.
Reichel Trade
The trade: Center Robert Reichel to the New York Islanders
for left winger Marty McInnis, junior goalie Tyrone Garner and a
1997 sixth-round pick.
Synopsis: Calgary trades the expensive, enigmatic Reichel
for a cheaper, gritty winger with speed.
Why New York made the trade: Offensive talent. To put it
simply, to stop the Islanders all you need to do is stop Palffy.
What New York needed was someone else who had the skills to beat
someone one-on-one. Though Reichel has disappointed this year, two
40-goal seasons speak of his pedigree.
In giving up McInnis, Milbury gave up a useful gamer. Speedy and
multi-talented, McInnis filled a variety of roles for the
Islanders. However at 27, it was unlikely that McInnis was
suddenly going to become the goal-scoring threat that Reichel could
be.
With Fichaud and Salo in the nets, it was unlikely that Garner
would challenge for the starting role anytime soon. While
talented, Garner is a throw-in which the Islanders could afford to
give up.
Why Calgary made the trade: While Reichel played hard for
the Flames, 16 goals in 72 games is not what you expect for $1.8
million a year. Some feel that with the tighter checking that has
taken over since Reichel last played a full season, it would
prohibit him from regaining his 40-goal form. Under these
circumstances and combined with his "year off" in Germany, some
felt Reichel would be a 30-goal scorer at best. Add to that his
poor playoff record and you have the case for disposing of Robby.
While even the harshest of critics admit that Reichel is much more
talented that his stats this year would show, the Flames were
simply not getting $1.8 million dollars of value out of
Reichel.
In McInnis, the Flames get another "Panther-style" player. A
speedy checker with some scoring ability, McInnis fits the bill
nicely with a salary of only $550,000. Based on their statistical
performances this year, McInnis (42 points) compares favorably to
Reichel (43 points).
So why did the Flames make the trade? While Reichel was having a
bad season, both parties agree that he is clearly the more talented
player. A hard working player, Reichel was no prima donna. On the
surface, it seems like the Flames are dumping salary, which they
are. But why? Dave Gagner. By trading Reichel for McInnis, the
Flames receive a comparable player for about a million dollars a
year less. Add in the million odd dollars unloaded in trading
Chiasson to Hartford and the picture becomes clearer. Re-signing
Gagner is now a possibility. In a zero sum game, Al Coates decided
that having Gagner and McInnis in the '97-'98 edition of the Flames
would be worth more than having Robert Reichel. To make it pay
off, all Coates has to do is sign Gagner.
Who won the trade: New York. In looking at the players in
the trade, Milbury clearly got the better player and the better
potential. Reichel has fit in nicely so far with Palffy and is
making the Flames look silly with 12 points in his first five
games. While McInnis is a nice third-line player, Reichel is a
40-goal scorer, despite what he's shown this year. Reichel WILL be
a offensive force again.
All is not lost however. Calgary made the trade with two things in
mind, Dave Gagner and the playoffs. Unless Reichel was moved, it
was most likely that the Flames would have traded Gagner. With it,
would have gone this year's MVP and, most likely, any hopes that
Calgary had for the playoffs. With Gagner, the Flames stand a good
chance at beating out Chicago for the last playoff spot.
Furthermore, by freeing up some cash, Coates is now in a position
to sign Gagner.
Coates has taken a gamble. To come out with a semblance of
respectability in this trade, two things need to happen. The
Flames need to make the playoffs and re-sign Gagner for next year.
If he does, Big Al will show that he is indeed the "Man with a
Plan".
Classy Coates trades Huscroft
In trading defenseman Jamie Huscroft for minor league goaltender
Tyler Moss, Al Coates showed his class. Huscroft is a tough, hard
working defender who has been a steadying influence on the young
Flames defense. However, as the youngsters gained experience, it
was Huscroft that lost ice time. While Huscroft never complained,
he quietly asked Coates for a trade several weeks ago. Coates
complied, shipping him to Tampa Bay for goaltending insurance
(Moss). While the Flames lost the luxury of an extra veteran
defenseman, Big Al showed respect for Huscroft as a human being.
Way to go Mr. Coates.
In their only other deal, the Flames swapped minor leaguers with
Chicago, getting winger Ravil Gusmanov for defenseman Marc
Hussey.
Flames Cash in on Brier
While much was made of the "forced" road trip that the Brier
(curling championships) caused, little has been mentioned about the
money that the Flames made. With 223,322 fans in total over the
two weeks, the Flames made out like bandits on beer and concession
sales. How significant is that? About the equivalent of 14 games
of concession sales. While the Flames haven't released any
numbers, a good guess would be about $2 million dollars in profit.
Hey -- there's more than one way to make money in this game...
Miscellany
Now that the Flames have traded Reichel, Al Coates has confirmed
that he will try to re-sign Michael Nylander next year. While
Nylander and Page engaged in several public spats last year, he was
still the third leading scorer. If Coates is able to re-sign the
talented center, he will add back much of the offense lost with the
trade of Reichel.
With Dave Gagner here to stay (at least until the end of the
season), the Flames announced that he was the Flames' 1997 nominee
for the Bill Masterton Memorial trophy. While number 51 deserves
the honour, he'll face an uphill battle against likely winner Tony
Granato of the San Jose Sharks.
Upcoming games:
4/2 Colorado
4/4 at Vancouver
4/6 Chicago
4/8 Detroit
4/11 at Chicago
4/12 at Toronto
While mathematically, the Flames are battling six teams for a
playoff berth, they only need to beat two of them to reach the
playoffs. First, let's look at Calgary's last six games.
4/2 Colorado
While the Flames have played well against the Avalanche and
Colorado is currently struggling, it's hard to imagine a win
against Sakic, Forsberg and Roy. Realistically, a loss.
4/4 at Vancouver
The Flames have had good success against the Canucks (minus their
last meeting) and even though the Canucks are hot, they can be
had. For the Flames, a must-win road game.
4/6 Chicago
A strong home record is balanced by a historic difficulty against
the Blackhawks. Let's hope home ice means something and the Flames
win.
4/8 Detroit
It doesn't get easier does it? Thoroughly dominated in their last
meeting, the Red Wings are hot. Right now, it's almost a guaranteed
loss.
4/11 at Chicago
Gut check time. This game will most likely decide whether the
Flames make the playoffs or not. If they've won the first game at
home, I bet they win this one too.
4/12 at Toronto
You hate to play your last game against a team that has nothing to
lose, but if it's got to be anyone, Toronto is a good match. The
Flames can and should win this one.
So where does that leave the Flames? If all goes as planned, 4-2
with 80 points when it's all said and done. If the Flames are able
to perform as called upon, that should leave Chicago and Vancouver
on the outside looking in. If not, the Flames will need some help
from St. Louis, who get to play New Jersey once and Detroit twice
in their last six games.
With Phoenix hot and Selanne due to return to the lineup soon, we
see the final standings as follows:
Colorado 111 points
Dallas 108 points
Detroit 101 points
Phoenix 84 points
Edmonton 83 points
Anaheim 82 points
Calgary 80 points
St. Louis 79 points
Chicago 76 points
Vancouver 72 points
Hey, who says no one goes out on a limb anymore?
If the Flames are for real, and we believe they are, they'll do
what they have to.
Which is make the playoffs.
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COLORADO AVALANCHE
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Head Coach: Marc Crawford
Roster: C - Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Stephane Yelle.
LW - Valeri Kamensky, Yves Sarault, Rene Corbet, Eric Lacroix. RW -
Claude Lemieux, Adam Deadmarsh, Keith Jones, Scott Young, Mike Keane.
D - Sandis Ozolinsh, Sylvain Lefebvre, Uwe Krupp, Adam Foote, Alexei
Gusarov, Jon Klemm, Brent Severyn, Aaron Miller. G - Patrick Roy,
Craig Billington, Jean-Francois Labbe.
Injuries: Peter Forsberg, c (slight concussion and facial cut,
day-to-day); Patrick Roy, g (sprained shoulder, day-to-day).
Transactions: Recalled Jean-Francois Labbe, g, from Hershey (AHL)
March 27; recalled Yves Sarault, lw, from Hershey March 26.
Game Results:
3/21 Anaheim W 4-3
3/23 at Philadelphia L 2-0
3/25 at Hartford W 4-0
3/26 at Detroit L 6-5 OT
3/29 Toronto L 3-2
TEAM NEWS by Matt Gitchell
It's panic-button time in Denver.
The Colorado Avalanche is slumping. Not just your standard Colorado
slump of losing one out of, say, three, but an actual slump. The
Avs have lost three out of four as this is published, and the mighty
Avalanche has a small amount of precious time to pick it up before
the playoffs hit.
The Avs started the last two weeks well, mustering a 4-3 win over
the Ducks, who were on a 12-game unbeaten streak at the time. The Avs
came back from a 3-1 deficit in the third, and scored two goals in
the last 2:30 of play to pull out the win.
Peter Forsberg was his usual phenomenal self, assisting on Valeri
Kamensky's game-tying goal at 17:30 , and the big Swede made Guy
Hebert look downright silly 66 seconds later when he came in along
the goal line and beat Hebert between the pads.
So we're good to this point, right?
Next comes Philly, and Eric Lindros is out. This, however, doesn't
stop the Flyers from shutting out the NHL's second most potent
offense, 2-0.
Roy made 29 saves on 31 shots, hardly shabby, but the Avs only
managed 19 shots on goal, letting Ron Hextall earn his 19th career
shutout.
We've all read the goalie quotes that go something like, "A shutout
is really a team effort." Not in the case of the March 25 game
against the Whalers. The Avs defense continued its trip into la-la
land, allowing 23 Hartford shots in the first period alone, and 46
on the game.
Roy was up for the task, stopping everything the Whale had to throw
at him, and earning his 36th career shutout and seventh of the
season. The Avs' offense, at least, was playing well, scoring four
goals on 28 shots.
Next, of course, was the Game We'd All Been Waiting For.
Detroit.
It was Claude Lemieux's first appearance in the motor city since The
Draper Hit. You know, the one that left most of Kris Draper's face
on the short boards at McNichols Arena? The one that every Detroit
player (except Yzerman, God bless im) had been swearing revenge on
Lemieux for?
This one was ugly. Ugly, ugly, ugly.
Let's start with the 144 minutes of penalties assessed in the game.
Then, perhaps, we'll mention that 90 of those minutes were fighting
majors.
And we'll throw in the fact that the two goalies even fought.
And, just for giggles, we'll add that Darren McCarty decided to jump
Lemieux in the second and exact the Wings' revenge on Lemieux for
last year's incident, while Lemieux covered his head, trying to
protect himself.
It was not a pretty sight, especially considering the fact that the
Avs allowed 47 shots on goal this time, and eventually lost in OT
on a goal scored by (who else?) McCarty.
Tapes were sent to the league, but no suspensions were levied.
Another little bonus to the latest good-versus-evil matchup between
the Wings and Avs was the fact that Peter Forsberg suffered a
slight concussion and a nasty cut after catching a Vladimir
Konstantinov skate in the mug.
Add to this the fact that Patrick Roy sprained his shoulder when
Brendan Shanahan clotheslined him as the Colorado goaltender skated
out to Lemieux's aid (but played the rest of the game), and you can
probably tell what kind of night the Avs were having.
Their next outing, three days later against the Toronto Maple Leafs,
added insult to injury as the Avs lost a third-period lead and fell
to the lowly, lowly Leafs 3-2.
So, in short, at a time when the Avs should be getting in gear for
the playoffs, the team is struggling to find its way back to even
mediocre NHL hockey, and the rest of the league is beginning to see
the chinks in the Colorado armor.
But far be it for us at LCS to dwell on the negative, so here are
some of the bright spots:
Valeri Kamensky. Kamensky has been nothing short of
phenomenal lately, scoring six goals in the last four games. At a
time when Avs captain Joe Sakic continues to try and find his
scoring touch, Kamensky's been brilliant on the ice.
Patrick Roy. Roy's been great in goal lately, the one
exception being the Detroit game. He's injured, but he's more
likely staying out of the lineup to store some energy for the
playoffs than anything else. His performance against the Whale
proves how lethal the man can be when he's on his game. He's posted
career-high numbers in shutouts (7) and wins (36) to this point.
The team's depth. The Avs are still getting solid
performances from the third- and fourth-line guys. Rene Corbet
always works hard, and gets the occasional goal, and the young guys
like rookie Aaron Miller and sophomore Jon Klemm (who's 25, but
that's still young, ain't it?) alway show up to play. Miller's
looking like he'll be a key part of the Avs defensive corps in the
future.
So here we go, into the last six games of the regular season, and
the sense of urgency is mounting. Colorado's once-certain grasp of
the President's Trophy is loosening, with Philly just four points
back and playing great hockey.
Even home-ice in the Western Conference is coming into question,
with the Dallas Stars five points back after three less games, and
on a nine-game unbeaten streak.
The "untouchable" Stanley Cup champs could find themselves in a
mess of trouble come playoff time if things don't start to smooth
out.
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EDMONTON OILERS
----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Ron Low
Roster: C - Doug Weight, Jason Arnott, Todd Marchant, Steve Kelly.
LW - Dean McAmmond, Rem Murray, Ryan Smyth, Mats Lindgren, Barrie
Moore. RW - Mariusz Czerkawski, Mike Grier, Petr Klima, Andrei
Kovalenko, Kelly Buchberger, Louie DeBrusk. D - Kevin Lowe, Luke
Richardson, Bryan Marchment, Jiri Slegr, Boris Mironov, Donald
Dufresne, Drew Bannister, Daniel McGillis, Greg de Vries, Craig
Millar. G - Curtis Joseph, Bob Essensa.
Injuries: Jason Arnott, c (lower back strain March 23,
day-to-day); Todd Marchant, c (returned March 19 after suffering
concussion, missed three games); Drew Bannister, d (suffered
bruised shoulder March 15, sidelined indefinitely); Dean McAmmond,
lw (suffered back spasms March 1, sidelined indefinitely); Donald
Dufresne, d (suffered fractured foot Feb. 17, sidelined
indefinitely); Boris Mironov, d (returned from abdominal/groin
strain March 23, missed five games).
Transactions: Recalled Steve Kelly, c, and Barrie Moore, lw, from
Hamilton (AHL).
Game Results:
3/19 Tampa Bay W 3-1
3/23 Anaheim L 4-1
3/24 at San Jose W 5-1
3/28 at San Jose L 4-3
3/29 at Phoenix W 3-1
TEAM NEWS by Simon D. Lewis
Trade Winds
At the March trade deadline Oilers GM Glenn Sather exorcised
Miroslav Satan to the Sabres and sent Jeff Norton snortin' off to
Tampa Bay. It's pretty simple really. Satan was beaten out for the
skill spot on the first two lines by Mariusz Czerkawski and Norton
just wasn't producing enough offence (2-11-13) to warrant his $1.4
million US salary. There's no doubt that Satan could turn into
Sather's next Marty Rucinsky (traded to Montreal for goalie Ron
"Where is He Now" Tugnutt) but Czerkawski was definitely the guy to
keep right now.
So what did the Blue Boys get? Damaged goods from Trader Phil
Esposito, that's what. The young defender, Drew Bannister, came to
the Oil from the Lightning with a nerve injury in his shoulder.
Reports out March 30 say that he'll be okay and will likely play by
the end of the season.
Shuffled in from Buffalo were two young minor leaguers, defenceman
Craig Millar and left winger Barrie Moore. The key to the deal is
Millar. He's an offensive defenceman who some say could make the
team next year.
He's Still Here
Luke Richardson is still an Edmonton Oiler. When it came down to
the crunch Sather heeded the rumblings from his dressing room that
the team would be upset if he traded the strong and steady
defender. While Richardson is a free agent this summer, Sather
hesitated to upset the chemistry of his blossoming team. It should
be interesting to see what the wily GM has up his sleeve for when
the offers start coming in this summer. Richardson says he likes it
in Edmonton, but...we'll see.
Playoff Race
Even though the Oilers can't beat the Ducks (0-3-1) and dropped a
game to the lowly Sharks, they managed to beat Phoenix and retain a
hold on fourth place. Against the Coyotes they played a playoff
type of game, withstood some pressure and capitalized on their
chances. Rookie Steve Kelly's first NHL goal, scored from behind
the net, proved to be the winner. Kelly is really turning some
heads. He's tough and feisty and makes smart plays. Don't look
for him to go back down on the farm.
The Invisible Man
What happened to the Petr Klima experiment? He's dressing for games
and taking some shifts, but the guy is not making an impact. Maybe
there's a really good reason Pittsburgh dumped him. They always say
that the hands go way before the skating does and Klima is not using
his hands to get on the score sheet.
Clutching and Grabbing
You think it's bad now. If the league doesn't get this restraining
crap under control, the playoffs could be a series of scoreless draws
dominated by the fourth liners. No wonder Super Mario is calling it
quits.
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LOS ANGELES KINGS
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Head Coach: Larry Robinson
Roster: C - Roman Vopat, Ray Ferraro, Ian LaPerriere, Dimitri
Khristich, Nathan Lafayette. LW - Steve McKenna, Vladimir
Tsyplakov, Matt Johnson, Jeff Shevalier, Kai Nurminen, Craig
Johnson, Kevin Stevens, Dan Bylsma. RW - Glenn Murray, Brad Smyth,
Vitali Yachemenev. D - Doug Zmolek, Rob Blake, Aki Berg, Sean
O'Donnell, Mattias Norstrom, Philippe Boucher, Steven Finn, Jan
Vopat. G - Byron Dafoe, Stephane Fiset, J.C. Bergeron, Jamie
Storr.
Injuries: Yanic Perreault, c (kidney surgery, out for season);
Jamie Storr, g (hurt foot, indefinate); Stephane Fiset, g (pulled
groin, does it really matter?); Ian Laperriere, c (shoulder
surgery, out for season); Craig Johnson, lw (groin pull,
day-to-day); Matt Johnson, lw (back strain, 1-2 weeks).
Transactions: Traded Ed Olczyk, c, to Pittsburgh in exchange for
Glen Murray, rw; recalled Steve McKenna, lw; J.C. Bergeron, g; and
Brad Smyth, lw; from Phoenix (IHL); recalled Nathan Lafayette, c,
from Syracuse (AHL).
Game Results:
3/19 at Anaheim L 6-2
3/22 at San Jose W 2-1
3/24 at Vancouver T 2-2
3/27 at St. Louis L 2-1
3/29 at Pittsburgh L 4-1
3/30 at New Jersey L 5-2
TEAM NEWS by Matt Moore
The Kings were eliminated from playoff contention with their loss
to the Devils on March 30th which was just the inevitable end to a
frustrating and sad season.
With the season winding down and the season pretty much a washout,
coach Larry Robinson has been giving the youngsters a lot of
playing time and, boy, does it show. Quite simply the Kings were
overmatched by all of their opponents who, with the exception of
the Sharks, are all fighting to either get into the playoffs or
fighting to improve their position. Some of the Kings players
showed that they belong in the NHL (particularly Byron Dafoe), but
many times they looked like a crappy IHL or AHL team. Much of it
had to do with the complete lack of effort that the Kings put out,
which is rather disheartening from a fans standpoint, since if the
players roll over like dogs, why the hell should the fans give a
damn about the team. This organization should realize that if they
don't at least give the fans a reason to come on out to the game,
they won't, especially with the Ducks down in Orange County
fighting tough against the best teams in the league.
Byron Dafoe has played brilliantly in goal during these past two
weeks, combining the constant onslaught of shots and the nagging
injuries of Stephane Fiset, into playing some awesome goaltending.
Without him the Kings record would have been 0-6 instead of the
still pitiful 1-1-4. The Kings defense was extremely porous, even
more so than usual, and only held their opponents to under 30 shots
once, against the Devils. Apparently Wayne Gretzky Disease still
infects this organization since the forwards and some of the
defensemen would apparently rather take their chances on some fancy
and boneheaded offensive play rather than play hockey. Their
playing of defense is enough to disgust any hockey fan and need to
be severely corrected before the Kings have any chance of even
making the playoffs. God help Byron Dafoe because he is going to
need it if he's to survive on this team.
Particularly disappointing has been the play of Rob Blake. Blake
used to be one of those rare defensemen who could go out and
totally dominate shifts by his hard physical play. He was a god
back in the 1993 playoffs, hitting everybody in sight and making it
impossible for any team to gain any momentum while he was on the
ice. He now had become a soft player. Admittedly he has had
injury problems, which may cause a little bit of hesitation when it
comes to the physical play, but it is embarrassing to watch this
big guy play passive hockey. Add to this some horrible mental
mistakes, some of which have led to opposing goals, and you really
have to wonder what the hell happened to this guy who many thought
could turn into a Norris winner.
Steven Finn continues to make many who watch the Kings play wonder
why this guy is even playing? He continues to be the lone older
defenseman out on the ice and somehow the younger players seem to
be a lot better players. If he is back with the Kings next season,
then obviously the Kings are in trouble, because they should be
able to drag up a younger player who can play better and with more
effort somewhere.
The much-anticipated return of the Kings to San Jose for the first
time since the Navarov/Johnson incident turned out to be a bust.
Nothing real spectacular happened, which was a letdown considering
all the talk that I heard from Sharks fans about how the Sharks
were going to pull revenge on Johnson much like how the Red Wings
went after Claude Lemieux. Except that the Sharks are a sad
organization (even worse than the Kings) and can't even put on a
good brawl. Which is surprising since at the very least if a team
can't win by scoring goals or playing defense they should still be
able to kick some butt. But this pitiful organization couldn't
even do that. Sad, sad, sad...
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SAN JOSE SHARKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Al Sims
Roster: C - Jeff Friesen, Bernie Nicholls, Ron Sutter, Darren
Turcotte, Dody Wood. LW - Viktor Kozlov, Tony Granato, Tim Hunter,
Steve Guolla, Bob Errey, Ville Peltonen, Chris Tancill. RW - Shean
Donovan, Owen Nolan, Andrei Nazarov, Todd Ewen. D - Doug Bodger,
Marcus Ragnarsson, Todd Gill, Al Iafrate, Greg Hawgood, Mike Rathje,
Marty McSorley, Vlastimil Kroupa. G - Eddie Belfour, Kelly Hrudey.
Injuries: Bernie Nicholls, c (surgery to remove bladder tumor
and repair hernia, out for season); Al Iafrate, d, (inflamed
sciatic nerve and appendicitis, surgery performed for both, out
for season); Dody Wood, c, (sprained wrist, day-to-day);
Viktor Kozlov, lw, (injured ankle, one week).
Transactions: Claimed Chris LiPuma, d, off waivers from the
New Jersey Devils; recalled Chris Tancill, lw, from Kentucky
on emergency basis to fill-in for Viktor Kozlov.
Game Results:
3/19 at Calgary L 4-2
3/20 at Vancouver W 2-1
3/22 at Los Angeles L 2-1
3/24 Edmonton L 5-1
3/26 Toronto L 2-1
3/28 Edmonton W 4-3
TEAM NEWS by Mark Spiegel
The good news for the Sharks is that Bernie Nicholls will be o.k.
It turns out that the surgery he underwent on March 15th, while it
included repairing a hernia, was primarily to remove a tumor that
doctors had discovered. Bernie, who has a history of cancer on
his mother's side of the family, had noticed blood in his urine
in early March. An examination by physicians revealed the tumor
in his bladder. Before the surgery Bernie was warned that the
type of tumor he had was normally 95% malignant. Luckily, Bernie's
a five-percenter, it was benign. Bernie had wanted to keep his
condition unknown to most others until he knew definitely whether
it was cancer or not, hence the original story about surgery for
the hernia.
On the ice, the Sharks went 2-4-0 over the last two weeks and
finally arithmetically eliminated themselves from any post-season
play. Completing their last significant road trip of the season,
San Jose lost to Theo Fleury and the Flames two weeks ago in
Calgary, 4-2. The Sharks started out asleep, being outshot by
Calgary 17-2 in the first period. Neither team had much of an
effort, as the two teams combined to go 0 for 10 on the power play.
Tony Granato scored his 20th goal of the season, and rookie Steve
Guolla tagged his eleventh in the loss.
The next night in Vancouver, Kelly Hrudey put in a strong
performance in net, turning aside 30 of 31 Canucks shots, to lead
San Jose to a 2-1 victory. Marty McSorley got the Sharks on the
scoreboard first, but the Canucks came back to tie the score in
the second period. The Sharks took the lead back for good in the
third when Viktor Kozlov scored his fourteenth goal of the season
on a San Jose power play.
Two nights later in Los Angeles, the expected blood match didn't
materialize as the Kings' Matt Johnson was a scratch due to a back
injury. The Sharks outshot the Kings 35 to 25, but went 0 for 6
on the power play, and ended up losing 2-1. The Sharks lone goal
was scored by Jeff Friesen, his 26th this season.
A return to the Tank to face the Oilers resulted in a first for
the Sharks, no sellout. Yup, for the first time in 118 games,
the Tank wasn't completely full. Well, it hasn't been completely
full for quite some time, but the NHL measures sellouts by
"tickets issued." Monday night's game was 283 tickets short of
capacity.
The Sharks not only lost their sell-out streak, but also likely
lost winger Andrei Nazarov for the rest of the season. While
fighting the Oilers' Bryan Marchment, Andrei made enough contact
with linesman Brad Lazarowich to register a 13-game suspension.
Three games were for using force to try and free himself, and 10
games were added on for "deliberate use of force" to get
Lazarowich out of the way.
Nazarov is appealing the suspension through the NHLPA. "Sometimes
a player will throw the referee in a fight," said Nazarov. "It
happens. When I fought Shanahan...he threw the ref and he didn't
get it. When I fought Johnson of L.A., he threw the referee and
he didn't get it."
The suspension is the longest in the NHL since Dale Hunter's
21-game suspension for his after-the-whistle hit on Pierre Turgeon
in the playoffs a few years ago.
Back to the game. Nazarov opened-up the scoring for San Jose,
with his 12th goal of the season on the power play, bringing
the Sharks to within a goal after spotting the Oilers a 2-0 lead.
The game remained 2-1 Oilers until the start of the third when
Marius Czerkawski put Edmonton up by two goals just 35 seconds
into the period. The Oilers put in two more goals in the third,
despite being outshot by the Sharks 11 to 7 in the period.
Two nights later, the Toronto Maple Leafs completed a sweep of the
Sharks this season, winning their fourth game against San Jose, 2-1.
Felix Potvin came up big in the Leafs' net, stopping 40 of 41 San
Jose shots on goal. Darren Turcotte scored the lone San Jose
tally, with his 14th goal of the year, on the power play.
On Friday night, the Sharks again hosted the Oilers, this time
before a Tank sell-out. The Oilers had remained in nearby Pebble
Beach, having a team golf outing, and generally getting thawed-out
before the playoffs start.
Less than two minutes into the game Darren Turcotte scored, assisted
by Tony Granato.
After letting the Oilers take back the lead with two goals of their
own, Owen Nolan and Turcotte both scored to put San Jose in the lead
for good at 3-2.
Nolan got his second power play goal of the game in the second
period, tying Sergei Makarov's record of 30 goals in a season.
Eddie Belfour out-dueled the Oilers' Curtis Joseph in the nets,
giving the Sharks a 4-3 victory in the end.
Black and Blue Sharks
Owen Nolan missed four games (Vancouver, LA, Edmonton, Toronto)
with a severely bruised ankle.
Viktor Kozlov will be out for a week after catching a Greg Hawgood
slap shot with his right ankle. Kozlov had been the franchise
leader in consecutive games played, with 131 games. Chris Tancill
was called-up from Kentucky on an emergency basis until Viktor can
make it back onto the ice.
This and That
The Sharks reclaimed defenseman Chris LiPuma from the New Jersey
Devils. LiPuma, originally put on waivers by the Sharks for transfer
down to the Kentucky Thoroughblades, had been claimed by the Devils.
When New Jersey put LiPuma on waivers, for assignment to their AHL
affiliate, the Sharks grabbed Chris back.
As expected, Tony Granato was named as the Sharks' nominee for the
Bill Masterson Trophy. Tony's perseverance and dedication were
recognized by the league earlier this season when Tony was named
to the All-Star game by Commissioner Gary Bettman.
The Sharks will be going to FM for their flagship radio station
for next season. KARA (105.7) and the Sharks signed a three-year
deal on March 25th. San Jose joins Anaheim, NY Islanders, Phoenix
and Toronto in having FM-based broadcasts.
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VANCOUVER CANUCKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Tom Renney
Roster: C - Trevor Linden, Mike Ridley, Mike Sillinger, Scott
Walker, Sergei Nemchinov, Lonny Bohonos; LW - Martin Gelinas,
Markus Naslund, Gino Odjick, Donald Brashear, David Roberts; RW -
Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny, Brian Noonan, Troy Crowder; D -
Jyrki Lumme, Dana Murzyn, Bret Hedican, Chris Joseph, Dave Babych,
Adrian Aucoin, Leif Rohlin, Steve Staios; G - Kirk McLean, Corey
Hirsch.
Injuries: Pavel Bure, rw (whiplash March 3, indefinite); Mike
Sillinger, c (mild concussion March 26, day-to-day); Sergei
Nemchinov, c (returned March 24 from sprained rib, missed 11
games); Kirk McLean, g (returned March 26 from broken finger,
missed 10 games); Trevor Linden, c (returned March 26 from cracked
ribs, missed 8 games); Mike Ridley, c (returned from back
trouble March 18, missed 2 games); Jyrki Lumme, d (returned from
charleyhorse March 22, missed 3 games); David Roberts, lw (returned
from hip flexor March 29, missed 7 games).
Transactions: Lonny Bohonos, c, recalled from Syracuse (AHL) March
18; Larry Courville, lw, recalled from Syracuse (AHL) March 18,
re-assigned to Syracuse March 31; Steve Staios, d, acquired on
waivers from Boston, March 18; Frank Kucera, d, traded to
Philadelphia for a seventh round draft choice, March 18; Josef
Beranek, c, traded to Pittsburgh for future considerations, March
18; Mark Wotton, d, re-assigned to Syracuse (AHL), March 24; Mike
Fountain, g, re-assigned to Syracuse (AHL), March 26.
Game Results:
03/18 at Colorado L 4-2
03/20 San Jose L 2-1
03/22 Tampa Bay W 4-2
03/24 Los Angeles T 2-2
03/26 Anaheim W 5-3
03/29 at Calgary W 5-2
03/15 Dallas L 3-2
TEAM NEWS by Carol Schram
You know the old cliche -- when the going gets tough, the tough --
well, the tough give it a really good shot but come up just a
little short. At least, that's how things seem to look in
Canuck-land.
Two weeks ago, it seemed like half the lineup was out with injuries,
the trade deadline offered no significant hope for a miracle cure,
and every ounce of fate was working against the team as they
struggled through their last long road trip of the year. The
Canucks could have rolled over and died after dropping their fifth
straight contest this year to Colorado, then coming home and losing
to the lowly San Jose Sharks. But no -- they put together a
four-game unbeaten steak, just enough to keep a glimmer of playoff
hope alive.
True long-suffering Canuck fans understand that Vancouver's current
situation is typical of the price you have to pay to support this
team. This fact has been obscured by the team's relative success
in the Pavel Bure era of the 90s, but traditionally, this team
fights for its playoff life down to the last few games of the
season. Last year was deemed a big failure at the time, but
remember, it wasn't until after the deadline that Pat Quinn fired
Rick Ley in a last-gasp attempt to make the post-season. And sure,
we all remember that Vancouver finished seventh in the Conference
and played a pretty good first-round series against the Avalanche.
Do we recall, however, that our 79 points was just one more than
Anaheim, who finished ninth and missed the playoffs altogether?
And that nothing was certain until the Canucks shut out Calgary 4-0
in their last game of the season??
In the lockout-shortened 1995 season, Vancouver's .500 record was
good enough for an uncharacteristic second place in their division,
sixth in the conference a full seven points away from missing the
playoffs, and the team lasted two rounds that year. Even the
fairy-tale 1993-94 playoff run, which ended with the unforgettable
Game Seven against the New York Rangers, began with an
underachieving team finishing just one point over .500, seventh in
the conference, and facing the Pacific Division champion Calgary
Flames, who ended the year with 97 points and led the Canucks 3-1
in the first round before a series of miracle overtime wins created
the confidence and momentum that would last all the way to the
finals.
Here is a brief recap of Vancouver's season record and playoff
history through the decade before that bright spot:
1992-93 101 pts 1st place Smythe Division beat Winnipeg 4-2 in
Division Semi-Final
lost to Los Angeles 2-4
in Division Final
1991-92 96 pts 1st place Smythe Division beat Winnipeg 4-3 in
Division Semi-Final
lost to Edmonton 2-4
in Division Final
1990-91 65 pts 4th place Smythe Division lost to Los Angeles 4-2
in Division Semi-Final
finished two points above
5th-place Winnipeg
1989-90 64 pts 5th place Smythe Division out of playoffs
finished eleven points
below 4th-place Los Angeles
1988-89 74 pts 4th place Smythe Division lost to Calgary 4-3 in
Division Semi-Final
finished 10 points above
5th-place Winnipeg
1987-88 59 pts 5th place Smythe Division out of playoffs
finished nine points below
4th-place Los Angeles
1986-87 66 pts 5th place Smythe Division out of playoffs
finished four points below
4th-place Los Angeles
1985-86 59 pts 4th place Smythe Division lost to Edmonton 0-3 in
Division Semi-Final
finished five points above
5th-place Los Angeles
1984-85 59 pts 5th place Smythe Division out of playoffs
finished 13 points behind
4th-place Los Angeles
The first thing that jumps out from these numbers is the relative
truth to Pat Quinn's assertion that maybe ".500 isn't so bad after
all". Sure, the Canucks have a high payroll now and a couple of
bona fide superstars in Bure and Mogilny, but their current 69
points with five games remaining is still an improvement over all
but one of those 80s years. For the record, the Canucks have only
finished at .500 or above six times in their 27 year history, and
four of those six times have been in recent memory -- in the
1990s.
The other consistent detail is that the Canucks had a tradition of
finishing fourth or fifth in their division, back when that
position determined playoff matchups. From year to year, they
would either squeak in or be left on the sidelines. This season,
with the conference matchups in place, the situation's the same.
The Canucks don't play again until Friday April 4 against Calgary,
and a loss that night could mathematically end their playoff
chances.
As of March 31, Vancouver is in 10th place in the Western
Conference, five points out of a playoff spot, with five games
remaining. They must pass two out of three teams: Calgary,
Chicago, or St. Louis. Each of these teams also currently has a
game in hand on the Canucks. The rest of the season could be
rendered meaningless if Vancouver loses on Friday and:
*Eighth-place Chicago wins both its games this week: Tuesday in
Anaheim, and Thursday in Edmonton.
*Seventh-place St. Louis wins both its games this week: Tuesday at
Detroit, and Thursday at home to the Islanders.
*Sixth-place Phoenix takes two of a possible four points out of
their two games: Tuesday at home to San Jose and Thursday in Los
Angeles.
Under this scenario, eighth-place Chicago would be nine points ahead
of Vancouver, who would have just four games to go and would be
unable to catch them. Of course, any deviation from this scenario
will keep the Canucks' slim chances alive a little longer -- at
least until they play Edmonton on Saturday night. Vancouver's
other remaining games are against San Jose, Phoenix, and Edmonton
again at home to round out the season.
Vancouver has given it the good fight these past couple of weeks to
even keep the dream alive. They had a chance to pounce on a flat
Colorado Avalanche team to finish out their last road trip with a
win, but were unable to muster enough firepower to move the score
past 3-2. The Lanche scored the only goal of the third period
with five minutes to go, to take the score to 4-2 and put the game
away. Then, Vancouver let two easy points slip away in their first
game back home -- a 2-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks. By that
point, most everybody had given up hope, but the boys weren't quite
ready to say die.
The glimmer of hope started to peek through the clouds on March 22,
when Vancouver faced the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second
straight Saturday, this time at home. It wasn't a pretty game, and
Alex Mogilny had yet another goal called back for no particular
reason -- referee Kerry Fraser claimed he meant to blow the play
dead before Mogilny poked the puck out from under Rick Tabaracci,
and went to video replay on a play over which video officials have
no jurisdiction. Nevertheless, the Canucks managed to build a 3-1
lead and hang on in the third to win the game 3-2. It was a pretty
bad game by two pretty bad teams, but the Canucks were more than
happy to take the two points.
Next up -- Monday night -- LA Kings. Even though the Kings are
having one of their worst seasons in franchise history and have
trailed the Canucks in the standings all year long, they caused
Vancouver no end of embarrassment with their back-to-back shutout
wins on stellar play from Stephane Fiset, a couple of months back.
The good news for Vancouver was that Fiset is currently sidelined
with an injury, and they were to face local boy Byron Dafoe in net
instead. Also, Donald Brashear's sucker-punch on Ian Laperriere
earlier in the season has not been forgotten, although Laperriere
is now out for the year with an unrelated shoulder injury. The
game was a slightly more spirited affair, and the teams traded
goals until Brian Noonan scored on the power play in the third
period -- or thought he did. Referee Terry Gregson, after awarding
a goal to the Kings when the red light didn't go on earlier in the
game, blew the play dead before the goal, however, and gave Mike
Ridley a tripping penalty for his efforts. That was all she wrote,
too. Vancouver outshot the Kings 10-3 in the third period and both
teams tried to play to win in overtime, but the end result was a
single point -- less than the Canucks needed, but a valuable
addition to their tally and the beginning of a modest unbeaten
streak.
The momentum really started to pick up steam on Wednesday night,
when the Canucks faced off against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
The last time these teams met on the Pond, Vancouver had been
embarrassed, in a 5-2 loss after playing it close through most of
the game. But the Canucks had to feel good that the Ducks' recent
red-hot unbeaten streak had finally wound to a close, that the
Ducks had played the previous night, in Calgary, and that Art Ross
candidate Teemu Selanne was sidelined with a strained oblique
muscle.
Paul Kariya put on his usual show before his hometown fans, but on
this night it wasn't enough. The Canucks were getting healthier --
Sergei Nemchinov had finally made his Canuck debut in the Kings
game, and Trevor Linden and Kirk McLean returned to the lineup
against the Ducks. Linden's sore ribs still aren't completely
healed, but he took a crushing open-ice hit from Ken Baumgartner on
his very first shift and bounced right back, giving the Canucks a
huge emotional lift that should remind doubters why this man has
been Vancouver's captain for the last six years. That sparked a
series of fisticuffs and got Donald Brashear into that mean mood
where he plays his very best hockey. But all was not roses and
sunshine: the Ducks managed to take an early 2-1 lead on their
first three shots on Corey Hirsch, who was making his tenth
consecutive start. Having Captain Kirk on the bench made the
difference, though: Tom Renney changed goalies as a wakeup call to
his team, and McLean shone the rest of the way as the Canucks
played a great game en route to a 5-2 win, a three-game unbeaten
streak, and a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Next stop, Calgary, for a Saturday afternoon contest. This game
was a must-win, since the Flames are one of the teams Vancouver's
trying to catch, and the only team above them that they still play,
where they have some control over their destiny. Vancouver is
notorious for starting sleepily on afternoon games, but after both
teams came out a bit tentatively, the Canucks were able to build a
3-0 lead and chase Trevor Kidd from the net at the halfway mark of
the first period on his 25th birthday. Calgary kept it a little
bit interesting, but Kirk McLean had another solid outing, and the
end result was a satisfying 5-2 victory, and one day where just
three points separated the Canucks from the holy grail that is a
playoff spot.
So Vancouver had managed to grab seven out of eight points, build a
four-game unbeaten streak for the first time since October and win
back-to-back games for the first time since January. It would have
been a nice moment to pause, but instead they had to hop back on a
commercial flight and head home to meet up with the Dallas Stars
for an Easter Sunday matinee. The Canucks had managed to take
advantage of both Tampa and Anaheim after their opponents had
played in Calgary the night before. This time, it was the Stars
that were laying in wait, well-rested after a full week off, while
the Canucks scurried home to yet another must-win game.
Even after their long rest, the Dallas lineup remained depleted,
without Derian Hatcher or Andy Moog. But wacky backup Arturs Irbe
had put together a six-game unbeaten streak before the break and
been named NHL Player of the Week, so it's not like he wasn't a
formidable foe on his own. Many teams might come out a little
flat, especially for a day game, after a week off, but trust Ken
Hitchcock's squad to be up to the task. Mike Modano impressed as
he continues to develop into a solid, all-round hockey player. And
former Vancouver hero Greg Adams capitalized on his first-hand
knowledge of Kirk McLean's weakness on wraparounds to pot what
turned out to be the winning goal in a 3-2 contest where not only
did the Canucks not get any points, but watching the fun was about
as exciting as watching paint dry. The sellout crowd at GM Place
must have had visions of Easter Dinners dancing through their
heads, as they accepted the lose graciously and seemed
disinterested in whatever emotion the Canucks could muster, like
Steve Staios' skirmish with Bob Bassen right after Dallas scored to
go ahead 3-1. The newcomer was trying to do something to charge
his team back up, and neither his teammates nor the crowd responded
to his effort. Staios has been a decent addition on the blue line
since being picked up on waivers from Boston at the trade deadline,
and he has shown this kind of heart game after game, showing that
he's looking toward a future in Vancouver.
Losing to Dallas on Sunday was bad enough, but the scoreboard was
universally unkind to the Canucks to boot. St. Louis pulled the
unthinkable by beating Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia.
Chicago took advantage of Dominik Hasek's rib injury to sneak a 3-2
victory out of Buffalo. Even those pesky Mighty Ducks, far far
away in fifth place in the Conference, had the audacity to squeak
out a 1-0 overtime victory over Detroit for their first win in
franchise history at Joe Louis Arena. Judging from those results,
it looks like the Canucks aren't the only team that is putting out
that extra effort to gain the best possible position in the very
tight Western Conference playoff race. If these teams continue to
play this way, it's possible that Vancouver's playoff dreams could
be on the shelf by the end of the week. But knowing the Canucks
and their historical penchant for the "turtle derby", it's also
perfectly possible that they'll find a way to keep us guessing
right till the bitter end.
OTHER NEWS
Operation Gordie Howe has been put on hold in Syracuse. After much
debate about the wisdom of the 69-year-old All-Star's desire to
return to pro hockey, the Crunch announced last Friday that Gordie
would not be suiting up for their April 1 match against the
Carolina Monarchs. The Crunch have been vastly depleted by injuries
and callups, and even lost steady defenseman Frank Kucera when he
and his $1.2 million contract with one year remaining were moved to
Philadelphia at the trade deadline. By the way, Kucera was also
the goat on St. Louis' winning goal against the Flyers on Sunday --
this guy can't do anything to help Vancouver!
While they watched their parent squad struggle, the Crunch won just
two of eighteen games, putting their own once-secure playoff spot
at risk. It is for that reason, claims Crunch management, that the
organization still intends to celebrate Gordie Howe night on April
1, but will direct their efforts towards icing the best possible
squad and winning the game, instead of creating the inevitable
circuslike atmosphere that would come from Gordie lacing up the
skates.
Crunch management claims that they have not dismissed the possibly
of Gordie hitting the ice for their team at a later date, and say
they intend to look at the situation again next season.
Meantime, the Syracuse roster has been bolstered somewhat by the
recent returns of defenseman Mark Wotton, goalie Mike Fountain, and
winger Larry Courville. Now, only Crunch leading scorer Lonny
Bohonos remains with the big club, and he continues to work at an
effective point-a-game pace in the NHL, proving he's got the stuff
to stay. Alex Semak, another offensive force with the Crunch, has
been loaned to Las Vegas of the IHL, while center Robb Gordon is
the latest addition to the injury list, with some kind of knee
ailment. Both huge defenseman Chris MacAllister and promising
center Dave Scatchard are in Vancouver recovering from surgery
performed by Canucks' medical staff. MacAllister has a shoulder
problem, and Scatchard just underwent a second operation to bolster
the bone in his heels in an attempt to prevent any more of his
constant ankle sprains. Scatchard will definitely be unable to
re-join the Crunch for the playoffs, and may even be doubtful for
training camp next fall, depending on how he recovers from this
most recent surgery. The Crunch have slid from first place to
fourth in the Empire State Division of the AHL, with a record of
30-34-10. Luckily, eight out of nine teams in each conference will
make the playoffs, so their post-season chances remain better than
Vancouver's.
After escaping much of the criticism heaped on the Canucks this
season, coach Tom Renney is starting to catch some heat for the
team's sad predicament this late in the season. When the Canucks
were pottering along at .500, Renney was immune from blame it had
to be the players' fault, since these were the same results that
they had achieved under both Pat Quinn and Rick Ley. But the
downslide of February and March, even with the team's extensive
injuries, saw a change in the overall attitude toward Renney. Not
only are his long-winded speeches and explanations on every
possible media outlet starting to sound more and more cliched and
less and less substantial, rumors are beginning to trickle out of
the dressing room that, while Renney may say the right things to
fans and media, he's not getting his message across to the
players. As early as training camp, Gino Odjick was joking about
needing to bring a dictionary to practise: now it looks like there
may have been more to his words than originally met the eye.
It's no secret that there was no love lost between Renney and Esa
Tikkanen right from day one. Before leaving town when he was
traded, Tikk went so far as to tell certain media representatives
that Renney was the worst coach that he had ever played for. Last
week, another disturbing rumor surfaced. Apparently, the insider
who also criticized Russ Courtnall's attitude in the room a week or
two before the trade was actually Renney himself. Unbelievably, it
looks like Courtnall bought himself a one way ticket to the Big
Apple thanks to a "beer on the plane" incident.
It was well-known that Tikkanen had a big problem with Renney's "no
beer" rule on team charters. It has also been rumored for some
time that players had decided to defy Renney's orders and smuggle
beer onto a charter. When they were caught, their response was
"What're ya gonna do about it??" Apparently Courtnall owned up to
being the party doing the smuggling, and Renney's hands were tied,
at the time. It was believed that this incident caused a big loss
of respect from the players. As his own measure of revenge for
this embarrassment, we now learn that Mr. Forthright and Honest had
anonymously been bad-mouthing Courtnall to the local media and
obviously happily gave his stamp of approval to the trade that sent
this so-called Bad Apple out of town. With this information now
come to light, it's no wonder that Courtnall was so upset by the
rumors and innuendo that surrounded his departure from his home
province.
With the heat coming down, Renney has been given the opportunity to
talk even more about one of his favorite subjects -- himself. On
his post-game radio slot, he has touted his winning record from
years gone by at other levels, admitted to some of the mistakes
that he has made this year, and insisted that he will be back next
year and is devoted to building a winner in Vancouver. It's still
not known, however, how much he has already alienated his players.
He may have been told to start treating his stars like the big
tickets that they are, Alex Mogilny may be killing penalties now,
but the rift between the two still looks wide, and the smart money
says that there's a good chance one of them won't be back next
season. It is even rumored that Trevor Linden and his alternates
went first to Renney, then to Pat Quinn, over the past couple of
weeks, complaining about how the team wasn't understanding or
responding to Renney's messages. While Renney seems to be
responding, a little, to the crisis, it still seems fair to say
that what success the Canucks have had in recent days has come less
because of Tom Renney and more in spite of him. It would be the
law of the jungle if the Canucks sacrificed their rookie head coach
after just one season, but Renney has to make some serious
adjustments to his coaching style if he wants to keep his job, let
alone achieve the success he seems to think is his prerogative at
the NHL level.
================================================================
================================================================
Next Issue: April 15, 1997
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHL STANDINGS April 1, 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Conference
Northeast Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
x-Buffalo 76 38 26 12 88 219 186 23-9-6 15-17-6
Pittsburgh 76 36 33 7 79 264 257 23-11-4 13-22-3
Montreal 76 28 34 14 70 234 263 16-16-6 12-18-8
Hartford 75 29 36 10 68 202 232 21-14-3 8-22-7
Ottawa 75 26 34 15 67 208 221 13-17-8 13-17-7
Boston 76 24 43 9 57 217 280 12-19-7 12-24-2
Atlantic Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
x-Philadelphia 77 43 22 12 98 259 200 21-11-6 22-11-6
x-New Jersey 76 42 21 13 97 216 171 21-9-9 21-12-4
x-Florida 77 33 26 18 84 207 187 19-12-8 14-14-10
NY Rangers 77 35 32 10 80 241 213 19-13-6 16-19-4
Washington 77 30 39 8 68 194 217 17-17-4 13-22-4
Tampa Bay 76 29 38 9 67 203 233 14-18-7 15-20-2
NY Islanders 75 28 36 11 67 219 222 18-16-4 10-20-7
Western Conference
Central Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
x-Dallas 75 46 23 6 98 234 177 23-11-3 23-12-3
x-Detroit 76 36 24 16 88 238 182 20-10-8 16-14-8
Phoenix 77 36 35 6 78 222 227 15-19-6 21-16-0
St Louis 77 33 34 10 76 222 230 16-19-3 17-15-7
Chicago 77 31 33 13 75 207 199 15-20-4 16-13-9
Toronto 76 28 41 7 63 216 257 16-19-3 12-22-4
Pacific Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
x-Colorado 76 46 21 9 101 259 187 25-8-5 21-13-4
Anaheim 78 33 33 12 78 229 222 21-12-6 12-21-6
Edmonton 77 35 35 7 77 237 229 20-15-2 15-20-5
Calgary 76 32 36 8 72 203 215 21-15-2 11-21-6
Vancouver 77 32 40 5 69 238 258 18-17-3 14-23-2
Los Angeles 77 26 41 10 62 198 253 17-15-6 9-26-4
San Jose 76 25 44 7 57 189 255 13-21-3 12-23-4
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
z - Clinched conference title
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYOFF STANDINGS March 31, 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EASTERN CONFERENCE GP W L T PTS MaxPt Magic# Div# Out#
x-Philadelphia 76 43 22 11 97 109 -15 12
x-Buffalo 75 38 26 11 87 103 -5 4
x-New Jersey 75 41 21 13 95 109 -13 14
x-Florida 77 33 26 18 84 94 -2
Pittsburgh 76 36 33 7 79 91 3
NY Rangers 76 35 32 9 79 91 3
Montreal 76 28 34 14 70 82 12 14
Washington 76 30 38 8 68 80 14 12
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hartford 75 29 36 10 68 82 14 14
NY Islanders 75 28 36 11 67 81 15 13
Ottawa 75 26 34 15 67 81 15 13
Tampa Bay 75 29 38 8 66 80 16 12
Boston 76 24 43 9 57 69 25 1
WESTERN CONFERENCE GP W L T PTS MaxPt Magic# Div# Out#
y-Colorado 76 46 21 9 101 113 -15 -11
x-Dallas 75 46 23 6 98 112 -12 5
x-Detroit 75 36 24 15 87 103 -1
Edmonton 77 35 35 7 77 87 9 13
Anaheim 77 33 33 11 77 87 9 13
Phoenix 76 35 35 6 76 88 10 14
St Louis 76 33 34 9 75 87 11 13
Chicago 76 31 33 12 74 86 12 12
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calgary 76 32 36 8 72 84 14 10
Vancouver 77 32 40 5 69 79 17 5
Toronto 76 28 41 7 63 75 23 1
Los Angeles 77 26 41 10 62 72 24 -2
San Jose 75 25 43 7 57 71 29 -3
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
z - Clinched conference title
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHL LEAGUE LEADERS March 30, 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- INDIVIDUAL SCORING LEADERS ---
PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG
------------------------- ---- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ----
MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 69 46 66 112 28 65 14 1 6 1 289 15.9
TEEMU SELANNE ANA 73 47 51 98 22 26 9 1 8 2 262 17.9
JOHN LECLAIR PHI 75 49 45 94 45 58 10 0 5 2 299 16.4
WAYNE GRETZKY NYR 76 23 68 91 20 28 5 0 2 1 268 8.6
JAROMIR JAGR PIT 58 45 44 89 21 40 10 2 6 1 217 20.7
PAUL KARIYA ANA 63 39 50 89 29 6 14 3 8 0 313 12.5
MATS SUNDIN TOR 76 39 48 87 5 55 7 4 8 1 268 14.6
BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 73 46 39 85 29 129 19 3 7 2 306 15.0
ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 73 44 40 84 22 39 6 4 6 0 272 16.2
RON FRANCIS PIT 74 25 58 83 5 14 6 1 2 0 166 15.1
BRETT HULL STL 74 41 40 81 9- 8 11 2 5 2 294 13.9
ADAM OATES WAS 76 21 60 81 4- 14 2 2 5 0 152 13.8
MARK MESSIER NYR 67 35 45 80 13 88 7 5 8 1 219 16.0
STEVE YZERMAN DET 74 18 62 80 19 76 5 0 2 0 215 8.4
VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MON 76 26 52 78 6- 80 7 2 3 1 231 11.3
PETER FORSBERG COL 59 23 55 78 30 67 5 3 4 0 169 13.6
PIERRE TURGEON STL 71 25 52 77 7 14 5 0 7 1 201 12.4
DOUG GILMOUR NJD 73 21 55 76 5 54 4 1 1 1 129 16.3
DOUG WEIGHT EDM 74 18 58 76 4 86 4 0 2 0 212 8.5
MARK RECCHI MON 76 33 42 75 3- 58 7 2 2 0 183 18.0
KEITH TKACHUK PHO 75 46 28 74 9- 210 7 3 5 1 275 16.7
MIKE MODANO DAL 72 32 42 74 38 42 9 5 9 1 258 12.4
ERIC LINDROS PHI 47 29 45 74 32 124 9 0 7 2 180 16.1
TONY AMONTE CHI 75 40 32 72 33 64 8 2 4 2 247 16.2
BRIAN LEETCH NYR 76 19 53 72 34 38 8 0 1 0 241 7.9
--- INDIVIDUAL LEADERS ---
-- GOAL SCORING -- -- ASSISTS --
NAME TEAM GP G NAME TEAM GP A
------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- ---
JOHN LECLAIR PHI 75 49 WAYNE GRETZKY NYR 76 68
TEEMU SELANNE ANA 73 47 MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 69 66
MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 69 46 STEVE YZERMAN DET 74 62
BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 73 46 ADAM OATES WAS 76 60
KEITH TKACHUK PHO 75 46 RON FRANCIS PIT 74 58
JAROMIR JAGR PIT 58 45 DOUG WEIGHT EDM 74 58
ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 73 44 PETER FORSBERG COL 59 55
PETER BONDRA WAS 72 43 DOUG GILMOUR NJD 73 55
BRETT HULL STL 74 41 BRIAN LEETCH NYR 76 53
TONY AMONTE CHI 75 40 PIERRE TURGEON STL 71 52
PAUL KARIYA ANA 63 39 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MON 76 52
MATS SUNDIN TOR 76 39
-- POWER PLAY GOALS -- -- SHORT HANDED GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP PP NAME TEAM GP SH
------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- ---
BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 73 19 MARK MESSIER NYR 67 5
RYAN SMYTH EDM 76 18 MIKE PECA BUF 71 5
PAUL KARIYA ANA 63 14 MIKE MODANO DAL 72 5
MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 69 14 SHELDON KENNEDY BOS 50 4
ANDREI KOVALENKO EDM 68 13 TRENT KLATT PHI 69 4
KEITH JONES COL 72 13 PETER BONDRA WAS 72 4
RAY SHEPPARD FLA 62 12 ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 73 4
PETR NEDVED PIT 67 12 TODD MARCHANT EDM 73 4
MIKE GARTNER PHO 76 12 ADAM GRAVES NYR 76 4
DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTT 69 11 MATS SUNDIN TOR 76 4
GERMAN TITOV CGY 73 11 RANDY BURRIDGE BUF 49 3
BRETT HULL STL 74 11 PETER FORSBERG COL 59 3
SANDIS OZOLINSH COL 74 11 MIKE SULLIVAN CGY 61 3
PAUL KARIYA ANA 63 3
MARTIN RUCINSKY MON 64 3
PATRICK POULIN TAM 66 3
PAUL RANHEIM HAR 66 3
JEREMY ROENICK PHO 66 3
MIKAEL ANDERSSON TAM 67 3
ROB DIMAIO BOS 68 3
BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 73 3
MIKE SILLINGER VAN 73 3
KEITH TKACHUK PHO 75 3
ROB ZAMUNER TAM 75 3
-- GAME WINNING GOALS -- -- OVERTIME GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP GW NAME TEAM GP GOT
------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- ---
MIKE MODANO DAL 72 9 ERIC LINDROS PHI 47 2
PAUL KARIYA ANA 63 8 ROBERT KRON HAR 61 2
MARK MESSIER NYR 67 8 STEVE KONOWALCHUK WAS 72 2
TEEMU SELANNE ANA 73 8 NIKLAS SUNDSTROM NYR 76 2
BILL GUERIN NJD 74 8
MATS SUNDIN TOR 76 8
ERIC LINDROS PHI 47 7
RAY SHEPPARD FLA 62 7
JEREMY ROENICK PHO 66 7
PIERRE TURGEON STL 71 7
KEITH JONES COL 72 7
BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 73 7
MIKE GARTNER PHO 76 7
-- GAME TYING GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP GT
------------------------- ---- -- ---
ADAM GRAVES NYR 76 5
STU BARNES PIT 75 3
ERIC LINDROS PHI 47 2
JOHAN GARPENLOV FLA 48 2
DARBY HENDRICKSON TOR 58 2
BRUCE GARDINER OTT 60 2
DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTT 69 2
KEVIN DINEEN HAR 71 2
TEEMU SELANNE ANA 73 2
BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 73 2
BRETT HULL STL 74 2
TONY AMONTE CHI 75 2
ALEXANDRE DAIGLE OTT 75 2
JEFF FRIESEN SAN 75 2
JOHN LECLAIR PHI 75 2
THEOREN FLEURY CGY 76 2
-- SHOTS -- -- FIRST GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP S NAME TEAM GP FG
------------------------- ---- -- --- ------------------------- ---- -- ---
THEOREN FLEURY CGY 76 317 OWEN NOLAN SAN 68 10
PAUL KARIYA ANA 63 313 TEEMU SELANNE ANA 73 10
BRENDAN SHANAHAN DET 73 306 MATS SUNDIN TOR 76 9
JOHN LECLAIR PHI 75 299 ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 73 8
BRETT HULL STL 74 294 RAY FERRARO LOS 75 8
PETER BONDRA WAS 72 292 SCOTT MELLANBY FLA 76 8
MARIO LEMIEUX PIT 69 289 PAUL KARIYA ANA 63 7
KEITH TKACHUK PHO 75 275 PETR NEDVED PIT 67 7
ZIGMUND PALFFY NYI 73 272 ADAM DEADMARSH COL 72 7
GEOFF SANDERSON HAR 75 272 BRIAN ROLSTON NJD 73 7
WAYNE GRETZKY NYR 76 268 TONY AMONTE CHI 75 7
MATS SUNDIN TOR 76 268 DEREK KING HAR 75 7
JOHN LECLAIR PHI 75 7
RYAN SMYTH EDM 76 7
-- SHOOTING PERCENTAGE (MIN 73 SHOTS) --
NAME TEAM GP G S PCTG
------------------------- ---- -- --- --- ----
ANDREI KOVALENKO EDM 68 32 152 21.1
JAROMIR JAGR PIT 58 45 217 20.7
MIROSLAV SATAN BUF 68 19 96 19.8
JOE NIEUWENDYK DAL 57 29 152 19.1
MARTIN GELINAS VAN 68 30 159 18.9
NIKLAS SUNDSTROM NYR 76 23 124 18.5
GREG ADAMS DAL 43 18 98 18.4
MARK RECCHI MON 76 33 183 18.0
TEEMU SELANNE ANA 73 47 262 17.9
JASON DAWE BUF 73 22 124 17.7
STEVE HEINZE BOS 30 17 96 17.7
STEPHANE RICHER MON 61 22 125 17.6
VALERI KAMENSKY COL 62 27 154 17.5
ALEXANDER MOGILNY VAN 74 30 172 17.4
TRENT KLATT PHI 69 20 115 17.4
ADAM DEADMARSH COL 72 32 185 17.3
BILL GUERIN NJD 74 27 157 17.2
MIKE GRIER EDM 73 14 82 17.1
RAY FERRARO LOS 75 24 141 17.0
MARKUS NASLUND VAN 72 17 100 17.0
KEITH TKACHUK PHO 75 46 275 16.7
MIKE SILLINGER VAN 73 17 103 16.5
JOHN LECLAIR PHI 75 49 299 16.4
MARTIN RUCINSKY MON 64 26 159 16.4
BRIAN HOLZINGER BUF 73 22 134 16.4
-- PLUS/MINUS --
NAME TEAM GP +/-
------------------------- ---- -- ---
JOHN LECLAIR PHI 75 45
MIKE MODANO DAL 72 38
DAVE ANDREYCHUK NJD 74 37
VLADIMIR KONSTANTINOV DET 71 37
MIKAEL RENBERG PHI 74 36
BRIAN LEETCH NYR 76 34
TONY AMONTE CHI 75 33
SERGEI FEDOROV DET 66 33
DARRYL SYDOR DAL 73 32
ERIC LINDROS PHI 47 32
--- GOALTENDING LEADERS ---
-- GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE --
(MIN 24 GP)
GOALTENDER TEAM GP GA AVG
------------------------- ---- -- --- -----
MARTIN BRODEUR NJD 62 115 1.95
ANDY MOOG DAL 45 91 2.14
JEFF HACKETT CHI 35 76 2.16
JOHN VANBIESBROUCK FLA 53 116 2.24
CHRIS OSGOOD DET 43 97 2.31
MARK FITZPATRICK FLA 29 60 2.32
PATRICK ROY COL 59 137 2.33
DOMINIK HASEK BUF 61 143 2.33
RON HEXTALL PHI 49 115 2.48
MIKE VERNON DET 29 71 2.51
-- WINS --
GOALTENDER TEAM GP W L T
------------------------- ---- --- -- -- --
PATRICK ROY COL 59 36 14 7
DOMINIK HASEK BUF 61 35 17 9
MARTIN BRODEUR NJD 62 34 13 12
CURTIS JOSEPH EDM 66 31 27 7
RON HEXTALL PHI 49 30 13 4
MIKE RICHTER NYR 56 30 21 5
GRANT FUHR STL 67 30 27 9
ANDY MOOG DAL 45 28 11 3
GUY HEBERT ANA 64 27 25 11
NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN PHO 66 27 32 5
-- SAVE PERCENTAGE --
GOALTENDER TEAM GP GA SA SPCTG
------------------------- ---- --- --- ---- -----
KEVIN HODSON DET 6 8 114 .930
DOMINIK HASEK BUF 61 143 1978 .928
STEVE SHIELDS BUF 11 28 387 .928
JEFF HACKETT CHI 35 76 1030 .926
ROMAN TUREK DAL 5 9 121 .926
PATRICK ROY COL 59 137 1775 .923
MARTIN BRODEUR NJD 62 115 1489 .923
GUY HEBERT ANA 64 163 2034 .920
JOHN VANBIESBROUCK FLA 53 116 1454 .920
MIKE RICHTER NYR 56 148 1785 .917
SEAN BURKE HAR 44 110 1331 .917
CRAIG BILLINGTON COL 20 42 509 .917
-- SHUTOUTS --
GOALTENDER TEAM GP SO W L T
------------------------- ---- --- -- -- -- --
PATRICK ROY COL 59 7 36 14 7
MARTIN BRODEUR NJD 62 7 34 13 12
NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN PHO 66 7 27 32 5
CHRIS OSGOOD DET 43 6 21 12 8
CURTIS JOSEPH EDM 66 6 31 27 7
RON HEXTALL PHI 49 5 30 13 4
TOMMY SALO NYI 53 5 20 23 7
RICK TABARACCI TAM 58 5 20 28 5
DOMINIK HASEK BUF 61 5 35 17 9
STEPHANE FISET LOS 44 4 13 24 5
SEAN BURKE HAR 44 4 19 19 5
TREVOR KIDD CGY 51 4 21 22 5
MIKE RICHTER NYR 56 4 30 21 5
GUY HEBERT ANA 64 4 27 25 11
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