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April 4, 1986
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
As ‘Gus’ Goes, So Go The Capitals
LANDOVER—As the Washington Capitals were defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 6-5 to creep back within one point of the Patrick Division lead, Bengt Gustafsson absorbed a crunching check from the Flyers’ Dave Brown. Instead of seeking solace at the bench, Gustafsson stayed on the ice and a few moments later it was his turn. Gustafsson, 6-feet and 192 pounds, leveled the 6-foot-5, 205-pound Brown. “There goes the Europeans’ reputation,” cracked the Capitals’ television announcer, Mike Fornes. If that reputation means shunning the comers and skating away from tough guys, Gustafsson destroyed it a long time ago. The Swede has a history of dealing solid checks to off-balance opponents and one of his best came earlier this season in Edmonton, when he jarred Dave Semenko. Gustafsson is a superb two-way forward and perhaps the principal detraction…
Hershey’s Hextall Heroic For Bears’ Coach
HERSHEY—The season’s not even over yet and goaltender Ron Hextall has won as many times as the entire 1984-85 Hershey Bear team. Hershey, 1984-85: 26-43-11. Hextall, 1985-86: 26-19-2. “Hextall should be in the running for rookie of the year, most valuable player and first-team all-star,” said coach John Paddock of the about-to-be-crowned Southern champs. “If he hadn’t come through the way he did, I don’t know where’d we be.” Paddock wasn’t taking away anything from Darren Jensen, now back in Hershey. Jensen was 8-1-1 in his first 10 games with the Bears and had a goals-against average of 2.87. But after the death of Pelle Lindbergh, Jensen went up to Philadelphia, forcing Paddock to put Hextall through a crash course in the American League. “Ron has a lot of character and desire—he’s very intense,” said…
Unhappy Dionne No. 2, Considers Retiring
LOS ANGELES—Marcel Dionne’s sprained right wrist was throbbing. It had taken one too many whacks during a Mar. 18 game with the Washington Capitals and a cast was put on the next day after the Los Angeles Kings arrived in Boston. The wrist took a beating again two nights later, during the Kings’ 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins, before and after Dionne passed Phil Esposito and took over sole possession of second place on the National Hockey League’s all-time points list with a first-period assist. “They (the Bruins) all knew about it because their doctor put it on,” coach Pat Quinn said. “They were chopping it all night.” The wrist, Dionne was saying, he can handle. Two sore fingers on his right hand were giving him more trouble and he expected to…
Bluelines
Charlie Bourgeois’ sense of humor is appreciated by the Blues. After appearing on a St. Louis broadcast. Bourgeois lamented the fact that he didn’t have a girlfriend. By the time he returned to his hotel, he was loaded down with flowers and phone numbers. Bourgeois says his buddy Gino Cavallini will do well in the Mound City. “With all the Italians here, Gino could be a folk hero.”…One member of the NHL inner sanctum analyzed the saga of the Red Wings’ hierarchy as “The blind leading the blind.”…Shortly before he died, Hall of Famer Jacques Plante said of Tom Barrasso, “He’s the best young goaltender I’ve ever seen.” … A pair of Swedes, Mats Kihlstrom and Roger Johansson, could make the Flames’ varsity next season. Kihlstrom is on the Swedish…
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