Search for your favorite player or team
© The Hockey News. All rights reserved. Any and all material on this website cannot be used, reproduced, or distributed without prior written permission from Roustan Media Ltd. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
March 24, 1995
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.
Courtnail, Millen, Donnelly add speed, offense to roster
They have been called everything from the Smurf Line to the Speed Line to the Flash Line. Dallas Stars’ coach Bob Gainey simply likes to refer to them as The Scooters. Gainey has assembled a line quite unlike any the Stars have seen in some time. New acquisitions Mike Donnelly and Corey Millen have been united with Russ Courtnall to give Dallas a small, but lightning-fast offensive line. “There’s no better asset than quickness on the ice,” Gainey said. “It disorients people and makes big, slow people look clumsy.” The Scooters did just that in their first four games together. As a group they averaged four points and eight shots a game. More importantly, they were aggressive in fighting for the puck and did things the way no other line did. “They’re able to stretch…
Go-ahead point stat measures true value
It’s difficult to win without leadership and it is utterly impossible to win without the lead. The players who help put their teams ahead are the ones who collect bonus money, keep their coaches from getting fired and end up on the post-game shows explaining how the key play developed. They are the go-to guys, the ones capable of getting you a lead as many times as you need it to win. In 22 games, the Winnipeg Jets led only 20 times and Alexei Zhamnov either scored or assisted on 14 of those go-ahead goals. If he was underrated before, he shouldn’t be any longer. Even with his output, which shared the NHL lead with Phil Housley of the Calgary Flames, the Jets won just eight of 22. Statistics never tell the whole story, but…
No one doubts Thomas as Catamounts’ savior
Two years ago, Vermont coach Mike Gilligan found himself in a sticky situation. Christian Soucy, his all-America goalie, had unexpectedly decided to turn pro in the spring after his sophomore year and Gilligan’s recruiting list hadn’t included any goalies. But with the help of his neighbor, Middlebury (Vt.) College coach Bill Beaney, Gilligan found someone to fill Soucy’s skates. The last-minute replacement was Tim Thomas, who has been spectacular in two seasons at Vermont. After posting a 3.02 goals-against average in 33 games as a freshman, he was the No. 1 goalie in the Eastern College Athletic Conference this year, compiling a 2.68 GAA and a.915 save percentage. He became the first Catamounts’ goalie to lead the league in GAA since Peter Reynolds in 1977. Many nights, he won games singlehandedly. “I wasn’t happy with…
Beranek likes Vancouver, but can’t understand trade
Josef Beranek doesn’t feel as though he was traded. He feels more like a player who was given away, run out of town. The 25-year-old center for the Vancouver Canucks said he was mildly shocked at being dealt away by the Philadelphia Flyers Feb. 23, although he was pleased to be headed to a team where he could play his natural position on the first line. The native of Litvinov, Czech Republic was, however, mystified to discover he was swapped for a player-tough left winger Shawn Antos-ki-who was not an established NHLer and who had yet to prove he could play in the league. Entering this season, Beranek had outscored Antoski 55-1 and outpointed him 110-3. “I couldn’t understand why they would trade me for that guy,” Beranek said. “They obviously just wanted to…
Made possible with the support of
