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February 9, 1996
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.
Nicholls is still star after all these years
There may be people in the hockey world surprised Bernie Nicholls continues to score at a point-per-game pace in his 15th NHL season. Nicholls-is not among them. Chalk it up to fate, Nicholls said. He was bom with talent, he has built up the experience. His offensive gifts are soft hands, great anticipation and goal-scorer’s elusiveness. All are hard to define. “I don’t think you can teach people the offensive part of the game,” said the Chicago Blackhawks’ center. “You can teach them how to shoot, how to do this and that, but you can’t teach them how to score goals, where to be at the proper time. It just comes natural and I was fortunate to be one of those people.” At 34, Nicholls has a skeletal build and speed that makes you wonder…
Manson loud & clear
Dave Manson has lost a lot of things over the course of a 10-year NHL career. Most often it has been his temper, as two 300-plus penalty-minute seasons will attest. In 1991, after getting punched in the throat during a fight, he lost his voice. Shortly after that it was his on-ice focus that went AWOL. He spent too much time worrying about people saying he was overpaid and underperforming instead of just playing the game. Last year, though, was the absolute worst. Hampered by stomach and groin injuries, Manson lost his conditioning during the lockout and once the season started, nearly every time he got the puck he lost that, too. His ice time, confidence and plus-minus fell further (minus-20) than the mercury during a frigid Winnipeg winter. “He played 15 games (when he…
Aldridge now starring in ‘middle of nowhere’
Lake Superior State University senior defenseman Keith Aldridge may not bleed Laker Blue, but he certainly wanted to wear it badly enough. Aldridge, now Lake Superior’s backline linchpin on defense, swore allegiance to the Lakers after watching them as a kid at the Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena many years ago. “I liked the uniforms and thought they were cool,” said Aldridge, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound native of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “I said I wanted to play for them. My mom looked at me funny and said, ‘Do you know where that school is? In the middle of nowhere.’ But here I am.” At Lake State in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the 22-year-old takes a regular shift, quarterbacks the power play and penalty-killing units and skates in most other…
Lame Duck mascot keeps Anaheim fans in stitches
And you thought it took some time getting used to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim’s logo. How about their new “third sweaters” with a cartoon of bumbling mascot Wild Wing emblazoned on the chest? Nobody imagined the mishaps that would befall the mascot when the decision was made to put him on the alternate sweater. But by the time the Ducks’ players donned them for the first time against the Los Angeles Kings Jan. 27, Wild Wing had become famous for fowl-ups. He tripped into a wall of flames he was supposed to leap over opening night, then leaped over nothing but air after the device ran out of propane the next game. Later in the season, he dangled helplessly over the ice during warmups after the rigging that lowers him in a pre-game production…
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