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November 29, 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.
Falloon finally in fine form after shedding early slump
For a while it was tough to tell if the CoreStates Center crowd was chanting “Fal-LOON” or just a plain old “Boo!” Pat Falloon was stuck in an eightgame dry spell. Coach Terry Murray harped about conditioning and motivation. And Philadelphia Flyers’ fans wanted more from their second line right winger. After spending two games on the sidelines instead of the ice, Falloon finally came around. He scored a goal in a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Nov, 10, then got the winner in a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers Nov. 13. Murray’s actions appeared to have the desired effect. “There’s urgency in his game (now),” Murray said. “He has worked hard to get back into form.” Falloon shrugged off his recent success. “I don’t think I’m doing anything differently,” he said. “Maybe…
Leschyshyn gets on roll
Curtis Leschyshyn used to be something of an anomaly. He had played eight-plus seasons in the NHL, all with the Quebec Nordiques-Colorado Avalanche, and he’d never been traded. All that changed, twice, in a whirlwind of seven days. Leschyshyn was traded to the Washington Capitals in a multi-player deal Nov. 2. A week later, as he left his hotel for USAir Arena, Leschyshyn’s wife Laura said, “Say hi to your new (Capitals’) teammates and say bye to your new teammates.” “It was just a little running joke we had going,” Leschyshyn said. “She had a feeling we wouldn’t be around long. And she was right. I was traded that morning.” Leschyshyn, 27, was flipped to the Hartford Whalers for center/left winger Andrei Nikolishin Nov. 9, shuttled to Hartford in time to play against…
Emphasis on team defense
In 1989-90, the Quebec Nordiques allowed 407 goals in 80 games. Only three other teams in NHL history allowed more. Joe Sakic was on that team. Although he’d like to forget, he remembers those bleak days when holding an opponent to five goals was considered a great defensive job. But Sakic is on a wholly different team now. The 1996-97 Colorado Avalanche is establishing itself as one of the league’s stingiest teams. Through Colorado’s first 21 games, the Avalanche allowed just 44 goals. When the Buffalo Sabres scored five goals Nov. 14, it broke the Avalanche’s 11-game unbeaten streak and was just the third time in the previous 17 an opponent had scored more than two. “We’ve been playing together defensively and we’ve been doing that since the second half of last year,” said Sakic,…
Highly regarded Cullen St. Cloud’s silver lining
There’s one good reason why people around the Western Collegiate Hockey Association expect St. Cloud State to improve dramatically this season. Matt Cullen. Cullen made an easy adjustment to a higher level last season, leading the Huskies in scoring as a freshman. He was also a member of the U.S. junior national team and was taken in the second round of the NHL entry draft by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. “He’s noticeable every time he steps on the ice,” said Huskies’ coach Craig Dahl. “In addition to being an outstanding hockey player, he’s a straight-A student and a great kid.” Cullen, 20, played high school hockey at Moorhead (Minn.) High School for his father, Terry. He was the state’s prep player of the year in 1995 before joining St. Cloud State, where he…
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