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November 26, 1999
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.


Barrie makes most of first line job after injuries hobble Palffy’s pals
Los Angeles Kings’ center Len Barrie remembered his last NHL goal as if it were, well, 4 ½ years ago. Because it was. “It has been a while,” said Barrie, after beating Patrick Roy in the Kings’ 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche Nov. 11 for his first NHL goal since March 24, 1995, while he was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. “It’s nice to get it.” Barrie, a veteran minor-leaguer who spent two seasons in Europe before signing with the Kings as a free agent last summer, is seizing the opportunity which arose when center Jozef Stumpel was forced to undergo hernia surgery. Barrie had been skating with the Kings’ top affiliate, the International League’s Long Beach Ice Dogs. Playing between Vladimir Tsyplakov and Ziggy Palffy, Barrie was determined to keep the…


Matte the ‘Dancing Bear’ starring in pivotal season
Should his hockey career at some point fail and the NHL continue to turn him away, Christian Matte won’t necessarily have to hang up his skates. There are always ice shows. As the star of the Hershey Bears, Matte was chosen to take part in a mock audition for the role of Prince Charming in a promotional gig for Disney On Ice. OK, so a hockey player dressed up in a costume and trying to do triple axles can be a little humorous. But there were some perks. “I never met Mickey Mouse before,” Matte said. “Who knows, after my career, maybe this is something I can do.” He’d like to have to make that decision many years from now, though. There’s a great deal of hockey to be played, especially this year in what…


Ferguson big thrill for Conway
As a Pulitzer Prize nominee, Russ Conway is familiar with major honors. With that in mind, Conway said he was thrilled at being named this year’s winner of the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for newspaper excellence. In fact, Conway said being recognized by his peers for his achievements as a hockey writer is his career highlight. Conway, 50, began his career with the Lawrence (Mass.) Eagle-Tribune in 1967, fresh out of high school and only 18. “Russ is a dedicated journalist whose efforts exemplify what we all try to do in this business,” said former PHWA president Jim Kelley. “He has a great love for the game, but a greater understanding of the principles of journalism and an understanding of how good journalists can make things even better.” Conway earned his Pulitzer bid for a…


Blueshirts struggle early in season, but Muckier feels job still secure
Not only had the New York Rangers fallen to four games under .500, not only had they failed to win 12 of 17 games, but they had hit bottom. A team that had earlier been shut out three straight games now was blowing a two-goal, third-period lead in a 4-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators Nov. 10. No matter what people thought about their roster and how many reasonable excuses there might have been, there was no excuse for them to be this bad. And so there was little question coach John Muckier’s job was hanging by the slimmest of threads. Yet the Rangers saved their coach, at least for the moment, by coming from behind three times, getting the tying goal with 19 seconds left in regulation and the winner in…