SAGUENEENS’ SUPER SCORE

After being named player of the year last season, Pierre-Marc Bouchard has little left to prove at the major junior level. Or does he? The 5-foot-10,166-pound center showed he can put up big numbers when he won the Quebec League scoring title with 140 points in 69 games. But now he has to prove he can help the Chicoutimi Sagueneens achieve some team goals. He was little help when the Sags bowed out meekly in the first round of the playoffs the last two years. Now a third-year veteran, the deft playmaker is under the gun to guide his team to at least one playoff round victory “My goals are more about the team this year,” Bouchard said. “We lost in the first round two years (in a row) so it has (become)…

Elston

Is this the final crackdown?

The proof of success will be etched in the ice. Cuts from fast-moving skate blades will be deeper and longer. There will be more of them, pure and clean, up and down the ice in groups of four–two tracks from the offensive player able to skate freely for the first time in years, the others from his defensive mark, desperately churning–not hooking or holding or grabbing or surfing or piggyback riding–to catch up. That’s what they say will happen, anyway. But until the games begin and Zamboni drivers can confirm the new ways are working, only one question matters: why should anyone believe this year’s interference crackdown will be so different from so many others that failed so miserably? These vows have been repeated often before, with supposedly serious pushes in 1995 and…

NHL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

Thursday, sept. 19 1. Philadelphia at Washington, 7 p.m. 2. Boston vs. St. Louis, at Worcester, 7 p.m. 3. Florida at Montreal, 7:30 p.m. 4. Nashville at Chicago, 8:30 p.m. 5. Van vs. Edmonton, at Winnipeg, 8:30 p.m. 6. Dallas at Colorado, 9 p.m. 7. San Jose at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Friday. Sept. 20 8. Toronto at Ottawa, 7 p.m. 9. Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey, at Albany, 7 p.m. 10. Carolina at Florida, 7:30 p.m. 11. Tampa Bay at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. 12. Columbus vs. Buffalo, at Syracuse. 7:30 p.m. 13. Bos vs. Washington, at Manchester, 7:30 p.m. 14. Detroit at Dallas. 8:30 p.m. 15. Vancouver at Edmonton, 9 p.m. 16. Minnesota at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 17. Ottawa at Buffalo, 6 p.m. 18. New York Rangers at Montreal, 7 p.m. 19. New Jersey at Philadelphia. 7 p.m. 20. Pittsburgh at Washington, 7 p.m. 21. Columbus at Tampa Bay, 7:30…