A Flying Skate Down Memory Lane

[jumpSeat]

Back in October, we started the season with two talented goaltenders in Kirk McLean and Arturs Irbe. Kirk was our number one as he was more experienced and a little ahead of Arturs in terms of development. Notwithstanding, our scouts thought very highly of Irbe, and not just ours, but scouts around the league thought he had the potential to become an elite goaltender. (Whereas Kirk was believed to have already peaked).

With this in mind, we asked Glen Hanlon (our goalie coach) for his recommendation on how to handle them. Glen played for the Canucks in the 80's and was a highly regarded goaltender in his own right, so we greatly valued his first-hand knowledge. After working with them both for several weeks, Glen advised us to employ a 1-A and 1-B approach. He wanted us to always start the freshest 'keeper, so we'd have to rotate them fairly evenly, which would lighten the load on Kirk (keeping him fresh for April and May), while also allowing Arturs enough playing time to nurture his development.

The plan seemed to be working, as Arturs stepped up and recorded back-to-back shutouts in his last two games!!



Player in the Spotlight: Arturs Irbe | GP 25 | W 15 | L 7 | OT 3 | GAA 2.30 | SO 6 | SV% .918

[jumpSeat]

Week 17 couldn't have gone much better as we posted a perfect 3-and-O mark on home ice. For a home team, feeding off the energy of the partisan crowd and getting last change, (so we could get the matchups we wanted), were always big pluses, but now we'd be put to the test without any of those advantages. A five game eastern road trip lay dead ahead, and we'd have to be sharp to avoid tailing off.

The travel schedule called for us to be spending a fair bit of time in and around New York, so after speaking with Arthur Griffiths (who also sat on the Board of Governors), we got the go ahead to stop by the league office in search of labor updates. Since the meeting in Vancouver, the league had been pretty tight-lipped, but we were hoping to shake some info loose. (Or at least get a sense of how things were going).



- - - - - - -

Week: 17

[jumpSeat]

Doug Lidster was born in Kamloops, British Columbia on October the 18th, 1960. Lidster played junior hockey in his hometown, and by the time he graduated to the collegiate level, he held several records for defensemen in the BCHL. At Colorado College, Doug was twice named a first team All-Star, plus All-American in his senior year. The Canucks drafted 'Liddy' in 1980, and he joined the team late in the '83-84 campaign. In 1987, he set an all-time Canuck record for most points by a defenseman with 63.

As his bio suggests, Doug Lidster was a very gifted two-way defenseman. On this cold February night in New York City, everyone in Madison Square Garden was a witness to just that. 'Liddy' racked up three assists on his way to being named the first star of the game. It was one of those nights where everything just seemed to click, and for us coaches, just seeing the look on his face made the whole trip worthwhile!



Player in the Spotlight: Doug Lidster | DGR 77 | G 0 | A 3 | +/- 2 | BS 2 | TOT 21:33 | 1st Star

[jumpSeat]

It was early in the morning, but John Ziegler looked like he just walked off a movie set with his perfectly-pressed suit, french cuffs, and signature yellow tie. At just 5 foot eight, he wasn't a particularly imposing figure, though in another life he could have easily passed for one of those rich and ever so suave TV detectives.

Ziegler had been president of the NHL since 1977, and when we walked into his private office, he greeted us with a firm handshake and a warm gracious smile. The decor was modern, yet tasteful highlighted by his framed law degree which was strategically placed where it was near impossible to miss. As a sign of respect, we addressed him as Mister President, which he seemed to get a chuckle out of.

For the next two hours we discussed a number of issues, but none more pressing than the ongoing CBA talks. Among other things, we learned the two sides were scheduled to meet again next week, whereby Ziegler briefed us diplomatically on the major stumbling blocks. In the end, we thanked him for his time and left feeling far more in the know then we had been.

[jumpSeat]

The Green Unit was the top five Soviet players who dominated international hockey for nearly a decade. (So named for being the only players to wear 'green' jerseys during practice). Two-fifths of the 'Greens' played for us, while Makarov was in Calgary and the other two-fifths in New Jersey. Igor Larionov had long maintained there were only four 'Greens,' (four who fought for the right to play in North America, while the fifth, Alexei Kasatonov, towed the Soviet hardline).

As we prepared to leave our Manhattan hotel, Igor Larionov called his old friend "Slava" Fetisov to arrange a green reunion.

Larionov: "We're just leaving Manhattan now, should be at the Meadowlands in about an hour. We'll be staying at the Marriott. Pick us up there and we'll go for lunch. Oh, and don't bring Alexei."

Slava Fetisov was the skilled anchor on the Soviet blueline. After all those years trying to escape an autocratic system, he knew exactly why his defense partner wasn't welcome.

[jumpSeat]

You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you're down and you don't know if you can make it up? It's not a pleasant experience, especially when all your nervous energy is screaming 'not tonight' and it's 'not gonna happen.' That's where we found ourselves, down 3-1 after one to the New Jersey Devils. It would have been so easy to just roll over, but the guys deserve all the credit for battling through and refusing to be defined by negative emotions. It was a sign of a mature hockey club, and a source of great pride.

Not only did we fight back to win, but Cam Neely scored his 300th career goal, and for the cherry on-top, karma took a bite out of Alexei Kasatonov. In the previous chapter, we explained why Igor Larionov didn't want to meet his old Soviet teammate, and now, in an act of just deserts, Kasatonov had the lowest defensive game rating (DGR 38) on his team, while also being the only Devil tagged with a bad game. Igor would probably never admit it, but that must have felt good.

VIDEO: Bure Eats Kasatonov's Lunch!!



Player in the Spotlight: Cam Neely | OGR 76 | G 1 | SOG 5 | HT 4 | TOT 16:03 | 300th Goal

[jumpSeat]

There was no other way to describe it, except to say, the view was breathtaking. While it was no Everest, gazing across this timeless panorama still felt like being on top of the world. It was the sort of thing usually reserved for a postcard or a museum painting, but here and now, as we stood silently just taking it all in, everything seemed so much larger than life.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States in 1886. As we stood high in Lady Liberty's torch, there was not only a sense of awe and wonder from the majestic view, but also a feeling of touching history. This place that had come to mean so much to so many, now meant something to us as well. Yes we were just a hockey team playing tourist, but Liberty made her indelible mark on us too, by creating a moment you revel in and never forget!

[jumpSeat]

We were up 3-nothing and feeling in control, when from out of nowhere, the bottom dropped out like a sure-fire stock right after you invest. Within a ten minute span, the New York Islanders scored four unanswered goals, leaving our comfortable lead blowing in the wind. What happened? How did it all turn around so quickly? Had we eaten one too many hot dogs while seeing the sights on our day off?

Whatever the cause, we needed to find our game and find it fast. So we upped our tempo and started pelting the Islander net with shots at every opportunity. Fortunately for us, Captain Cam came through in the clutch and tied the game with 8:30 left on the clock. Then, with overtime looming, Pavel Bure did what only Pavel Bure can do, (mesmerize the defenders and create offense out of thin air). With 1:21 remaining, on a brilliant deke, Pavel slid the puck in for the win!

VIDEO: Beautiful Passing Play!!



Player in the Spotlight: Glen Wesley | DGR 88 | A 2 | +/- 3 | BS 4 | TOT 21:52 | 1st Star

[jumpSeat]

Generally speaking, there's not a lot of time to practice on the road, especially when you're playing a condensed schedule, in multiple cities with travel in-between. On this trip however, 4-of-the-5 games were in the Greater New York area, so we did enjoy the luxury of scheduling a team practice. The trip had opened with a loss in Montreal, but then (despite giving up 12 goals), we managed a three game win streak, even though neither of our goalies looked particularly sharp. We knew we were fortunate to get the wins, just like we knew we couldn't keep relying on our offense to outscore the opposition.

So we had Glen Hanlon work with our goalies for about an hour each.

Hanlon: "Okay, nice fluid motion. Ready?... Down-up, down-up, side-to-side, side-to-side! Square to the shooter at all times. Nice tall posture, keep yourself big in the net!... That's it, good job!"

After putting them through their paces, Glen worked on some visualization exercises.

Hanlon: "Tell me, who was your biggest crush in high school?... Donna Tessmer? Okay, every time you see a puck, that's another guy trying to take Donna to the dance. It's your job to stop them and keep Donna all to yourself!"



- - - - - - -

Week: 18

[jumpSeat]

No trip to New York was complete without a visit to the oldest Irish pub in the city, Molly's. Dating back to 1895, it was a special place where you could sit and soak up an authentic old-world vibe, right down to the sawdust on the floors. We came to enjoy the atmosphere, (not to mention), a few frosty pints of Guinness, and watch a little Olympic hockey on the tube.

One pint turned into several, and before we knew it Brian Burke was insisting the U.S. was going to finish ahead of Canada in the tourney. "Not bloody likely," was the reply, to which Burke (ever proud of his American heritage), sounded off with, "You wanna bet?" Well there was no way we were turning down that challenge, so the next thing you know, we all agreed that the loser would have to sing the winner's anthem, karaoke style.

In our defense, it seemed like a good idea at the time, but then again most things do after a few pints of Guinness.

[jumpSeat]

After all that time on the road, it felt great to get home and sleep in our own beds. It made for a relaxing night, and when we reported for work the next morning, Pavel Bure was sitting on 49 goals. (Pav had already told us he was planning to celebrate his 50th by buying a brand new Red Ferrari, so we thought, who are we to stand in the way of a young man's dreams)? With a quick call to the finance department we authorized a ten thousand dollar bonus to help with his down payment.

Later that day, (Team Owner) Arthur Griffiths called to express how happy he was we'd been in first place most of the season, and also to ask if we needed anything to do our job. Just two things we replied, first - authorization for next year's arena expansion plans, and second - his approval for an internal promotion, as we wanted to move one of our people up the chain of command. (But more on that soon)...

[jumpSeat]

Hockey goalies are a little out there. Correction, they're actually a lot out there. They have a reputation for being odd, superstitious characters, who for some strange reason, habitually throw themselves in front of rock-hard-pucks traveling around 100 mph. Goaltending has been called the hardest position to play in all of professional sports, and those who call it that, aren't far off the mark.

So just imagine being able to understand, connect and communicate with these strange creatures. Imagine speaking their language and actually getting through to them. Well that's exactly what Glen Hanlon did in our recent goaltending workshop. Prior to the sessions, our two goalies had given up a combined 12 goals in three games. Since then, our goals against dropped to just two in two games, (with Arturs posting his seventh shutout of the season). From all indications, the high school sweetie was badly wanted at the dance.

VIDEO: The Game Winning Goal!!

Game Winning Goal Description: Sergio Momesso hops off the bench and hits Randy Wood with a nice shoulder-on-shoulder check, the heavy contact dislodges the puck. Sergio picks it up quickly and makes a soft pass to Cam Neely at the red line. Neely moves in on the defense and makes a sweet outside/inside move before firing a bullet to the far corner!

[jumpSeat]

It was the final day of the Winter Olympics, with Canada taking bronze in Ice Hockey, while the U.S. failed to make the top eight. That meant Brian Burke owed us a debt, and we told him to meet us at a local karaoke bar to pay up. When Brian walked in, his face was pale and sullen, but a bet's a bet, and Burkie was too principled to back out. "All right, let's get this over with" he said, as he picked up the mic and fearlessly cleared his throat.

The music kicked in and Burkie started bellowing like a goat in heat. "Oh Canada, our home and native land... True patriot love in all thy son's command..."

GM/HC: Hold it, hold it! That's too painful to go on." Burke look surprised, as if no one had ever told him how bad his singing was. "Just don't quit your day job."

GM/HC: "Brian, you're an honorable guy for living up to that, so let's get to the real reason we're all here, as of today we're appointing you AGM." (Assistant General Manager). "But there is one condition, you have to promise you'll never sing again!"

[jumpSeat]

There's always been something magical about scoring 50 goals in the National Hockey League. Of all the possible achievements, personal records and aspirations, this one towers above them all. The first player to ever score 50 in a single season was Maurice 'the Rocket' Richard, way back in 1944-45. Since then, the feat has been accomplished 124 more times, but no matter how often it occurs, it just never seems to get old.

In this his rookie season, Pavel 'the Russian Rocket' Bure followed in the footsteps of the legendary 'Rocket' Richard, and he did it with style. Blazing in on goal, Bure took a lovely feed from Brian Bradley and proceeded to etch his name in history. And then came the flair that Pavel was becoming known for. Mere instants after his 50th entered the net, Bure spun around quickly and 'holstered' his stick in a manner befitting a ninja sheathing a sword. It was a spectacular way to celebrate the big five-O, and a moment he'd treasure forever!

(In addition to his three point night, Pav also led the team with 5 hits, (while no one else had more than 2).



Player in the Spotlight: Pavel Bure | OGR 100 | G 2 | A 1 | HT 5 | TOT 17:55 | 1st Star | 50th Goal (in 60 Games)

- - - - - - -

Week: 19

[jumpSeat]

With only 20 games remaining in the season, we were entering the final phase known as, the stretch drive. This was the time of year when so many teams were in virtual must-win situations in a desperate attempt to make the playoffs. For those paying attention, you could almost see the intensity ratchet up to a whole new level, as clubs in-and-around the playoff bubble put it all on the line for a last gasp post-season push.

So we called the team together and told them what to expect. With opponents coming at us harder than ever, we'd have to be on our game or risk getting left in the snow. Other teams would be playing with desperation, and as we knew only too well, that made them extremely dangerous (kind of like a wounded bear). So it was time to buckle up and tighten the chin strap, 'cause it only gets tougher from here.

[jumpSeat]

The first period was wide open with lots of end-to-end rushes and very few whistles. It was the kind of hockey casual fans love, but coaches, not so much. Not only were we struggling to get the matchups we wanted, but with so few stoppages, our lines were getting scrambled, (due to lengthy stretches where we couldn't change entire units at the same time). Some guys were getting stuck out there for long shifts, while others simply couldn't get off the bench.

After speaking with the players during the intermission, we locked down the neutral zone and settled into our game for the second and third. (Thereby reducing the number of new gray hairs on the coaches heads). Boston led 2-1 at one point, (mostly on the back of a great performance by Ray Bourque, who scored a goal and an assist on Boston's two goals), but once we got the game under control, we caught up and pulled away for a 5-2 win!

VIDEO: Bure Scores on a Solo Rush!!



Player in the Spotlight: Geoff Courtnall | GR 82 | A 2 | +/- 2 | SOG 3 | HT 4 | TOT 17:28 | 2nd Star

[jumpSeat]

With the NHL trade deadline now only days away, the phone was starting to ring with much more frequency. GM's were calling on player availability and offering potential swaps, all in a bid to add a missing piece that might translate into playoff success. As for us, we'd already made a late season addition, (in Anatoli Semenov), but even if you're not actively in the market, you never want to stop listening, just in case an offer comes along that's too good to refuse.

Of course this meant the GM was far more tied to the phone and away from other duties. Brian Burke, already appointed Assistant General Manager (AGM), was given responsibilities to negotiate contract renewals, so we felt covered there. But the other area of concern was behind the bench. Everyone in the organization had great respect for Pat Quinn, both as a coach and as a human being, so it was a no-brainer to promote him to Associate Coach. This gave Pat increased responsibility to handle the players while also running the entire coaching staff.

[jumpSeat]

We were 1-and-3 in the season series against the Kings, so we desperately needed a win to climb back in it. With only two out of a possible eight points, enough was enough, and we were plenty fed up with Gretzky pushing us around, especially on home ice. So yeah, you could say we had a little added motivation for this one. The Kings were second in the league and our closest challenger, so we were determined to make it as tough as possible to gain any ground at our expense.

While not officially part of our leadership group, goaltender Kirk McLean was nicknamed 'Captain Kirk' for a very good reason. The nickname came about as the team's way of expressing just how much he meant to us. When Kirk was on, he was one of the best goalies in the league, and thankfully for us, on this cool late February evening, he was very on, posting his second shutout of the season!

Did we mention how nice it was to blank Gretzky for a change? Very satisfying!



Player in the Spotlight: Kirk McLean | GR 94 | SA 19 | GA 0 | SV 19 | SV% 1.000 | TOI 60:00

[jumpSeat]

Pavel Bure was a rock star in Vancouver. Everywhere he went, he drew lots of attention, especially from young ladies who didn't fail to notice his boyish good looks and his chiseled physique, (which quite frankly, would make most Olympic athletes jealous). Early on, Pavel would just shrug the attention off, with his charming 'Aw shucks' attitude. Again and again, Pavel went out of his way to focus on hockey and not get caught up in all the mania.

As the season progressed however, 'Pasha' (his Russian nickname), started to get more comfortable in his own skin and with his role in the community. More and more, he'd stop and talk to the girls holding the "Marry Me Pavel" signs, chatting briefly and autographing an item or two. It totally lit them up. They'd be smiling from ear-to-ear, giddy and bouncing with glee, all over the fact that Pavel Bure took a moment to notice them.

[jumpSeat]

The boards at Britannia were lively, which made cross-ice dump in drills far more challenging. Everything seemed to happen just a split-second sooner, and that served to keep everyone on their toes. Pat Quinn was running the practice, and he had our defense turning and racing to recover the puck before our forwards could get on top of them. It was exhausting work, but we felt the benefits of enhanced quickness would make a positive difference.

As the puck thundered off the end boards for the final time, Pat called the guys to huddle at center ice...

Pat Quinn: "You all did a great job out here today. That was a lot of good hard work, and I'm very pleased with the way you gutted it out. Now hit the showers, and enjoy the rest of the day off!"