The Prince George Citizen - Thursday, April 4,1991 - 13

Don Schaffer 562-2441 S p o r t s Sports Editor L o cal 517

Habs hoping to m ake more memories

B ruins, Penguins upset

in Stanley C up openers by Canadian Press in the third. Goals by Rick Vaive The wouldand Kevin Haller gave the Sabres like to create more memories hope, but they couldn’t get a puck before the famous Forum is re­past in the last nine placed. minutes. The most successful NHL fran­ Whalers 5 Bruins 2 chise, which has won the Stanley John Cullen scored and assisted Cup 22 times, revealed plans for a on power-play goals by Rob new S 150-million arena Wed­ Brown and Pat Verbeek as fourth- nesday then sent its players out toplaced Hartford shocked the first- begin the annual championshipplace Bruins in Boston. Kevin challenge in what has been the Dineen and Paul Cyr also scored team’s home since 1924. for the Whalers, who were winless Final score: Montreal 7, Buffaloin their last seven regular-season 5. games. The Canadiens last won the “We didn’t get down after they in 1986. Critics whoscored so early," Verbeek said of downplay their chances this time Jeff Lazaro’s for Boston at should keep in mind that onlythe 23-second mark. “ We kept once during the last 40 years haveworking.” they gone five consecutive seasonsPetri Skriko also scored for the without winning the title. Bruins. In the other Adams Division ser­ Devils 3 Penguins 1 ies, the upset the Mario Lemieux and Peter 5-2. Stastny traded power-play goals in In the , the New the second period and Stastny and Jersey Devils upset the PittsburghLaurie Boschman scored early in Penguins 3-1, and the New Yorkthe third for fourth-place New Jer­ Rangers edged the Washingtonsey, which dealt first-place Pitts­ Capitals 2-1. burgh only its third home defeat Second games in the best-of-since Christmas. seven Wales Conference playoffs “ It was that old-time hockey,” are Friday. said Devils coach Tom McVie. Tonight, Campbell Conference“ Old-time hockey in my book is playoffs begin. In the £mythe Di­hard-hitting, checking and the vision, Edmonton is at Calgary andforechecking game I love dearly. Vancouver is at Los Angeles; andPittsburgh left winger Kevin in the , MinnesotaStevens suffered a broken nose is at Chicago and Detroit is at St. when he was elbowed by Ken Uwe Krupp of Buffalo tries to separate Andrew Cassel's shoulder as Cassels attempts to hoist Krupp over his head Wednesday. Louis. Dancyko on Lemieux’s scoring In Montreal, Buffalo led onplay. goals by Benoit Hogue and Grant Rangers 2 Capitals 1 CALGARY STAR ACHING Ledyard but Sylvain Lefebvre, In New York, second-period L a r i a n o v Russ Courtnall, Mathieu Schneidergoals by Bemie Nicholls and Jan and Courtnall again had theErixon and Mike Richter’s superb Canadiens up 4-2 by the end of thegoaltending had the Rangers upf 2- o r s a k i n g First period. 0 until Michal Pivonka scored at Maclnnis misses mom In the second period, Stephane18:27 of the third period. The Richer made it 5-2 and Buffalo Capitals pulled goaltender Donh i s r a z o r coach replaced PuppaBeaupre and sent out an extra at­ VANCOUVER (CP) — Igor with Darcy Wakaiuk. Pierre Tur­ tacker but the Rangers held on. Larionov is trying an old Stanley as Oilers’ series opens geon scored for the Sabres, then Cup tradition as he and his Van­ Brent Gilchrist made it 6-3. The Stars visit Chicago at 5:30 couver Canucks mates prepare for CALGARY (CP) — Practice was over and Al Mac­ softly. “ Family and life comes first ahead of every­ Denis Savard made it 7-3 early this afternoon on TSN (cable 16).tonight’s semifi­lnnis was leaning up against a wall, talking aboutthing. the That’s the bottom line. ” nal opener in Los Angeles. woman who used to drive him to the rink long beforeBut Maclnnis said he’ll be able to push thoughts of NATIVE EVENT HERE He knows there’s ‘no tomor­he became one of the NHL’s best defenccmen. his mother to the back of his mind come game time. row’, that ‘anything can happen’ “ My mother was the biggest hockey supporter And and that’s just as she would want it, he adds. and that fan interest will be at its biggest hockey fan I’ve ever seen,” he said Wed­“ I’ll be able to separate the two when I come to the Lumber Kings ready peak. nesday. “ She was always there for me. rink.” But, most of all, Igor knows not“ I had to be there for her.” Maclnnis also isn’t concerned by discouraging re­ by LEE ANDERSON good use of them in North Battle-to shave. Last Friday Maclnnis received a telephone call frommarks Oiler forward Peter Klima directed his way. Citizen Staff ford, Sask., as the Kings took first “ I hear about what happens inhis home in Port Hood, N.S., telling him his mother, Klima, who led Edmonton with nine points against The seventh annual all-nativeplace and won $5,000. the playoffs so I am trying to growAnne-Mac, was dying of cancer. the Flames this season, said he’d feast on Maclnnis in hockey tournament takes place this The Kings picked up Joey Pot-my beard,” Larionov said He immediately flew home to spend the weekend the playoffs. with her. weekend at the Kin Centre and skin, who played this winter with Tuesday, laughing at the few “ I love playing against Maclnnis,” Klima said. “ It gives my mind a peaceful feeling to have been Prince George Coliseum, and thethe Chilliwack Chiefs of the B.C. whiskers poking out his chin. “ He’s bad defensively. With his fine features and light able to speak to her for a few days,” said Maclnnis, Prince George Lumber Kings areJunior Hockey League and won “ He gives me everything I need.” considered favorites. the league’s scoring title. growth, Larionov could avoid 27. the He missed Friday’s game against the Edmonton“ I honestly don't care what he says. If it bothered “ Our chances look pretty Another BCJHL player, Jim razor for a year and not resemble a good,” said Harley Chingy, coach member of ZZ Top. Oilers, a loss that cost the Flames a chance to finish me, I’d say it did,” said Maclnnis. Lessard of the Nanaimo Clippers, first in the Smythe Division. The Flames beat the Oilers four times during eight and manager of the Lumber Kings.will also play for the Kings. Al “ When I first signed to play for Tonight he’ll be on the ice when Calgary opensregular the season games and tied once. The Kings, who play in theLoring, who played at the Univer­the Canucks (July 1, 1989), I had best-of-seven Smythe semifinal playoff against theBut Edmonton took three of a possible four points Labatt’s recreation league, havesity of Maine, will handle goal-no idea how big the playoffs are,” won four of their past six tourna­tending chores. said the 165-pound former Red defending Stanley Cup champion Oilers. from Calgary in a crucial back-to-back series last ments. Army star. “ She’s a big hockey fan,” he said. "She’s a bigweek. The tournament is split into two “ I think he’s one of the best “ In the Soviet Union, we onlyFlames fan. The Flames have lost three of four playoff encount­ sides according to skill level. The goalies around,” said the Lumberreceived short information on the “ The longer the Flames go, I’m sure it will helpers with Edmonton. Kings’ coach. A side features seven mainly well- playoffs — just scores. Last year, Iher out.” The only time Calgary beat its northern rival in the organized tournament teams andThe young stars will be playingwatched the first two rounds on The Flames signed Maclnnis to a $l-million con­playoffs back in 1986, they needed Oiler defenceman offers $4,500 to the champion. alongside of proven veterans. television and it was more excitingtract in the off-season and immediately began collect­Steve Smith to score into his own net in the seventh The B side, which offers $2,500 “ Frank Genaille is our unsunghockey than the regular season.ing on their investment. and deciding game. for the winner, has 17. defenceman,” said Chingy. “ Ger­The first round, especially, had With his wicked slapshot he scored 28 goals and Cliff Fletcher, the white-haired Flame general Chingy expects the Hobbemaald Gagnon, a former Quesnelsome excellent games. 103 points in 78 games. manager, said opening against the Oilers will kickstart Oilers of Alberta to give the KingsKangaroo, brings a wealth of ex­“ Now I understand what it is all He was the league’s top-scoring defenceman andhis team. finished ninth in the overall scoring race. their toughest competition. Theperience to our club.” about.” “ If we’re going to do well in the playoffs, I’m just Although he has played in major His 609 points in eight full NHL seasons moved Kings finished first in Hobbema’s The tournament begins at the as happy we’re starting with Edmonton,” he said. tournament in March and also beat events like the Olympics, world him past Kent Nilsson as the franchise’s top scorer Kin Centre Friday at 10 a.m. with “ You have to play well right out of the chute. them in Enoch. championships and ,and he shattered Gary Suter’s old team record of 91 action wrapping up around 11 p.m. “ I think we’ll play well against them because we Hobbema is just back from a Larionov has never participated inpoints by a defenceman in a season. always play at our best against the Oilers. weekend tournament in Kenora, The tournament moves to thea best-of-seven series. He was a first-team all-star and is a Norris Trophy O nt Coliseum Saturday and Sunday candidate as the league’s best defenceman. “ It’s going to be a hell of a series. ” The Kings have picked upwith action starting at 7 a.m. The Canucks visit Los Angeles But somehow all that really doesn’t matter right several top-calibre players since The A final begins Sunday at at 7 7:30 tonight on CKPG (chan­now for Maclnnis. The Oilers visit Calgary at 12:07 a.m. (midnight) playing in Hobbema and madep.m.; the B final goes at 8:30. nel 2, cable 3). “ I’m no different than anybody else,” he saidon CKPG (channel 2, cable 3) (taped).

Bantam Kings let down, miss B.C. title shot by DON SCHAFFER the tournament,” said Meehan. “ They re­ Sports Editor ally showed good discipline. I was glad A hockey game lasts 60 minutes, as the for that and for them because we’ve taking Prince George Savings and Credit Union Th ird place still b e st am ong city rep team s some pretty stupid penalties this year.” Bantam Kings found out to their sorrow Aaron Stack and Lance Potskin each Wednesday. team scored early in the third period andletdown,” Merritt said. “ They kept com­ Meehan. The Kings scored two goals inscored three goal for the Kings while The Bantam Kings settled for third added an empty-net goal late in the third. ing at us, and scored four goals. the last 10 seconds to forge the tie. Shane Gagnon and Hart each scored a place after falling 7-5 to Cowichan Valley The third-place finish was the best “ We started out well and jumped on “ We scored a short-handed goal at single. Wednesday at the B.C. AAA bantam them quickly, but we had a bad second pe­19:50 and Rich Hart scored a power-play Saanich beat Kamloops 4-2 to take the hockey championship in Fort St. John. Theearned by the three Prince George rep riod. We only needed a tie.” goal form the blue line at 19:59,” saidtitle. loss kept Prince George out of the finalteams at AAA provincial championships, Meehan from Vemon. In Chilliwack, injury woes continued to and put Kamloops, which the Bantamall of which ended Wednesday night. The Merritt said he wasn’t unhappy with the Pacific Valve Midget Kings settled for aseason, despite its disappointing end. Meehan was happy with his team’s ef­ plague the Peewee Kings, who lost 9-6 to Kings beat Sunday, into the final against Nanaimo to finish winless. eventual champion Burnaby. fifth-place tie after an 8-8 draw with host fort, but said he would have liked to play “ We had an excellent season,” he said. the overtime period. “ We came down here with one of our “ It was so close,” Bantam Kings’Vemon, while the Viking Construction“ We’re all happy with the way things coach Gord Merritt said this moming. Peewee Kings finished 0-4 at their tourna­ “ The team gave a good effort that wastop players hurt, and he didn’t play a went.” game,” said coach Dick Martin. “ We lost “ We thought we had that one in the bagment in Chilliwack. based on pride,” said Meehan. “ We were to go to the final.” In Vemon, the Midget Kings foughtdown 4-0 and came back to tie. I’m happya couple of others right away. Kevin Paschal had two goals to lead Prince George took a 4-1 lead out of the back from a 4-0 deficit to tie the host with that.” “ It takes your club away. It’s part of Prince George. Singles came from Jamie first period and went up 5-1 early in the team 8-8 and take fifth. Meehan also said he was glad to see the hockey.” second, but fell asleep and came out of theHeinrich, Jeff Edelman and Cal Benezik. “ The game didn’t go into overtime andpenalty minutes come down. Kelowna beat Burnaby 4-2 to take the second tied 5-5. The Vancouver Island “ We got up on them and had I a don’t know why,” said coach Mike “ We were the least penalized team at title.