The Prince George Citizen -Friday, April 11,1997 -

INSIDE

FAX VANCE OLIVER, Jacques Villeneuve: Is critical of pro­ Sports Editor 562-7453 posed changes to make Formula One rac­ 562-2441 E-Mail ing safer. Villeneuve said racers who have Local 400 [email protected] lost their nerve should get out of racing. Sports Page 12

COUGARS PLAYOFF RUN ’97

COUGARS

SCORECARD HOCKEY Cats take high Roed to upset city WHL Prince George 3 Seattle 2 Cougar centre scores in double overtime to lead Cougars to Game 1 victory NHL Buffalo 5 Boston 1 COVER STORY N.Y. Rangers 6 Philadelphia 3 Washington 3 Montreal 3 Tampa Bay 4 Pittsburgh 3 by VANCE OLIVER St. Louis 5 Toronto 1 Citizen Sports Editor BASEBALL SEATTLE — There were nothing but fumes left in double overtime. American League Centre Peter Roed, however, turned Toronto '4 Chicago 0 on the after-burners to notch the game- BASKETBALL winning at 1:59 of double OT to NBA lift the Prince George Cougars to a 3-2 Orlando 105 Toronto 69 playoff victory Thursday night over the Houston 102 Vancouver 94 at the Key Arena. Roed took possession of a loose puck in the neutral zone, swung around TELEVISION Thunderbirds all-star defenceman Randy Perry as if the latter was a high­ BOXING: Scotty Olson vs. way pylon, then tucked the disc be­ Micheal Carbajal on tape delay on tween the pads of goaltender Jeff Blair. TSN (cable 16) at noon and 9 p.m. The victory allows the Cougars to as­ BASEBALL: Toronto Blue Jays vs. sume a 1-0 lead in the best-of- seven Milwaukee Brewers on TSN (cable WHL West Division final. Game 2 will 16) at 4 p.m. be held tonight, 7 p.m., at the Key Are­ GOLF: Masters - Second round na. highlights on tape delay on CBS “I think Peter had a lot of jump all (cable 7) at 11:35 p.m. night, so I tried to upgrade his ice-time a little bit,” Cougars head coach Stan Butler said. “One of the keys with Peter HOCKEY is that he’s starting to get into pretty good shape. “And there’s no doubt when he’s in AP photo good shape, he can fly.” Thunderbirds Rick Berry slides Into Prince George Cougars Peter Roed (11) trying to block his shot that Speaking of flying, the Cougars are Thunderbirds goalie Jeff Blair saved during the first period, while Brad Swanson covers up during Thursday’s soaring to new heights in the playoffs. WHL battle in Seattle. They shocked the first-place Portland scoring for the Thunderbirds two sec­ it in there... pass, steered it ahead in front of the net Winter Hawks 4-2 in the opening onds after a to Cougars rear­ “I felt tired at times, but then I felt to Kiesman, who flicked it above the round of the playoffs; they swept the guard Joel Kwiatkowwski had expired awesome at times. That time I felt pret­ glove shoulder of Blair at 12:49. third-place in three in the first period. ty good.” Rookie right-winger Bret DeCecco games in the second round; and now Berry, who was stationed inside the Trailing by one goal in the second pe­ converted a goal-mouth pass from they’ve captured Game 1 of the West left faceoff circle, one-timed an offer­ riod, the Cats struck twice with mark­ teammate Patrick Marleau at 16:52 to Division final against the second-spot ing past Cougars goalie Chris Mason ers by Dennis Mullen and Michael Kies- knot the score 2-2. T-Birds. low to the glove side at 7:55. man to assume a2-1 lead. Cougars left-winger Andrew Luciuk, Perhaps, the Cougars, who finished Later in the period, Roed fired two Mullen, who had moved in from the however, had an ideal opportunity to Winnipeg to host in sixth place during the regular sea­ consecutive shots from the slot area on blueline, accepted a corner feed from collect his fourth game-winning goal of world juniors son, have transformed themselves into Blair, but he was rebuffed on both oc­ teammate Brad Mehalko then snapped the playoffs midway into the final Team Cinderella during the post-sea­ casions. a low shot to the stick side of Blair at frame. The world junior hockey champi­ son. Roed, however, would pave the way 7:53. The Crash Line of Mike Bayrack, Luciuk grabbed hold of a loose puck onship returns to W innipeg in “I don’t know about that,” Butler to victory in double OT with a splendid Rob Voltera, and Kiesman, subsequent­ in front of the T-Birds’ net, deked Blair 1999, 25 years after the Manitoba added. ‘.‘I think we’re a hard-working solo effort. ly wreaked havoc in the T-Birds’ end out of position, but he struck the post capital hosted the first world junior team with a great goalie and good “The team is in awesome shape,” said and was eventually rewarded with a with his backhand attempt at 11:47. tournament in 1974. team spirit. ” Roed, a native of White Bear Lake, giveaway. Blair made 40 saves for Seattle, while Canadian Hockey announced Defenceman Rick Berry opened the Minn. “I just had to dig down and find Bayrack got his stick on an errant Cats’ Mason turned aside 42 shots. Thursday that the Winnipeg bid, which includes the participation of the Manitoba communities of Brandon, Selkirk and Portage la Kings coach ousted, Prairie, beat out proposals from Ot- S a b res clin ch tawa-Hull, Hamilton-Kitchener, Regina-Saskatoon and Halifax. Prince George and Kamloops al­ McNamara takes job so submitted a joint bid. Canadian Hockey president Mur­ by TED CLARKE d ivisio n title ray Costello said at a Winnipeg Citizen Staff press conference that the decision Larry Bernard is history as coach of to give Winnipeg the championship the Prince George Spruce Kings. by Canadian Press wasn’t an easy one to make. “We Team executives decided Tuesday n m . The NHL’s postseason had five quality presentations,” night they would not be renewing picture refuses to clear Costello said. Bernard’s one-year contract as head up. It was believed the Ottawa-Hull coach of the B.C. Hockey League team. A handful of important bid was initially favored because it Under a restructuring plan, Kings’ games were played is the largest metropolitan area of general manager Len McNamara will Thursday night, yet not a the five which made submissions. now serve a dual role as head coach single team was officially The Ottawa area has never hosted and GM to allow him more control eliminated from the Stan­ the world junior event, even over the team’s on-ice operations. ley Cup playoffs. though junior hockey has been a “The structure is similar to most oth­ In fact, the only team to main staple of the local sports er clubs in the league,” McNamara clarify its position was the scene for years and hag a loyal fol­ said. “It will allow me to work directly SPRUCE KINGS Buffalo Sabres, who clob­ lowing. with the players I’ve recruited and I’ll bered the toothless Almost half the 31 games played be able to quickly respond to situations “The biggest thing is getting guys in Boston Bruins 5-1 to by the 10 national junior teams in where players are not living up to ex­ here that are going to be happy be­ clinch the NHL’s North­ the tournament will be played in pectations.” cause, let’s face it, Prince George is ba­ east Division and the sec­ the Winnipeg Arena, the former The decision came as an obvious sically the Bronx of the BCHL. People ond seed in the Eastern home of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. shock to Bernard, who led the Kings to basically do not want to come in here. Conference. The next champio.nship will be a third-place 28-30-2 record in their Kids have attitudes these days and they It was the first division hosted by Finland. first season in the BCHL since leaving go where they want to go and there’s championship for the the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey certain things you have to accommo­ Sabres since they won the AP photo League. date them with.” Adams Division in the Flyers goalie Ron Hextall falls to the ice as The Kings lost to Merritt in the first Bernard was frustrated by a lack of 1980-81 season. his skates tangle with those of New York Another ace in round of the Interior Division playoffs. communication between himself, Mc­ Elsewhere, both Tampa Rangers' Esa Tikanen in the first period of' “No one likes a .500 record, especial­ Namara and the rest of the Kings’ exec­ Bay and Washington Thursday’s game in Philadelphia. the hole ly in Prince George in Tier 2. But you utive. McNamara admitted the same pulled off big wins over have to look at the quality of the league concerns were raised last season when teams with better records to keep and Hartford following a come-from- STOKE-ON-TRENT, England and the horses we went into it with.” Gus Greco was fired as head coach late their playoff hopes alive. behind 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh (AP) — It’s getting so that 72-year- McNamara said the in the season and thought The Capitals’ 3-2 win over Montre­ Penguins on Thursday. The Lightning old Suzi Toft can produce a hole- organization planned to the hiring of assistant al prevented the Canadiens from must beat the New York Rangers on in-one almost on demand. eventually streamline “The biggest coaches Jeff Rowland and clinching a playoff berth. With just Friday and Hartford on Sunday, and Last week, Toft shot a hole-in- the two jobs, but didn’t thing is getting Doug Morrison would alle­ three days left in the regular season, hope for help. one at the Trentham Golf Course. think it would happen viate the problem. here’s a look at teams yet to clinch W ashington Seconds later, her opponent in the so quickly. guys in here “I know that happened the and still mathematically alive: The Capitals, 71, are at home Sat­ match-play tournament — 60- “I think for the most that are going year before with Gus and Eastern Conference urday against the Islanders and in year-old Jill Dyke — scored an ace part he did really well,” that’s the reason we put Buffalo on Sunday. They must win M o n tre a l on the same 116-yard fourth hole. McNamara said. “It’s a to be happy the two assistant coaches both and have others lose in order to Bookmakers Ladbrokes at the good league and he had because, let’s in place to give Larry two The Canadiens are seventh with 76 qualify. time put the odds of back-to-back to really battle with es­ guys to bounce ideas off. I points. They could still miss the play­ Western Conference holes-in-one by such amateurs at tablished teams, estab­ face it, Prince didn’t have the time to do offs with a loss at home Saturday 100 million-to-1. lished coaches who had George is basi­ all that.” against Philadelphia. Chicago On Wednesday, a television crew the horses to do some­ Rowland and Morrison are H artfo rd The Blackhawks, eighth with 77 went out to film the two women thing so a lot of it was cally the Bronx both expected to return. The Whalers, looking to earn their points, have little breathing room on play and Toft, who has been play­ out of his control. Now that Kings’ office as­ first playoff berth since 1992, are Vancouver and Calgary. They play ing for 47 years, did it again: “He kept the wheels of the BCHL.” sistant Sheila McCutcheon clinging to eighth place. Hartford Calgary tonight and are at Dallas on With cameras rolling, she on and got us through Larry Bernard has had a season to get and Ottawa both have 73 points, but Sunday. A tie clinches. knocked her 5-wood into the cup. the year and I thought used to handling some of the Whalers are eighth because they Vancouver “It really is absolutely out of this he did well. Without him, we may have front office duties, McNamara will have more wins. Hartford visits the The Canucks (75) have one game world,” said Toft, who has a 20 been a total disaster.” have more time to look after the team. Islanders tonight and is home Sun­ left — at home Saturday against Ed­ handicap. “We were demonstrat­ While he did not elaborate, Bernard In the meantime, Bernard has been day against Tampa Bay. monton. They must win and have ing on the fourth tee how we did it feels the organization should be doing sending out resumes to other teams, O ttaw a Chicago lose its last two games. and my ball went straight in more to attract players to Prince but has yet to receive any replies. The ninth-place Senators, 73, play Calgary again.” George. “I don’t know how far a year in the in Detroit tonight and are at home The Flames (73) have only one op­ Dyke then stepped up and al­ “The executives have a big influence BCHL goes with a resume,” he said. “I Saturday against Buffalo. They must tion: They must win tonight in Chica­ most got another, driving to within in what goes on in the organization know I’ve done some player-coaching win one of those games — and help. go and on Saturday in Toronto, then 30 centimetres of the hole. and they have to do something to make (in the Colonial League) and some as­ Tam pa Bay have Chicago lose to Dallas and Van­ the kids happier and make sure they sistant coaching in the BCHL. Hopeful­ Tampa Bay, 72, one behind Ottawa couver lose to Edmonton. want to come back here,” Bernard said. ly I can get something for next year.”

JL