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THE CITIZEN, Prince George — Friday, April 23,1982 — 13 AMERICANS BEATEN 5-3 Gretzky luckier and Canada in medal round TAMPERE, Finland (CP) — Even with all his scoring the U.S. team here, was upset with the number of no-shows for prowess, Wayne Gretzky still needs a little luck now and again. Team U.S.A. “ In the game against Sweden, the game against Germany Citizen RON ALLERTON “ Six of the guys we asked refused to come (Bobby Carpen­ and the game against the Italians, I had three empty nets to SPORTS EDITOR ter, Mark Howe, Dave Christian, Paul Holmgren. Reed Larson score and didn’t,” said Gretzky. “ But, tonight, I scored on a S ports 5 6 2 -2 4 4 1 and Warren M iller),” said Nanne. “ I know Carpenter’s going slap shot w ith two or three guys in front on a shot Glenn to school but I don't know about the rest. (Resch) was screened on. Jim Coleman on Team Canada on page 14. “ I guess some times you’re lucky and sometimes you’re Toronto Maple Leaf Rick Vaive replaced Mark Napier ol not." ' time in four years and it seemed to help so we’ll see what Montreal Canadiens as Gretzky’s right winger and responded The Edmonton Oilers’ centre went on to score another goal happens.” with two goals for Canada. Darryl Sittler of Philadelphia Thursday night to lead Canada to a much-needed 5-3 victory The victory moved Canada into a second-place tie with Flyers scored the fifth goal. over the United States. Sweden behind the Soviet Union with one game to go for each The win insures Canada’s advance to the medal round from The second period was the teams’ only period of solid team. Czechoslovakia and Finland also are eligible for the the preliminary round-robin of the world hockey cham­ hockey, when they were able to rack up four unanswered goals medal competition. pionship. The loss also relegates the United States to the B w ith the help of sloppy passing by the U.S. team. In the opening Canada’s toughest game w ill be Saturday when it faces the Pool. 20 minutes the players seemed hesitant and tight and in the Soviet Union. final period were content to sit on their lead. “ We still must improve our overall play from start to finish,” said M arshall Johnston, the Canadian coach. “ There Still, it was a far better performance than the one turned in were some rough spots in there, no doubt about it.” against Italy and it allowed Gretzky to snap his five-game C itize n One of the rough spots was the number of two-on-ones the UPDATE scoring slump, something, the Kid says, has been worrying Canadian team found itself in. A continuation of that kind of him. play— one defenceman getting trapped at the opposition’s blue The Team Canada-Soviet Un­ “ Scoring goals is what I ’m supposed to do,” he said. "T ha t’s line — w ill be fatal against the Soviets. ion game Saturday is on the CTV my job and that’s why I’m here. “ Against the Russians, because they break out so quickly, television network. The game “ I think that if I said I wasn’t worried about not scoring or we’re not even going to get a chance to get up too far past our starts at 7 a.m. our time, but will not thinking about it, I would be lying. If I go four or five games red line,’’ said defenceman Rick Green of Washington Capit­ be delayed on TV until 10 a.m. without a goal, I sit myself down and wonder about what I’m als. “ The guys are going to be aware of what they can do and here. It can be heard live at 7 a.m. WEEK doing wrong and how I can correct it and try to put the puck in play a lot more cautiously.” Rick Vaive (22) scores by shooting the puck above U.S. on CBC radio. the net. Meanwhile, p rior to the Canada-U.S. game, Lou Nanne, goalie Chico Resch during a scramble in front of the “ I used a different stick tonight (more curvo) for the first general manager of Minnesota North Stars and co-ordinator of American net. Clear the track HE WANTS CUP Is Snepsts dream ing? VANCOUVER (CP) — Harold Snepsts keeps having — Vancouver finished second in the Smythe alignment this dream about Vancouver Canucks and their playoff with 77 points in80 games — and lost captain Kevin hockey fantasies. McCarthy with a broken ankle before meeting the “ The dreams always go right to the Stanley Cup,” Flames. Snepsts said. “ They never end where we are right now.” Defenders Lars Lindgren and Colin Campbell also Snepsts and the rest of his teammates were given a were hurt in the Los Angeles series, although both took a day off Thursday to savor their latest accomplishment regular shift Wednesday when the Canucks eliminated — a berth in the Stanley Cup semifinals. • the Kings w ith a 5-2 victory at the Pacific Coliseum. For a team which had never won a playoff series Snepsts, along with Doug Halward and rookies Neil before this season, the Canucks are having the tim e of Belland and Anders Eldebrink, has anchored the Van­ their lives, especially veterans like Snepsts, whu has couver defence in front of Brodeur. spent many, sometimes agonizing years playing de­ “ We’re going into the next series with a lot of confi­ fence for the team. dence,” Snepsts added. “ We’ve got the momentum at “ I'm excited inside right now because I ’ve waited the right tim e of year.” eight years for something like this,” said the 27-year-cld The Canucks are 13-1-3 in their last 17 games, with the native of Edmonton. “ But I want to keep my emotions only loss coming in overtime in game two against Los inside for a while.” Angeles. Snepsts has been the backbone of the injury-riddled Associate coach Roger Neilson, behind the Vancouv­ Vancouver defence throughout the playoffs. His play, er bench the last 13 games, will handle the team for the and that of goaltender Richard Brodeur, has allowed rest of the season, with head coach H arry Neale easing opposing teams to score just 19 goals in eight playoff into the general manager’s chair. games. Jake Milford, who will retire as general manager Always one of the roughest, toughest players in the June l.is in Finland at the world hockey championships. National Hockey league, Snepsts was called for just six “ If we end up playing Chicago, it will be a tough, minor penalties when the Canucks eliminated Calgary physical series,” said Neilson. “They try and win Flames in three straight and Los Angeles Kings in five through intimidation.” games for the Smythe Division championship. I t ’s also a tactic the Canucks have used successfully The Canucks now wait for the winner of the Norris in the playoffs, especially with left wingers Dave Wil­ Division final — Chicago Black Hawks lead St. Louis liams and Curt Fraser assigned to frustrate such play­ Blues 3-2 in games — before beginning the Clarence ers as Calgary’s Lanny McDonald and Dave Taylor of Campbell Conference final on the road Tuesday. the Kings. The rest is welcomed by Snepsts because he’s been Acting captain Stan Smyl said Vancouver’s success forced to play more than 30 minutes a game during the can be traced to the fact that “ every player we put on the playoffs. ice will hit, take the man out, which gives everyone a The Canucks were missing defencemen Rick Lanz good feeling." and J iri Bubla at the end of the reguar-season schedule More NHL page 14. Nill's situation 'unbelievable7 VANCOUVER (CP) — championship. Associate coach Roger ness, but for his thinking Jim N ill has trouble believ­ He started the 1981-82 Neilson of the Canucks, who man’s approach to the ing he’s in the Stanley Cup season with the Blues, but will direct the team for the game. semifinals. was riding the bench when balance of the season, said “ He’s a really intelligent The right winger, a mem­ traded to Vancouver. Watt told the Canucks they player, he knows where to ber of Canada’s 1980 Olym­ couldn’t go wrong with N ill.go on the ice,” Smith said. pic team, almost has to The Canucks have made Assistant coach Ron "P lus he’s got an A-1 a tti­ pinch him self to realize he’s more use of N ill than either Smith complimented Nill, tude, a winning, mentally a member of Vancouver Currie or Heinz in the play­ not only for his aggressive­ tough attitude.” Canucks, the most improb­offs. Currie has played in able of the eventual final just two games, while Heinz four in the National Hockey has yet to play a minute be­ League playoffs. cause of the brilliant net- ••"It’s unbelievable, just minding of first-stringer For the latest unbelievable,” N ill said af­ Richard Brodeur. ter Vancouver's 5-2 win equipm ent in 4x4 and Wednesday .over Los Vancouver made several Angeles Kings which gave inquiries about Nill before I the Canucks the Smythe Di­ the St. Louis trade. One of truck accessories come to vision championship. "Ithe checks was with Win­ looked at Curt Fraser and nipeg Jets’ coach Tom said to him, ‘What are we Watt, who handled Nill while with the Canadian doing here.’ /SC3^ “ I t ’s m y first year in the Olympic team.

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