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McKenzie: New-look Lightning

TSN.ca Staff
6/1/2004

It was a great effort by the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four, and it wasn't a bad effort from the Calgary Flames, especially in the first period. That was as wide open a period as we've seen in this series and the Flames and Lightning both had twelve shots on goal in the period. Nikolai Khabibulin really turned away the Flames in the first period. The Flames had their game going, they were creating offensive opportunities, time after time Khabibulin stepped up and denied them.

Miikka Kiprusoff also played well and that's why it was a goaltending battle in the first period. The only difference between the teams was the Brad Richards power play goal, so there wasn't a lot to choose between them, but Khabibulin really made things miserable for the Calgary Flames.

The Tampa Bay Lightning did something a little bit different strategically in Game Four, and it was coach John Tortorella shuffling the deck, coming up with some new lines to throw a different look at the Calgary Flames. Fredrik Modin, Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis ended up finishing the game together; Cory Stillman, Vincent Lecavalier and Dimitry Afanasenkov also formed a line. That's a different look.

In the first period, even when he got the goal, John Tortorella was going for the kill shot. He started rolling his big line and, in fact, there were times when he had Lecavalier, Richards and St. Louis on the ice at the same time quite frequently. St. Louis had over ten minutes of ice in the first period, Richards was over nine minutes and Lecavalier over eight minutes -- those are defenceman-type numbers. Tortorella sensed that the first period could determine the outcome of the game and, even with a 1-0 lead, he wanted to put the hammer down, get the kill shot and get that second goal. He didn't get it and then he had to back off, playing the big-name players only about five minutes each in the second period.

I don't know if Ville Nieminen's hit from behind on Vincent Lecavalier is worthy of a suspension, but I don't have a problem him getting the five-minute major penalty. It was a hit from behind into the glass and there was no need for it at that point. Even if you think it was a borderline call, why is Nieminen doing it at that point of the game? There were less than five to go with the Flames down by a single goal. It was not a smart play and as a result the Flames found themselves in a big hole. When they should have been trying to mount a sustained attack in the final four or five minutes of the game they were trying to do it shorthanded.

The bottom line in Game 4, though, is that the Calgary Flames did not score a goal in 60 minutes of hockey.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Hodge: The new Broad Street Bullies

TSN.ca Staff
5/31/2004

If you haven't figured it out already, I'm here to tell you that the Calgary Flames are today's answer to the mid-1970s Philadelphia Flyers - the Broad Street Bullies - when it comes to including fighting as part of a game plan.

Those Flyers fought, as these Flames fight, with a purpose and a great sense of timing.

Look no further than Jarome Iginla and his fight with Vinny Lecavalier - it was pure strategy on Calgary's part.

Vinny was a dominating force in Game 2, and Jarome was going to make sure it wasn't that way in Game 3. Notice it wasn't Chris Simon or Krysztof Oliwa who drew that assignment, because Lecavalier would surely have skated away from an obvious trap, but how could he not respond to Iginla.

One star was in the other's face - neither side had an advantage if both went off for five minutes, although the Lightning felt the edge was theirs when Vinny fought well.

Coach John Tortorella clapped and cheered. Little did he know he was applauding the last bit of positive energy he would see from his star centre, and of course, Iginla went on to have another big game.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jarome tries it again with Vinny. Whatever the result, I'm guessing Tortorella won't be clapping this time.

Like it or not, the Flames are a team that motivates itself and intimidates the opposition by dropping the gloves when it matters or when it doesn't seem to matter, but it always does to them.

It's part of what they are and how they win.

They weren't listening when somebody said there's no fighting in the playoffs.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Lightning blank Flames to tie series

Canadian Press
6/1/2004

CALGARY (CP) - There was only one goal but plenty of controversy as the Tampa Bay Lightning evened the Stanley Cup final at two wins each Monday night.

Brad Richards set a single-season NHL playoff record with his seventh winning goal, which was scored in the third minute with Tampa Bay enjoying a two-man advantage, and Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 29 shots to become the fifth goaltender in league history to post a fifth shutout in one playoff year.

The Lightning, as they have so often after a loss in the NHL playoffs, bounced back impressively for the 1-0 win and now have the momentum for Game 5 Thursday in Tampa, Fla., where they are 8-3 in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay was too much for the Flames despite the absence of 10-goal playoff shooter Ruslan Fedotenko and all-star defenceman Pavel Kubina, who were hurt in Calgary's 3-0 win Saturday and unable to answer the call for Game 4.

The resilient Lightning promised to bounce back and, despite being shortstaffed, they did. They improved to 6-0 in games following a loss, and 8-0 when Richards scores.

``Ugly as hell but we found a way,'' said coach John Tortorella.

Referees Kerry Fraser and Brad Watson drew the wrath of the 19,222 Pengrowth Saddledome from the start.

Mike Commodore was penalized for holding and teammate Chris Clark for cross-checking 1:52 into the game. Giving a team a two-man advantage so early in a championship series game is almost unheard of and the crowd was incensed that Tampa Bay's Nolan Pratt didn't get a penalty at the same time because he cross-checked Clark to the ice from behind after the whistle in retaliation. Fraser, watching from 10 feet away, declined to raise his right arm.

``A penalty on the second shift was not a penalty in the third period,'' said Calgary coach Darryl Sutter, who would only go that far in knocking the refs. ``Whatever.

``That was a hell of a hockey game.''

Richards slapped the puck into a top corner of the Calgary net behind goalie Miikka Kiprusoff at 2:48 to give the Lightning the lead.

Coming in, Tampa Bay was 11-2 and Calgary 12-1 when scoring first so it was a huge goal.

``Hey, the first goal decides it,'' said Sutter.

The Lightning took their time setting up Richards.

``When you get a shot almost inside the top of the circle, in the wheelhouse, you have to try to do something with it,'' he said. ``I think (Calgary defenceman Rhett) Warrener was on the blocker side (of Kiprusoff) so I couldn't shoot there and there was a lane on the glove side and I just shot it there.''

The Flames had some great chances in the second period, Oleg Saprykin and Jordan Leopold the best among them, but they couldn't connect. Halfway through the game, they looked spent.

With 10 minutes left in the game, Craig Conroy stickhandled speedily into Tampa Bay's end with only one defender back. Pratt hooked him down from behind. It was a flagrant infraction but there was no call. Fraser and Watson were booed again.

Khabibulin, cutting net-obscuring angles and flicking his leg pads at pucks in his butterfly spread, did the rest.

``It was Nik's best game of this round,'' said Tortorella.

The Lightning tried to expand their lead but couldn't. Kiprusoff was just as good as Khabibulin.

``Obviously, that's not the way we wanted to finish the game after scoring the first goal,'' said captain Dave Andreychuk. ``But we got the win.

``I don't think we played our best. We would have liked to have played in their end a little bit more as the game went on.''

Calgary forward Ville Nieminen eliminated any realistic chance his team had to tie it late when he was given a major penalty by Watson for boarding Vincent Lecavalier and ejected with 4:13 remaining. Nieminen drove Lecavalier's face into the glass with his left forearm, the Lightning centre crumpled to the ice and a trainer rushed to him to hold a towel to his face. When Nieminen was ordered off, Lecavalier popped up and skated to the bench with a cut on the back of his head.

``Kerry was right there,'' said Flames captain Jarome Iginla. ``He was the closest referee to it and didn't call anything.

``Brad was the furthest away. Maybe it's a penalty but is it five? He hopped up pretty quick. If I were to break it down, I probably would have a lot of complaints but it's not the time for that.''

The loss wasn't the fault of the referees though.

``We didn't skate as well as we could have,'' said Iginla. ``This one hurts.''

It was a different Tampa Bay team than the one that was on Saddledome ice Saturday.

``The focus was to make sure we were competing for the full 60 minutes and making sure we were moving the puck quickly,'' said defenceman Cory Sarich. ``At times in the last few games we were hanging onto it a little to long, we were too indecisive.

``We wanted to spend as much time in their end as we could. That really takes the pressure off us as defencemen and I think that's where some of our strength lies.''

Calgary outshot Tampa Bay 29-24 including 12-5 in the third period.

Tampa Bay was 1-5 and Calgary 0-2 on power plays.

Now it's back to Tampa and home-ice advantage for the Lightning in a best-of-three.

``I think we definitely have to use that to our advantage,'' Andreychuk said. ``We've played well in our building all playoff long.''

Notes: In 18 previous finals tied 2-2, the club winning Game 5 has won the Stanley Cup 14 times (77.8 per cent) . . . Khabibulin is 6-0 following a playoff loss . . . Calgary tied the NHL record for most home playoff losses in one year, six. Five other teams lost that many, and none of them won the Stanley Cup . . . Tampa Bay is 14-1 when leading after two periods . . . Ben Clymer, an American in his fifth NHL season, and Martin Cibak, a Slovakian in his second season, got the lineup spots vacated by Fedotenko and Kubina.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Tortorella tight-lipped on injuries

Canadian Press
6/1/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - Coach John Tortorella chose his words carefully Tuesday when asked about the Tampa Bay Lightning's injuries and the nasty ways they were inflicted.

But it was clear he wasn't pleased that three of his key players were victims of jarring hits to the head during the past two games of the Stanley Cup final in Calgary.

``There was supposed to be an emphasis on hits to the head, but I think you're asking the wrong guy on that,'' Tortorella said during a conference call with reporters.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 and the teams have two days rest before Game 5 on Thursday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.


In the playoffs, a coach tends to bite his tongue before the media. He can be fined for criticizing officials about calls and he is loathe to hand out information that opponents may use against injured players when they return to the ice.

So there was no update on star centre Vincent Lecavalier, who had his face slammed into the boards by Flames forward Ville Nieminen late in Game 4 on Monday night.

And nothing on defenceman Pavel Kubina and winger Ruslan Fedotenko, who both missed that game with injuries incurred from Calgary hits in Game 3.

``I'm not going into updates,'' said Tortorella, speaking after the Lightning arrived home from Calgary. ``I'll talk to the trainer after he meets the players.

``But I won't tell much about injuries.''

Lecavalier, the Lightning's first-line centre, was hammered head-first into the boards from behind with 4:13 left to play in Tampa Bay's 1-0 win on Monday night.

Niemenin, who was suspended one game in the second round against Detroit for running goalie Curtis Joseph, was handed a major boarding penalty and a game misconduct. He may yet incur another suspension from the league.

Lecavalier received stitches for a cut to the side of his head at the bench, but did not return to the ice.

``Any player - our player or the opponent's - that is defenceless and gets a blow to the head, you're always concerned about his health,'' said Tortorella.

Fedotenko had his face rapped into the top of the boards by Calgary defenceman Robyn Regehr, while Kubina was flattened by winger Martin Gelinas. Neither was disciplined by the league.

Forwards Martin Cibak and Ben Clymer filled in for the injured players in Game 4, with veteran Jassen Cullimore taking over much of the heavily used Kubina's duty on defence against the Flames' top line.

For Tortorella, the best defence against aggressive play is to score on the resulting power plays. The Lightning, who scored on a 5-on-3 early in Game 4, have an impressive 19.1 per cent success rate with the man advantage in the playoffs.

``Special teams can be used in a lot of ways,'' he said. ``Not only scoring goals, but maybe it can affect what comes against you, like a deterrent.

``When it's a close series with not a lot of scoring chances, that makes special teams more important.''

Whatever players are ready Thursday, the Lightning hope to break the win-one, lose-one cycle they have been on for the last 11 games, since the start of the Eastern Conference final against Philadelphia.

They hope to win two in a row for the first time since they swept Montreal in the second round and opened the third with a win against the Flyers.

``As you go through the long road of the playoffs, it's a matter of trying to keep momentum,'' Tortorella said. ``Some games cost you momentum, but that's part of it.

``If you think you can get through unwounded, you're crazy. I like the way we've responded when we've lost games.''

The Lightning are scheduled to practice Wednesday at their home rink while the Flames are to arrive in Tampa on Wednesday afternoon.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Nieminen faces another possible suspension

TSN.ca Staff
6/1/2004

Calgary Flames forward Ville Nieminen faces a possible suspension after he was given a major penalty for boarding and ejected from Game 4 following his hit on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vincent Lecavalier.

The NHL will likely review the hit before Game 5 on Thursday in Tampa.

The NHL held a disciplinary hearing with Niemenen on Tuesday, but no suspension will be handed out until Wednesday as the league is awaiting medical reports on Lecavalier.

Nieminen hit Lecavalier from behind and drove Lecavalier's face into the glass with his left forearm. The Lightning star centre crumpled to the ice and a trainer rushed to him to hold a towel to his face. Lecavalier stayed down for an extended period, until Nieminen was ordered off by the referees, at which point Lecavalier got up and skated without help to the Lightning bench to have a cut on the back of his head repaired.

The Flames were clearly upset with what they perceived to be some embellishment on Lecavalier's part, but he did not return to the ice for the rest of the game.

"Maybe it's a penalty but is it five?" wondered Flames star Jarome Iginla. "He hopped up pretty quick. If I were to break it down, I probably would have a lot of complaints but it's not the time for that."

"Kerry (Fraser) was right there," said Iginla. "He was the closest referee to it and didn't call anything."

The call was made by Brad Watson, who was on the other side of the ice.

Flames coach Darryl Sutter agreed that a penalty was deserved, but disputed the severity of the call, which he attributed to Lecavalier's lengthy stay on the ice.

"Definitely a penalty," Sutter told the Calgary Sun. "It's a two-minute penalty. It's called a five-minute penalty because they react to the player going down."

The Lightning, who already had to play Game 4 without top playoff scorer Ruslan Fedotenko, who was injured by a similar hit in Game 3, were angered by the latest in a long list of tough hits.

"It is ridiculous," Lightning defenceman Darryl Sydor told the Tampa Tribune. "There's no need to get your arms up and elbows up. Hopefully it's something the league is going to make a stand on in the next couple days. You can't go for the head."

"That was a head-hunting play," Lightning defenceman Dan Boyle said. "I don't have any respect for anybody who does that. It's a dirty hit and everyone knows it's chippy and it's tough and it's physical out there, but when you hit from behind like that, you can seriously hurt someone. It's not part of hockey."

Nieminen has already been suspended once this postseason. He earned a one game ban for running Detroit Red Wings goaltender Curtis Joseph in Game 4 of their second round series.

While Lecavalier had no comment on the hit or his injury, Nieminen tried to downplay the incident.

"Lecavalier turned at the last second and I finished my check," Nieminen said. "It's unfortunate.

"He was two feet away from the boards and fell awkwardly.

"I didn't have speed on the hit. It was a battle for the puck. I didn't take any strides."

Lightning coach John Tortorella was less than impressed.

"I think you saw the play," he said when asked about the hit at the Flames' blueline. "I don't need to say anything about it."

Keeping their mouths shut on the ice after the hit served the Lightning well.

"The key for us was not to retaliate," Boyle told the Calgary Herald. "That was a dirty play. I'm sure there were five guys out there who wanted to retaliate. But we kept our cool and it ends up saving the game."

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Fraser and Watson to work Game 6

TSN.ca Staff
6/1/2004

Calgary fans unhappy with the work of referees Kerry Fraser and Brad Watson in game four of the Stanley Cup Final will get a chance to let them know how they feel.

The two are scheduled to work Game 6 Saturday night in Calgary.

The refereeing assignments for the first six games of the final are determined before the series by referee-in-chief Andy Van Hellemond, who then chooses the referees and linesmen for the seventh game immediately following game six.

Flames fans vented their anger with Fraser and Watson following game four, showering them with debris and beer as they left the ice. The fans were especially incensed with Fraser over three incidents in the game: a five on three power play awarded in the opening minutes, a non-call when Calgary's Craig Conroy was hauled down midway through the third, and a five minute boarding major and game misconduct handed to the Flames' Ville Nieminen late in the third period.

Television replays appeared to vindicate Fraser's decisions in each of the three instances. In the first period, Calgary defenceman Mike Commodore clearly hauled down Frederick Modin of the Lightning as he went to the net, while Chris Clark cross checked Nolan Pratt in the head in the same sequence. The two minor penalties game Tampa a two man advantage, and the Lightning capitalized as Brad Richards scored the only goal of the game on the ensuing 5 on 3 power play.

Conroy appeared to dive when he was brushed by Pratt in the third period, while Nieminen's hit from behind on Vincent Lecavalier is being reviewed by the league and may result in a suspension.

Bill McCreary and Stephen Walkom will referee game five of the series Thursday night in Tampa, followed by Fraser and Watson in game six.

Monday's game was Fraser's 251st in the playoffs, the most of any referee in NHL history. He is also the NHL's all time leader in regular season games refereed.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Originally posted by: Colt45
Calgary is going to own tampa. because tampa is yankee. well.. confed really. but you know what i mean.
Click to expand...
Interesting note: Calgary has 15 Canadian players, and Tampa has 14. The Canadian club only has 1 more player than the American... or confed.. club

BUT GO CALGARY
 
Originally posted by: bootymac
Originally posted by: Colt45
Calgary is going to own tampa. because tampa is yankee. well.. confed really. but you know what i mean.
Click to expand...
Interesting note: Calgary has 15 Canadian players, and Tampa has 14. The Canadian club only has 1 more player than the American... or confed.. club

BUT GO CALGARY
Click to expand...

I heard on Sportsnet thet Tampa has 19 & calgary has 14???

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Originally posted by: bootymac
Weird, I was listening to 99.3 FOX one morning and they said something along 15 and 14 *shrugs*
Click to expand...

Wierd on the Flames website they have 18 cdns on the roster (but that includes some minor guys) and on the Tampa Bat site they have 15 cdns on the roster?

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Nieminen handed one-game suspension

TSN.ca Staff
6/2/2004

Calgary Flames forward Ville Nieminen has been handed a one-game suspension for his hit on Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vincent Lecavalier in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final, TSN has learned. He will miss Thursday's pivotal game in Tampa Bay.

Niemenen faced a disciplinary hearing with NHL's Vice President of Operations Colin Campbell on Tuesday, but no suspension was handed out at the time as the league was awaiting medical reports on Lecavalier.

The Lightning did not issue a statement on Lecavalier's condition following Tuesday's practice.

Nieminen hit Lecavalier from behind and drove Lecavalier's face into the glass with his left forearm. The Lightning star centre crumpled to the ice and stayed down for an extended period until Nieminen was ordered off by the referees. At that point Lecavalier got up and skated without help to the Lightning bench to have a cut on the back of his head repaired. He did not return to the ice for the rest of the game.

Nieminen was assessed a boarding major and game misconduct on the play, which happened with 4:13 left in the third period.

The Finnish forward has already been suspended once this postseason, earning a one game ban for running goaltender Curtis Joseph in Game 4 of Calgary's Western Conference semifinal series against Detroit.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Davidson enjoying double finalists

Associated Press
6/2/2004

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - The owner of the Detroit Pistons was sitting courtside, watching his team in the playoffs. In front of his seat was a small TV, allowing him to keep tabs on the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Not that Bill Davidson was bored with the basketball and needed to catch up on the NHL playoffs. He just happens to own both teams.

``It was nothing special,'' said Davidson, shrugging his shoulders during an interview with The Associated Press.

For those who know the 81-year-old billionaire - ``Mr. D,'' as he's called - his low-key reaction to having teams simultaneously contend for titles in two sports is no surprise.

``Most people relish the opportunity to talk when things are going well,'' said Tom Wilson, the Palace Sports and Entertainment president and CEO who has worked for Davidson since 1978. ``That's just not his style.''

The Pistons eliminated Indiana on Tuesday night and advanced to the NBA final for the first time since winning a second straight title in 1990. Detroit opens against the Lakers on Sunday in Los Angeles.

The Stanley Cup final is tied at two games apiece, with Tampa Bay hosting the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

It's not rare for an owner to have more than one major pro sports franchise. In fact, pizza mogul Mike Ilitch owns the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings. But Davidson is set apart from other owners - and not just because of his success this year.

Owning sports teams is a hobby for him. Selling glass made Davidson Michigan's richest man, with a net worth of $1.9 billion US, according to Fortune magazine.

The bulk of Davidson's fortune comes from Guardian Industries Corp., a major manufacturer of glass products for construction and auto industries and fibreglass insulation products. The privately held company had revenues estimated in 2002 at $3.95 billion.

``For any successful organization or business, you have to have integrity,'' said Davidson, who has more than 19,000 employees. ``And you have to make everything as straight forward as you can make it.''

The Pistons and Lightning are part of Palace Sports & Entertainment, whose other holdings include The Palace, DTE Energy Music Theatre, the Arena Football League's Detroit Fury and the WNBA's Detroit Shock, which won the championship last season.

While Davidson loves to watch the Pistons - he shuns the luxury suites for a seat on the baseline near Detroit's bench - he shows all the emotion of somebody listening to a professor's lecture.

``I'm not going crazy inside because I've been doing this a long time, so I just take everything in stride,'' said Davidson, who has seen the Pistons win two titles since buying the team in 1974. ``I enjoy every minute of the game, and I'm excited, but you're not going to see me jumping up and down.''

Davidson bought the Lightning in 1999, but he doesn't attend many Tampa Bay games.

``While he doesn't necessarily make the trip down and see us here, he watches the games,'' Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said. ``He is certainly very quick to talk about us when I talk to him, talking about the team and the players.

``He has been very, very supportive. He's a pleasure to work for because he is not in the kitchen all the time with the cooks.''

Joe Dumars played for Davidson during the Pistons' ``Bad Boys'' era and now runs his basketball team.

``Mr. D. is the best owner in sports, and I can say that because I deal with him every day, and I hear horror stories about other owners,'' Dumars said. ``He gives you whatever you need to be successful. We were the first NBA team to have our own plane, and we were the first to have the new type of arena you see everywhere in the league now.''

Davidson moved the Pistons into his new facility 50 kilometres north of Detroit, The Palace of Auburn Hills, for the 1988-89 season, when they won the first of two straight titles.

``Not a dollar of tax money was used to build this building that cost about $90 million, which was by far the most expensive privately financed building at the time,'' said Wilson, who added Davidson has no plans ever to sell the arena's naming rights.

The address for The Palace changed from 2 Championship Drive to 3 Championship Drive when the Shock won their title. The Detroit Fury have advanced to the playoffs twice in their four seasons.

Davidson is known for more than just his sports and business enterprises. A New York Times article listed Davidson as one of America's most generous donors. He gave away more than $80 million in the 1990s alone, including a $30 million gift to the University of Michigan, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1947.

In 1999, he and his glass company donated $20 million to an international science research centre and graduate school in Israel; the following year, he gave $2 million to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to establish a touring fund to allow it to travel regularly overseas.

Davidson ran track at Michigan and played football in the Navy during the Second World War. He was among the first inductees into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and went into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in March.

For all he has done, Davidson prefers not to talk about himself. For every interview he does, he turns down dozens and makes no apologies.

``I just don't want to be a public figure,'' he said quietly. ``I don't see any point in it.''

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Lecavalier, Kubina, Fedotenko practice

Canadian Press
6/2/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - As the Tampa Bay Lightning took to the ice for practice Wednesday, all eyes were on Vincent Lecavalier, Pavel Kubina and Ruslan Fedotenko.

That all three skated was a surprise and it looked like at least two of them could be in the lineup for the key fifth game of the Stanley Cup final against the Calgary Flames on Thursday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 and neither club has yet to lose a Game 5 in the three opening rounds of playoffs (Calgary is 3-0 while Tampa Bay is 2-0).

Lecavalier was shaken up late in the Lightning's 1-0, Game 4 victory when Flames winger Ville Nieminen hit him from behind. Earlier Wednesday, NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell suspended Nieminen for one game.

The Lightning refused to comment on the suspension, but Lecavalier, who spent the final 4:13 of the game after the hit on the bench, pronounced himself fit to play.

"I was on the ice (after the hit) and of course I was I little dizzy, but half an hour after the game I felt fine," said Lecavalier, one of the Lightning's top centres. "No headaches, nothing. I feel fine."

Kubina, one of the Lightning's best defencemen, and right-winger Fedotenko, who has 10 playoff goals, both missed Game 4 with injuries incurred from jarring Calgary hits in Game 3.

The Flames were not happy that Nieminen was suspended while other ugly hits, including one by Tampa Bay's Cory Stillman on Marcus Nilson earlier in the series, did not draw league action.

Campbell said that hit and one in Game 3 in which Kubina was decked by a flying elbow from Martin Gelinas were the result of "hockey plays" while battling for the puck.

In Nieminen' s case, Campbell said "there's no doubt it deserved a five-minute penalty and a suspension because of the impact of the hit and that it was from behind and that it caused an injury."

Kubina looked fine in practice, but Fedotenko wore a full face shield to protect a facial injury suffered when he was rammed into the boards by Flames defenceman Robyn Regehr.

During practice, coach John Tortorella had both Fedotenko and Dmitry Afanasenkov on a line with Lecavalier and Cory Stillman, which suggests that whether Fedotenko plays will be a game-day decision.

Tortorella, whose increasing use of the "no comment" response to anything remotely controversial suggests the pressure may be getting to him, offered no information.

"I am not going to discuss the injuries here," he said flatly.

When asked about Nieminen's suspension, he said, "I have no comment."

One would think he'd he beaming at the prospect of having Kubina and possibly Fedotenko back, and Lecavalier healthy, while Calgary is deprived of one of its most energetic checking forwards.

After all, a tight, tough series could hinge on which club wins Game 5.

The Lightning have home-ice advantage back, but after splitting two games in each city so far, that appears to be less of an edge than scoring the first goal, which has gone to the winning team in each of the first four games.

"You definitely want it," said Lightning centre Brad Richards, who was on a line with Martin St. Louis and Frederik Modin. "But you don't score a goal three minutes in, like last game, and say, `OK, we got this. The game is over.'

"The trend is probably going to break sometime. It's definitely a big lift, but it might not happen and then you've got to find a way to get it done."

The mushy ice at the Lightning's rink does not help the home side, who like to use their superior skill to play a high-tempo, attacking game. The Flames are equally speedy, but play a swarming, checking game.

"Just because we have home ice for two out of three doesn't mean anything," said Richards. "We have to treat it like it's Game 7 because they have shown they can come in and win Game 5s on the road.

"They have done it every series, so that's what we're worried about."

There was nothing fancy about Tampa Bay's win Sunday as they matched the Flames check for check after taking the early lead.

Tortorella used several line combinations and mixed up his defence pairs all night to make up for missing players and to try to win a tough road game.

As Lecavalier said, "We just had to get through that game with a win."

It will be the same on Thursday night.

The Flames won a Game 5 in Vancouver but then lost the sixth game before finishing off the Canucks in the opening round. They also won Game 5 in both of their series against Detroit and San Jose.

Tampa Bay finished off the New York Islanders in five games in the opening round and also won Game 5 of the seven-game Eastern Conference final against Philadelphia.

A loss would send the Lightning back to the Pengrowth Saddledome madhouse, where the raucous crowd forms a sea of Calgary red, for a must-win Game 6 on Saturday night.


A win, and they will be playing for the Stanley Cup.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Campbell: Fraser might not ref Game 6

Canadian Press
6/2/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - Kerry Fraser, Calgary's least popular NHL referee, is not certain to work Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

League vice-president Colin Campbell said Wednesday that although Fraser was tabbed to work Game 6 on a preliminary schedule, officials' assignments after the fourth game of the final are decided on a game-by-game basis.

On the officials for Game 6, Campbell said: ``We haven't made that decision yet.''

The Flames and their swarm of red-clad fans were steaming after the Tampa Bay Lightning were given a two-man advantage when Chris Clark and Mike Commodore were sent off 1:52 into Game 4 on Sunday night.

Tampa Bay's Brad Richards scored the only goal of the game on the 5-on-3 as the Lightning evened the best-of-seven series at 2-2.

They were also upset that the Lightning weren't called when centre Craig Conroy was spun to the ice on a dangerous rush in the third period and that winger Ville Nieminen was ejected for a hit from behind on Vincent Lecavalier with 4:31 left to play, killing Calgary's comeback hopes.

Fraser and fellow referee Brad Watson were showered with drinks and debris as they left the ice after the game. Fraser would not likely get a warm welcome when the series returns to Calgary on Saturday night.

``If we feel there has to be some jigging (of officials' assignments), we'll do it,'' said Campbell. ``Having said that, I don't think that game was poorly officiated.

``Just because one 5-on-3 call was made at the beginning of the game that resulted in a goal and that was the only goal in the game, I don't think the officiating should be judged harshly.''

He added the refs made the right call on Conroy's trip and that they felt the Calgary centre's fall was ``probably embellished.

``I think the officials made the correct calls and did a good game for the intensity of a Stanley Cup final.''

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Sutter not surprised about suspension

Canadian Press
6/2/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - It's us against the world.

Or at least that's the message Calgary Flames head coach and GM Darryl Sutter tried to spin after the NHL suspended winger Ville Nieminen for one game.

``Was it shocking to you that they suspended him? No. And it wasn't to us either,'' Sutter said at a late afternoon news conference Wednesday.

``Fine, we know what we're up against, we're the underdog. It's dead-on true: We're the little team that wasn't supposed to be here and a lot of people don't want us to be here and want to make sure we're not successful.''

That may have been a shot to the league's head office, but it wasn't clear. When his cellphone rang during the news conference, Sutter jokingly said: ``It's probably New York again, they have to talk to Canada's team.''

Nieminen stayed behind in Calgary as his Flames teammates made the cross-continent trek to Florida on Wednesday, paying the ultimate price for his hit from behind on Tampa Bay star Vincent Lecavalier in Game 4.

Nieminen will watch on the tube Thursday night when his club plays the biggest game of the year, a pivotal Game 5 with the best-of-seven Stanley Cup final tied at two games apiece.

Sutter said the one-game suspension was expected, but that didn't make it easier to swallow. He hinted not too subtlety that league disciplinarian Colin Campbell, based in Toronto, was given little choice.

``Hey, the decision was made in New York, not Toronto, you can talk to Collie all you want,'' Sutter said, in what may have been a reference to commissioner Gary Bettman insisting punishment be handed out after a star player of Lecavalier's calibre was decked.

In other words, the league is so concerned about its image in the U.S. that something had to be done to show players like Lecavalier will be protected.

``The media is a powerful tool, believe me,'' said Sutter. ``I hold myself responsible because I don't bitch and whine in the media and I don't let my players whine about the officiating in the media.

``We never complained about other incidents. That's something I learned, that you should bitch and complain and whine, it has an impact.''

Campbell rejected Sutter's charges.

``To say this decision was made in New York, I take offence to that,'' Campbell told the FAN 590, a Toronto all-sports radio station. ``We made this decision, we don't need New York to help us.

``We make hockey decisions. ... If the NHL said to me this is fine, this is OK to do, the first thing I would do on my shift (Thursday) night is try and take (Jarome) Iginla out because the NHL said it's fine to do this.''

The Flames, it is believed, argued to Campbell that Tampa's Cory Stillman got away with hitting Calgary's Marcus Nilsson from behind in Game 1. And so Nieminen should also have avoided suspension.

``If you look at the Cory Stillman hit, it was to the side,'' Campbell said during a conference call. ``In this case, Lecavalier had his back to Nieminen and touched the puck briefly. The hit by Nieminen was a forearm directly to the back of the head causing Lecavalier's head to hit the glass.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman responded by stating, "Mr. Sutter's comments were ill advised, inappropriate, and inaccurate. The focus of the Stanley Cup Final should be on the ice and to that extent any response needed to any gamesmanship off the ice, will be made after the final is over."

``And that was the difference. Our antennas were raised as soon as the hit was made.''

Nieminen is a significant loss, his 16:27 average ice time in the playoffs among the leaders among Calgary's forwards, and he's a fixture on both the second power-play unit and the penalty kill. And perhaps more importantly, his physical play has driven Tampa's star forwards crazy all series long, so they won't have to put up with that Thursday night.

Trying to lighten the mood, Sutter cracked up the news conference with his response to what it meant to lose Nieminen: ``One less Finn, fewer vowels.''

Reaction from the Lightning camp was uniform. From head coach John Tortorella to Lecavalier to teammates Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards, the answer was: ``No comment.''

They're obviously still steamed at Nieminen, angry that Campbell didn't punish him more severely, but bit their tongue Wednesday in lieu of possible fines from the league.

``It's out of my hands, I didn't make the decision,'' Lecavalier said before practice at the St. Pete Times Forum. ``I'm fine and that's it.''

Campbell said two games would have been too much.

``To me, this doesn't feel or smell like more than a one-game suspension,'' he said.

``It is the finals ... and his five-minute major (late in the third period) was huge in a 1-0 game. And I think the club has been penalized by that alone.''

Given that Nieminen had already been suspended one game for decking Detroit netminder Curtis Joseph in the second round, Campbell had little choice to take action again.

``We always take that into account, if he's a repeat offender,'' Campbell said. ``If we see the guy again, we say: `How many times are we going to see this guy and is he going to learn to stay within the parameters of the game and not venture outside.' It's always a factor.

``But it wasn't the deciding factor by any means.''<

One bright spot the Flames can look to is that they won Game 5 against the Red Wings 1-0 while Nieminen served his first suspension.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
McKenzie: Sutter's Smokescreen

TSN.ca Staff
6/2/2004

Darryl Sutter is unhappy, and it's genuine. Everything he said, he firmly believes but, by the same token, I think the whole talk of conspiracy and everything else is about putting up a smokescreen. He's taking attention away from what the Flames need to do to be successful in the next game.

It's just a little sleight of hand. Darryl Sutter is creating a distraction that everyone is going to jump on, especially when John Tortorella isn't being very forthcoming. Most of the answers to his questions were "No comment."

So, the media will eat this up, and well they should. In the meantime, as much as Darryl Sutter is truly upset about this suspension, remember in all the talk of conspiracies, that the guy who handed down the suspension -- Colin Campbell -- is a farmer from Tillsonburg, Ontario, not somebody from New York. That is what Darryl Sutter and the Calgary Flames are up against.

If Darryl Sutter gets fined for his comments, that's not a problem. If he can use this as a motivational tool to help his team overcome, win Game Five, and go back to Calgary to host a potential Stanley Cup Championship Game in Game Six, then it's worth any fine that comes down the pike.

Darryl Sutter will take that in a heartbeat if he thinks that will help his hockey team and he obviously does. These comments were calculated on Darryl Sutter's part. Let's not kid anybody. This was not some off-the-cuff comment that he happened to think about as he was asked a question.

This was a case where Darryl Sutter knew exactly what he was doing, knew exactly what the repercussions might be and the only repercussion he wants to see is how his team responds in the next game.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Onrait: Canada's love/hate with the Flames

TSN.ca Staff
6/3/2004

Hockey is alive and well in...

Well, Canada. No where else frankly.

So ratings are down in the U.S. Really down. I can't confirm this, but I was told that re-runs of "Walker, Texas Ranger" on USA Network are wiping the floor with the NHL Playoffs.

While I do understand the appeal of Chuck Norris with a cowboy hat fighting crime and drinking milk, it's hard to believe that the show could be more exciting than the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now American sports columnists are questioning whether the NHL is even a major sport any more, and if you're going by television ratings it's difficult to argue.

If you're going by the size of the sports television contract, I think that SlamBall got a better deal on Spike TV than the NHL just signed with NBC and ESPN (I can't wait for NBC's NHL promos: "If you haven't seen the NHL, and you probably haven't, then it's new to you! NHL on NBC: Right after Last Call with Carson Daly at 2:30 a.m EST")

A friend of mine called me from a sports bar in L.A. on Monday night (that's right, I have friends in L.A., I'm a real Canadian celebrity now! Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Carla Collins.) He called me an hour before Timberwolves/Lakers game started, and he assumed that all the TV's in the bar would have the Flames/Lightning game on. Instead, he told me that of the eight televisions at the bar, 2 had the Stanley Cup Final on, the other 6 had NCAA Women's Softball.

So the league is in trouble. Ratings are down and revenues are down and we're heading for a lockout. There's really no reason to believe we'll see NHL hockey next season. Things are looking bad, really bad.

But wait.

Then, suddenly, like a ray of hope, like an angel out of nowhere, like Chuck Norris riding in on his stallion wearing all denim and sporting a fully dyed red beard, I was flooded with e-mails this past two weeks.

Turns out many of you took exception with something I had written in my last column. Let's flashback shall we:

"...when it comes to the Flames, they're just so loveable that Oiler Fans are cheering for them. Oiler fans! That's like Red Sox fans rooting for the Yankees in the World Series!"

Whoa! Turns out I may have been a little premature on that one! (Wouldn't be the first time! Hey-yo!) Turns out many of you Oiler fans are doing quite the opposite of cheering for the Calgary Flames as they continue on their Stanley Cup run. Many of you Oiler fans, and frankly, many Canadian hockey fans in general, are rooting against the Flames. Using such fascinating arguments as: "...there are as many Canadian players on the Lightning as there are the Flames..." to justify your position. There's really no need to justify your position.

I'm not saying you're wrong. In fact, I'm saying you're very, very right. Though I'm not saying it's wrong to be an Oiler fan, or a fan of any Canadian hockey team, and root for the Flames.

What am I saying anyway? (Sometimes I confuse myself) I think what I'm trying to say is that just because a Canadian team has made it to the Final for the first time in 10 years, doesn't mean you have to root for them.

The point that many of my readers tried to make to me is that they wouldn't be true Canadian hockey fans if they did cheer for the Flames. Especially Oiler fans. These are fans that should be pissed off that Calgary has made it to the final.

Edmonton gets in to the playoffs year after year only to be bounced out in the first round. Calgary finally makes it back into the playoff after years of futility and they make it all the way to the CUP! Not trying to rub it in to you Oiler fans, I'm just supporting your position. You should be pissed off! You should be packing Edmonton sports bars and cheering against the Flames! It's what your team would want you to do!

So despite the declining ratings, the inevitable lockout, the fact that Brian Burke is currently not employed by an NHL team, there is still great reason for optimism about the state of the NHL in this country anyway. Oiler fans still hate Flames fans. Sens fans still hate Leafs fans. Everyone still ignores the NBA. All seems to be right in the greatest nation of hockey.

In this country, you should pick one team, preferably the team that's closest to where you grew up, and root for them from the time you can walk to the time you die.

No exceptions.

You know who I'm talking about: The guy who grew up in Peterborough a Maple Leaf fan, only to move to Edmonton and become and Oiler fan, then suddenly he's uprooted to Vancouver and declares himself a lifelong Canucks fan. Not acceptable.

So thank you, dear readers, for not only helping me see the error of my ways, but helping to restore my faith in the things that make this country great: Hating every team that's not your own.

After telling every Canadian hockey fan who isn't a fan of the Calgary Flames to get on the bandwagon, I'm now telling you to get off...

Or not, your choice.

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
Flames' Sutter sticks by his claims

Canadian Press
6/3/2004

TAMPA, Fla. (CP) - Darryl Sutter refused to back down a day after calling into question the integrity of the NHL following Ville Nieminen's one-game suspension.

The head coach and general manager of the Calgary Flames said he didn't let his emotions get the better of him Wednesday when he hinted that people in the league's head office didn't want his underdog team to win.

"It wasn't emotional," Sutter said Thursday after his team's pre-game skate. "I told the truth. The truth hurts. Not everything you read or hear is fact or fiction, but when you tell the truth sometimes it hurts."

His comments on Wednesday drew a sharp rebuke from commissioner Gary Bettman, who in a statement called Sutter's rant "ill-advised, inappropriate and inaccurate." Bettman also likely fined Sutter but that won't be disclosed until after the series.

When asked about Bettman's response, Sutter only said: "Whatever he says." And when asked a final time if there was anything he would take back from Wednesday's news conference, Sutter had had enough.

"I am done with yesterday," he said. "It's game day. Do you want to take back anything you said yesterday? Do you? It's game day, let's concentrate on game day."

Nieminen, meanwhile, practised at the St. Pete Times Forum on Thursday, and said afterwards he was crushed at missing the pivotal fifth game of the Stanley Cup final.

"Of course it's tough," he said to a horde of media in the Flames' visiting dressing room. "I don't think I'm going to watch, I just can't."

Nieminen admitted he wished he hadn't nailed Tampa centre Vincent Lecavalier from behind in Game 4, a brain cramp that warranted his second one-game suspension of the playoffs.

"Is there anything in your life that you would like to take back?," he asked a reporter. "Everybody here has something they'd like to take back."

That Nieminen was at the rink Thursday confused some reporters after Sutter said Wednesday that the Finnish winger had not made the trip from Calgary. That turned out not to be true.

Asked why he decided to make the cross-continent trip despite not being able to play in Game 5, Nieminen cracked: "Because there was a seat available on the plane."

The likeable Nieminen had not lost his sense of humour despite being devastated at missing Game 5. He said he would return as fresh as ever for Game 6 in Calgary on Saturday.

"I'll tell you one thing, I'll be very well rested, and almost arrested," he said, delivering another one-liner.

"Of course I feel bad. It's a lot easier to be out on the ice than in the press box. I've had enough hot dogs already."

Sutter's comments, meanwhile, caught the attention of some players in the opposing dressing room. Veteran Lightning centre Tim Taylor said it was a good ploy on Sutter's part.

"That's a rallying call for his team," Taylor said after his team's pre-game skate. "He's saying it's them against the league. And I respect that. He's doing his job."

Tampa defenceman Jassen Cullimore was intrigued by Sutter's rant.

"I didn't realize the NHL picked a team," Cullimore said. "I think they're proud of both teams and I don't think they favour one over the other. In an ideal world, they might think probably that the two other teams (conference final losers Philadelphia and San Jose) would be here as far as the ratings go."

Cullimore said his team went through the same thing in the Eastern Conference final when Flyers head coach Ken Hitchcock exchanged barbs with Lightning head coach John Tortorella.

"We came through a series with Philadelphia where that's all the coach did was try to get under our skin and goad our coach," Cullimore said. "I think other than this (Sutter's rant), this series has been pretty tame."

Cheers,
Aquaman
 
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