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Olympic foreshadowing Quinn pairs Lemieux with Sakic, Kariya for All-Star GamePosted: Saturday February 02, 2002 6:26 PMUpdated: Saturday February 02, 2002 7:35 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Mario Lemieux finally might have found two linemates who can keep up with him -- and Canada might have found a combination that could lead it to gold. In an NHL All-Star Game on Saturday that evolved into a patchwork preview of next week's Olympics, Lemieux, Paul Kariya and Joe Sakic gave a tantalizing glimpse of Canada's best hope for its first Olympic title in 50 years. Skating together for much of the World team's 8-5 victory over North America, three of hockey's most spectacular offensive talents demonstrated an immediate knack for teamwork. Their chemistry could prove invaluable when they represent their hockey-loving nation in Salt Lake City. "It would be great if they kept us together like that," Kariya said. "There was some really good chemistry. That line would have a great mix of speed and power and finishing." If North America coach Pat Quinn -- who also will be behind Canada's bench in Salt Lake City -- shared his nation's enthusiasm for the line, he wasn't showing it. Quinn played it cool when Canadian reporters asked him whether he had just pieced together the national team's top line. "They moved the puck very well," Quinn said. "There's a chance we might use that unit. It was good to have them together here, because we don't get a chance to play together that often." Most visible was Lemieux, who scored his 13th All-Star goal -- tying him with Wayne Gretzky for the league record -- and appeared to play effortlessly on the hip that sidelined the Pittsburgh star for 24 straight games this season. Lemieux also liked the looks of the star-power line. "It went pretty well," Lemieux said. "We missed a few plays here and there. They have a lot of speed, and it complements my game." In addition to Kariya's blazing speed and Sakic's superior passing ability, all three forwards are accomplished goal-scorers. Though Lemieux's goal was the line's only contribution to the final score, the potential was obvious. "That's a dream for any centerman, to pass to guys like Paul and Mario," Sakic said. "It would be nice to get a rhythm going there." Before the game, Quinn revealed that he planned to skate his best Canadian forwards together at Staples Center, turning the All-Star Game into the sort of practice session that the world's elite nations simply won't get before competition begins in Salt Lake City. The Canadian team barely will have time to unpack its bags before opening the Olympics on Feb. 15 against Sweden. But the chemistry periodically demonstrated by Lemieux, Kariya and Sakic bodes well for the team that's likely the world's most talented. All three skaters on the line have something to prove in international competition. Lemieux never has played in the Olympics, while Kariya was selected in 1998, but missed the Nagano Games with an injury. Sakic missed Canada's semifinal loss to the Czech Republic because of a concussion. In Los Angeles, all three were in their element. Lemieux scored two minutes into the second period at the end of an impressive give-and-go sequence with Kariya. The wings exchanged several passes before Lemieux fired a shot past Tommy Salo. Even in the final minute, when Quinn pulled goalie Sean Burke in an attempt to rally back from a 6-5 deficit, the all-Canadian line looked strong. Lemieux threw a no-look backhand pass to Kariya for a hard shot that barely missed the far corner behind goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. But the Canadians didn't provide the only impressive performance by national team members. Sweden's Markus Naslund and Mats Sundin spent plenty of time on the ice together, with Sundin getting the assist on Naslund's go-ahead goal with 1:43 remaining. World team coach Scotty Bowman also contemplated putting six Russians on the ice at the same time in the third period -- all in the spirit of pre-Olympic fun.
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