|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
Top guns fire blanks in Game 1 Coyotes need Tkachuk, Roenick to produce in Game 2
Posted: Saturday April 15, 2000 02:04 AM
DENVER (AP) -- For Phoenix forwards Keith Tkachuk and Jeremy Roenick, the best thing about Game 1 of their playoff series against Colorado is that it's over. Tkachuk and Roenick, who combined for 56 goals and 65 assists during the regular season, managed one shot between them in Thursday night's Western Conference playoff loss to the Avalanche. Coyotes coach Bob Francis doesn't exactly have an immediate solution to jump-start his top scoring line in Saturday's Game 2. "Let me know. Give me the answer that goes with it," Francis said Friday. "We will mix it up and make some minor changes." While Francis would not be specific, the Coyotes figure to be more physical. Known for their finesse, the Avalanche were the aggressors in Game 1 as they followed the lead of veteran defenseman Ray Bourque. Playing every series as it might be his last, the 39-year-old Bourque had two assists and helped neutralize Tkachuk and Roenick with a team-leading seven hits. "You've got to play strong because they're physical guys," said Bourque, who is seeking his first championship in 21 seasons. "If you don't play that way, they're going to eat you up." The urgency of the playoffs leaves little time for excuses, but Tkachuk can be forgiven for a slow start. He missed 24 of the season's final 27 games because of a two-game suspension and a sprained ankle. "It is tough. Timing is a little off, you have to get into it again and it takes a little time," he said. Roenick, meanwhile, took issue with the lack of interference calls in Thursday's game, a complaint dismissed by Francis -- a blue-collar type who urged his leading scorer to be more assertive. "No one is allowed to skate this time of the year. If you wait for the game to come to you, then you are going to be lost," Francis said. "You have to get yourself physically involved in the game and create some space for yourself." Re-energizing Roenick is in Phoenix's best interests. The Coyotes won just once this season in the 28 games that he failed to score a goal or register an assist. "Our line has to score," Tkachuk said. "Hey, we didn't score last game, but we feel we are better and will get more scoring chances." Colorado, which outshot the Coyotes 38-15 in Game 1, fully expects to see a different Phoenix team Saturday before the best-of-7 series shifts to Arizona next week. "The key is you've got to keep things simple or they're going to make you look so bad," said defenseman Adam Foote, who teamed with Bourque to shut down Phoenix's top line. "They'll burn you. As soon as you think they have them, they'll burn you." Already up one game in the series, the Avalanche could get an added boost from star forward Peter Forsberg, who missed the opener while recovering from a separated right shoulder. Forsberg took part in contact drills for the second straight day and hopes to return Saturday. "I hit [teammate Adam] Deadmarsh a few times and it felt pretty good," Forsberg said. "He's a heavy guy, so obviously I was skating and doing contact drills. It feels pretty good. "I don't want to rate it. We'll see how it feels [Saturday] and then go from there."
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
