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Coach's concern Hartley has strong words for KasparaitisPosted: Wednesday April 03, 2002 1:54 PMUpdated: Thursday April 04, 2002 1:15 AM
Darius Kasparaitis gave a typically well-rounded Kasparaitis performance last week for his new team, the Colorado Avalanche, in a game at San Jose -- throwing several big hits and taking a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The second one, for arguing a call, cost Colorado a power play goal. After the second period, coach Bob Hartley gave the defenseman a blistering tutorial. Hartley tersely explained the Avalanche are trying to win the Stanley Cup and there is no room for dumb, selfish penalties. The flamboyant Kasparaitis, who thrives on big hits, is going to have to play under control if he is to contribute to a team with a sense of purpose.
Conroy contributing to Iginla's successJarome Iginla broke a slump last Saturday with a pair of goals, putting the Calgary right wing back on pace for a 50-goal season, potentially the only one in the NHL this year.Iginla has always had conspicuous talent, but his emergence coincides with the trade the Flames made last March for Craig Conroy . Conroy had been stereotyped as a checker early in his career in Montreal and St. Louis, where he was no favorite of coach Joel Quenneville . But Conroy, playing on a No. 1 line, has used his speed and passing ability to help push Iginla to the next level. One veteran Western Conference defenseman told me Conroy is one of the most difficult forwards to play against. General manager Craig Button has made some costly mistakes, such as a big-ticket contract for goalie Mike Vernon , but Conroy was a steal.
Year of the netminderIginla might score 50, but four of the five best players this season have been goalies. Colorado's Patrick Roy , Montreal's Jose Theodore and Tampa Bay's Nikolai Khabibulin join Phoenix's Sean Burke as Hart Trophy candidates.The most amazing story is Burke, a quality NHL goalie for a decade who didn't become a great one until he began working with Coyotes goalie coach Benoit Allaire . Allaire, who had fine-tuned Khabibulin, also turned Burke around by improving his footwork. Allaire's brother, Francois, the Anaheim goalie coach who made his reputation working with Roy early in his career, is the better known, but Benoit Allaire might be the NHL's top assistant coach. Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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