Carol And Her Big Lug

"The greatest gift you can give your partner is to show you're interested in what he or she is doing," says Alt, who kept up her end of the bargain at the beginning of last season when she helped talk Greschner out of retiring. The rookie coach, Ted Sator—one of 10 Ranger coaches Greschner has played for—told Ron that he didn't fit into the Rangers' plans, and that, at best, he would be a part-time player. "I thought about quitting," says Greschner, who is part owner of a water-softening business based in Regina, Saskatchewan, and is financially secure. "But I talked it over with Carol and she convinced me to stick it out another month. She told me, 'You can't let a coach beat you.' Sator is now gone, coaching the Buffalo Sabres, and Greschner is back anchoring the Rangers' defense after spending most of last year at center.

"He might play five more years for us," says Esposito, "because he still wants to. The guys that have brains last longer than the guys that have legs. Ronnie was never a great skater, but he can move with the puck. I just wish he carried it more."

As for Greschner, he has just one wish: to still be playing when the Rangers get around to winning their first Stanley Cup since 1940. "There's nothing else I really want," he says. Somehow that's easy to believe. He has come a long way from Goodsoil. Alt, however, is another matter. Her goals are less lofty than a Stanley Cup. What she wants is a couple of seats, red section, above the glass if they are between the blue lines, or below the glass if they are behind the nets. You can see the headline now: COVER GIRL'S CAREER SHATTERED BY PUCK IN TEETH! If you know where she can find them, go to the Garden some time and keep your eyes open after the face-off. She's pretty easy to spot.