Coach Mike Keenan gave three of the four goalies he played in Saturday afternoon`s intrasquad scrimmage pats on the back.
But of veteran Greg Millen, who gave up three goals, he said, ”Greg had a more difficult time. But Eddie Belfour, Jimmy Waite and Dominik Hasek played well.”
Those three goalies allowed a goal apiece as defenseman Chris Chelios`
goal and assist helped the White team beat the Red team 4-2 at the Stadium before an estimated crowd of 5,000.
– Keenan is expected to reward some players from last season`s Indianapolis club that won the International League by promoting them to the National Hockey League this year. ”The kids from Indy have come in to take jobs and I`ll give them every opportunity to be rewarded,” he said. ”Quite possibly we could add a goalie (Waite) from there, a defenseman (Ryan McGill or Cam Russell) and a forward or two (Mike Peluso, Bob Bassen, Brian Noonan, Mike Eagles, Mike McNeill or Sean Williams).”
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– Hasek, the Czech import with a 2.28 goals-against average in scrimmages, has exceeded Keenan`s expectations. Hasek will start Sunday night`s preseason game at the Stadium against Buffalo and split time in the net with Jacques Cloutier (if Cloutier is recovered from a groin pull).
”His quick reflexes help Hasek a great deal in net,” Keenan said. ”I didn`t expect him to be this consistent. He`s played better than expected.”
Keenan also has been impressed by Czech defenseman Frantisek Kucera.
”He`s been a surprise, he`s solid,” he noted.
– Associate coach Darryl Sutter, who coached Indy last season, has told Keenan the most improved player he`s seen in training camp from the Ice is McGill.
– The most consistent performers in Keenan`s opinion in the Saturday scrimmage were forwards Bassen and Jocelyn Lemieux. He also thought young defenseman Adam Bennett, No. 1 draft pick of the Hawks in 1989, had his best day so far in camp.