Is Minnesota trying to repeat as a Stanley Cup finalist by taking the same route?
Coach Bob Gainey hopes not. The North Stars, the 16th seed in last season`s playoffs after a fourth-place finish in the Norris Division, find themselves stuck in fourth again.
Toronto is so bad the North Stars don`t have to worry about making the playoffs. However, Gainey wants to see more steadiness from his group.
”What`s been our biggest problem is the wide variance in play,” he said. ”For some stretches we`ve been really good, and others very bad.”
Could Gainey`s players be lagging, knowing they only need to improve when April arrives? ”I don`t think that`s a conscious feeling the team has,” he said.
Gainey added that his club`s depth was more seriously affected than some thought by the expansion draft to stock the San Jose Sharks. ”For us to fill one hole now, we have to create another,” he said.
– In these recessionary times, the Stars are a rare success story. They have drawn 100,000 more fans for their first 18 home games than they did last season.
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A total of 225,987 fans have come to the Met Center this season compared to 123,856 for the same period in 1990-91. The Stars have sold out only three games, however, with a seating capacity of 15,174, so owner Norm Green has room for improvement.
– Jeremy Roenick had been struggling a little on offense before Tuesday night`s game. But the Hawks` center remains on his way to a power-play high. His 10 power-play scores before the game had him five short of the 15 he scored last season in 79 games.
– Recent minor-league callups Mike Stapleton and Cam Russell were among the Hawks` lineup scratches Tuesday. Center Stapleton has yet to play after being brought back from Indianapolis for the last two games.