Associate coach Darryl Sutter is in favor of spliting up center Jeremy Roenick and right wing Steve Larmer, who haven`t scored a goal in the first two playoff games with St. Louis.
But head man Mike Keenan doesn`t like the idea, and that means it won`t fly.
”Darryl`s mentioned it to me, but I don`t like it,” he said. ”They have to learn to work through tough situations.
”I see some sense in it, but on the other hand maybe it gives them an easy way out. They have been our two best offensive players all year, and they should accept the responsibility now.”
If Sutter had his way, Roenick would play with Brian Noonan on his right wing, and Larmer`s center would be Tony Hrkac. ”Larmer needs a center who can get him the puck,” Sutter said.
Still friends: Larmer and Roenick had to remind everybody they still like each other after TV cameras focused on their animated spat on the bench during Monday`s 5-3 loss to the Blues in Game 2.
”It happens every game,” Roenick said. ”You guys just don`t see it all the time. `Larms` is a perfectionist, and when things don`t go the way he thinks they should, he lets you know about it.”
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Roenick explained that Larmer was upset with him in this instance over not getting the puck for what he saw as a shorthanded breakaway chance. ”I played it safe and dumped it down the ice rather than pass to him, and he didn`t like it,” Roenick said. ”We`re still friends. We laughed about it this morning.”