Michel Goulet will be 33 in April. But, to paraphrase the Frank Sinatra song, in the October of his playing career, this is a very good year.
With 11 goals in his last 17 games before Wednesday night, “Goo Goo Eyes” Goulet had scored just as many goals as Jeremy Roenick in this span. He is showing he has lost nothing of his touch and feel for the game.
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Goulet has picked up the slack for linemate Steve Larmer, who was limited to one goal in his last eight games before Wednesday. With 18 goals, Goulet needs only 10 more to surpass his Hawk high of 27 in 1990-91 and post his top goal mark since he piled up 48 for Quebec in 1987-88.
The rest: Except for Ed Belfour, Chris Chelios and Roenick, all of whom will play Saturday for the Campbell Conference in the All-Star Game in Montreal, the Hawks can rest until Tuesday, when coach Darryl Sutter will hold a double practice. The three All-Stars won’t resume practice before Wednesday.
Ailing: Detroit’s Dino Ciccarelli missed Wednesday’s game with a strep throat and the flu. Illness also idled Sergei Federov.
No goal: Rookie phenom Nicklas Lidstrom isn’t quite as phenomenal this year, and the Red Wings claim it could be because the young Swedish defenseman isn’t sure what objective to seek.
Privately, others say his defensive partner Brad McCrimmon has been no help to the youngster.
“I talked to Nicklas about changing expectations,” said Wings coach-GM Bryan Murray. “This year, there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel for him.”