Sakic Leading Avalanche and Playing Up a Storm

He isn’t as tall as Mario Lemieux or Eric Lindros, and his hair doesn’t curl out from under his helmet and fly in the breeze like Jaromir Jagr’s.

He probably doesn’t have the speed of Sergei Fedorov, or the glare that makes Mark Messier look so menacing.

What Colorado Avalanche center Joe Sakic does have is an uncanny knack for scoring points. But until recently, he skated in near-anonymity because he played in Quebec, and because the Nordiques had made the playoffs in only two of his seven seasons.

The club’s move to Denver and its success this season have moved Sakic to center stage, and he’s flourishing. He recorded his first 50-goal season and fourth 100-point season in leading the Avalanche to the second-best record in the Western Conference, and he’s maintaining that pace in the playoffs.

Sakic had a goal in the Avalanche’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhwaks on Monday, extending his playoff-leading goal-scoring total to 10. He also moved a point ahead of Jagr and Lemieux for the scoring lead with 14 points.

In taking his team past the first round for the first time since 1987, he emerged as a true leader.

“There are times when I feel I have to say something,” he said. “It’s not often, but once in a while I have to. Smashing things works for some guys, but it doesn’t work for me. I’m pretty much on an even keel. I don’t get bothered too much. Besides, I don’t think I intimidate too many people.”

He lets his scoring do that. Sakic had seven goals and 11 points in six games against the Vancouver Canucks and added goals in each of Colorado’s first two games against Chicago. With his unerring instincts around the net and his quick shot, he’s not anonymous anymore.

“This is definitely the biggest chance I’ll ever get [to be recognized],” he said. “The spotlight is on the playoffs. If you haven’t been there, you are not going to get noticed.”

TEACHER 1, PUPIL 0

From the day Scotty Bowman gave Mike Keenan his first professional coaching job, Keenan has imitated his mentor.

Bowman, who was general manager of the Buffalo Sabres in 1980 when he hired Keenan to coach the Sabres’ farm team, chews ice chips while he’s behind the bench. Keenan took up chewing chilly chips. Bowman, now coach of the Detroit Red Wings, is famous for his upturned chin and stern expression; Keenan, coach and general manager of the St. Louis Blues, adopted the same posture and demeanor.

Bowman is renowned for his attention to detail, which Keenan has copied, then took to a ridiculous extreme when he complained to the NHL that the home bench at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena is 45 inches longer than the visitors’ bench. You’d think he’d be too busy to bother with such trivia. What doesn’t measure up is his team. Or his tactics.

Before the series began, Keenan tried to unnerve Fedorov and plant a thought in referees’ minds by declaring the Detroit center fakes injuries to draw penalties.

“I think Sergei’s a fabulous player, but his diving is a disgrace to the NHL and unfortunately, the officials don’t have the gumption to make the calls,” Keenan said.

Fedorov wasn’t amused.

“What is he trying to do, get me off my game and make me play better?” Fedorov said. “I play better.”

Fedorov and the Red Wings went two better Sunday. Thanks to a five-point performance by Steve Yzerman in an 8-3 rout, Detroit took a 2-0 series lead.

WIN THE SERIES, WIN THE TRADE

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ series against the New York Rangers provides a chance to determine which team got the better of the deal they made last summer, when the Penguins sent Ulf Samuelsson and Luc Robitaille to New York for Petr Nedved and Sergei Zubov.

Nedved, whom Messier derided as too soft, had a career-high 99 points this season. Zubov, gifted offensively but lax defensively, had 66 points and was plus-28. Robitaille struggled to score 23 goals, and Samuelsson had a quiet season while fighting an assortment of injuries.

“I feel I have something to prove, definitely,” Zubov said.

He also said of Robitaille, “He makes $4 million. He should score more than 20 goals.”

When this series is factored in, the deal looks better. Robitaille had a goal and two assists Sunday and played well on a line with Niklas Sundstrom and Jarri Kurri, helping the Rangers pull even going back to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 tonight. Zubov and Nedved have yet to score.

Said Penguin Coach Ed Johnston, “Both teams seem extremely happy with what they got. It’s not fair to trade players, then bad-rap them, either. Show a little class.”

AROUND THE WORLD

Congratulations to Ron Wilson of the Mighty Ducks for coaching Team USA to a bronze medal in the World Championships at Vienna, Austria. His appointment to coach the U.S. World Cup team is expected soon. Canada won the silver, losing the title game to the Czech Republic.

None of the U.S. players were selected to play in the more prestigious World Cup tournament, and they used that snub as motivation in Vienna.

“The World Cup is coming up and it’s important to us that a bunch of plumbers came here and won the bronze medal,” said Brian Rolston of the New Jersey Devils. “A lot of good players declined to participate in this tournament, but this group really came together as a team. If we had a lot of superstars, maybe we wouldn’t have come together as a team quite as well.”

Playing for Canada, the Ducks’ Paul Kariya was voted to the tournament’s first all-star team and was named best forward. Kevin Stevens of the Kings was a second-team all-star. Alex Zhitnik of the Buffalo Sabres was voted top defenseman.

In eight games, Stevens had four goals for the U.S.--one more than he scored in 20 games with the Kings. King center Robert Lang had five goals for the Czechs, one short of his total in 68 games this season. Lang tied King teammate Yanic Perreault of Canada for the tournament scoring lead with nine points. Duck right wing Teemu Selanne scored eight points for Finland.

SLAP SHOTS

Three playoff quarterfinal openers were decided by one goal and the other by two goals. But in Game 2, three teams won in routs. The exception was the Philadelphia Flyers’ 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers. “It’s going to be real tough,” Flyer winger Mikael Renberg said of that series. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes seven games.” . . . Florida winger Ray Sheppard almost missed Game 1 after experiencing dizziness and an irregular heartbeat. He arrived in Philadelphia a few hours before the game.

Backup goalie Bruce Racine of the Blues, 29, had never appeared in an NHL playoff game until Sunday. He played 33 seconds, giving Jon Casey a breather. Wayne Gretzky, who has no goals and 11 assists, played little after the first period Sunday, fueling speculation his back woes have recurred. Brett Hull played even less than Gretzky. Shayne Corson was again the Blues’ best player, a dubious honor.

Marty McSorley made his Ranger playoff debut Sunday. He had been idled because of groin and hip problems. . . . Doctors said St. Louis goalie Grant Fuhr will need at least six months to recover from surgery on two torn ligaments and torn cartilage. . . . The Blues have scored only two even-strength goals against Detroit. . . . Florida winger Dave Lowry, who has five playoff goals, had 10 all season. . . . Tampa Bay Lightning Coach Terry Crisp gave club officials until the end of the month to offer him a new contract or he will field other offers. He did an excellent job and deserves to stay.