Referees Are Obstructing Overall Goal

Mario Lemieux has become the NHL’s version of the boy who cried wolf. He has griped so often about opponents’ interference that he has been branded a whiner and his complaints are ignored.

But this season, he’s not alone--and statistics support his claim that obstruction and interference are going unpunished.

Through Sunday, scoring was down to 5.9 goals a game from 6.6 at the same point last season. Much of the decrease can be attributed to a decline in power-play chances and power-play goals. A year ago, teams had gotten 1,545 power plays and had scored 260 times, a 16.8% success rate. In the same number of games this season, teams had 1,135 power plays and scored 173 times for a 15.2% efficiency rate, the lowest since a 16.8% rate in 1967-68.

Of greatest interest is that 187 obstruction penalties were called in the first 128 games of this season contrasted with 520 last season, a decrease of 2.6 calls a game. Referees were told not to call marginal penalties. Instead, they’re not calling anything but the most blatant fouls in every category.

“It kind of feels like it’s getting back to the old times of a couple of years ago,” said Dallas Star center Mike Modano. “It’s tough to get through the neutral zone. Now they’re more worried, as far as faceoffs and getting everybody lined up [per new guidelines], that they’ve forgotten the old rules.

“I don’t think there’s been one obstruction call in any of our games this year. Our line seems to be generating a lot of speed off the rush and there seems to be a lot of hooking and holding against us.”

Said New York Ranger center Mark Messier: “We’ll have to join them if that’s the way they’re going to call the games now. Get out the saddles and lariats and play rope and ride.”

When the league clamped down on obstruction last season, referees initially went overboard and called everything. By midseason, most of them were ignoring anything short of ax murder, especially late in games.

The NHL must establish a middle ground. No one wants to see games interrupted every few minutes by players parading to the penalty box, but it’s less appetizing to watch nothing but clutch-and-grab. Scorers must fight through some hooking and holding, but referees must punish unreasonable restraint. Let the skill players play. They’re the NHL’s best asset.

ANOTHER OIL BOOM

Once upon a time, there was a club that assembled a stellar lineup and was successful but was pushed to the brink of ruin by its owner’s financial follies. Management had to trade high-salaried players and rebuild with youngsters, knowing it would be a lengthy process.

Sound familiar? It’s the story of the Edmonton Oilers--and the Kings. And if the Oilers are any indication, the Kings will have a long wait for respectability.

The Oilers missed the playoffs the last four years and only this season do they have a reasonable chance of qualifying. Their fall from five-time Stanley Cup champions to also-rans was fraught with drama, including the crumbling of owner Peter Pocklington’s empire, dwindling crowds and a threat to move.

Bad draft picks slowed their recovery, but the development of Doug Weight, Jason Arnott, Ryan Smyth and rookie Rem Murray bode well. Financial aid from the NHL and support from local businesses are helping on the financial end.

“Edmonton is unique,” Oiler assistant coach Bob McCammon said. “It’s a small market and people are patient. When you’re in a city like [Los Angeles] you’ve got to be good. People won’t stand for mediocrity, and that puts pressure on management to get good teams.

“But to be a good organization, you’ve got to grow your own tomatoes, which takes patience. You can sign a player or two for experience, but you’ve got to do most of it from within.”

STILL ON THE PROWL

Even though they won the Eastern Conference championship last season, the Florida Panthers were far from a consensus pick to repeat. But judging by their performance so far, these cats have plenty of lives left.

Despite a schedule that includes four games against the Rangers, two against Philadelphia and one each against the Colorado Avalanche and Phoenix Coyotes, the Panthers are 7-0-3 and two games from a perfect October.

“All along, the feeling has been that if we could hold our own in the first month, we’d be OK later,” Coach Doug MacLean said. “The guys deserve a tremendous amount of credit for what’s happened so far.”

Still tough defensively and superb in goal with John Vanbiesbrouck and Mark Fitzpatrick, they have improved their defense with the addition of Swedish rookie Per Gustafsson. Their offensive balance--17 players have at least one goal--makes them difficult to stop.

VOTE FOR THESE SENATORS

It may be tough to swallow, but the Ottawa Senators aren’t pushovers anymore. With a 3-3-3 record that includes victories over Pittsburgh and Montreal, they’re earning respect.

“The stage is set,” General Manager Pierre Gauthier said of his team’s rise from the depths of the Eastern Conference. “We’ve got a beautiful building, we’ve got a good fan base in a great hockey market and we’ve got knowledgeable fans. Now we have a competitive team.”

Ottawa’s most pleasant surprise is center Alexandre Daigle, the top overall pick in the 1993 draft. Daigle had 20 goals as a rookie but had struggled since and scored only five goals in 52 games last season before breaking his arm. He already has five goals this season and Gauthier has rejected several offers for him.

“Not a chance. I’m not trading any of our young players,” Gauthier said. “We’re like Quebec was a few years ago. We’ve got a chance to be good, not just average. It’s a process. How quickly we get there is up to the players.

“There’s no other way to build a team but to be patient but competitive at the same time. We’re up for the challenge.”

SLAP SHOTS

Vancouver wingers Pavel Bure and Alexander Mogilny have started slowly, perhaps because the Canucks are still learning Coach Tom Renney’s defense-first strategy. Credit Mogilny with class for not hiding behind that excuse. “The system has nothing to do with it. I’ve been playing the worst hockey since my first year,” he told the Vancouver Sun. “Now when I get the puck, my confidence is so low I don’t know what to do with it.” . . . The good news for Vancouver is the play of center Mike Ridley, who was expected to retire after back surgery. He has two goals and eight points in nine games.

Colorado right wing Claude Lemieux will see a specialist this week to determine whether his abdominal injury will require surgery. . . . A Canadian on-line service asked users which coach they would fire if they were general managers: Pittsburgh’s Ed Johnston, the New York Rangers’ Colin Campbell or Philadelphia’s Terry Murray. Johnston got 62% of the vote, to 26% for Campbell and 12% for Murray. . . . Campbell and Buffalo Coach Ted Nolan bumped and shouted after the Rangers’ 6-4 victory Sunday at Madison Square Garden. Nice examples.

New York Islander Coach Mike Milbury ran an unusual practice last week. He opened a dictionary, read the definitions of 19 words such as “commitment,” “fear,” “compete,” “desperation,” “hustle” and “intensity,” and had players skate a lap after each recital. Mick Vukota added a word at the end, “uncle.” . . . Scotty Bowman, Detroit’s coach and player personnel director, says his team’s three-for-49 power play can’t be blamed on trades in which he sent Paul Coffey to Hartford and Dino Ciccarelli to Tampa Bay. “I don’t think it’s a case of personnel, it’s a case of not putting the puck in the net,” he said. Oh. But don’t the personnel put the puck in the net?

Boston defenseman Ray Bourque sat out the last two games because of a bruised right shoulder. The Bruins scored only once in each game. . . . With Daren Puppa idled by a pulled groin muscle, Tampa Bay goalie Corey Schwab has played 411 minutes, exceeding the 331 he played as Martin Brodeur’s backup in New Jersey last season.

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Pulling the Plug

With fewer penalties being called this season and power-play goals declining, the NHL record for power-play goals by one team in a season is probably safe for a while:

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Goals Team/Year Season 119 Pittsburgh Penguins 1988-89 113 Detroit Red Wings 1992-93 111 New York Rangers 1987-88 110 Pittsburgh Penguins 1987-88 110 Winnipeg Jets 1987-88

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