The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 29

The Ottawa Citizen, Sunday, April 28, 1991 D3 HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Vim Little Big I Senators, TV moguls to announce deal Monday case for the smaller-sized hockey player Fleury, Ronning BY CHRIS CARIOU The Canadian Press I A Vf if take giant strides to make Theoren Fleury (left), Joe 'A TURKU, Finland Dave King says the era of the "small player has returned to the NHL, and a pair of forwards playing for Canada at the world hockey championship are at the forefront Theoren Fleury of the Calgary Flames and Cliff Ronning of the Vancouver Canucks are pioneering a return of the undersized forward, King said Saturday. "There's an era now where NHL teams are more conscious that you can have some small players on your roster," King, Canada's head coach, said before the team 1 left for Tampere. The Canadians, 4-1-1, play Czechoslovakia in Tampere their final preliminary round game today. Canada earned a spot in the medal round with a 3-3 tie Friday against Sweden. The medal round begins Tuesday with the Soviet Union taking on the fourth-place team while the second-and third-place clubs meet "I think the success of Fleury and a few other players like that have really been opening up doors for smaller players to get an opportunity to play," King said after a team practice.

"They provide you with something you really need. A small player who's energetic like that can really turn a game around for you." Fleury, about 543, has been a success since he joined the Flames in 1988. This season, his third, he scored more than 50 goals and 100 points. Ronning enjoyed brief spurts of success in parts of four seasons in the NHL before the St. Louis Blues traded him to Vancouver, where he has been the talk of his hometown.

Like Fleury, Ronning, scored plenty of points in junior. He was the Western Hockey League's most valuable player in 1984-85 after being drafted 134th overall by the Blues a year earlier. He carried that success over to the Canadian national team, finishing with 118 points in 71 games in 1985-86. He scored 55 points in 64 games in 1988-89, but the Blues weren't convinced. Ronning, 25, went to Italy.

He scored 67 goals in 36 games. Sakic take a break at Team Canada Reuter photo practice session in Turku, Finland He returned to St. Louis this season and had 32 points in 48 games before he was sent to Vancouver as part of a deal that also brought Geoff Courtnall to the Canucks. Ronning scored 12 points in 11 games to help the Canucks get into the playoffs, then led the team in scoring with nine points in six games before Vancouver was eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings. "Pat Quinn in Vancouver understands the game the way I understand it and it's very important to have a coach that thinks the same way," Ronning said as Czechoslovakia was taking to the ice for its practice.

"Every player cant play the same way," he said. "The best teams in the world are a mixture of different talents combining together, meaning Wayne Gretzky being a playmaker combining with Jari Kurd, who's a shooter. "You dont try to make Kurri go down the wing and hit guys. He does what he does best And that's what Pat Quinn does with the Canucks he gets guys who do what they do best, and my forte is to handle the puck" Ronning is playing on a line with Courtnall and Trevor Linden, his linemates in Vancouver. Courtnall leads Canada with five goals.

Linden has a goal and two assists and Ronning has three assists. signs of being spooked I Broken jaw keeps Coffey out of final PITTSBURGH (AP) Doctors have told Pittsburgh Penguin defenceman Paul Coffey that his broken jaw is likely to keep him out of action throughout the Wales Conference final. The Penguins open the Wales Conference final Wednesday at either Boston or Montreal. Coffey "Double shot "Four to six weeks is what they're telling me a minimum of four and it's been a week already," Coffey said Friday in his first interview since the April 20 surgery. "I don't know when I can play," Coffey said.

"I don't want to sit out that long, but they put a plate in BY RICK MAYOH Citizen sports writer The Ottawa Senators will have a couple of television's executive heavyweights on hand Monday when the club announces its agreement with Baton Broadcasting to televise its games. John Cassaday, chief executive officer and president of the CTV network, and Doug Bassett, president of Baton, are scheduled to attend a news conference here. The multi-million dollar agreement is believed to run five years and involve broadcasting 30 games a season, split between Baton's CTV affiliates CJOH in Ottawa and CHRO in Pembroke. CJOH is expected to produce the games but the number to appear on each station has not been decided. The Senators had been negotiating with Molson Breweries to join its fold along with the other seven NHL teams in Canada.

But it is believed the club balked at Molson's desire for exclusive rights and an offer of $1 million a year for five years. Initially, the Senators were seeking $15 million for their exclusive rights. The conditional franchise is expected to resume talks with Molson, possibly this week, to televise additional games. Senators chief executive officer Randy Sexton and CJOH station manager Al MacKay declined comment. CENTENNIAL CUP Thunder Bay beats Sudbury in qualifying Flyers 5, Cubs 1 BY BOB FERGUSON Citizen sports writer HAWKESBURY A sparse crowd at the Hawkesbury Recreation Complex on Saturday night watched Thunder Bay defeat Sudbury to win the Central Canada Centennial Cup qualifying hockey tournament With the Cubs assured a berth in the May 411 national Centennial Cup tournament as the host club and the Flyers in as the Central Canada entry, the only thing at stake in this game was the Dudley Hewitt trophy and some pride.

With the hometown Hawkesbury Hawks shunted to the sidelines in Friday's semifinals and Boston and Montreal on television, the small crowd was no surprise to tournament organizers. Some 150 onlookers took in the final. "It was unfortunate and costly," said Hawks president and tournament chairman Jacques Tranchemontagne. Wayne Strachan, Gary Kitching, Mike Figliomeni, Ryan Reynard and Darcy Mitani counted for Thunder Bay, which won the Centennial Cup in the season. Rick McKenzie responded for Sudbury early in the second period.

AIR CANADA CUP Midget final all-Western shootout CALGARY (CP) Sherwood Park, will meet the Calgary North Stars in the championship game today of the annual Air Canada Cup national midget hockey tournament Sherwood Park scored a 5-3 upset win over Lac-St-Louls, in one semifinal Saturday while Calgary beat Winnipeg, 6-3, in the other. Sherwood Park had finished fourth in the six-team preliminary round, while Lac-St-Louis had been I unbeaten in five games. Ryan Saranchuk, Trevor Scott Mead, Dave Kirkpatrick and Brad Strynadka scored single for Sherwood Park in its win while. Pierre Claude Drouin, David Dartsch and Eric Daignauealt scored for Lac-; St Louis, In the other semifinal, Trevor; Couldwell scored three goals for Cal- gary while Kurtis Boutet Ron Pen-noyer and Kirk MucDonald had sin-'. gles.

Darren Ritchie, Kane Chaloner 1 and Marty Zdun replied for Winnl- peg. Adam Graves Idea is to win four in any order "The objective is to win four games. They dont say what order you have win them, they just say the first team to win four games." The Oilers and their coach appeared confident and relaxed as they signed autographs for the 50 or so fans who turned there and, if I get hit and the plate IT gets drilled into the bone, then I'm Jreally in trouble." to prevent Minnesota quick start Coffey, one of the National Hockey League's top defencemen, had two goals and nine points in seven play- off games against New Jersey and aWashington. He fractured his jaw in Game 1 of the Patnck Division final against the "Capitals when he was hit by a shot LTTi-om Dimitri Khristich. Oilers mask BYREGCURREN The Canadian Press EDMONTON If the Edmonton Oilers are haunted by thoughts of Los Angeles repeating its 1989 come-from-be-hind Smythe Division semifinal series victory, they weren't showing any signs of being spooked Saturday.

The five-time Stanley Cup champion Oilers had a chance to eliminate L.A. from the NHL playoffs Friday night but the Kings turned in a gutsy performance to earn a 5-2 victory. In 1989 the Kings were down 3-1 in their Smythe semifinal, but they stormed back, winning three games in a row to clinch the series. Last year Edmonton exacted some revenge, sweeping L.A. in four games to clinch the Smythe Division en route to a fifth league championship.

"What's in the past is in the past" Edmonton centre Adam Graves said Saturday. "Obviously, we don't want to go to a seventh game, we want to beat them tomorrow (Sunday) night. Blues' key move BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) Keep a close eye on the opening minutes of tonight's game between the Minnesota North Stars and the St. Louis Blues.

If recent history is any indication, that's when Game 6 of the Norris Division final will be decided. "That's the key, isn't it?" said Blues defenceman Jeff Brown, whose team trails 3-2 in the best-of-seven Norris Division final. "We're a heck of a lot better team with the lead. And so are they." In the first four games of the series, the North Stars took 1-0 leads in the opening minutes. They won three of the For this is the time of year when standard information takes on the form of classified material, evidence ostensibly more explosive than the juiciest of state secrets.

Two days ago, Nolan said Lenarduzzi's ankle, which he sprained playing basketball in a high school physical education class, was "Nothing really. It's only minor." When pressed further, Nolan slipped and said the team doctor said Lenarduzzi could be sidelined anywhere "from five days to two weeks." But don't worry. It's nothing really, lie's almost 100 per cent On Wednesday, Lenarduzzi stood posing in a mirror inside the Greyhounds dressing room and boldly stated: "It's 90 per cent today. I should be able to put the pads on on Friday." Down the hall, trainer Moe Sicard said Lenarduzzi's ankle was "about 73 per cent" and added "he should be ready In a few more days." So, which is it? Seventy per cent, 80 per cent, 90 per cent, or, is it 99,9 per cent? is Two nights later, despite playing with a full face shield for extra protection, Coffey was hit with an elbow out to greet the team at Edmonton International Airport. "We just made too many mistakes and turnovers to win the hockey game," Oilers coach John Muckler said Saturday.

"We played well in spots, in other spots we'd have breakdowns." Edmonton now leads the best-of-seven division final 3-2. Game 6 will be played tonight in Edmonton. Muckler said the Kings outhit the Oilers in the second period Saturday, but added his club turned that around a bit in the third period and finished the game strongly. The Oilers aren't planning to make any significant changes to their game plan for tonight's contest he said. "We're sitting in a good position and we're still in the driver's seat," Muckler said.

"We have to win one and they have to win two games." Los Angeles right-winger Tomas Sandstrom, who scored 45 goals in the regular season, returned to the Kings lineup Friday night. He suffered a broken bone above his right knee in Game 2 of the series when he was hit by Edmonton defenceman Craig Muni. "When they get the first goal, it seems to ease the tension," he said. "It gets the nervousness out of their game. They had to play aggressive.

They couldnt sit back and let us come to them." The Blues are trying to become the first team to overcome 3-1 playoff deficits twice in one year. They lost three of their first four against Detroit before rallying to win that opening-round series. If the North Stars dont wrap up the series at home, where they are 16-2-2 since Jan 17, they will have to return to St Louis Arena for Game 7 on Tuesday night Dont tell them the truth. Be dishonest Play down the series. Let's put the pressure on the Generals, We dont want to say anything that might give the Generals some extra motivation.

Use your common sense. This team has too many character players and, believe it or not, they will be out to hit Lindros at every opportunity. Adam Foote said long ago that if he ever got a chance to hit Lindros, he would do it and do It good. But now they're downplaying what people have long referred to as 'The Dream You can believe what you want but here's what I think This is the series the Hounds thirsted for. People like Bob Boughner, Foote and Denny Lambert three players that were here during the entire Lindros fiasco resented him then and they're not about to sweep it under the carpet now.

It is not, like Nolan want you to believe, "water under the bridge." Believe it or not (Distributed by the Southam News Network) from Washington's Dale Hunter, and I tVa jni time AnmnrtnA A.ntlinM me jaw wao uauiagcu luiuiei. During the surgery, doctors inserted the plate in his jaw, which was wired shut until Friday morning. OHL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Greyhounds generally evasive when quizzed about motivation games, outscoring the Blues 11-2 in the first periods. In Game 5 Friday night, St Louis' Rod Brind'Amour scored 1:46 into the game and the Blues went on to take a 40 lead before winning 4-2 to force tonight's sixth game at Met Center. "The North Stars have been used to playing with the lead," Blues coach Brian Sutter "It was a combination of us having the lead and just shutting them down.

We were solid defensively." Minnesota's Mike Modano agreed that scoring early is the key. It is called premeditated deceit and it is the most common type of ammunition a hockey team uses prior to a playoff series. They become media users. They tell you something to serve their own selfish purposes, to make the enemy think they are strong when really they are weak, It is even more difficult to understand how this team cannot be motivated by the Lindros trade. After all, the Generals gave up four players Joe Busillo, Mike Lenarduzzi, Mike DeCoff and Jason Denomme, among other things to acquire Lindros and in essence told everyone that those four dont add up to one Eric Lindros.

Yet, when you ask Lenarduzzi if that gives him any additional motivation to beat Oshawa, to beat the team that dealt him away, he says: "No, it's not any more meaningful." And then, not surprising he says: "We're Just happy to be here." Incomprehensible! It is obvious that Nolan, assistant Danny Flynn and general manager Sherry Bassln have coached these players on how to dual with the media. BY BILL MONTAGUE The Sault Star SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont It has become a case or Ripley's Believe it Or Not around the Soo Greyhounds dressing room and for some reason I'm not buying it Ask them if this championship series against Eric Lindros and the Oshawa Generals is any more meaningful because of The Trade and you'll hear the same Irritating answer. "No it doesnt," said goaltender Mike Lenarduzzi, who is nursing a sprained ankle. "We're just happy to be here." Ah, there it is.

The old we're just happy to be here trick. That's the same thing coach Ted Nolan told me earlier this week. And defenceman Bob Boughner echoed those same words over the telephone Sunday. "We're Just happy to be here." If you ask me, they all sound like tape recorders and I'm about to pull the plug. Hockey players and coaches are a strange lot, particularly In the playoffs, -4V.