From: jca2@cec1.wustl.edu (Joseph Charles Achkar)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Blues lose to Rangers 4-3
Keywords: Blues, Rangers, Hull, Janney, Messier
Date: 18 Dec 92 16:14:15 GMT
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO


  Despite a hat trick by Brendan Shanahan, the Blues lost to the Rangers 4-3
on Thursday night at the St. Louis Arena. The loss ended the Blues' nine 
games home unbeaten streak at 7-0-2. The Rangers got two goals from Mike
Gartner. Adam Graves had a goal and an assist, which came on Mark Messier's
short-handed goal. Rangers defenseman Brian Leetch left the game with a 
bruised shoulder midway through the first period when he missed a check on
Philippe Bozon and crashed into the boards.

The Blues and Rangers played to a scoreless first period filled with a lot
hitting from both teams. Early in the second period, the Rangers scored a 
short handed goal to get a 1-0 lead in the game. Kevin Lowe sent the puck to
Graves who broke in on Nelson Emerson on right wing, Joseph made the initial
save on Graves but couldn't clear the rebound. Messier, who was trailing the
play, pounced on the rebound and scored to give the Rangers the lead at 7:02.

40 seconds later on that same power play, Shanahan scored to tie the game. 
He poked his own rebound between John Vanbiesbrouck's pads after Emerson
had set him up in front of the net. Hull also assisted.

Graves gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 11:07, scoring on the rebound of Jeff
Beukeboom's shot. The Rangers had hemmed the Blues in their zone before
Beukeboom flipped a backhand at Joseph from just inside the blueline. Joseph
stopped that easily, but Graves barged through to get the rebound.

Gartner increased the Rangers lead to two goals 2:07 later. He took Joey
Kocur's lead pass in the neutral zone and, with a burst of speed, got past
Jeff Brown on right wing. Garth Butcher dived in a valiant effort to break up
Gartner's rush, but Gartner snapped a wrist shot over Joseph's right shoulder
to give the Rangers a 3-1 lead.

Shanahan cut the Rangers' lead to 3-2, scoring again on a rebound at 15:05.
Beezer stopped Craig Janney's shot from point-blank range from the right of
the crease, but Shanahan was waiting all alone on the left side when the
rebound bounced in front of him. Less than a minute later, the Blues lost
Vitali Prokhorov with a bruised shoulder when Steven King rammed him into 
boards. Referee Paul Stewart penalized King for boarding, but the Blues 
couldn't score on the power play. 

Coincidental penalties on Ron Sutter and Patrick for roughing at 18:19
seemed harmless enough, but the Rangers were too quick for the Blues with
the teams playing four on four. A bad pass by Bret Hedican was too far away
from Ron Wilson, and Gartner had a breakaway. He snapped another wrist shot
over Joseph's shoulder with one minute left in the second period to give the
Rangers a 4-2 lead.

Joseph regained his form in the third period, making three big saves.
Shanahan cut the Rangers lead to 4-3 with 2:12 left in the third period. 
Some people tossed their souvenir mugs on the ice in celebration of Shanahan's
hat trick. Unfortunately the mugs shattered on impact causing a delay that
broke the Blues' momentum to tie the game.

The Blues lines:   Brendan Shanahan - Craig Janney - Nelson Emerson
                   Philippe Bozon   - Ron Wilson   - Brett Hull
                   Kevin Miller     - Ron Sutter   - Rich Sutter
                   Vitali Prokhorov - Igor Korolev - Vitali Karamnov

Defensive pairings:  Jeff Brown - Garth Butcher
                     Curt Giles - Stephane Quintal
                     Rick Zombo - Bret Hedican

scratches: Lee Norwood, Murray Baron, Kelly Chase.
injuries : Dave Lowry (knee), Bob Bassen (foot).

Bluenotes: 
----------
- Brendan Shanahan took over the Blues goal scoring lead from Brett Hull.
  Shanahan has 18 goals while Hull who played 12 more games, has 17.
  Shanahan has 11 goals and 5 assists in his last 9 games.

- The Rangers are unbeaten at the Arena since January 90. They are 4-0-1.
  The Blues are 3-0-1 in their last 4 games at MSG.

- Craig Janney who has 38 assists, is second to Mario Lemieux among the  
  assist leaders.

- Jeff Brown still lead all defensemen with 11 goals despite not scoring in
  his last eight games.

Box score
---------
NY RANGERS 4, BLUES 3

N.Y. RANGERS      0  4  0  -  4
ST. LOUIS BLUES   0  2  1  -  3

FIRST PERIOD

     No scoring

     Penalties - Gartner, NY (hooking), 1:27; Amonte, NY, minor-misconduct
(roughing), 12:41; Graves, NY (roughing), 12:41; Bozon, StL (unsportsmanlike
conduct), 12:41; Zombo, StL (interference), 17:40.

SECOND PERIOD

     NYR - (SHG) Messier 16 (Graves, Lowe) 7:02
     B   - (PPG) Shanahan 16 (Emerson, Hull) 7:42
     NYR - Graves 12 (Beukeboom) 11:07
     NYR - Gartner 16 (Kocur, Nemchinov) 13:14
     B   - (PPG) Shanahan 17 (Janney, Hedican) 15:05
     NYR - Gartner 17 (unassisted) 19:00

     Penalties-S.King, NY (elbowing), 4:16; Nemchinov, NY (hooking), 6:43;
Messier, NY (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:10; Hull, StL (high-sticking), 9:23;
Amonte, NY (holding), 13:43; S.King, NY (boarding), 15:52; Patrick, NY
(roughing), 18:19; Ron Sutter, StL (roughing), 18:19.

THIRD PERIOD
     
     B   - Shanahan (Janney) 17:48

     Penalties - Messier, NY (hooking), 9:48; Wells, NY (hooking), 13:15.

SHOTS ON GOAL

NY RANGERS   11   18    7  -  36
BLUES         7   12   11  -  30 

   Power-play Opportunities-New York 0 of 2; St. Louis 2 of 9.

   Goaltenders - New York, Vanbiesbrouck, (9-5-2), (30 shots-27 saves). 
              St. Louis Joseph, (8-14-3) (36 shots-32 saves).

   Referee-Paul Stewart. Linesmen-Mike Cvik, Jay Sharrers.

   A - 16,550

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  %   \ \_)____________/         A L L E Z   L E S   B L U E S  ! ! !    * 
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  *      \   _______/                  Joe                               % 
  %       \  \                         Contact for the Blues             *
  *        \  \  SAINT LOUIS           jca2@cec1.wustl.edu               % 
  %        (___)             BLUES                                       * 
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