From: kayleigh@access.digex.com (Steve Gallichio)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Whalers/Canadiens - 27Jan93
Date: 28 Jan 1993 17:56:19 -0500
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com


It was the Patrick Poulin show on Wednesday night as the Hartford Whalers
took advantage of a terrible performance by Patrick Roy to defeat a frustrated
Montreal Canadiens team 6-5 at the Forum in Montreal. The win was the second in
a row for Hartford at the Forum, and broke a seven game road losing streak
for the Whalers dating back to a 21st December 5-2 victory over the
Canadiens. After allowing Montreal to erase a two goal deficit to tie the
score at 5, Poulin stole the puck from Roy behind the Montreal net and centered
to Pat Verbeek, who jammed home his 16th goal of the season with 43 seconds
remaining in the third period to win the game. Roy saved only 18 of 24 shots
and dropped to 20-15-5 this season (1-2 against Hartford). Frank Pietrangelo
faced 38 shots for his fourth win against thirteen losses and a tie.

Hartford played with a great deal of confidence in this game, erasing yet
another slow start which staked Montreal to a 2-0 lead 7:15 into the game.
Zarley blasted a shot through Roy on a 5-3 skater advantage at 12:22 of the
first period, and Mark Janssens intercepted a bobbled pass for a breakaway
goal with 0:17 remaining in the first period to tie the score. Janssens shot
the puck across Roy's body and over his shoulder from 15 feet. A beautiful
shot, but Roy made Janssens look like Mike Bossy.

Poulin took a pass from Verbeek behind the Canadiens net and slid his 16th
goal of the season past Roy to stake the Whale to a 4-3 lead 2:01 into the
second. Vincent Damphousse tied the score at 3:47, but Ivon Corriveau put
another breakaway over Roy's shoulder at 4:26 to remind everyone in Hartford
about the exact same breakaway which Corriveau pushed wide of Roy in double
overtime of game 7 of last season's Adams Division opening round. Nick Kypreos
put another shot through a Joe Day screen and past Roy's glove side at 11:08 to
put Hartford up 5-3.

Montreal turned on the jets at that point, with Gilbert Dionne scoring his
second of the game at 14:40 to close out the second period scoring. Kirk
Muller scored after a goal mouth scramble to knot the score at 5 6:46 into
the third, which remained the score until the final minute of play.

At least three of the goals on Roy should have been stopped. Montreal seemed
to be very frustrated by being unable to put the Whalers away, and it was
reflected in a sometimes chippy game, including a fight involving Eric Weinrich
pummeling JJ Daigneault in the second period. The fight was precipitated by
Terry Yake leveling a Candadien forward with a cross-check from behind;
defenseman Matthieu Schneider charged Yake and was rewarded with both a game
misconduct and torn ankle ligaments, which should sideline him for several
weeks and increase the total to 7 of long term injuries caused by the Whalers
this season. As the Whalers and Canadiens paired off during the skirmish,
Muller grabbed a good hold of Poulin and attempted to bully him around the
ice; it was very pleasing to see Poulin stand up to Muller and introduce
Muller's face to Poulin's fist.

The Whalers were quite lucky to win this game. Although they played very well,
Roy's shakiness handed them the game. Montreal outshot Hartford 38-24, and
while they didn't test Pietrangelo very hard, they certainly should have been
able to win with the offense they had.

Poulin was deservedly chosen first star of the game. In addition to his goal
and assist, the Whalers' 20 year old rookie left wing threw some impressive
body checks. One of the big raps against Poulin when he was drafted out of
St Hyacinthe was that he lacked intensity and sometimes left fans wanting for
more. While has has seemed to fade in and out on occasion this season, he
has impressed me as much with his size, strength and physical play as his
scoring ability. Who ever heard of a power forward out of the QMJHL??? (No
flames, please...they'd bounce off me just like a Sylvain Turgeon body check -
the last Whaler left wing drafted high out of the Quebec league).

Player notes:

-First round draft choice Robert Petrovicky returned to the Whalers after a 2
 week stint with Springfield of the AHL.

-Jamie Leach cleared waivers and is expected to be demoted to Springfield,
 possible today (Thursday).

-With Adam Burt out for a few weeks with a broken toe and Jim Agnew possibly
 lost for the season with knee surgery, Hartford called up defenseman Dan
 Keczmer from Springfield. He did not dress against Montreal.

Hartford plays the Senators Thursday night in Ottawa. Here's an oddity: Not
only are Hartford 5-0 against Ottawa and Tampa Bay this season, they are
also 4-1 in games played within two days before playing Ottawa or Tampa Bay,
including victories over New Jersey, Montreal (2) and $t Louis. Toss in 2
losses immediately preceding Hartford's two wins over San Jose, and Hartford
is 11-3 in games against or immediately preceding games against expansion
teams, and 3-29-4 otherwise. Yikes!

John Cullen: -34 and counting!

-Steve Gallichio (A real live Hartford Whalers season ticket holder)(ooh-aah)
-steveg@cadkey.com