STANLEY CUP NOTEBOOK: N.J. COACH CALLS ON TVERDOVSKY.Byline: Brice Nixon Staff Writer EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Pat Burns
Stanley Cup Trophy awarded annually to the winning team of the National Hockey League championship. Named for its donor, the Canadian governor-general Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston Finals against the Mighty Ducks
Mighty Ducks is a half-hour Disney animated series aired on ABC and The Disney Afternoon in the fall of 1996. Twenty-six episodes total were produced. . So, the Devils coach put Tverdovsky, a defenseman who played for the Mighty Ducks for parts of five seasons, into the lineup against the team that traded him last summer. ``I think it's a challenge for him, with his ex-teammates,'' Burns said. ``We feel Oleg can move the puck quicker and give us something maybe on the power play.'' Tverdovsky hadn't played since Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. ``I'm just glad to be in this kind of game,'' Tverdovsky said. ``I'm glad I have an opportunity to help.'' Tverdovsky said he has no ill will toward the Ducks, with whom he spent the past three seasons before a July 6, 2002, trade that sent him and Jeff Friesen Jeff Friesen (born Jeff Daryl Friesen on August 5, 1976 in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada) is a professional hockey player, who is currently an unrestricted free agent. Playing career to the Devils, and Petr Sykora to the Ducks. Tverdovsky was drafted by the Ducks, who made him the second overall pick in the 1994 NHL entry draft The NHL Entry Draft is a collective meeting in which the franchises of the National Hockey League systematically select the rights to available amateur players who meet the eligibility requirements to play professional hockey in the NHL. . He was traded to Winnipeg two seasons later and eventually returned to the Ducks, after three seasons in Phoenix. --Nieuwendyk sits: Devils center Joe Nieuwendyk's ``lower-body'' injury didn't improve enough for him to play. The injury occurred in Game 6 of the Eastern finals, and he played briefly in Game 7. ``It's a big loss,'' Burns said. ``We've stepped up all year long when we've lost somebody. Somebody else has to step up.'' With Nieuwendyk and Turner Stevenson Turner Stevenson (born May 18, 1972 in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada) is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played in 644 NHL games over parts of 13 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers. out, Jim McKenzie and Jiri Bicek were in the Devils lineup. --Bylsma's quote: Hanging in the Devils' locker room before the game was a quote attributed to Ducks right wing Dan Bylsma, in which Bylsma said he didn't care which team the Ducks faced in the Finals and he'd be glad to shake New Jersey defenseman Scott Stevens' hand when Stevens is congratulating him on winning the Stanley Cup. Ducks coach Mike Babcock laughed it off. ``He was probably unsure if Scott would be ready, so he wanted to make sure,'' Babcock said, jokingly. Ducks center Adam Oates said he didn't think the Devils needed much motivation. ``I'm sure they're rolling their eyes at it,'' he said. The buzz wafted through Continental Airlines Arena as the Devils came off the ice after their morning skate. It didn't stop until Bylsma was summoned to the interview area. ``Certainly,'' Bylsma said about the quote's accuracy. ``To get a chance to play against a guy you watched, and to compete against him is a dream.'' Bylsma was surprised his words caused such an uproar. ``A kid from Grand Haven, Michigan Grand Haven is a city in the U.S. State of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County6. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. never thinks like that,'' he said. ``It's on the board of the Stanley Cup Finals. It at least means I'm there.'' Stevens chose not to address the issue. The rugged defenseman gave a smile and didn't seem outwardly bothered. I'm just looking forward to playing,'' the two-time Cup winner said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. CAPTION(S): box Box: MIGHTY DUCKS vs. NEW JERSEY: New Jersey leads series 1-0 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion