UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE (02/23/97)

UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Bondra coping without Pivonka

A bevy of Washington Capitals' observers and fans wondered how right winger Peter Bondra would react when his longtime center, Michal Pivonka, was sidelined with a knee injury in late October.

Bondra, one of the NHL's top goal scorers the past two seasons, went through a brief adjustment period (no points in three out of four games), then quickly went back to his usual routine. The end result was his being named NHL player of the week for the period ending November 24, 1996. He had three goals and six assists for nine points as the Caps went 3-0-1.

His new linemates, center (and fellow Ukrainian) Andrei Nikolishin and left winger Chris Simon, were playing a critical part in the story. Simon was particularly hot, getting six goals and 10 points in nine games after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche.

"Michal who?" joked Bondra when asked what would happen when Pivonka returned. "We're playing well so far, so I don't know. It's up to the coaches."

"We'll worry about that when Michal gets back," said Capitals' coach Jim Schoenfeld.

The addition of the bruising Simon has opened up more offensive skating room for Bondra, and Simon's scoring has forced defenses to at least divide their attention.

"I realize I can't wait for somebody to give me the puck, I have to go get it and create some chances," Bondra said. "I just take the puck and try to do something."

Apparently Bondra has thus far experienced great success in picking up the puck and doing something: witness his updated scoring totals of 32 goals and 53 points through his first 49 games played.

Coyotes' Tkachuk comes through

With their season in a spiraling tailspin and fears about missing the playoffs already readily surfacing, somebody had to step up for the Phoenix Coyotes (nee Winnipeg Jets). Captain Keith Tkachuk answered the call.

The ultra-rugged Ukrainian left winger stretched his goal-scoring streak to four games on November 28, 1996, by recording three goals, including the overtime winner, in a 4-3 triumph over the New Jersey Devils. The onslaught gave him 10 goals and a team-leading 22 points at the time.

"Keith sets the tone," said GM John Paddock. "If he plays like he has been playing in the last three or four games (late November), the wins are on the horizon."

It was not a moment too soon for the Coyotes, who have spent most of the season mired in the Central Division cellar. If Phoenix is to break out of its slump and re-ignite its pre-season hopes of being a genuine post-season threat, Tkachuk will be the key.

"I'm the leader of this hockey team and it's up to me to lead by example," said Tkachuk, a 50-goal scorer last season with the Jets. "It's up to me to set the pace, so I had to start turning it on."

Coach Don Hay said he had "a little chat" with Tkachuk earlier this season after his captaincy started poorly.

"We talked," Hay said. "I wanted what's best for Keith and what's best for the hockey club, and we wanted to get him going. He has responded very well."

And continues to respond, and respond, and respond. At press time Tkachuk was tied for third in the league with 33 goals, while adding 25 helpers for 58 points in but 54 games.

Bellows an asset in Anaheim

Brian Bellows wasn't in coach Terry Crisp's plans with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he isn't coming out of the line-up of Ron Wilson's Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Quite a distinct tale of two cities!

Bellows, 32, was acquired by those Mighty Ducks from the Lightning for a 1997 sixth-round draft pick on November 18, 1996, and proved to be an immediate boost for a team in need of veteran grit and power play prowess. He had three assists in his first seven games.

Wilson knew what he was getting. He and the Ukrainian-blooded Bellows were teammates with the Minnesota North Stars during the mid-1980s. And Anaheim GM Jack Ferreira, who held the same post in Minnesota, knows Bellows well too.

"He's not as fast as he was, but you still see that power game," Wilson said. "When I was playing the point on the power play in Minnesota, I always looked for Brian because he gets his stick on the puck. It's one thing to stand in front of the net. It's another to be able to deflect shots. Only a few people in the league right now have that. Brian is one. Dino Ciccarelli is another."

Bellows missed some time in Tampa Bay because of a sore back, but he wasn't in the line-up once the injury was healed, so he asked for a trade.

"Phil (Lightning GM Esposito) is never one to hold a player back," Crisp said. "Brian is in the last year on his contract, and it was good for him to go somewhere where he'd get ice time and could get a new contract. He did a great job for us his first year. This year we were bringing in young players."

Daneyko sheds tears over trade

After virtually giving away physical left winger Mike Peluso in a trade with the St. Louis Blues, the New Jersey Devils can only hope they don't become NHL tin men. They still have enough toughness, but lost a considerable amount of heart.

The deal, in which the Devils sent Peluso and defenseman Ricard Persson to St. Louis for journeyman Ken Sutton and the Blues' second-round entry draft pick in 1999, hit several players hard.

Defenseman Kenny Daneyko was teary-eyed when Peluso was pulled off the team's charter flight before taking off from New Jersey on November 26, 1996.

"That was probably the most emotional I ever got when a guy was traded," Daneyko said. "I went through a lot with him. It's tough losing a friend like Mike. He's one of my better friends and he probably had the biggest heart of any guy I've played with. He's a tough guy to replace."

GM Lou Lamoriello said the trade was triggered because the Devils wanted to give younger players such as left wingers Jay Pandolfo and Reid Simpson more ice time. Toughness will come from defensemen Lyle Odelein, Daneyko, Scott Stevens, Jason Smith and wingers Randy McKay and Bill Guerin.

"How much toughness do you want on a team? We have about six or seven guys on the team that can handle that role," said Devils' coach Jacques Lemaire. "I don't think we should worry about that. I think toughness is our strong part."

With the departure of good friend Mike Peluso, Kenny Daneyko begs to differ!

UKRAINIAN UTTERINGS: Capitals' left winger Steve Konowalchuk missed extended playing time earlier this season with a painful separated rib cartilage ... Wayne Gretzky hit a milestone December 1, of which he wasn't even aware, becoming the first player ever to reach 3,000 combined regular season and playoff points (2,639 regular season and 362 in the playoffs). "I didn't even know it," he said. "Honest, I just saw it on TV." ... More Gretzky, this time voicing his opinion about coach Colin Campbell being on the hot seat because of the Rangers' sub-.500 record: "The fingers should be pointed at the players." ... In defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 3-0 and 6-2 earlier this season, Albany River Rats' goalie Peter Sidorkiewicz moved into third place in career AHL victories with 129. Two retirees are ahead of him ... On October 28, 1996, Peter Bondra played in his 400th NHL game ... the Cleveland Lumberjacks recently celebrated hockey history in Cleveland. The team invited many of the city's former players to its November 23, 1996, game against the Quebec Rafales. The Lumberjacks donned the sweaters worn by the American League's Cleveland Barons. Honored were nearly 40 ex-pro players from the NHL and AHL Barons and the World Hockey Association's Cleveland Crusaders. Among the honorees was Ukrainian Paul Shmyr ...

(Quotes courtesy of Dave Fay, Bob McManaman, Robyn Norwood and Rich Chere, beat reporters for the Capitals, Coyotes, Ducks and Devils.)

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