Around The Nhl

Jere Lehtinen danced around the question as best he could in English.

Why had he been so determined to stop Colorado Avalanche center Peter Forsberg during the Stars’ 3-2 victory Wednesday?

“He’s a good player, very strong, you don’t want to give him any open ice,” Lehtinen said.

But a minute later when the question was posed to Lehtinen’s friend and fellow Finn Juha Lind, the answer was more clear. So why was Lehtinen all over Forsberg?

“Because he’s a Swede,” Lind said matter-of-factly.

The neighboring Nordic countries always have been fierce competitors. And Lehtinen and Forsberg, both 24, know each other well. They have faced off in European and international tournaments since the age of 16.

“That was always biggest game,” Lehtinen said. “Any time you played Sweden, it was always big.”

Forsberg, the NHL’s top scorer, has been held to one assist in three games against Dallas.

Around the league

The Law Society of Upper Canada has disbarred NHL Players’ Association founder and former players agent Alan Eagleson. Eagleson recently pleaded guilty to two counts of mail fraud in the U.S… . The NHL’s expansion franchise in Minnesota, which begins play in the 2000-01 season, will be called The Wild.