Officially Speaking, Bowman Keeps Quiet

If there’s anything that Scotty Bowman has learned in his 24 seasons as a coach in the NHL, it’s to keep his mouth shut after games when the topic of officiating comes up.

In a recent game against the Rangers in New York, his Detroit Red Wings received two penalties late in the third period. The Rangers quickly cashed in the two-man advantage for a 2-1 overtime victory over the Red Wings.

Red Wings defenseman Paul Coffey received one of the penalties, for tripping Rangers defenseman Wayne Presley on a break-away. Coffey, one of the best skaters in the NHL, thought it was questionable. TV replays showed that Coffey was skating evenly with Presley and had knocked the puck off his stick.

Asked about the official’s call, Bowman demurred.

“I’ve been a lucky coach,” Bowman said. “I’m one game below 1,600 and I’ve never been suspended or fined for what I’ve said after a game and I’m not going to start now.”

Honor thy son

If a referee picks up a stick during a New York Islanders game and finds the name “Jordan” on the blade, he’ll have to hand the wood over to defenseman Mathieu Schneider.

Each player has his last name appear on the shaft or blade of their stick for identification purposes, but Schneider has put his young son’s name on the stick.

“It was just something I wanted to do,” Schneider said.

One-timer

The San Francisco Spiders hope Jean Perron can do the same thing in the International Hockey League that he did in his first year in the NHL win a cup.

Perron is only one of 12 coaches to win a Stanley Cup in his first year (with Montreal, in 1986). Perron, who is in his first year as coach of the expansion Spiders, also coached at Quebec and worked in broadcasting before returning to the bench this season.

His career NHL record: 142-110-35 in four years.

Fanning the AHL

Last season, the American Hockey League topped three million fans for the first time in its history. And that record of 3,162,626 is already being threatened this season.

When a crowd of 4,571 showed up for a game in Syracuse on Dec. 3, the AHL hit the one million mark at the earliest date in its 60-year history. More than 110 million people have witnessed AHL games in that period.

Standing with Pat

Colorado Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix knew his chances of acquiring goaltender Patrick Roy would have been slim had the Quebec Nordiques not moved to Denver. It’s unlikely the Canadiens would have traded the star goaltender to Quebec, their fiercest rivals.

“I am sure that it would have been very strange for the two organizations to get involved in something similar, but the fact that we are away, let’s face it, it sure helps,” Lacroix says.

Gone but not forgotten

If the Florida Panthers follow through on the rumors that they might move to Nashville, they wouldn’t be the first hockey team to leave Miami.

In 1972, when Gary Davidson founded the World Hockey Association, one of the initial franchises was placed in Miami to play in the Sportatorium with the nickname of the Miami Screaming Eagles.

Before the season began, the Screaming Eagles left for Philadelphia, and renamed themselves the Blazers, featuring such stars as Bernie Parent and Derek Sanderson.