Better-Than-Average Start For Goaltenders

They used to say that stopping a puck was one of the hardest jobs in sports. But that was before this NHL season.

This year, it’s a piece of cake to stop the puck. A snap. Why else would two goaltenders - Boston’s Blaine Lacher and New Jersey’s Chris Terreri - have gone into Friday’s schedule with goals-against averages of less than 1.00?

Why else would three goalies have had averages of 1.00 and five of less than 2.00?

Maybe it was because the season is young. More likely, it was because teams were still feeling their way through the games after having just a week of training camp after a 3 1/2-month lockout.

Defensively speaking, it’s better to be safe than sorry in this 48-game sprint to the playoffs.

“We all want those one-goal wins, those two-goal wins,” said Flyers goalie Dominic Roussel, who had a 3.00 goals-against average.

Ron Hextall, Roussel’s teammate, said players are checking tighter this season. That slows the rushes and eliminates some of the scoring.

“Everybody’s timing may not be there, but you can check people no matter what,” said Hextall, whose goals-against average is 3.50.

Flyers center Eric Lindros said some big-play forwards are scoring less because they need more time to get their touch back.

Other Lindros a big hit

Rookie right winger Brett Lindros didn’t exactly knock over New York Islanders coach Lorne Henning during the skill drills in training camp last September. Then the Isles played an exhibition game, and Lindros got to hit somebody.

“He opened a lot of eyes,” Henning said last week.

Lindros fared pretty well against his famous brother, Eric, last Tuesday. The Islanders won the game, 4-3, and he checked his brother twice, goaded Eric into pushing him in the face with a glove, and threw a few other nice checks.

He has Blues

Not all die-hard hockey fans appreciate the Kiel Center, the new home of the St. Louis Blues.

“It’s too bright and clean for me,” Bill Mathews, 34, of Webster Groves, Mo., said. “I don’t see the same kind of fans I used to at the (St. Louis) Arena. These guys look like newcomers to me.”