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Sunday, September 19, 1999
Small wonders
The accepted adage has seemingly forever been that hockey is a big man's game.
Well, the game is entering a new era.
Here last night, the best player on the ice, again, was Calgary's Val Bure.
By a longshot.
At 5-ft. 9-in., Bure has picked up this pre-season where he left off last year.
His first-period goal in the Flames 3-1 loss to the Senators was proof of how the little man has become big in the NHL.
Bure used his speed to force his way into the Senators zone, firing a quick wrist shot that handcuffed goalie Patrick Lalime.
Lalime allowed a rebound, which Bure used his agility to skate onto, lifting a backhand into the top corner.
That kind of electrifying individual effort has typified Bure's pre-season, and indeed the last half of last season.
"I think when they changed the rules and started calling the obstruction, it's made a big difference," said Bure.
"Guys who can skate can take advantage of bigger guys who can't skate as well.
"It's always been a big man's game in Canada but back home the smaller guys always dominated the league. Makarov, Larionov and Krutov were all about my size.
"Maybe that's why they changed the rules here, to allow skilled guys to show the fans something. The league was getting rough and slow and it's seemed to work."
There was more evidence last night of the increasing role for the little man in the game. Look no further than the Senators first two goals.
The first was set up by 5-ft. 8-in. Steve Martins, who stole the puck in the Flames zone while Ottawa was shorthanded, allowing Bruce Gardiner to fire in the game-tying goal.
Goal two was set up by 5-ft. 11-in. Kevin Miller, who outraced Derek Morris for a puck and then started the play that led to Vaclav Prospal's go-ahead goal.
For Calgary little pepperpot Steve Begin was the next best Flame to Bure.
Still not convinced?
Look West.
In Vancouver, 5-ft. 8-in. Steve Kariya has been the star of training camp, with five points in three games and injecting something into GM Place they've missed for a couple of years -- excitement.
In Edmonton, little Paul Comrie is coming off a four-point night and making a case for a contract.
What has allowed the little man to play big?
Perhaps talent dilution, perhaps the crackdown on obstruction, perhaps the fact it's pre-season and not the physical grind of the 82-game regular schedule.
But whatever the reason, what we're seeing in Calgary and the rest of the league is that talent can overcome size.
Similarly a lack of talent can overcome size.
Witness Andrei Nazarov.
In the first game, first shift after head coach Brian Sutter challenged the 6-ft. 3-in., 234 lb. Russian to abandon his perplexing passive game, Nazarov dropped the gloves in a fight with the Sens Andre Roy.
He may have lost the fight, but he won by showing up, by injecting some passion into his game. Finally, he showed those shocking white skates of his were not equipped with toe pics.
"I need to play physical and when the coach says that, you have to go out and play that way," said the big, soft-spoken Russian.
It's not how big you are, but how big you play the game.
EXTRA SHIFTS: Goalie Fred Brathwaite acquitted himself well last night, despite the loss in his hometown. The first two Sens goals came off bonehead plays by defencemen. The third came with the Flames pressing for the tying goal ... D Cale Hulse broke his left hand in a fight with Roy.
He was wearing a cast after the game and will be re-examined today ... Several players made their pre-season debut. Chris St. Croix wasn't out of place while Chris Clark had two, clear-cut breakaways couldn't solve Lalime.
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