Stars notebook, preview
Hitchcock still trying to line up lines
10/13/2001
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
The line juggling will continue ... and continue, Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said Friday.
When Dallas lines up against the Calgary Flames Saturday at 7 p.m. at American Airlines Center, Hitchcock could start out with lines similar to those in practice Friday. Then again, he might not.
"I'm really not sure right now," he said.
For the record:
? Mike Modano centered Jere Lehtinen on the left and Rob DiMaio on the right. DiMaio played well on this line during the exhibition season, but this will be his first regular appearance on an offensive-minded line during the regular season.
? Joe Nieuwendyk centered Brenden Morrow on the left wing and Jamie Langenbrunner on the right. This is a return to one of the team's most successful lines last season.
? Pierre Turgeon centered a line with Valeri Kamensky or Benoit Hogue on the left wing and Donald Audette or Hogue on the right wing.
Look for Kamensky and Audette to get a chance to play with Turgeon.
? Niko Kapanen or Shaun Van Allen centered Kirk Muller on the left wing and Pat Verbeek on the right wing. Logic says Van Allen gets a night off, but who knows.
Hitchcock said the key for him has been finding the right spot for Turgeon. Once that happens, he said, the rest will fall into place.
Team struggling in plus-minus
The Stars are struggling in plus-minus, a statistic in which they have been strong the previous four seasons. Derian Hatcher is minus-5, Richard Matvichuk is minus-4, Mike Modano is minus-3 and Jere Lehtinen is minus-3.
"We're a minus 5-on-5 team right now," Ken Hitchcock said. "It's not there yet. I think that's reflective of the whole group."
Briefly ...
Defenseman Sami Helenius may make his season debut, although that will be decided Saturday morning. He probably would take the spot of Jyrki Lumme. ... Valeri Kamensky continues to practice about 30 minutes longer than his teammates. He says it's an old habit from growing up in Russia, where practices sometimes went four hours.
Hitchcock still trying to line up lines
10/13/2001
By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
The line juggling will continue ... and continue, Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said Friday.
When Dallas lines up against the Calgary Flames Saturday at 7 p.m. at American Airlines Center, Hitchcock could start out with lines similar to those in practice Friday. Then again, he might not.
"I'm really not sure right now," he said.
For the record:
? Mike Modano centered Jere Lehtinen on the left and Rob DiMaio on the right. DiMaio played well on this line during the exhibition season, but this will be his first regular appearance on an offensive-minded line during the regular season.
? Joe Nieuwendyk centered Brenden Morrow on the left wing and Jamie Langenbrunner on the right. This is a return to one of the team's most successful lines last season.
? Pierre Turgeon centered a line with Valeri Kamensky or Benoit Hogue on the left wing and Donald Audette or Hogue on the right wing.
Look for Kamensky and Audette to get a chance to play with Turgeon.
? Niko Kapanen or Shaun Van Allen centered Kirk Muller on the left wing and Pat Verbeek on the right wing. Logic says Van Allen gets a night off, but who knows.
Hitchcock said the key for him has been finding the right spot for Turgeon. Once that happens, he said, the rest will fall into place.
Team struggling in plus-minus
The Stars are struggling in plus-minus, a statistic in which they have been strong the previous four seasons. Derian Hatcher is minus-5, Richard Matvichuk is minus-4, Mike Modano is minus-3 and Jere Lehtinen is minus-3.
"We're a minus 5-on-5 team right now," Ken Hitchcock said. "It's not there yet. I think that's reflective of the whole group."
Briefly ...
Defenseman Sami Helenius may make his season debut, although that will be decided Saturday morning. He probably would take the spot of Jyrki Lumme. ... Valeri Kamensky continues to practice about 30 minutes longer than his teammates. He says it's an old habit from growing up in Russia, where practices sometimes went four hours.
