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Thursday, October 7, 1999
Avs able to handle a difficult setback
But the Colorado Avalanche refused to complain after a 2-1 loss last night to the Maple Leafs.
"That's a new rule and we're going to win some and we're going to lose some," Avs coach Bob Hartley said after an in-the-crease goal by Jonas Hoglund staked the Leafs a 1-0 lead midway through the second period.
Hoglund deflected Mats Sundin's 10-footer behind Patrick Roy just as Colorado defenceman Alexei Gusarov shoved Steve Thomas into the Avs goalie with Toronto on the power play.
"(Thomas') stick was in between Patrick's legs but at the same time he was pushed in," Hartley said. "We looked at the video about 10 times and (referee Bill) McCreary had only a fraction of a second to make his call."
The Leafs, who last season led the NHL in scoring, and the equally explosive Avs are expected to be among teams who profit from a new relaxation in the rules regarding crease infractions.
That's not to say the Avs were totally supportive of McCreary's work last night.
The veteran ref, who many consider to be the best in the sport right now, ejected Avs defenceman Adam Foote at 9:45 of the third for protesting too much after he and the Leafs' Yanic Perreault were assessed offsetting high-sticking penalties.
Foote, a Toronto-born defender, was cut on the lip during the altercation.
" I just told (McCreary) I felt he was missing some things during the game. I don't think I deserved the 10-minute (misconduct) he gave me, but I certainly deserved (the ensuing game misconduct) for what I said to him after that," Foote said. "That's just the emotions of the game."
Sundin, who began his NHL career with the Colorado's forerunner, the Quebec Nordiques, was juiced last night against his former club.
He scored the winning goal at 10:44 of the third for his sixth point in three games.
"We play against so many former teammates it doesn't mean that much," said Avs captain Joe Sakic, who co-starred with Sundin in Quebec.
"But obviously he has been pumped up against a few teams this year already. He has had a great start."
Sakic accounted for Colorado's lone goal, rifling a wrist shot over Curtis Joseph's left shoulder.
But Sakic also overshot the Leafs net on a first-period breakaway.
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