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Sunday, January 05, 2003

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The NHL regular season hits halftime Wednesday, and the reviews remain mixed for what was to be its defining characteristic, the obstruction crackdown and all the goals that were sure to follow.

Penalties are up, and players are more aware of the pressure to allow opponents to skate unimpeded. But goals per game has inched from 5.24 for all of last season to just 5.33 midway through this one.

Games are shorter, though, and fewer are being televised nationally, so at least the damage is minimal.

A look at other extremes ...

Best team: Stars. There's no component they lack, no cylinder that isn't firing. Remember: The team with the best regular-season home record has gone on to win the Stanley Cup the past four years. Dallas is 12-1-3-1 at home.

Worst team: Sabres. And they can't cite off-ice turmoil as an excuse until they miss a paycheck.

Best forward: Please.

Worst forward: A tie between the NHL's only two players from Poland. The Rangers waived Krzysztof Oliwa after nine games, and the Canadiens did likewise with Mariusz Czerkawski after 25. Now, Oliwa makes $850,000 and Czerkawski $2.6 million in the AHL.

Best defenseman: Al MacInnins, Blues. He has anchored a St. Louis team which many expected to be lost without Chris Pronger.

Worst defenseman: Darius Kasparaitis, Rangers. Out of 265 players who have taken a shift on defense in the NHL this season, he ranks 262nd with a minus-15 rating. New York expected more for its six-year, $25.5 million investment.

Best goaltender: Marty Turco, Stars. If his 1.73 goals-against average holds up, it will be the league's lowest since Dave Kerr of the 1939-40 Rangers. Eddie who?

Worst goaltender: Milan Hnilicka, Thrashers. Giving up a touchdown a game is good only if you're an NFL defense.

Best coach: Jacques Lemaire, Wild. As was forecast in this space in early October, he will win the Jack Adams Award for leading a third-year franchise into a playoff berth in the tough West.

Worst coach: Lindy Ruff, Sabres. He still has 15 players from the team that lost to the Penguins in the second round of playoffs two years ago, and he can't come close to getting results.

Best statistic: The Penguins are 13-5-3-3 with Dick Tarnstrom in the lineup, 15-3-2-2 with Shean Donovan. All hail the waiver wire.

Worst statistic: The Devils have won 10 games in which they have scored two goals or less.

Best moment: Mario Lemieux's faceoff goal against the Sabres, which truly required only a moment.

Worst moment: The Flyers' Jeremy Roenick cheap-shotting longtime American teammate and alleged good friend Mike Modano of the Stars. From behind, no less.

Best media incident: Lemieux, surrounded by two-dozen reporters in Toronto three weeks ago, fielded three questions about the impact of Tarnstrom's absence before hearing one about himself.

Worst media incident: A radio reporter in Columbus, upon ending an interview with Lemieux Tuesday, turned to ask another media member, "Who was that?"

Best comeback: Do Lemieux's comebacks still qualify?

Worst comeback: In how many more cities will the Alexandre Daigle tale be told?

Best personnel move: Dallas' signing of Bill Guerin to a five-year, $45 million contract, proof that not all smart transactions have to be bargains. Guerin has delivered as promised, averaging a goal every two games and helping the Stars regain their elite status.

Worst personnel move: The Penguins' failure to sign Alexei Kovalev. Whatever his price was in September, it's certainly not going to shrink with him on a career-best scoring pace.

Best quote: Steve McKenna, Penguins, on enforcers: "We're not all rock hammers out there."

Worst quote: Pat Burns, Devils coach: "Why are you worried about goals so much? We're winning games."