By Mark Pukalo
Robert Petrovicky scored against the Whalers and Keith Primeau had the only tally for Hartford on March 20, 1997 in St. Louis. My trip up the Gateway Arch earlier in the day was way more exciting.
A 4-1 loss was the fourth of six straight defeats for the Whale. While the team went to the airport to leave for Dallas, I finished my late story in the press room, mentally and physically drained, with a late winter cold about to hit me hard.
I decided to walk back to my hotel. It wasn't particularly far. Just go out the front, take a left down the main street a few blocks and another left to my hotel. Simple.
One problem. For some reason, they would not let me out the front of the then-Kiel Center for some reason. I was directed to go out the back door, but I failed to ask what was my best plan to get to my destination. Or, at least I don't remember. No biggie. I know what direction my hotel is in. Just walk and I'll get there.
Bad decision.
I could not get back to the main street and I could not go straight toward my hotel. I kept going left and left and left. Soon, I was lost. I was walking in a big winter jacket, carrying my laptop in a bag and cursing loudly. Eventually, I was able to start going back to the right. But I was not in a safe area. I could have easily been robbed or worse. I was lucky.
It's kind of embarrassing, but I flagged down a cop car. He probably thought I was looking to buy drugs when he first saw me walking. I told him what happened. It looked like he thought it was funny.
"So, you want me to drive you back to your hotel?" he said.
He did. Thanks Blue. Not the Blues.
You are free to laugh. It was a weird night, but an amazing season with plenty better days. I had done some work with the team the year before, made some trips, but the final season of the Whale was a wild ride. I worked my ass off, had some good moments at the computer, but mostly learned so much about hockey, being a beat writer and dealing with people.
I just wish I had another year to use what I learned.
My 5-6 years as a season-ticket holder were a lot of fun, from the highs of the 1992 first-round playoff series with Montreal (when I became a true hockey fan) to the lows of the third-period collapse against the Bruins in 1990 - turning a 5-2 lead into a 6-5 loss and a 2-2 series. Bob Beers scored. Sigh.
Anyways, I was thrilled to get some chances to cover the team in 95-96, including the trip to Toronto. I still have the picture of me with the Cup at the Hall of Fame (left). No, I didn't touch it. I am not worthy. I had lunch and beers at Gretzky's as well.
However, I was full-time backup beat guy behind Michael Arace for what would be the final season of NHL hockey in Hartford. It will be 30 years in September of 2026.
With Michael's wonderful wife Brigid pregnant, I was able to make more trips with the team than I normally would have as the B guy. Training camp moved to Barrie, Ontario for a week and I made the trek of more than an hour from Toronto on a bus.
The Whalers played a few games at the Barrie Molson Centre and I rented a car to make the trip to Kitchener for another game. I really enjoyed Barrie, the arena and would have loved to join the Curling Club down the road. Yes, there was a Tim Horton's very close by the hotel and a heck of a sports bar, but I can't remember the name. Would like to go back there some day.
The Live 8 concert was held in the park next to the arena in July of 2005. Bryan Adams, Gordon Lightfoot, Motley Crue, Deep Purple, The Tragically Hip, The Barenaked Ladies, Neil Young and others performed.
That was one heck of a trip in September of 1996. I was so tired that I slept through the whole plane ride home. I had to be woken up when we were o the ground..
Oh Shanny Boy
The end of the 95-96 season, you could see Brendan Shanahan was frustrated.
His quotes after the final game in Buffalo were telling. He didn't feel the Whalers could get a fair shake in the league. The officiating in that game - the finale at The Aud - was one-sided. Shanny earned a game misconduct, goalie Jason Muzzatti fought and there were 156 penalty minutes.
(Why oh why did I not take one of the old wooden folding chairs with "Aud' written on the back as I was leaving. I could have given it to Journal Inquirer writer Phil Sweetland, who drove to Buffalo. Damn!)
Rumors started circulating that Shanahan wanted out. Unfortunately, I was tasked with trying to get in touch with him, find someone to talk. I tried, but no one called me back. The only person I spoke with was Rangers broadcaster John Davidson, who didn't know much more than me..
When the season began, a trade was going to happen. It was just a matter of when. But Shanahan played two games before being dealt to Detroit. He scored a goal in the 7-3 win over Pittsburgh. Alexander Godynyuk netted the winner in the opener.
Keith Primeau (below) came to Hartford in the trade and was a breath of fresh air. While Shanny was always cordial, except the day after the opener when he snapped at my simple question, Primeau was tremendous and quickly became a fan favorite.
That's what I will remember about Keith. He was always pleasant. However, no Whaler fan can forget when he fought his brother Wayne at the Civic Center one night.
"Nuggies," Arace joked.
There were a whole bunch of characters on that team. Sean Burke, Geoff Sanderson, Adam Burt, Primeau and captain Kevin Dineen were always great to talk to, Jeff O'Neill was a jokester and so was Glen Featherstone. Stu Grimson joined the group as well and contributed great quotes. I'm not surprised he's on TV now.
Hall of Famer Paul Coffey also spent 20 games with the Whalers that year before requesting a trade. I remember talking to Dineen outside the visitor's locker room in Tampa and asked him about Coffey.
"I don't want to talk about anyone who doesn't want to be on this team," Kevin told me.
Coffey went to Philadelphia and faced off against Shanny in the Stanley Cup Finals. Of course he did.
It's Just Another Town Along The Road
I wish I had documented every trip I made that season, but a few stand out.
My visits to Ottawa were great. I really liked that city and the then-Corel Center in Kanata. The route to the city from the airport went along a river for a period, with people skating the whole way. I always think of it when I hear Joni Mitchell sing "I wish I had a river I could skate away on."
My partner in crime often on road trips, Jerry Higgins of the New Haven Register, and I had a few fun days in Ottawa. The Westin Hotel seemed a short walk from everything. I also remember some pretty amazing ice sculptures.
It had to be the mid February trip when the Whalers dropped a 4-2 decision in Kanata during the playoff chase. I flew home the next day, with a connecting flight in Baltimore, and my plane had to be de-iced twice on the runway. Finally, it took off slowly - I mean slowly - rising up.
The Senators were on that commercial flight with me. They had a game in Washington the next day. Ottawa coach Jacques Martin (below) sat across from me in the front row. A mother, who was sitting in the isle seat next to me, asked if he could switch sides to let her sit next to her son. Jacques kindly obliged.
I did not bother Jacques on the flight. He was working up a plan to beat the Capitals 6-1. But when I missed my connecting flight in Baltimore, Jacques came over to me near the luggage carousel and asked if I would like to hop on their bus to the hotel in Greenbelt with them.
I thought that was quite nice of him, even though it was better for me to stay at the airport. And, who the heck wants to go to Greenbelt? LOL. I stayed in Greenbelt, Md. once for a Whalers game at the old Cap Centre in Landover. and (name drop), future ESPN TV personality Rachel Nichols drove me back after the game. Nice of her.
I boarded the Whalers charter on Thanksgiving for a game the next day against the Panthers in Miami at the old arena - a 1-1 tie. I didn't really have time to explore Miami. The next day might have been my first game at the future Amalie Arena - a 6-3 Whalers triumph.
After surviving St. Louis, I flew to Dallas for a loss against the Stars. I was tired and sick. After finishing my early notebook, I took a nap during the afternoon. Unfortunately, I did not set any kind of alarm or ask for a wake-up call. I woke up maybe a half hour before the opening faceoff.
Luckily, Reunion Arena was a short walk from my hotel.
I wish I had time to visit the Grassy Knoll. But I went out after the game to some really weird places (a go-go bar with women dancing in cages) in the "fun" district. Would like to go there again some day.
My Buffalo trips were kind of interesting. One of the best bar/restaurants I ever visited was Jim Kelly's place at the time, "Sport City Grill."
My favorite trips were all to Canada, except for Tampa. Ottawa, Barrie and Montreal were all wonderful. Walking down Sainte Catherine Street is quite an experience. I played video poker in a grocery store in Montreal. Really. Another place to revisit. I flew Air Canada on a small jet with just one or two other passengers. You could see out the front as we coming in to land.
The Molson Centre was amazing in 1997. I have never felt like I was higher in a building than that one. The Whalers won that contest 4-1. It was Chris Murray's greatest game with the Whale.
The Montreal Gazette headline the next day read "Un Joli Fiasco."
Wild Trip To The Hotel California
The last two days of January, I got a special treat.
I boarded the Whalers charter and headed out for a two-game, two-day trip to California with games against the Kings and the Ducks. Well, it ended up being a four-day trip for me.
The plane stopped in Kansas to refuel and then weaved through the Rockies and down into Long Beach. What an amazing view that was.
It was neat to view a game at the Forum. We sat amongst the fans on press row. I can always say I was there. The game was forgettable. I spoke with former Whaler Ray Ferraro about California hockey at the pre-game skate for my Sunday column.
With the games ending so late, you sent your story right after the final horn, grabbed a few quotes and phoned them in before the final deadline. The copy editors inserted the quotes into the story. Everything went well that night. I finished up and hopped on the bus for Anaheim. We got there early enough to go to the hotel bar and play some pool. It was a very unique circular hotel where you could peer over the rail to the bottom.
The Anaheim arena is still one of my favorites. I'm sure The Pond (now Honda Center) has lost some charm over the past 28 years, but it was quite a venue in 1997. That was the good thing about that night. However, after a 6-3 loss, all hell broke loose.
I don't feel I took any longer than the night before. I called in the quotes, packed up and left the press room, which was not far from the loading bay where the Whalers' bus parked.
But. ... they were gone.
The bus had left minutes before. They had to make the window for the flight to get out of Long Beach. Whalers PR guy Chris Brown said later he went up to the press box to try and find me. Why the fuck didn't he look in the PRESS ROOM?
Sigh.
The Ducks PR staff quickly got me a cab and unfortunately the guy was in no hurry. I think he was driving under the speed limit on the highway. We made it to the airport, I got out and the charter was taking off - with my luggage.
What to do? I had the cabbie take me to a local hotel, which was really nice. After a tasty breakfast, I took a shuttle to the hotel at LAX that I had stayed at for the Kings game. I actually talked the front desk into giving me the NHL rate. The Courant should thank me.
I noticed that night the Kings were hosting the Chicago Blackhawks. I called the Kings PR and got a press pass for the game. Why not? Don't recall much about the game (3-2 Chicago win), but I do remember the Hawks' locker room afterward.
Jim Belushi was in there, trading fake jabs with Bob Probert. Chris Chelios, Denis Savard and Tony Amonte were on that team as well.
I walked out of the locker room and toward the VIP entrance where the cabs were and who walked right by me?
Robert Shapiro.
I caught a flight back the next day. I think it went through Chicago. Of course, it did.
The Birth of Doogie Howzer
Paul Maurice took over as coach early in the 1995-96 season for Paul Holmgren and was nicknamed "Doogie Howzer" for his coaching chops at a young age.
Maurice (below) knew how to coach and he knew how to treat people, even the media. I can't ever say I had a bad day with Mo. He wasn't always in the greatest mood. No one can be when you're losing. But going into his office at the Civic Center or at Avon Old Farms was never dull.
He was blunt, but he trusted us. He told us stories, gave us good quotes.
I was learning early in the season. I realized it wasn't the thing to do later on. But sometimes I called him at home on a Sunday after a Saturday night game. He always answered and gave me a few minutes, even though you could hear the fatigue in his voice.
I remember one story he told about a young Eric Lindros. Maurice recalled seeing Eric hop over the boards for one shift in juniors and knocking down all five players on the ice.
It's amazing what Paul has done since. When he was with Winnipeg, I was sitting in the stands for the morning skate at Amalie and somehow he recognized me after all those years. He gave me a quizzical look like "what are you doing here?' smiled and point his hockey stick. I went down to see him after, but he was in a meeting and I didn't have the time to wait.
I hate the stinking Panthers. But I was very happy Paul won his Cup. No one deserved it more. Two is enough, though.
The Sad Ending
Michael was covering the potential move of the team down the stretch, so I did most of the day-to-day coverage during the playoff run.
The day the move was announced, I boarded the charter to Tampa. Apparently, that's where my heart went afterward. The next day I sat with GM Jim Rutherford at the morning skate. Even though I was pissed, I told him North Carolina was probably the best spot for the team if it wasn't going to be in Hartford. Seriously.
The Whalers won that game and the next at home against the Rangers. They went 2-1-1 after that, including the "fiasco" in Montreal.
But in true Whalers fashion, they lost 5-4 at Ottawa and coughed up a 6-4 decision in Long Island against the Islanders. Win one of those games and they reach the playoffs.
It's fitting that the Whalers played the Lightning in that last game on April 13, 1997. Dineen (right) and Glen Wesley scored for Hartford. Burke had 38 saves in a 2-1 win. Brass Bonanza was heard all day.
It was a strange afternoon. Anger, tears, memories.
Thanks Kevin, Paul, Adam, Geoff, Jeff, Stu, Sami, Glen and all the others for a great season.
NHL Playoff Magic
I was able to cover the playoffs in 1997 and 2000 before the Courant started cutting back.
The Rangers beat the Devils in the second round, but ran into Lindros and the Flyers in the Eastern Conference finals. I covered the games at MSG during that 1997 series and it was quite an atmosphere.
I was able to stay at the Courant's apartment, which was a short walk from Grand Central Station. Have to say, that was pretty cool. Wish the Rangers made the finals.
I took the train a lot in those days, including to Philadelphia for the finals against Detroit. The Red Wings made short work of the finals, winning the first two in the City of Brotherly Love and finishing it in Detroit.
Darren McCarty scored a rare goal in Game 4 with a nifty move and afterward said "Every blind squirrel finds a nut." Steve Yzerman won his Cup and, yes, so did Shanny.
Three years later, I did some work on the playoffs as well. I went to New Jersey for a story on the Devils-Leafs series. One afternoon, I remember finding a movie theater to pass the time and saw a film named "High Fidelity," which I had not heard anything about. It's one of my favorites of all time.
The Devils won that series and faced the Flyers next. It went seven games and I took the train to Philly for the memorable finale on and off the ice.
It was quite a night. Lauren Hart, the Flyers anthem singer belted out "God Bless America" with a bald head and a hat on after going through chemo. Nothing against Whitney, Marvin, Jose Feliciano and others. But that was the best anthem of any kind I ever saw. Tears were streaming down everyone's face.
It was the game that changed Eric Lindros' career. Scott Stevens laid him out with a neutral ice hit (left). The aftermath of the game was strange. Patrik Elias got the winner with 2:32 left for the Devils. No one could get much info on how Lindros was doing.
There were some pretty surprising stories floating around about how the Flyers treated Lindros after that game. Who knows which ones were true, but it was ugly.
Didn't do much with the NHL after that, but I continued writing draft stories. Chris Higgins, Dan Lacouture, Doug Janik, Ron Hainsey and others were profiled. It gave me a chance to speak often with Gary Dineen, who ran the Springfield Pics junior program.
Dineen was one of my favorite people. I did a feature on him that I think was one of my best pieces of all time. Gary passed away in 2006.
(Check out this link for the story https://www.courant.com/2001/06/22/hockeys-true-believer/)
He always talked about Bill Guerin. Gary told me that Bill was the kind of guy who would knock his mother down in the backyard hockey game, but then make her dinner.
I saw Guerin in the Lightning press box when he was GM of the Minnesota Wild one night and mentioned that story to him. He laughed. Janik was also in the press box last year as a scout. It all kind of comes full circle with hockey.
In 2002, I became a Lightning fan. The next season I flew down for Game 7, but could not get a ticket. I watched it in the bar and on the big screen outside the arena.
In 2007, the Lightning drafted a young man from the Montreal area named Alex Killorn. He was playing for Deerfield Academy and I had a chance to go see him play a couple times against state prep schools. The first time was at Avon Old Farms.
I stood near the glass on one side and the two people next to me were rooting for Deerfield. When I had a chance, I asked if Alex was a good kid or something like that.
"I hope so," the mom said. "He's our son."
Told Alex (left) that story years later at Prospect camp. Little did we know that he would win two Cups with the Lightning many years later.
Hockey took me to some amazing places where I met some great people. College life brought me to soccer and my move to the Hartford area brought me to hockey.
Both have given me so much since.
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