Kariya and Selanne Article

April 22, 1999

By DAVE PONIERS

BOOTH NEWS SERVICE

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DETROIT - Kariya and Selanne. Selanne and Kariya. Over and over again.

That's what we've been hearing all week. The Detroit Red Wings have to face the talented Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Well, excuse me, but there's another remarkable hockey player in this series. You can have Kariya and Selanne. Give me Steve Yzerman.

And anyone who saw Wednesday's game between the Red Wings and the Ducks would have to agree, unless they're auditioning to be a judge in the next Evander Holyfield fight.

Here's the scorecard: Goals, Yzerman 3, Selanne and Kariya 2; final score, Detroit 5, Anaheim 3; black eyes, Yzerman 1, the Duck duo 0.

After the game Yzerman looked like he'd just fought Holyfield. His left eye was black. It had a cut beneath it and another cut on the left edge of the eyebrow.

"I got hit with the knob of a stick (Steve Rucchin's) on a faceoff," Yzerman said.

Someone wondered why no penalty was called.

"It's no big deal really," Yzerman said. "I don't think it should have been a penalty."

That's Steve Yzerman. If he has to take a stick in the eye to help win a hockey game, so be it. If he has to give up some offensive chances to concentrate on his team's defensive system - that's what he did to help his team win two Stanley Cups - that's fine with him.

You have a role that needs filling - call on Yzerman.

Wednesday, the Wings needed his scoring ability, and he scored three times - in addition to doing all the little things that go unnoticed.

Detroit coach Scotty Bowman noticed.

After the game Bowman didn't talk about Yzerman's scoring.

"I thought he did a real good job on faceoffs and penalty killing," Bowman said.

It's easy to take Yzerman for granted. He got his due from the fans Wednesday after he scored his third goal to make it 5-3 late in the game and end the Ducks' hopes of victory.

At that point the fans said, "Hat's off to Stevie."

The ice was littered with hats and caps in celebration of his hat trick. The crowd chanted, "Stevie. Stevie. Stevie."

Chris Chelios and Wendel Clark battled Yzerman for years as opponents. Then last month they were traded to the Red Wings, and as a teammate their admiration has grown.

"His leadership really comes out," Chelios said. "He comes out ready to get this team going. We have to follow."

Chelios emphasized the word "have." That comes from respect.

Clark also mentioned "respect' when talking about Yzerman.

"He's a quiet leader, and he leads by example," Clark said. "But when he says something, everybody listens. He's earned respect because he comes up big when you have to have it."

Some day soon Yzerman will sign a three-year, $24-million contract extension. Those three years plus the one he has on his current contract will give him 20 in a Red Wings' uniform. That will put him with Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio as 20-year men with the Wings.

Soon thereafter, his No. 19 will go up in the rafters with Howe's No. 9, Delvecchio's No. 10 and the numbers of other Red Wings' greats.

That seems like a long time from now, but enjoy every minute you have with Yzerman in a Detroit uniform. Pay attention to the little things he does - controlling the puck in "his office" along the left boards during a power play and the way he outfights bigger players for loose pucks along the boards.

By the end of this playoff series, we'll know all about Selanne and Kariya. I've even learned to spell their names.

We all know how to spell Stevie Y's last name - W-I-N-N-E-R.