Subject: Re: Smiths birthday goal was LEAFS GO ALL THE WAY !!!
From: caldwell8102@mtroyal.ab.ca
Organization: Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta
Lines: 28

In article <C4wty9.40u@mcs.anl.gov>, mwm@aps.anl.gov (Michael W. McDowell) writes:
> In article 5KL@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca, kwk2chow@descartes.uwaterloo.ca (KEVIN C.) writes:
>> (Thanks for the goals by Steve Smith) 
> I don't see why more people don't blame grant fuhr for the goal that smith 
> put in his own net, it's common to play the puck back to your own goalie when
> deep in your own end and under little or no pressure from the offensive team.
> If fuhr had been in position the puck would have never crossed the line.

From this account, it doesn't sound like you even saw the goal, Mike. Smith
came out from behind his own net and fired a breakout pass that hit Fuhr in the
back of the leg. Fuhr was backing up at the time and never saw what
happened. The puck went straight off Fuhr's leg and into the net. Fuhr never
had a chance. There was no play back to the goaltender, in fact Perry Berezan
of Calgary had just dumped it in and Smith was retrieving it. 

It was unfortunate that it happened; Smith is a nice guy and was only a rookie
at the time, and on his birthday too. But all the blame lies with him. Starting
in pee-wee coaches tell players never to make a cross-ice pass in front of 
their own net. Too much chance of having it intercepted, or hitting the 
goaltender, or whatever.

And to the people who say that Smith cost the Oilers the series, I can only
say that he certainly didn't cause the team to lose the other three games.
There was no reason for a powerhouse team like Edmonton to be tied late
in the third period of the 7th game of the second round. Everybody on the team
has to take responsibility for them even being in that situation.

								Alan