European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 7, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday february 7,1990 the stars and stripes Page s3toronto turning Over new Leafs by Ken Rappoport a hockey writer these Days in Toronto they re talking about reviving the tradition of the Maple Leafs one of the nil proudest franchises. On the ice. The Maple Leafs Are doing it More directly they re winning games with one of the most dramatic on car turnarounds in league history. Quot i guess everybody is surprised but says Gary Occman. The Maple Leaf right Wing who is in the Middle of the resurgence. We always knew we had a lot of Talent. We be got so much Confidence right now we feel we can win every the muscular Maple Leaf Haven to backed Down from Many this season a quite a change for a team that had lapsed into a 10-year losing Streak. This is a team that virtually wrote off the eighties. That s when the Maple Leafs became widely known As the a Maple laughs or the a make beliefs a finishing with the Overall 20th record in the league and giving up the most goals for the decade. They re still giving up a lot of goals a but they re scoring More. Too. With one of the league s most potent offensives. At the All Star break they led the nil in that department. A we do gel into the fir Wagon style some said coach Doug Carpenter. A shut what am i going to do a restrict my players assets a Carpenter a refugee from the new Jersey devils is generally regarded As a defensive coach As arc his As is Stanlov but you d never know it by the Maple Leafs High powered offensive style. Quot obviously offence is our strength a Occman said Quot and we be never been told not to play offence. But 1 think we can play better defensively when we have to. I think Well be Able to adjust to it because we be been Able to adjust 1o different Sites of play so far a a rough game or a fast game. A we seem to have different characteristics that make this team last year the Maple Leafs did t happen no All. They finished out of the playoffs with a 58-46-6 record. Which was a Distant 20th in the league. This car they not Only have a legitimate shot at a but also first place in the Norris division Ana a Chance to break the team record for most wins in a season 4ij. After their first 54 games they had a 28 24-2 record and would finish a season above .500 for the first time since 1978-79, a there seems to be stability and we have a coach who knows his game a Veteran left Wing Mark Osborne said. Quot Carpenter coming Here was a big thing. He knows hockey. A lot of us arc impressed. A the comes into each game and practice really prepared. He has everybody playing within themselves. We re playing sound systematic hockey and each player has a defined role for the first time since i be been Here there is a positive approach to getting the most out of the team and getting the players to play to their Best abilities a Carpenter who coached for nearly four years in new Jersey before taking Over the Maple Leafs this year was i the Only fresh Breeze in Toronto. Maple left owner Harold Ballard before his recent illness hired Floyd Smith a former Toronto play Toronto Captain rub ram be 8 and goalie Allan Bester have the Leafs Scro blink out of their recent ineptitude. Or. As general manager and approved changes such As the appointment of a Captain a a Rob Ramage. The moves helped bring a sense of respect to the team and a sense of passion to Maple Leaf gardens that had been absent since the glory years of the 1960s. The Maple Leafs have 13 Stanley cup championships to their credit second Only to the Montreal Cun Odiens but none since 1967. Ramage. Along with Lou Francc Scholti. Are among recently acquired players who Are generally credited with adding clan to the Maple Leafs. Brad Marsh who came Over from Philadelphia fast year is another one. Quot these people arc All from organizations that we re Carpenter said. A Era Mac played in Calgary Marsh in Philadelphia franc Cuchetti in Washington. These people have really added and physical presence. Frances Chilli especially has Given the Maple Leafs the kind of hitting that has Long been absent from their game. Quot Francc Schettin said Carpenter a has Heen Superb a real spark.�?�. Osborne said the newcomers have nurtured a Strong team atmosphere and a three musketeers me Lauy. A the leadership of some of the older players has put Pride Back into the dressing room a Osborne said. Quot Rob has demanded respect a and he a gotten it. We be had some sour apples pulling in the wrong direction but they be brought them Over to their with Ballard critically ill in a Hospital a Board of directors is running the team these Days. They be Given Carle Blanche to Smith and Carpenter. Off the ice they re trying to recapture some of the old team Pride which Ballard had slowly stripped away Over the years. If anything Ballard was never accused of sentimentality. Outspoken and sometimes irreverent and profane Ballard consistently flew in the face of tradition since taking Over controlling interest in the hockey club in 1972. Showing Little regard for history. Ballard did no to see any reason to have any of the team s Stanley cup flags hanging in Maple Leaf gardens or for some of the old photographs to hang in the gardens hallowed Halls. He was vindictive enough to rip some photos olt the Wall when they included players he did t get along with a such As Darryl Sittler a Hall it it a Fumar who was one of the most popular in Maple Leafs history. But now with Ballard out of touch the Board of directors has decided to bring Back some memories including those championship banners. A a we re going ahead with the said Board chairman Paul Mcnamara. Quot we be heard from a few companies thai make them a Wiesbaden boys Down Frankfurt by Ben Abrams prep sports editor Wiesbaden. West Germany a the Wiesbaden warriors Rode what coach Byron Smith called Clay Johnston a Quot Best game every to a Germany aaa 65-54 Victory Over the Frankfurt eagles Here tuesday Johnston threw in 10 Points in the first Quarter As Smith s warriors took control Early and stayed in command throughout the contest registering their seventh aaa Victory against four losses. Frankfurt fell to 8-3 in league strife. Greg Walker popped in a Short jumper from the Side to give Wiesbaden a 2-0 Edge after nearly a minute and a half had elapsed and each team had missed its first three shots. Then Johnston went to work. He scored Wiesbaden s next 10 Points connecting on three of four shots from the Field and converting four straight free throws As the warriors constructed a 16-9 first Quarter Lead. They were up by nine at intermission. A Clay was the big difference tonight a Smith said following the Victory a the shot Well and he got us some key Mcbounds. He got in foul trouble in the third Quarter and we had to sit him Down for a while but we were in Good shape Johnston finally fouled out with 5 54 remaining in the game but he contributed 16 Points and nine rebounds to he winning cause. Smith also had Praise for Greg Walker s and Chris Girany a Plav. Walker led the warriors with 21 Points and Girany finished with 15 Points and a dozen boards. Walker was the floor general passing off when the others were open but also taking the shows when he had them. After his first shot he missed five in a Row but finished the night with eight for 16, including a Brace of three Point goats. Quot Greg turned in one of his Best games of the year too Quot Smith said. Quot he Goi the Points but he also Pla it cd a very Good defensive game. Chris was steady like lie always is. He did a Good Job on the boards and a Good Job of blocking their big Guys off me Amos Richardson led Frankfurt with 22 Points but 10 of them came in the fourth Quarter when Johnston was Cone and the game was out of reach he also paced the eagles with 11 rebounds. He was the Only Frankfurt Plavni in double figures. The teams turned in creditable shooting performances. Wiesbaden hit .460 on 23 of 50 from the Field Frankfurt was in for 46 for .390. Neither team was too great from the free throw line a Wiesbaden was 17 for 27. Frankfurt 16 for 27.Back plagues Lemieux on no la a Day off there were no games scheduled monday in the notional hockey league. Seven Gomes were on tuesday nights schedule topped by the visit of the surprising new York islanders to Pittsburgh. Where the penguins Morio la Mieux. Nursing a Lender lower Back was to Alt Mph to add to his 42-game scoring Streak. The lower Hack problem is chronic and has nagged him before but never As much As this season. Lemieux said the problem is getting Quot worse and worse Quot and has been a Quot gradual thing Over the last couple of Lemieux is trying out a Brace he Hopes will alleviate the problem which has persisted during the second longest scoring Streak in nil history. Wayne Gretzky then of the Edmonton oilers had a 51-game scoring Streak in 1983-84
