European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 19, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday March 192007 stars and stripes Page 31 Larose hurricanes Chase Brodeur put drubbing on devils the associated press East Rutherford no maybe Chad Larose has been playing out of position a switch from right Wing to Center resulted in a career game and gave the de fending Stanley cup Champion Carolina hurricanes two much needed Points Larose had his first two goal game and the hurricanes sent Martin Brodeur to the Bench with four goals on their first 12 shots in a 72 Victory Over the new Jersey devils on saturday the last time i played Center was squirts said the Sec on year player it didst matter where i played i wanted the min utes Carolina coach Peter Laviolette told Larose on Friday that he wanted him to be a responsible player in the Middle he came in and provided a spark with his skating and his tenacity Laviolette said his goals were a Bonus for the hurricanes who remained in one of the Eastern conferences final playoff spots with nine games left in the regular season it was important for us be cause we have four Days off where we sit Idle said Carolina Forward Ray Whitney who had a goal and an assist in the four goal second period that ended Bro Deus Day where we sit now and four Days from now could be totally different we certainly wanted to get the two Points today the hurricanes played like a desperate team unlike the Dev ils who lost their fifth in a Row at Home when you lose and have Good efforts its great Brodeur after being driven from the net for Only the second time this season but we lost to Boston 41 30 versus Pittsburgh and 72 Here that not the Way you want to lose games we need to compete bet Ter Rod Brindamour and Josef Vasicek each had a goal and an As Sist in the big period that Larose capped with a goal against devils backup Scott Clemmensen Scott Walker and Tim Gleason also scored for Carolina which lost a 32 decision to new Jersey on thursday in a game in which Brodeur stopped 38 of 40 shots we had him in our Heads from the last game Larose said we figured if we keep shooting the puck till find the Back of the net John Grahame faced 10 shots in the opening 40 minutes As Caro Lina built a 51 Lead he finished with 18 saves As the hurricanes beat new Jersey for the first time in four games David Clarkson who was called up from the minors this week because of Groin in juries to Patrik Elias and John Madden scored his first nil goal and set up another by Travis Zajac for the devils in fridays games penguins 6 Canad fens 3 Sid Ney Crosby and Erik Christensen score two goals apiece and Pitts Burgh beat Montreal to move Back into fourth place in the East Ern conference Gary Roberts and Michel Ouel let also scored and Evgeni Malkin and Mark Recchi had two assists apiece for the penguins who Are 601 in their last seven and pulled within four Points of Atlantic division leading new Jersey capitals 5 Maple Leafs 1 Al expander Semin had a goal and two assists and Alexandre Giroux scored his first nil goal to help Washington snap a nine game losing Streak the capitals wingless since beating new Jersey on feb 24 snapped their longest losing Streak Overall in 25 years the Vic tory also snapped Washington seven game Home losing Streak Thrashers 2 rangers 1 Alexei Zhitnik scored the Winner with a slap shot on the Power play at of overtime giving Atlanta its sixth straight Home win Johan Hedberg stopped 38 shots for the Thrashers who stretched their Lead to four Points Over Tampa Bay for third place in the East Sean averys 13th goal gave the rangers a 10 Lead with 53 seconds left in the first Marian Hossa tied it in the second period sabres 3 lightning 2 Jason Pominville had two goals and Ryan Miller made 35 saves for vis iting Buffalo Derek Roy also scored to help the sabres win consecutive games after a fou game losing Streak Tampa Bays Vincent Lecavalier scored twice giving him an no leading 48 goals Sharks 3 Blue jackets 0 Vesa Moskala made 35 saves for his fourth shutout in his first Start in a month and weary san Jose won its fourth straight Overall it improved to 1101 at Home against the Blue jackets since co Lumbus entered the nil in 2000 Joe Thornton and Ryane Clowe scored for the Sharks and Scott Hannan added an empty Netter Fredrik Norrena stopped 20 shots for the Blue jackets who lost for the third time in four games ducks 5 Blackhawk 2 Teemu Velanne and Andy Mcdonald scored two goals apiece and Scott Niedermayer added three assists to Lead Host Ana Heim Corey Perry also scored and Ilya Bry Galov stopped 31 shots for the ducks who moved within one Point of Detroit for tops in the league Mcdonald also had two assists giving him 16 Points in his last 10 games Rene Bourque and Jason will iams scored Power play goals for Chicago Eastern conference Buffalo new Jersey Atlanta Pittsburgh Ottawa Tampa Bay Carolina by islanders w l of pts of a 46 19 6 98 268 210 43 21 8 94 191 179 38 25 10 86 223 222 40 21 10 90 246 220 41 23 7 89 246 195 39 29 4 82 225 222 36 29 8 80 215 217 34 26 10 78 209 200 by rangers Toronto Montreal Boston Florida Washington Philadelphia 3428 9 3428 9 3531 6 3431 5 29 29 13 25 34 13 20 40 11 77 201 195 77 220 232 76 211 229 73 202 244 71 205 225 63 211 256 51 188 264 Western conference Detroit Anaheim Vancouver Nashville san Jose Dallas Minnesota Calgary w lot 45 17 9 43 17 12 4223 6 4620 4425 4223 41 24 37 24 10 it sgt a 99 227 177 98 233 185 90 191 178 98246 190 91 219 173 89 187 168 89 205 177 84 229 196 Colorado St Louis Edmonton Columbus Chicago los Angeles Phoenix 3529 6 76228218 29 29 12 70 185 215 30 35 6 66 178212 28 36 7 63 174 219 27 35 9 63 179 225 23 34 14 60 200 246 28 39 3 59 187 240 two Points for a win one Point for Over time loss or shootout loss division Leader fridays games Washington 5 Toronto 1 Atlanta 2 by rangers 1 of Pittsburgh 6 Montreal 3 Buffalo 3 Tampa Bay 2 Anaheim 5 Chicago 2 san Jose 3 Columbus 0 saturdays games Carolina 7 new Jersey 2 Toronto at Montreal Philadelphia at Ottawa Boston at by rangers by islanders at Florida St Louis at Edmonton Dallas at Nashville Minnesota at Calgary Colorado at Phoenix Detroit at Vancouver Columbus at los Angeles sundays games Tampa Bay at Washington Buffalo at Atlanta Ottawa at Pittsburgh los Angeles at Anaheim san Jose at Colorado Phoenix at Dallas mondays games Pittsburgh at by rangers Vancouver at Edmonton Friday capitals 5 Maple Leafs 1 Toronto Washington 2 1 25 first period1 Washington Giroux 1 Eminger Washington Semin 34 second period3 Toronto Antropov 15 Sundin 4 Washington Gordon 4 Semin third period5 Washington Beech 8 Brashear Washington Fleischmann 2 Jurcina shots on Goa Toronto 12101335 Washington 1113933 Power play opportunities Toronto 1 of 8 Washington of 9 goalie Toronto Raycroft 32227 33 shots28 Washington Krolzig 20196 a16281 Thrashers 2 rangers 1 of by rangers 100 01 Atlanta 010 12 first period1 by rangers Avery 13 by Lander second period2 Atlanta Hossa 41 Kov overtime3 Atlanta Zhitnik 6 Kozlov shots on Galny rangers 101315139 Atlanta 1064222 Power play opportunities by rangers 0 of 6 atlantalot6 goalie Sny rangers Lundqvist 29217 22 shots20 Atlanta Hedberg 742 a18457 penguins 6 canadians 3 Montreal 0213 Pittsburgh 2 0 46 first period1 Pittsburgh Crosby 30 rec Chi Pittsburgh christens in second period3 Montreal Higgins 19 Ryder 4 Montreal sourly 24 Plekanec third period5 Pittsburgh Christensen 16 Malkin Pittsburgh Rob erts 16 Armstrong 7 Montreal Markov 5 Koivu 8 Pittsburgh Ouellet 15 9 Pittsburgh Crosby 31 Recchi shots on Goa Montreal 109928 Pitts Burgh 10111031 Power play opportunities Montreal 3 of 6 Pittsburgh 0 of 1 goalie Montreal Aebischer 13123 30 shots25 Pittsburgh Fleury 34148 a17132 sabres 3 lightning 2 Buffalo 3 0 03 Tampa Bay 1 0 12 first period1 Tampa Bay Lecavalier 47 St Louis 2 Buffalo Pomin Ville 30 Paetsch 3 Buffalo Droy 14 Vanek 4 Buffalo Pominville 31 Briere third period5 Tampa Bay Lecavalier 48 Prospal shots on Goa Buffalo 87520 Tampa Bay 13111337 Power play opportunities Buffalo 0 of 3 Tampa Bay o of 5 goalie Buffalo Miller 33155 37 shots35 Tampa Bay Denis 16162 a21264 ducks 5 Blackhawk 2 Chicago 0 1 12 Anaheim 3 2 of first period1 Anaheim Velanne 42 Niedermayer 2 Anaheim Perry 17 Niedermayer 3 Anaheim Velanne 43 Mcdonald get second penod4 Anaheim Mcdonald 23 Anaheim Mcdonald 24 Getzlaff sine 6 Chicago Bourque 6 Aucoin third period7 Chicago Williams 14 Hamilton shots on Goa Chicago 10111233 Ana Heim 810826 Power play opportunities Chicago 2 of 8 Anaheim 3 of 7 goalie Chicago Khabibulin 23215 17 shots12 Lalime second Anaheim Bry Galov 874 a17174 Sharks 3 Blue jackets 0 Columbus 0 0 san Jose l l 13 first period1 san Jose Thornton 19 rivet second period2 san Jose Clowe 16 Cheechov third period3 san Jose Hannan 2 shots on Goa Columbus 7151335 san Jose 611724 Power play opportunities Columbus 0 of 4 san Jose oof a goalie Columbus Norrena 19183 23 shots2l san Jose Moskala 2591 a17496 rangers Hollweg wont press charges against Isles Simon the associated press Ryan Hollweg wont press charges against suspended new York islanders Forward Chris Simon for his two handed stick at tack to the face though Nassau county prosecutors could still proceed against Simon new Day re ported saturday Hollweg who took a few stitches in the Chin but was not seriously Hurt and two attorneys for the new York rangers met with representatives from Nassau county District attorney Kathleen rices office thursday they asked me if i wanted to but i told them i didst want to press charges Hollweg told the Long Island by newspaper Fri Day in not Happy about what he did but i want to focus on Mak ing the playoffs i just want to move on rices spokesman Eric Phil lips told new Day a decision on whether to proceed would Proba Bly be made monday the newspaper first made the Story available on its web site Early saturday Simon was suspended by the nil for a league record 25 games for his vicious hit in Retalia Tion for a hard Check by Hollweg in the islanders win against the rangers on March 8 Simon must sit out the rest of the regular season and the entire postseason if the club gets that far should the team play fewer than 10 playoff games the suspension will carry Over to next sea son the ban is the longest in terms of games missed in nil history and Simons sixth suspension Spring training Bonds Benitez look Good for giants the associated press Barry Bonds is in a Groove at the plate and Armando Benitez looks healthy on the Mound no wonder the san Francisco giants Are starting to get excited about the season Bonds hit his fourth Home run of Spring train ing Friday and Benitez pitched his third score less inning sending san Francisco to an 117 Victory Over the Colorado Rockies in Scotts Dale Ariz we worked today How it could go giants manager Bruce Bochy said were getting ready for the year now Bonds latest Home run off Byung Hyun Kim want nearly As memorable As his previous one the slugger connected off Kim in their first matchup since Bonds passed babe Ruth with his 715th Homer last May with the Rockies hoping to showcase Kim for a potential Trade the giants battered the right hander for eight runs in innings that drove kims Spring Era up to 900 in 13 innings Randy Winn homered and had three hits for san Francisco including an rib single Omar Vazquel had a base loaded triple in the second before Bonds stepped to the plate he hit a High Fly to Center that carried Well and just cleared the Fence for his Sec Ond Homer in two games Ive seen enough of them i knew that was going out Bochy said his Ball keeps carrying be cause Hes so Strong Benitez working his Way Back from last seasons knee injuries allowed Only a single to Jud Thig pen and ended the game by strik ing out Jeff Baker he was the Only Batter in the inning expected to be on Colorado opening Day roster but Benitez had his Best control of the Spring throwing his Slider consistently for strikes after blowing eight save chances last year when he was booed constantly at Home Benitez Hopes a healthy season will show those fans How Good he can be they signed me Here because they know what i can do they didst sign me because of my Beautiful face Benitez said no body wants to be Hurt i had bad Luck even though the team looked into trading Benitez in the offset son Bochy said he expects the right hander to be his closer when the season starts theres no Point in getting distracted with what happened last year Bochy said that last year this is a new year that How he has to feel about it he feels Good and Hes healthy that the biggest part of it giants starter Matt Cain Al Lowed four runs two earned and five hits in four innings Low ering his Spring Era to 924