1\30 DETROIT (AP) -- "It is not unexpected that a matchup of the NHL's conference leaders would be 
a rough-and-tumble contest. Kirk Maltby scored the last of three second-period goals, leading the 
Detroit Red Wings past the New Jersey Devils 3-1 Saturday night in a penalty-filled meeting. 
Devils forward Jay Pandolfo needed almost 90 stitches to close several cuts around his left eye 
after he was checked hard into the boards behind the Detroit net by Mathieu Dandenault in the 
second period. Pandolfo went down in a heap immediately after the hit, but play continued and 
moments later Maltby scored. Devils coach Robbie Ftorek was so angry that play wasn't stopped that 
he threw a section of the team bench onto the ice."
    The only thing I can add to that is that Dandenault didn't really check Pandolfo at all. They 
were both chasing the puck and there was a mild hip collision that caused Pandolfo to lose his 
balance and fall head first into the boards. There is no way in hell Dandenault was at fault. Other
highlights of the game included two fights, Shanahan vs. Pederson(tie) and Kozlov vs. Elias (Elias 
won, but thumbs up to Slava for sticking up for the Professor.) Also, a total of 60 penalty minutes 
were handed out, including a 10:00 major to Claude Lemeiux for running his mouth. Chris Osgood 
played yet another stellar game, as did Maltby and Darper. Scoring were Kozlov, Fedorov, and Maltby. 
Next up: at Phoenix on Monday night. 

1\29 Contract extention talks with Igor Larionov have ended at his request. Igor said that if a deal 
couldn't be worked out by Friday he would shelv them until after the playoffs. 

1\28 The Wings finally solved the Flames (after losing the last six meetings) 4-1. Scoring were 
Fedorov, Lidstrom, Verbeek, and Shanahan. Next up: the Devils at the Joe on Saturday night. 
     When asked for his Superbowl prediction, Brendan Shanahan said, " I'll take the Bills."

1\27 Nick Lidstrom continues to impress Norris Trophy voters as he led the Wings to a 4-2 win over
the Leafs. Scoring were Verbeek, Lidstrom, Fedorov, and Maltby. Chris Osgood played one of the best 
games I've ever seen him play. Next up: The Flames at the Joe on Friday.
     Doug Brown will miss the next three games with a hip flexor. Joe Kocur said a return may be on 
the horizon. McCarty and Gilchrist could go next month.

1\23 Kris Draper returned and made an immediate impact killing penalties to help the Wings to  a 3-2 
win at Ottawa. Scoring were Lidstrom(2) and Verbeek. Next up: Toronto at the Joe on Wednesday.
     Sergei Fedorov missed his third game with a neck injury but could be back as early as Wednesday.

1\21 The Wings spotted Vancouver 3 first period powerplay goals, the marched back in the second on 
Shanny's coat tails to tie the Canucks 3-3. Scoring were Shanahan(2) and LaPointe. Pat Verbeek notched 
his 500th career assist and is 11 goals shy of 500. Next  up: Saturday at Ottawa.
From the Detroit News: "The Canucks' Mark Messier is the only active player ahead of Steve Yzerman on 
the career goal-scoring list. Messier went into Wednesday's game with 617 goals to Yzerman's 614. 
...Coach Scotty Bowman started Chris Osgood in goal instead of Ken Wregget, despite Osgood's shaky 
outing Tuesday in a 6-1 loss at Calgary...Sergei Fedorov (stiff neck) was a scratch for a second 
straight game...Marc Rodgers cleared waivers and was assigned to Manitoba of the International
Hockey League...Shanahan has owned the Canucks the past two seasons. He had three goals and four 
assists in four games last season, and a goal and an assist in a 7-2 victory earlier this season."

1\19 The Flames smoked the Wings 6-1 last night. Better now then April. The Flames have won 5 
straight against the Wings over the last 2 years. Scoring was Yzerman who passed Mario Lemieux on the 
all time goals list. With his goal Tuesday, Steve Yzerman moved into seventh place on the NHL career
scoring list: 
                         1. Wayne Gretzky 894 
                         2. Gordie Howe 801 
                         3. Marcel Dionne 731 
                         4. Phil Esposito 717 
                         5. Mike Gartner 708 
                         6. x- Mark Messier 617 
                         7. x- Steve Yzerman 614 
                         8. Mario Lemieux 613 
                         9. Bobby Hull 610 
                         10. Dino Ciccarelli 608 
                         x - active 
Next up: at Vancouver tonight.

1\17 The Wings begin their road trip through Canada with a 3-3 tie at Edmonton. Scoring were Yzerman, 
Dandenault, and Kozlov. Kirk Maltby played in his second game since returning from an abdomin pull.
The point pulls the Wings even with St. Louis for the division lead. Next up: at Calgary on Tuesday.     
     From the Detroit papers: Steve Yzerman's goal was his 43rd against the Oilers in 53 games The 
goal, Yzerman's 21st of the season and the 613th of his career, tied him for seventh place in all-
time scoring with Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux. It also tied him with Lemieux for first among goal-
scorers who have spent their entire careers with the same team, a deceiving yet remarkable 
distinction. (Yzerman still has a long way to go to catch Gordie Howe's record of 786 goals scored 
in a Detroit uniform. Howe played one season in Hartford.) The Captain's next roadblock is Mark 
Messier at 615.
     Also:...Sunday's game was Scotty Bowman's 500th in the regular season as coach of the Wings...
Chris Osgood, from nearby Medicine Hat, said it would be a sad day to see the Alberta-based Oilers 
and Flames leave for greener pastures in the United States."The teams mean so much to the 
communities here," Osgood said. "It would be a shame if they moved."...Defenseman Jiri Fischer will 
return to the Wings today, completing a 14-day conditioning program at Cincinnati of the American 
Hockey League. GM Ken Holland said he received good reports on Fischer's play. The team may end up 
sending him back to Hull of the QML so he gets playing time...With Kozlov activated off the injured 
list, the Wings were expected to demote forward Marc Rodgers or forward Yuri Butsayev, both of whom 
were healthy scratches for Sunday's game. 

1\14 The Wings fall again to a sub 500 team, losing 3-5 to the Blackhawks and losing the division 
lead to the Blues. Scoring were Brown, Yzerman, and Golubovsky. Next up: a 4 game Canadien swing 
starting Sunday at Edmonton.

1\12 The Habs played well beyond their record, with stifling defense excellent penalty killing, and 
Jose Theodore standing on his head, as the Wings lose at Montreal 0-3. Scoring were: Nobody, the 
Wings were shut out for the first time this year. Next up: Chicago at the Joe on Thursday.
     Marty LaPointe has an arena named after him in his hometown of Ville-St. Pierre, Quebec, a 
suburb of Montreal. Infact, the Habs practiced there on Monday.

1\10 The skills competition went as follows: "Darryl Laplante won the fastest-skater contest during 
the SuperSkills competition. His time of 13.59 seconds is the fastest in the NHL this season. Sami 
Kapanen skated a 13.71 a few weeks ago during the Hurricanes' SuperSkills event. Mike Gartner holds 
the league record of 13.31. Laplante edged defending team champion Sergei Fedorov, who had a time of 
13.61. "We're redoing it tomorrow because the clock malfunctioned," Fedorov said. "No, obviously it 
was a great time by Darryl. That's fast." Martin Lapointe had the hardest shot (95.3 mph), and Larry 
Murphy won the shooting-accuracy contest." 

1\9 Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan will start for the North American All-Stars and Nick Lidstrom 
will start for the World team.

1\8 The Wings came alive in the 3rd to whack the Ducks 5-3. Scoring were Verbeek, LaPointe, 
Yzerman(2), and Lidstrom(sh). Yzerman's goals moved him past Bobby Hull on the All-time goal list.
The Wings are 13-0-1 when Pat Verbeek has a point. Chris Osgood got his first win since returning. 
Next up: at Monteal on Tuesday.

1\7 Steve Yzerman and Larry Murphy continue to add to their ever growing list of milestones to 
lead the Wings to a 5-2 win vs. Nashville. Scoring were Verbeek, Yzerman, Shanahan(2), and 
Holmstrom. Yzerman also had 3 assists, and his goal moved him past Dino and one behind Bobby Hull 
with 609. Larry Murphy's assists on the Yzerman and Holmstrom goals gives him 901 for his career, 
tying him with Bryan Trottier for 10th all-time. Murphy is already the all-time leader in games 
played by a defenseman. Ken Wregget was back in net while Osgood tries to regain some strength in 
his hand. 3 Stars: 1.Yzerman 2.Shanahan 3. Wregget ( 5:27 away from another shutout). Next up: 
Anaheim at the Joe on Saturday.

1\5 Phoenix came into the Joe and whooped some ass as the Wings lose 2-5. Scoring were Murphy 
and Duchesne. Next up: Nashville at the Joe on Thursday.
    The NHL made it official: Scotty Bowman will coach the World team in the NHL All-Star Game on 
February 6 in Toronto. It will be his 12th All-Star coaching appearance, but his first in Toronto. 
Toronto's Pat Quinn will coach the North American team.
 
1\3 The Pens were on fire in the 2nd as the Wings blow a 2-0 lead to lose 3-4 at Pittsburgh. 
Scoring were Brown, Shanahan, and Kozlov. Chris Osgood played well in his return as most of the 
goals given up were re-directs and breakaways. 3 Stars 1. Chelios 2. Roest 3.Osgood.  Next up: 
Phoenix at the Joe tomarrow.
    Rookie defenseman Jiri Fischer was sent to the Cincinnati Ducks(AHL) for a two-week 
conditioning program. Jiri has been a healthy scratch in many recent games. From the Detroit 
News: "   ... The Red Wings edged the Penguins for top record of the 1990s. The Wings were 
431-253-100 (.614), the Penguins were 406-286-90 (.577). Both teams had two Stanley Cups. But 
Bowman feels the Wings have an edge because of their prolonged success, and overall team depth. 
Bowman said the championship Penguins of the early 1990s relied too heavily on Lemieux....Slava 
Kozlov returned after missing three games because of a twisted right ankle...Chris Chelios moved 
past Bobby Orr for 38th place on the career list with 646 career assists." By season's end, 
Larry Murphy will have played in 50 NHL arenas. This stat doesn't include neutral site games.
Scotty Bowman is the only one to ever coach in 5 different decades. From the Freep:"A few current 
Wings ranked among the league's statistical leaders of the '90s. Murphy was third in games played 
(767). Captain Steve Yzerman was first in shorthanded goals (37), fourth in points (896), sixth in 
goals (352) and seventh in assists (544). Forward Brendan Shanahan was third in goals (369) and 
game-winning goals (62). Goaltender Chris Osgood was first in winning percentage (.667) and third 
in goals-against average (2.33). 

1\1 The Wings defense was missing early, but the Blackhawks couldn't stop the Detroit barrage of 
shots, as the teams skate to a 4-4 tie. Brendan Shanahan scored the game tying goal with :32 
left. The Wings peppered the Blackhawks' goalie (Passmore) with 50 shots. Scoring were Verbeek, 
Chelios, Holmstrom, and Shanahan. 3 Stars: 1.Shanny 2.Verbeek 3.Stacy Roest. Next up: at 
Pittsburgh on Sunday.