4\30 The Wings will begin their second round series with the Blues on Thursday at 7PM.
  (Freep)"Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman has been fined $10,000 for an incident involving a Free 
Press reporter, the NHL announced Tuesday. In addition, the Wings have been fined $25,000 for 
violating NHL media regulations. The incident occurred last Friday in Vancouver, after a Wings' 
practice. The reporter, Nicholas J. Cotsonika, said he tried to enter a room adjacent to the 
main dressing room when Bowman stopped him and pushed him twice. The reporter said he did not 
push back. The NHL had mandated that the room in question be open to reporters."

4\28 Brett Hull notched his first career playoff hat trick, including one of two short handers 
on the same penalty, to lead the Wings to a 6-4 win in game six. Lidstrom had the other shortie.
Holmstrom and Larionov(a goal and 3 assists) also scored. Chris Chelios had 4 assists, then he 
took a victory lap to wave at the Vancouver fans that booed him for three games. Next up: a few 
days off while the Wings wait for their second round opponent, either L.A. or St. Louis. The 
second round should begin Wednesday or Thursday at the Joe.
  The Lidstrom and Hull short handers were 30 seconds apart which ties a NHL and club playoff 
record.

4\26 The Wings pounded the Canucks right out of the gates, winning 4-0. Scoring were Fedorov(2),
Dandenault(sh), and Devereaux. Wings lead 3-2. Game 6 is Saturday in Vancouver.

4\24 All parts of the Red Wing machine appear to be firing on all eight cylinders. The only 
exeption may be penaly killing, but the job gets done when it matters most. With the way the 
officiating has gone, it always seems to count. Wings win game 4 4-2. Scoring were Fischer, 
Chelios, Yzerman, and Draper. Series tied 2-2 and headed to the Joe for game 5 on Thursday.
  Steve Yzerman passed Gordie Howe for playoff points all time with the Wings.(159)

4\22 It finally all came together last night. The team played great from top to bottom. Hasek 
played his best game of the year. He even stopped a penalty shot late in the third to lead 
Detroit past Vancouver 3-1. Scoring were Yzerman, Lidstrom(from center ice), and Shanahan. 
Vancouver leads 2-1. Next up: Game 4 in Vancouver tomarrow night.

4\20 More bad bounces and aweful goaltending result in a 5-2 loss. Wings are down 0-2 in series.
The forwards and defensemen are playing their asses off. Hasek just isn't getting it done, 
allowing three goals from ten shots through two periods. Scoring were Lidstrom and Yzerman. 
Game 3 is Sunday night in Vancouver.

4\18 The Wings dropped game 1 in overtime 4-3. It was the poorest playoff officiating I've ever 
seen. The Canucks were able to clutch, grab, hook, and obstruct and nothing was called. Then 
Vancouver scored on a 5 on 3 that never should have happened. There was also a fair amount of 
unlucky bounces. Scoring were Robitaille, Fedorov, and Larionov. Next up: Game 2 on Friday. 
  Steve Yzerman played his 155th playoff game last night, passing the great Gordie Howe on the 
Red Wings' all time list.

4\14 Dominic Hasek was leaky and the Wings lost to St. Louis 5-3. Scoring were Fedorov, 
Draper(sh), and Williams. Next up: Round 1 of the playoffs vs. Vancouver. Schedule has yet to be
released.

4\13 The Wings made a comeback but fell in overtime to the Blues 3-2. Scoring were Hull and 
Williams. Next up: Game #82 at the Joe vs. St. Louis.

4\12 From the A.P.: MOSCOW -- Slava Fetisov, who coached Russia to an Olympic bronze medal in 
hockey, has agreed to become the nation's sports chief. The former assistant coach of the New 
Jersey Devils will lead the Russian State Sports Committee, the top government agency overseeing 
sports. A government announcement on Fetisov is expected soon. The decision was announced Friday 
by Gennady Shvets, a spokesman for Leonid Tyagachev, president of the National Olympic Committee. 
Fetisov would replace Pavel Rozhkov, who had been criticized for not speaking more forcefully on 
behalf of Russian athletes at the Salt Lake City Olympics. Fetisov recently had several meetings 
with President Vladimir Putin. As chief of the sports committee, he would oversee Putin's drive 
to encourage sports and fitness nationwide. Putin called a Kremlin meeting in February to draw 
up a program of bolstering state support for sports. The comparatively poor performance of the 
Russian team in Salt Lake City made the task even more pressing. Fetisov helped the Soviet Union 
win two Olympic titles and six world championships. He was considered by many to be the best 
defenseman in the world in the 1980s. He joined the Devils in 1989 after barriers to pro hockey 
fell in the Soviet Union, and helped the Detroit Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in 1997 and 1998. 
Fetisov and Vladislav Tretiak are the only Russians in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

4\11 Steve Yzerman's return sparked a Wings' comeback and they tie the Blackhawks 3-3. Scoring
were Fedorov, Larionov, and McCarty(100th career). Next up: a home and home with the Blues to 
finish the season, starting Saturday in St. Louis.

4\7 Wings fall apart again, this time 6-3 in San Jose. Jason Williams(2) and Tomas Holmstrom 
scored. Next up: Chicago at the Joe on Wednesday and hopefully a full roster.

4\5 The Wings sucked a fatty last night and were unable to generate any offense in a 3-0 loss to
the Kings. Next up: at San Jose Saturday night.

4\4 Ladislav Kohn and Uwe Krupp made their returns in Anaheim last night and helped the team 
to a 1-1 tie. Scoring was Robitaille. Next up: at L.A. tonight.
    Chris Chelios and Nick Lidstrom seem to be the favorites for this year's Norris Trophy.

4\2 It started out as a barn burner but eventually settled down as the Wings lost to Toronto 
5-4 in OT. Scoring were Larionov, Fedorov, Devereaux, and Shanahan. Next up: a 3 game in four 
night west coast swing, beginning Wednesday at Anaheim.
  Uwe Krupp is scheduled to play on the west coast trip. I'll believe it when I see it though. 
Steve Yzerman won't make the trip but should return for the final two games of the regular 
season.

4\1 Here's a couple nuggets from the Free Press:
    When defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom sat out Saturday night against Atlanta to rest a sore 
groin, he missed his 14th game -- ever. This is his 11th season.
    With little to play for in the season's final two weeks, the Red Wings decided to have 
some fun on April Fool's Day. Although it's a day for pranks, the Wings had an even better 
reason to pull one on their own. Darren McCarty turned 30 Tuesday, and the Wings, particularly 
Kris Draper and Sean Avery, wanted to make sure it was a memorable birthday. After the morning 
skate, Avery engaged McCarty in a conversation on the Joe Louis Arena ice. That allowed Draper 
to skate in undetected to deliver a birthday cake - right in McCarty's face. ``Direct hit,'' 
Draper said with a big grin. ``It's no joke he was on born on April 1. Figure that one out.
``Avery did a good job of distracting him.'' Draper, who said the prank had been planned for
some time, did have one regret, though. ``I didn't realize it was a steel pan,'' he said. 
``He's been hit harder. He's all right.'' McCarty was a good sport afterward: ``It was 
chocolate, actually pretty good. I've never eaten cake through my eyeball before. ``I'll get 
them back . . . both those guys. Avery's birthday is April 10 and Drapes' is May 24.'' Told 
that McCarty vowed retribution, Draper said: ``I'll just have to be ready.'' McCarty said he 
had no clue he'd be the prank of the day. ``Avery and I have this ongoing discussion, and you
have to give him your full attention or he loses concentration,'' McCarty said. ``It never even
entered my mind.''