I started out trying to mix it up, having some veterans and some rookies on four different lines for the learning aspect. Now it's settled in. I want a very aggressive goal-scorer to be with a good passer with a very good checker. Those combinations are working out good. The opponent is not able to shadow any one line with all our players on it.

Al Murdoch

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He's an excellent stick-handler. One of the best skaters and shooters I've ever had.

Championship teams win playing defense. We're getting scoring from four different lines, so (opponents) can't shadow any one line. And the third thing that's a key is goaltending. Our goaltending has been outstanding.

I thought we'd have a good year. We were right at .500 last year on the season, and we got a pretty good crop of (newcomers).

He figures he knows the Murdoch system and nothing would give him greater pleasure than beating his old coach. Nothing would give the old coach a better feeling than to send him home with a couple of lessons on working harder.

Thirty-win seasons are very unusual. You hope to get a 20-win season. Thirty wins with what could be as many as nine to 11 games left, that's starting to get into record territory.