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Modano Thanks Gainey and Hitchcock |
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DALLAS - Mike Modano thanked Bob Gainey. Way back in the Minnesota days, it was Gainey who told Modano what he needed to do to assure himself of a place in NHL history.
“Thos first few years were eye openers,” recalled Modano. “Bob Gainey realized it. He said, ‘I don’t want to take away your offense, but defensively, if you are responsible in that end, you’ll be playing a long time in this game.
“Joe Sakic did it, Steve Yzerman did it. A lot of great guys changed their game or they wouldn’t be playing. By buying into a system that was maybe not as satisfying or points oriented. I wouldn’t change a thing for the accomplishment now.”
Modano's goal late in the game turned into a game winner last night at American Airlines Center as the Stars defeated the Flyers, 3-2.
Rebound goal off Jon Klemm's point shot.
“It was an ugly goal,” Modano said. “I didn’t care how it went in, just get it over. Jon [Klemm] got a shot on net and I was able to get a rebound. It turned out to be important as they kinda gave us a little bit of a scare at the end.”
Mike is the 39th player to hit the 500-plateau. And only the second American. Joey Mullen is first with 502.
Mullen is an assistant coach now with the Phantoms. I asked Mo whether he had been talking to Mullen in the past few days about this moment.
“I talked to Joey through Nolan Baumgartner,” Modano replied. “He kinda passed it along to get it done and good luck. Those guys [Mullen and other Americas] were good mentors of mine when I came into the league.”
Modano had to overcome a hip injury that saw him miss 23 games this season.
“He’s a pretty impressive guy and he’s been a great player for along time,” said Flyers coach John Stevens. “He’s made the game look easy. He bought into the defensive style and capitalized on chances there. He’s a game-breaker.”
Modano thanked Hitchcock for making a difference in his career, as well.
“Dallas resurrected my career after Minnesota,” he said. “I felt it was a fresh start. We grew with the fan base down here to a level we never thought would happen.”
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Mike Modano gets his 500th at 9:36 on an open rebound. I am having great difficulty filing tonight because of wireless problems in American Airlines Center.
I asked Ken Hitchcock about Modano this fall.
“Modano could beat you with his speed with and without the puck,” Hitchcock told me in November while looking for a job after being fired by the Flyers “He was a player that could beat you one on one. He could back off any defenseman in the league.
“He had the ability to use speed as a forechecking tool to create turnovers in both the offensive and neutral zone. What continues to make him unique is that he is among a handful of players in the league who can shoot the puck with high-velocity off the stick hand.”
Modano is second American behind Joey Mullen (502) to reach this plateau and 39th player overall.
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Niittymaki has been much stronger as the game has gone along. Two nights in succession the Flyers are being badly outplayed. They don't seem to be trying very hard.
Really nothing much to write about except all the Flyers unforced turnovers on the breakout and in neutral ice. I suspect Flyers coach John Stevens will say they played a pretty good game if it ends 1-0 or 2-0 but nothing could be farther from the truth.
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Well, Niitty gives up a goal on just third shot of the game. On his knees on Jere Lehtinen's shot from the high slot.
We had an over-under how quickly Dallas would score ...
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DALLAS _ Forget about Simon Gagne returning to the Flyers lineup for Thursday's game against Atlanta in Flyerdom.
His workout today back in South Jersey with the Phantoms did not go well as he re-aggravated his left hip flexor. The club has shut him down and will send him to a specialist for follow-up.
"Simon skated today for approximately 17 minutes,” said general manager Paul Holmgren tonight in Dallas. “He felt okay, but when he went to shoot he felt a little something in his hip flexor. It just didn't feel right so we are probably just going to shut him down tomorrow and get him evaluated again by [physician] Bill DeLong.
"I would say at this point he is probably questionable for Thursday. The MRI he had done a few days ago was clear, but we are gonna re-evaluate him tomorrow. It was ok today but in one particular motion when he went to shoot he felt something in his hip flexor and it bears looking at a little further.”
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Derian Hatcher needs 12 more games to hit the 1,000-game plateau and could do it on April 7 against the Islanders.
BTW: Mike Modano could get his 500th NHL goal tonight against the Flyers.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • 
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