Tom Conaway

     HOCKEY CHITCHAT: Boston Bruins’ general manager Harry Sinden still isn’t saying who his club will pick in the first-round of the amateur draft this June.  But if Bruins’ Western scout Bart Bradley has any influence it’ll definitely be the Kitchener Rangers’ Brian Bellows.
     Bradley has been in the Twin Cities scouting Bellows for seven straight games and likes what he sees.  However, he admits that the 17-year old winger from St. Catherines can probably play much better.
     Though bellows won’t be 18 until September, Bradley compared him to New York Islanders’ star defenceman Denis Potvin in his final year of junior hockey with the 67’s.
     “Potvin wasn’t all that exceptional in his last year with Ottawa,” Bradley said.  “But everyone knew what kind of talent he had.  I think Brian will develop much the same as Potvin and you know what kind of a player he is.”
     Mind you, Potvin was 20 his last year of junior.  So the comparison might be a little unfair.
     Bradley, by the way, is the brother of Kitchener’s Walt Bradley whose son Brian played for the London Knights this season.
     In a TV interview Wednesday night, Sinden was asked if the Bruins had considered selecting a goaltender No. 1 in light of the inconsistent play of Marco Baron and Rogie Vachon.  Sinden replied that there isn’t a junior goaltender in Canada worthy of being selected first.
     Even if there was a hotshot netminder somewhere, why would the Bruins want him after the way Cambridge native Mike Moffat performed in that opening 3-1 home victory?
     True, the 20 year-old Kingston Canadians graduate wasn’t overburdened.  But the Sabres, who were hurt by late goals in both the first and second periods, did have plenty of quality opportunities among their 25 shots.
     You’ll remember Moffat as one of the stars of Canada’s world junior championship triumph over the Czechs last December.  He’s a modest young man who had this to say before his third NHL start.
     “If they want to start me, I’ll do the very best I can.  In all honesty though, I would think they would go with who they know can do the job.  And certainly Rogie and Marco can do it.  I just think it’s very unlikely at this time that I’ll be playing.”
     Moffat played in the Bruins’ last two regular season games, 5-4 and 7-2 wins over Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers.  So heading into tonight’s second game, he’s 3-0 in the big time.
     The Bruins’ opening victory was no surprise.  But if they win again at home tonight, the Sabres will be in danger of going out in three straight.  That would be a shocker since most observers, including this one, predicted that the Boston-Buffalo series would be a tense five-game affair.
     Montreal’s thrashing of the Nordiques shouldn’t have jolted anyone.  Les Habs are anxious to atone for that humiliating three game sweep by the Edmonton Oilers last season.  If the Quebecers luck out one win, they’d better celebrate all night long because there won’t be another.
     Talking about those Oilers, what in the name of The Great Gretzky, happened to them Wednesday night?  That 10-8 shootout the Los Angeles Kings survived wasn’t a regular season record for most goals in one game by two teams (21, Jan 10 , 1920 when the Montreal Canadiens whomped the visiting Toronto St. Pats 14-7).  But 18 goals did establish a new playoff record.
     Chicago defeated Montreal 8-7 May 8, 1973 in a best-of-seven final that the Canadiens eventually won four games to two.  And the Minnesota North Stars dumped the Bruins 9-6 in their preliminary sweep last spring.
     Perhaps the young Oilers have gotten too cocky.  Perhaps they’ve fallen victim to the tremendous publicity they and their superstar leader have received since stunning Montreal and nearly upsetting the champion Islanders last April.
     The Oilers were so close to the summit last year that maybe they figured it would be easier the second time around, especially against a team that performed so poorly down the home stretch.  Whatever the reason, they surely know now that the road to the top is a winding one with plenty of potholes.
     Don’t think the L.A. upset surprised everyone, Lancaster Tavern manager Guy Lebel, who does a bit of scouting for the Kings, predicted six weeks ago that L.A. would dump the Edmonton express off the Stanley Cup track.
     That hasn’t happened yet.  But it could.  Guy also liked Chicago against Minnesota.  The Hawks are a physical crew.  If they continue to get the goaltending they received from unheralded Murray Bannerman (45 saves) in Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime win, they could do it.
     The Flyers, with Darryl Sittler (two goals) showing the way, dominated the Rangers with tight-checking in winning a biggie 4-1 right in the Big Apple.  After a disappointing regular season, Philly appears to be peaking at the right time.  Unfortunately, even if the Flyers do advance, the well-rested Islanders will be waiting around the next bend after amusing themselves with the Penguins.
     Vancouver and Calgary obviously aren’t going to disappoint anyone.  If the Canucks’ 5-3 opening victory is any indication that bruising series should definitely go the limit as expected.
     St. Louis Blues might surprise, though.  Winning that opened 4-3 on Guy Lapointe’s late goal in Winnipeg must have given Emile Francis a huge lift.  You have to feel good for The Cat who has worked exceptionally hard as GM and coach to turn that one-time sick franchaise around.