March 21, 1997

NUGGETS NAGGED BY HISTORIC DEFEAT

By BARRE CAMPBELL
Ottawa Sun    The Ottawa Senators alumni boldly predict there will be nothing left of the Dawson City Nuggets after Sunday's big game except a pile of gold dust.
   But the Nuggets, who arrived at the Ottawa train station yesterday tired yet confident, haven't travelled 20 days and 6,400 km by dog sled, snowmobile, boat and train to be treated like mere ice chips by a bunch of former professionals.
   "I think it's the Ottawa Senators who are looking a little scared," said Nuggets captain John Flynn, who was dressed to the nines, complete with a bowler hat, to meet some of his opponents at the train station.
   "We're here and we're ready to play, especially after all that we've done to get here. I don't think we have anything to lose, but I think they're a little bit worried right now because they can't lose."
   The Nuggets have revenge on their side. And sometimes revenge can provide an underdog with enough emotion to put it over the top.
   The act they wish to avenge happened 92 years ago when the Dawson City Klondikers travelled through the harsh Canadian winter to try to steal the Stanley Cup from the Ottawa Silver Seven.
   But the Ottawa team showed no mercy to the weary travellers, handing the Klondikers a pair of crushing defeats, 9-2 and 23-2. In the second game, Frank McGee, who lost sight in his left eye while he fought for the Empire during the Boer War, scored 14 goals, four of them in the span of 140 seconds.
   That last game has stung the people of the Klondike ever since. And when Brad Marsh greeted Nuggets defenceman Pat Hogan at the train station yesterday, Hogan wasted no time dropping a gauntlet -- a large, bearpaw glove -- at Marsh's feet.
   "We're back to avenge it," said Hogan. The war of words had begun.
   "We're shooting for the same score that happened to Dawson City in 1905," said Laurie Boschman, who retired from the NHL four years ago.
   The ex-Senators have no plans to take it easy on their hockey foes from the North. They know the Dawson City men are tired from the long and arduous journey, so they want to pounce all over the Nuggets like a fat cat on a helpless little mouse.
   "We want to get going early, get our goals early, and see if we can jump on them quickly," said Boschman.
   That's the attitude ex-Senators player/coach Brad Marsh wants.
   "This is not going to be a Harlem Globetrotters game," said Marsh. "There is nothing going to be staged in this game at all. Both teams play hockey. Once the puck is dropped, we'll both be playing to win."
   But the Nuggets are determined to let everybody know their appearance in the nation's capital is no joke. They're on a mission to return some hockey pride to the Yukon.
   "Let me put it this way," said Hogan, "Bally's in Las Vegas has the Senators as favorites by 21/2 goals. I think the Senators will be fortunate to get within 21/2 goals of us."
   The Nuggets believe their secret weapons will be in goal. Richard Nagano and "Pancho" Rudniski are determined not to suffer the embarrassment their netminding colleagues endured 92 years ago.
   "We have a chance at this because we're determined," said Hogan. "We showed our determination getting here.
   "I'd hate to be part of the team that makes another group from our town have to make the trip again in 92 years if it's 23-2 again."
   The politicians also got into the act.
   "Just don't leave your nuggets on the roof of your car," was mayor Holzman's warning to the men from Dawson City.
   To which Audrey McLaughlin, the former NDP leader from the Yukon who tried to abolish the Senate, replied, "I'm very happy today to have in Ottawa the Dawson City Nuggets, who will abolish the Ottawa Senators."
   Dawson City mayor Glen Everitt said this venture will "rekindle the meaning of the true spirit of hockey." Dangling from his neck was a chain of office, made from gold nuggets, valued at $85,000. Good thing that wasn't the chain Holzman left on the roof of her car.

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