March 23, 1997

Nuggets hope to strike gold

Dawson City boys would love to end long journey with victory

By DON BRENNAN
Ottawa Sun

HOW THEY LINE UP
DAWSON CITY NUGGETS
31. Poncho Rudniski, G
33. Richard Nagano, G
2. Bob Sutherland, D
3. Brian Gudmunson, D
4. Pat Hogan, D
5. Steve Craig, D
6. Bruce Duffee, D
7. Chuck Barber, LW
8. Joe Mason, RW
9. Budd Docken, C
10. John Flynn, C
11. Glen Heinbigner, LW
13. Dale Kulych, C
14. Kevin Anderson, C
15. Gerard "Doc" Parsons, LW
16. Mike Frazier, C
19. Chester Kelly, RW
20. Harvey Downes, D
(Winnipeg)
27. Roy Johnson, RW
69. Freddy Farr, RW

SENATORS ALUMNI
1. Gerry Armstrong, G
2. Bill Kitchen, D
3. Fred Barett, D
4. Mitch Babin, LW
5. Randy Pierce, RW
6. John Barrett, D
7. Rolland Hedges, C
8. Murray Kuntz, LW
9. Eddie Hatoum, D
10. Larry Skinner, C
14. Brad Marsh, D
15. Frank St. Marseilles, C
16. Laurie Boschman, RW
17. Bob Charlebois, RW
18. Fred O'Donnell, RW
19. Jean Payette, LW
20. Rick Smith, D
30. Mark Paterson, D

   Twenty days. Sixty-four hundred kilometres. Via dog sled and snowmobiles (in -40 C temperatures), a ferryboat and a cross-country train.
   Only once before has a hockey team gone to such great lengths to play a game -- and that was 92 years ago.
   "The odds against us getting here, of this thing even happening, were greater than they are against us winning the game," said centre Kevin Anderson, an assistant captain of the Dawson City Nuggets. "But we're all gamblers."
   As determined and yes, deserving, as they are in their quest to successfully avenge a 32-4 (two-game total) loss suffered by the 1905 Nuggets at the hands of the Ottawa Silver Seven, smart money says the Senators Alumni won't let it happen when the two teams finally get down to business this afternoon (2 p.m.) at the Corel Centre.
   Cohesiveness is on the Nuggets' side. Some of them have played together for more than 10 years, while the Alumni have a history of just 12 games as a unit.
   But the edge in talent easily goes to the home team, and the Nuggets -- who don't sound nearly as cocky upon arrival in Ottawa as they did when they started out on their journey -- are fully aware of it.
   "They've got a lot of skill, no doubt," said defenceman Pat Hogan. "They're ex-NHL players. We've just got to play our game, keep our heads and don't run around. We've got to play our positions, and look for some breaks.
   "On any given day, a game can go either way."
   Said centre Budd Docken: "We're just going to try and tire them out with our four lines and dazzle them with what we can come up with. What we really want to do is better the score from 1905. That's what we're shooting for."
   Like 1905, the Nuggets' trip here was almost thwarted by a snowstorm in Whitehorse. While they were able to carry on and arrive at their final destination, the players have complained about rustiness, having played only a couple of games of ball hockey in the three weeks leading up to Friday.
   They eagerly greeted a chance to work up a sweat and get on the ice -- even if the artificial stuff found indoors in these parts is slower than the natural surface they are used to at home -- when they took on members of the local press at Sandy Hill Arena that afternoon.
   Had those on the Alumni bothered to stay around following their own practice to scout their opponents, they would have seen Nuggets captain John Flynn score twice to lead his team to a hard-fought, 4-2 win over a game (gamey?) media squad.
   The Alumni would have seen Flynn's favorite breakaway move -- Nuggets goalie Richard Nagano "just skates over to the side I always go when I'm coming in on him," laughed Flynn -- and would have learned such valuable tips as never, ever trust Dawson City winger Doc Parsons' eyes when he's skating in on you. (Parsons has the unique talent of being able to make them go in opposite directions, independent of each other).
   Of course, it's hard to believe the Nuggets looked at the tuneup as a must-win when their coach spent the game hoisting quarts at the Prescott with some new-found friends on the Alumni.
   Things will be much different this afternoon.
   "We can't wait to get on the ice and play these guys," said Anderson. "Through so much travel and everything, it's been hard to focus on why we're here. But the travel was just the first challenge. Now it's time to put the blinders on and try to win."

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HOW THEY LINE UP
	DAWSON CITY NUGGETS
31.	Poncho Rudniski, G
33.	Richard Nagano, G
2.	Bob Sutherland, D
3.	Brian Gudmunson, D
4.	Pat Hogan, D
5.	Steve Craig, D
6.	Bruce Duffee, D
7.	Chuck Barber, LW
8.	Joe Mason, RW
9.	Budd Docken, C
10.	John Flynn, C
11.	Glen Heinbigner, LW
13.	Dale Kulych, C
14.	Kevin Anderson, C
15.	Gerard "Doc" Parsons, LW
16.	Mike Frazier, C
19.	Chester Kelly, RW
20.	Harvey Downes, D (Winnipeg)
27.	Roy Johnson, RW
69.	Freddy Farr, RW
	SENATORS ALUMNI
1.	Gerry Armstrong, G
2.	Bill Kitchen, D
3.	Fred Barett, D
4.	Mitch Babin, LW
5.	Randy Pierce, RW
6.	John Barrett, D
7.	Rolland Hedges, C
8.	Murray Kuntz, LW
9.	Eddie Hatoum, D
10.	Larry Skinner, C
14.	Brad Marsh, D
15.	Frank St. Marseilles, C
16.	Laurie Boschman, RW
17.	Bob Charlebois, RW
18.	Fred O'Donnell, RW
19.	Jean Payette, LW
20.	Rick Smith, D
30.	Mark Paterson, D