NHL & Minor Leagues » Stephen WEISS <update>

Coach tells Weiss to shoot more

By Michael Russo
Staff Writer
Posted October 22 2002

SUNRISE · Panthers coach Mike Keenan is concerned that the NHL is going to learn quickly that Stephen Weiss thinks pass instead of shoot virtually every time he touches the puck.

Keenan told the Panthers' 19-year-old center that he must become "more of an unpredictable player if he's going to succeed in the NHL."

"I want him to be a shooter from time to time because he has a good, hard shot and a quick release," Keenan said. "I said, `If you mix it up and become unpredictable, it's going to be more difficult to check you or check your linemates. Right now it's fairly predictable that you're going to dish the puck and, as a result, you're not a threat at all.'"

Weiss entered Monday's game against Atlanta with only three shots in five games, had 15 shots in seven games last season and has shown a propensity throughout training camp to think pass first.

Before the season, Weiss said that his father has "been telling me since I was five years old to shoot more. I don't know what it is. It's always been a habit. I don't know if it's unselfishness, but that extra second when I should shoot, I pull up and look for the pass.

"I'm still young. I have a lot of years to get rid of the habit. In traffic situations, if the pass is there, I should pass. But other times, I shouldn't try to force the pass."

In Saturday's loss in Columbus, Weiss passed up a number of shots, including once on the power play when he had an open lane on the left wing to drive the net or unleash a blast. Instead, he pulled up and passed behind him to a surging Sandis Ozolinsh.

Weiss scored 89 goals in three years with Plymouth (OHL), including 40 in 2000-01.

"If he's going to become a threat for us offensively, he has to shoot the puck," Keenan said. "His likenesses in some people's minds would be [Joe] Sakic and [Steve] Yzerman, and they both shoot the puck often."

Ward suspended

Defenseman Lance Ward was given a one-game suspension for his elbow to the jaw of Blue Jackets forward Tyler Wright on Saturday.

"It's a quick game out there and I had a split second to think, and I put my arm up to protect my face," Ward said. "I hit him. That's not in debate, but it's just a matter of if he's hurt or not. I don't feel I hit him very hard with my elbow. I've been hit a lot harder. Maybe I hit him on a weak spot or something. I don't know."

Columbus General Manager Doug MacLean said Wright was knocked out for 30 seconds and has a concussion. Ward, the second-lowest-paid Panther at $425,000, lost $2,291 in salary. Mathieu Biron made his Panthers debut in place of Ward and became the first Panther to wear No. 34 since John Vanbiesbrouck. Forward Ryan Johnson was the only healthy scratch.

Kozlov still sore

Viktor Kozlov, who has a reputation of not playing through injuries, missed his third game with a sore rib cage.

"That's a tough injury," Keenan said. "Anybody that's had it knows it's like a knife sticking in your side.

"You get a sharp pain when you pull a certain way or move a certain way. ... Some people might be able to play with it, but not that many."

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.....wie gesagt, ist mir scheiß egal wie sie gespielt haben, solange es nicht in der
Saison so ist!! Vorbereitung ist da um zu lernen, um auszuprobieren, etc., und nicht um zu glänzen!!

der schon das leere Tor vor sich hatte, aber sein Jubel zerbrach am Reflex von Lions-Goalie Dominic Roussel, der aus dem Nichts auftauchte und mit dem Fuß abwehrte.