MARK FITZPATRICK: We
should be challenging for the
“cup shortly.

- Kitimat’s Mark Fitzpatrick is
playing hockey for the New
York Istanders this upcoming
- NHL season, and he’s glad that
' hes.

The handsome. 20-year-old.
netminder was. left with a bad
taste back in February when the
team that drafted him as an:
“18-year-old ‘Western “Junior
‘Hockey talent —- Los Angeles ’

Kings — dealt Mark more than |

3,000 miles away to the lowly
Islanders’. oo.
Los Angeles claimed to make

man Wayne McBean to the east
for veteran goalie Kelly Hrudy)
to strengthen their charge
towards: a Stanley Cup.

-The trade halfway through
Mark’s rookie season came as an
immense shock and raised the
hackles of Vancouver Province
sports writer Tony Gallagher.

Gallagher rapped the Kings
for-not letting Mark play an en--

tire first pro season with their
American League farm team at
New Haven.

He pointed out that the Kings
brought Mark up from New
Haven after a few weeks, played
him against Chicago (Mark

won), then shipped him back |

. down.
- Two weeks later, the Kings
brought him back up again.
- «> went four wins, one loss
and one tic” in my first six
games,” he told us. ““But.with
our weak defence 1 started to
Jose confidence.’”
By then his confidence was
shot. He went 1-4-2 in his last
eight games, giving up 37. goals.

“J went in and asked to go _

back to New Haven. It was pret-
ty tough playing in your first

year getting 40 shots a night,” -
‘Gallagher reported Mark as say-

ing.
Instead of a return to the

‘30 “Tere Review a Wednesday, August 9; 1989

_ Fitzpatri

minors, it was ft to Long -
Island.

summer to revive, and heads for
New York’s training camp in a
few days with a revived positive
attitude. ...

Mark decided, on a possible

started. with a year.in the B.C.
Junior Hockey League,’ then
played. tier two hockey in
Calgary. -

Medicine Hat Tigers. of the
Western Hockey League where
he spent his final. three junior:
years, And they were good
years.

Mark told us that Medicine
Hat’s back-to-back Memorial
Cup championships is very rare.
“Is going to be a long time
before you'll probably see
another junior team accomplish
this feat,” he said. -

Mark had his share of in-
dividual honors while with
Medicine Hat. His first year he
made the second all-star team.
He was blanked in year two, but
came back for second-team
honors again in his final year.”

He also has some Memorial
Cup playoff trophies in his room
at Kitimat.

‘Those are nice.to win, but I

had a pretty: good ‘defence.
Maybe if I playgd°on a team
without a top blueline, I might
have been a first all-star. Asit is,
Liost out on.the first-team berth
‘by one vote in my last year.
“But the guys in front of me

tion for a job well done.”’

After the trade, Mark had a
long chat with general manager
Bill Torrey of Islanders, who
knew Mark was feeling bad.
Fitzpatrick said this talk made
him feel his future would be
greater with the east coasters.

Mark is most elated about
playing for Al Arbour, one of
the most talented men ever to
coach in the NHL.

‘The thing with Al is he really.

Mark has had. the spring and 7

pro career: when he was 15. He-

His big move ‘was to the

‘the move (Mark and defence- .. were’ terrific, and” deserve mene -

‘takes time ‘tO work with the

‘young. players. Jthink h he’ 's the

-best:in the: ‘league:””

ed with -young talent which fits
right in with Arbour’s style.
“It’s going to take time for.
maturing, but we should : be
challenging for the Cup
shortly.”’

‘Mark also has the pleasure (2)
of. learning goaltending: under

Billy ‘The Slasher’ Smith, who is

retired from playing and will
coach netminders for’ at least
two years.

‘The first thing | he said to me

on arrival at New York is.T have
‘to be stronger, tougher and use
my stick more. (Smith got into
trouble often with his use of the
stick on opponents near his

crease over the years).
‘‘T kinda laughed at that. But

he knows my style and has been

helping me quite a bit. I’m really
looking forward to working with
him this year.”

Mark does have a few fond
memories of Los Angeles, like

living with Wayne Gretzky fora °

month’ or so.
“It was an experience rl
never forget,’ he ‘related.

Mark says Islanders are load:

; “Wayne? 5 got-a big mansion in
Los Angeles, with maid and
cook, and others. I spent a lot of
time with him and learned a lot.
‘He’s such a great guy and cares a
great deal about the team.”

. When he wasn’t out fishing
this summer, Mark spent long

- hours working out,.to retain his

conditioning for training camp.

Most .of August: is spent ‘at-

ck feeling | better with Is lander eS

vained valuable skating, ime

each night. ©

Mark Fitzpatrick did not have

a rookie NHL season to write
home about. But the personable
Kitimat product f ully expects the
upcoming season to be a vast im-
provement, and it couldn’t hap-
pen to a nicer young man. es

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and world competition.

Go for the Gold!

350 Team B.C.
he at the 1989 Jeux Cc

"The Province of British Columbia
is s proud to boost our athletes
to the highest levels of national

- Good Luck Team B.C.

GO TEAM BC.

August 13-26, Saskatoon.
athletes represent British Columbia:
anada Summer Games." “h

Li

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