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

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