Proving to be more than a one-trick Pony
Ukrainian winger finds his scoring touch on new line ‘Potential to be a strong unit for us,’ says Quinn of trio
Areason, perhaps, for the lurching evolution of Alexei Ponikarovsky is that no one ever seemed certain what he could become. Here was this hulking raw talent, a 6- foot- 4, 220- pound rock, willing to run through people. He had good speed, seemed fearless enough and possessed a heavy shot. He’d frustrate when those parts didn’t come together for painfully long stretches and tease when they did. Was he a 10- goal- a- season, upanddown- the- wing mucker or did he have the potential to be more than that? One week he’d be on the fourth line with Wade Belak. The next week, the left winger would be skating alongside Joe Nieuwendyk, showing a nose for the net when teamed with a savvy veteran.
At one point, the Leafs seemed willing to give up on the Ukrainian altogether and attempted to deal him to Columbus, for Ray Whitney, at the 2003 trade deadline. At the start of this season, as further evidence of his roller- coaster world, he was to be on the top line with Mats Sundin. That lasted a shift as Sundin went down with a serious eye injury. Now with seven goals already this season — two off his career high — Ponikarovsky may have found a home. It always must be remembered that coach Pat Quinn puts together his line combos like he’s at the counter of a fast- food restaurant; whatever his craving at the moment is what skates out on the ice. But in the last two games, Ponikarovsky has held down the portside of a line with Jason Allison in the middle and Nik Antropov on the right.
Given their size — Allison is the smallest of the threesome at 6foot- 3, 215- pounds — and the fact each is frequently mentioned in trade rumours, you could call them the Bulk Store line. Against Atlanta Saturday, they were able to use that size to control the puck down low, in an exhibition of relentless cycling that would have made Lance Armstrong jealous.
While it helped that they were facing a Thrashers club that had little interest in checking, that line showed its potential by picking up seven points. Ponikarovsky had two goals and an assist, Antropov one and one, Allison had two assists.
“In the offensive zone, they made a lot of nice plays. They held it well. That’ll be where they should excel,” said Quinn.
“ That was only their second game together but it has the potential to be a strong unit for us.”
Antropov, 25 and in the first year of a two- year deal worth $ 1.425 million ( U. S.), said he is just trying to make the most of wherever he lines up.
“I’m just trying to adjust to anyone I’m playing with and it’s pretty good that three of us have size and we can control the puck down low. That’s what everyone expects from us, I think.” But what does Ponikarovsky expect from himself?
“ Everything; A little bit of everything,” he says when asked what his role should be. “ You have to be hard checking. If you get the puck, you have to look for people who are open. If not, you have to just get the puck to the net and get a shot. I just want to be helpful out there. I don’t consider myself just a checker.
“Everyone keeps asking me, ‘ When are you going to score 20 goals? 30 goals?’ I’m not saying I’ll score a lot of goals. I just go out there and play and enjoy myself and just do everything.”