Smith's resurgence keeps Minny magic alive in the playoffs

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Minnesota wasn't expected to be here, but one big reason why the Team That Doesn't Know It's Supposed to Lose leads the Stanley Cup final 1-0 is Bobby Smith, one of the few North Stars who has been here.

The North Stars were near the bottom of the National Hockey League when the playoffs started six weeks ago after finishing 16th in the overall regular-season standings. But they're at the top of their game now — thanks in great part to Smith, who was at his lowest point in hockey a year ago.

Smith, one of three veterans from the North Stars' only other Stanley Cup final in 1981, scored the winner Wednesday in Minnesota's 5-4 series-opening victory over Pittsburgh Penguins. His backhander to the short side of goaltender Tom Barrasso at 1:39 of the third period gave the North Stars a 5-3 lead.

“Ulf (Dahlen) and I had a 2-on-l and I started yelling for the puck at the blue line,” Smith said. “He kept it himself, but I was able to get a shot, and it's one that's not going to go in very often.
“It was a backhander, but he (Barrasso) came out of the crease and I was able to get it in up high.”

The goal proved crucial when Joe Mullen's sixth playoff goal at 10:35 cut the lead to 5-4.

Smith's goal, his seventh of the playoffs, came just seconds after the North Stars killed off yet another Pittsburgh power-play chance. Pittsburgh, with the NHL's third best power-play unit during the season, was just l-for-8 with the man advantage.

Smith was low a year ago after a dismal season in Montreal. But his career revived in Minnesota after the Montreal Canadiens traded him back to the North Stars last August for a fourth-round draft pick in 1992.

Smith, who played on the Canadiens' 1986 Stanley Cup champions, had just 15 regular-season goals and 46 points.

But he's become an important offensive force in the postseason — an unexpected offensive bonus to a team that has just three players who've worn North Stars sweaters in the Stanley Cup final. Curt Giles and Neal Broten are the other two.

“It's been a tremendous satisfaction to me to play well, to help the team make the playoffs, to get this far,” Smith said.

“I'm not the same as I was when I was 25. 26, but I'm digging down deep as far as I can dig and trying to help this team. It's a nice feeling being a good player on a good team.”

“He's been good for us offensively, defensively,” said first-year coach Bob Gainey, a teammate of Smith's on Montreal's 1986 championship squad.

“He's a player who's been here before and knows what you have to do. He's been a good player for us, a very good player.”

The North Stars now are 4-0 this year in playoff series openers and appear to have a tremendous advantage since just nine teams since 1939 have won the Stanley Cup after losing Game 1.

“We don't get any satisfaction from winning Game 1, or just from being here,” Smith said. “We're not happy just to be here. We want to win Game 2, and then …”

Smith said Gainey's low-key but studious style is a major reason for the North Stars' perfect Game 1 record.