A Rivalry in Its Twilight ALL EDITIONS

• Published in: Newsday
• Main Author: BY Joe Gergen
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Long Island, N.Y Newsday LLC 19.03.1986
• Edition: Combined editions
• Subjects: Arbour, Al; Larouche, Pierre; Pavelich, Mark

Instead of championships, the Rangers have dealt in change, starting with the coach. The imperious [Herb Brooks] has been replaced by self-assured Ted Sator. And the transition has been anything but smooth. Sator succeeded in alienating Mark Pavelich to the extent that the former Olympian left the team without so much as a goodbye. He exiled his most dangerous offensive weapon, Pierre Larouche, to the minors for more than half the season. He attempted to refashion the Rangers in his image and the club finds itself in a struggle with the Pittsburgh Penguins for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Patrick Division. This is how much change the Rangers have undergone. The top three scorers on the 1983-84 team that played the Islanders to within an inch of their crowns were, in order, Pavelich, Larouche and Anders Hedberg. The latter retired last year, his body worn and skills diminished. Larouche appeared in only his 20th game last night since returning from a banishment to Hershey. Pavelich sits at home, pondering whether he has a future in the game. If the Islanders seem more stable, it's largely the result of general manager Bill Torrey's steady hand and [Al Arbour]'s decision to remain as coach for a 12th and now a 13th season. But the team has struggled to stay above the .500 mark since their bid for a fifth Cup failed against Edmonton and their patience has worn as thin as the defense which once was the Islanders' strength. John Tonelli, whose effort epitomized the club when its work ethic was the talk of the NHL, was the first star to be sacrificed. Stefan Persson, a dependable defenseman, was traded on the same day but chose to retire as an Islander.