By Eric Duhatschek - Calgary Herald
Mar 21, 1996
Rick Tabaracci would like to make one thing clear: He doesn't have a problem with Trevor Kidd, his former goaltending partner/rival with the Calgary Flames.
Never has. Never will.
"This thing started three or four months ago in The Globe and Mail." Tabaracci sighed Thursday, "but I don't know where it came from. It's tough when you're competing, I guess, and Kidder was cast in the position of the steadfast No 1 guy when I got here.
"Sometimes," he added,"relationships get strained a little when it comes down to playing time. Let's face it, everybody's competitive. I don't have a problem with Trevor at all. He's a good goaltender and he's doing what he can for this team."
Tabaracci will not know until this morning if he will start in goal for Tampa Bay against the Flames tonight at the Canadian Airlines Saddledome, but the suspicion is he will.
Tabaracci was supposed to get the call the last time the two teams met --March 9 in Tampa -- but Lightning coach Terry Crisp switched to Corey Schwab after Tabaracci struggled the previous day in a 6-4 loss to Boston.
Schwab is on the trip, too. As is Daren Puppa, who has only made two National Hockey League appearances after early-season sugery.
"I'd like to play" said Tabaracci. "I'm hoping it works out that way because I didn't get the game in Tampa. I'd played 11 in a row and I was out of juice. The Boston game was the worst game I'd had all season. I thought it was a great idea to put Schwabby in, because I didn't have anything left.
"I'm kinda glad it worked out that way because now I end up being here with the opportunity to play in this buildlng."
Tabaracci developed into one of the most popular- Flames' players in parts of three seasons in Calgary and posted the best numbers of his NHL career.
"It's a different feeling playing against people you know that well," said Tabaracci. "As far as extra pressure, I don't know if it gets any more intense than the situation we're in. We're fighting for a playoff berth. Every game is huge.The fact that this one is in Calgary has more meaning to me, obviously, than a lot of the other players, but that's only because I enjoyed playing here as much as I did."
Also returning to Calgary for the first time is defenceman Jamie Huscroft, acquired by Huscroft was asked: Is it difficult coming back after all these . . .hours?
"Actually, I was talking to Jeff Norton on the bus today," replied Huscroft, referring to the former Oiler defenceman who also was acquired Tuesday.
"He just switched dressing rooms (on Wednesday prior to the Lightning's game in Edmonton) and he said it was pretty weird. The guys are still fooling around with him.
"But I'm not nervous. I've done it before a few times, played against my teammates. It's nothing new. Going to Tampa, there's probably half-a-dozen players I've played with . . . It'll be nerve-wracking at first, but after the first few shifts it'll be business as usual."
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