In The Crease

Penguins Goalie Johan Hedberg , who maybe the best puckhandling netminder to come from Europe , learned that fine art as a kid growing up in Sweden by watching video of renowned Flyers goalie Ron Hextall . Hedberg , 27, was drafted by Philadelphia in 1994 but didn't play an NHL game until he was acquired by Pittsburgh in March....

Could Carolina turn out to be hockey country? After beating the Devils 3-2 last Friday night to force Game 6 in Raleigh , the Hurricanes had sold 11,000 tickets by 3 p.m. on Saturday. (The match on Sunday drew a capacity crowd in the 19,000-seat Entertainment and Sports Arena.) Since moving from Hartford in 1997, the team has averaged a disappointing 10,764 fans per game....

Mighty Ducks G.M. Pierre Gauthier, who fired coach Craig Hartsburg in November and Guy Charron, Hartsburg 's replacement, following the season, is interested in hiring either the Senators' Jacques Martin or former Canadiens coach Alain Vigneault . Martin has one year remaining on his contract, but considering that Ottawa was swept by the Leafs in the first round, the Senators may allow him to leave....

Speaking of hiring coaches, general managers usually look for candidates who were with a Stanley Cup -winning team in some capacity. Of the NHL coaches today, only five ( Scotty Bowman , Marc Crawford , Ken Hitchcock , Jacques Lemaire and Larry Robinson ) would fit that description....

Capitals forward Jeff Halpern , one of four Princeton alumni ever to play in the NHL , may have more company next season. Chris Corrinet, a 6'3", 220-pound grinding right wing who was a Tiger from '97-98 through 2000-01, made progress at Washington 's minor league affiliate in Portland, Maine , when he joined that team in March and may be with the Capitals next season.