ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 4, 1997 TAG: 9703040104
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press and N.Y. Times Service reports
Eddie Johnston, his team having lost eight of nine games, was fired as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday today in a season gone ``off course'' despite a glut of talent. General manager Craig Patrick will take over the team, which is second to Buffalo in the Northeast Division.
``We've got a ship that's off course and listing, and we've got to get it back on course,'' Patrick said. ``It's definitely very painful.''
Johnston, who drafted Mario Lemieux in 1984, is 232-224-60 in 6 1/2 seasons with the Penguins from 1980-83 and since 1993, when he replaced Scotty Bowman. Johnston's Penguins advanced no further than the Eastern Conference finals, losing to Florida in seven games last year.
The team is 31-26-5 this year and sandwiched two slumps around the 14-0-2 run of rookie goalie Patrick Lalime.
Patrick said Johnston will help him in the front office in a job that is yet to be determined.
Pittsburgh lost 6-3 to New Jersey on Saturday and has lost four in a row.
The Penguins likely will make the playoffs but have struggled despite having the NHL's two top scorers in Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, who will miss one month with a groin pull. The Penguins also have the league's 12th-leading scorer in forward Ron Francis.
LENGTH: Short : 34 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Johnstonby CNB