| Like the
Phoenix of mythology, the Quebec Jet Line arose from the ashes. When things were at their
worst, when the Stingers were being called thugs and rowdies, when Winnipeg had beaten
them 7-0, the line came dramatically into being. Coach Terry Slater, acting out of despair
and frustration, had promised an earthshaking realignment. "They're going to be
shocked by what I come up with," he swore. "Guys aren't going to believe where
I'm going to put them". Coming out of this reordered
disorder was the forward line of Jacques Locas, Pierre Guite and Claude Larose, all French
speaking Quebec natives and all exceptional skaters. Surprisingly, the combination
excelled immediately and has now become the offensive backbone of the first place team. In
the Stingers' two weekend games, the line accounted for five goals and six assists, 11
total points. They had three goals and five assists in Saturday's wild 7-4 victory over
San Diego. They knocked in two goals and another assist in Sunday's 4-2 victory over New
England.
After 10 games, Locas and Larose are tied for the team scoring lead
with 12 points each. Guite is close behind with nine. Each has one game winning goal. On
the season the three jets have 33 points. And just as significant are the personal battles
being won. Locas has rebuffed accusations he was a recruiting misfire, overpaid and
overrated. Guite has emerged from an early season slump and Larose, just 20 years old, is
well on his way to being rookie of the year. He is currently the top freshman scorer in
the WHA. "They're really flying," says Slater. "If we ever get two lines
going like they are, we're going to be awfully hard to beat."
There must have been doubts at first, when Slater mixed these three.
All are left-handers, Locas is a center, the other two left wingers. TO form a line, Guite
was moved to the right side where he'd never played before, not even in practice. Of
additional concern, none was noted for his back checking ability. All emerged from the
Quebec junior leagues where offense is called hockey and defense is what you put around
the house. But not accounted for was their native enthusiasm for skating together, for
playing their unique Quebec-style, undisciplined, fast flying, devil-may-care hockey.
"We like playing together because we play the same way,"
explains Locas nicknamed 'The Jet Man'. "We skate fast. We have the same style. I
always know where they are going to be before I pass. We think alike." Immediately
they began working extra hard, practicing face-offs and other fundamentals after most
others had left the ice. Success was almost instantaneous - four goals and five assists
against Minnesota. So now Locas can scoff at the stigma that surrounded him last year.
While still a junior, he was acquired by the Stingers in a $1 million, multi-year deal.
But on loan to Baltimore last year Locas was frequently criticized and eventually shuffled
off to Indianapolis and then down to the minors, never materializing as a star.
Now Locas says, "It's all confidence. I know now that I can
play in this league. I have a lot of confidence and that's what hockey is. Last year, I
had no confidence. I had trouble with some teams. The Baltimore coach wouldn't even talk
to me," he goes on. "The whole time I was there he didn't say anything to me.
He'd get all the rookies together and talk to them and I'd be off in a corner
somewhere." A sensitive young man of 22, Locas was hurt. But now it is all right.
"We have a good spirit," he says happily. "All the guys like to play the
game and like to win. Everybody works and helps out. I like playing here because I can
play the type of hockey I enjoy. This line is a good one. We want to stay together. I
think we can score a lot of goals this year." |
