Reports: Cashman on his way out as Flyers coach

Monday, March 9, 1998 | 10:03 a.m.

"No one talked to me about it," Cashman said during his postgame news conference Sunday night. "They never said anything and there's no reason for me to ask anything."

After the Flyers beat the Penguins 4-3 on Alexandre Daigle's overtime goal, Cashman was asked about reports that veteran NHL coach Roger Neilson was going to take over the coaching duties.

Philadelphia general manager Bob Clarke was unavailable for comment on Cashman, who replaced Terry Murray as Philadelphia's coach after the Flyers were swept by Detroit Red in last year's Stanley Cup final.

Clarke met Neilson at Philadelphia International Airport early this morning, The Philadelphia Daily News reported today, but both refused to answer questions.

"Everybody will get a chance to talk to him," said Clarke, who was expected to call a news conference to announce the coaching change.

Neilson deferred to Clarke's wishes.

"I think it would be better if I do that," he said.

According to The Daily News, Flyers sources said Clarke told Cashman after the game he would be demoted to assistant coach, to be replaced today by Neilson, an assistant coach with St. Louis this season.

Although the Flyers trail first-place New Jersey by 12 points in the Atlantic Division, Philadelphia goalie Ron Hextall said Cashman "has done a good job."

"Maybe a coach can be responsible for cohesiveness, but we can't point everything in one direction," Hextall said. "As players we have to take responsibility and play the type of hockey we're capable of."

Daigle said he was surprised by the reports about Cashman from Canadian sports network TSN and Gannett Suburban Newspapers.

"Rumors are part of the game," Daigle said. "I didn't hear anything about it. There was some mention about reports on TV, but as players we're usually the last to know."

Flyers forward Shjon Podein said the team can't be distracted by the coaching rumors.

"We have to worry about playing our best hockey," Podein said. "Right now Wayne is still our coach and that's all we should worry about."

In other NHL games, Phoenix tied Dallas 1-1, and Carolina beat Anaheim 3-1.

Neilson, 63, has been head coach of seven NHL teams, including the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks and Toronto Maple Leafs. He also was the Florida Panthers' first coach, when Clarke was the team's general manager.

The Flyers have been a disappointment this season. They are 7-15-4 against teams with a .500 record or better and have lost 10 of their last 20 games, their worst slump since 1993-94.

"I'm responsible for what's happened as much as the next guy," Hextall said. "I haven't held my end up as much as I can."

Hextall held up his end Sunday night by making 23 saves, including a brilliant stop of a penalty shot by Stu Barnes in the first period.

Daigle won it with a breakaway goal with 56.5 seconds left in overtime. Daigle, obtained from Ottawa on Jan. 17, lifted the puck high over goalie Ken Wregget from the middle of the slot for his first goal as a Flyer.

Asked if Daigle's goal was the result of a defensive mixup, Pittsburgh coach Kevin Constantine said: "Someone got beat. That's hockey. Daigle made a nice play and won the game."

Pittsburgh's Jaromir Jagr scored on a backhander from just outside the crease with 15 seconds left in the third period to send the game into overtime. His goal came with Wregget pulled for an extra skater just 31 seconds after Podein put the Flyers ahead by diving over a prone Wregget and pushing the puck into the net.

Mike Sillinger and John LeClair also scored for the Flyers, and Rod Brind'Amour had three assists. Brad Werenka and Martin Straka also scored for Pittsburgh.

The Flyers played without Eric Lindros, who is expected to be out about two weeks after sustaining a concussion during Philadelphia's 6-4 loss at Pittsburgh on Saturday. Lindros, who leads the Flyers with 67 points, was injured in the second period when he was hit in the chin with a hard shoulder check by Pittsburgh's Darius Kasparaitis.

Kasparaitis paid the price Sunday. In addition to being booed every time he made an appearance on the ice, he was called for three penalties in the first period, including five minutes for fighting with Colin Forbes. LeClair and Chris Gratton also took runs at the Penguins defenseman.

"We stayed in the game and got a couple of bad breaks," Kasparaitis said. "They came at us early and we figured that would happen. Overall I felt we did a good job and proved that we could battle no matter what was going on out there."

Stars 1, Coyotes 1

At Dallas, Mike Modano's goal with 6:35 left in regulation gave the Stars a tie with Phoenix, extending the Coyotes' winless streak to nine games.

Phoenix took a 1-0 lead when Teppo Numminen's slap shot from the right point beat a screened Ed Belfour with 11:31 remaining in regulation. But Dallas tied it on Modano's backhander from the slot, his 21st goal of the season.

Hurricanes 3, Mighty Ducks 1

At Anaheim, Keith Primeau and Martin Gelinas scored 37 seconds apart on Carolina's first two shots of the game as the Hurricanes won their fourth straight.

Gary Roberts added his fifth goal in five games on a breakaway at 13:35 of the third period and Trevor Kidd made 21 saves for the Hurricanes. Ruslan Salei scored with 17:46 remaining to prevent the Ducks from being shut out in three consecutive games for the second time in their five-year history.