The following is taken from Kevin Paul Dupont's pro hockey column in the Sunday Boston Globe, but this segment really has more to do with college hockey. POULIN: IRISH FIGHTING FOR BOSTON RECRUITS by Kevin Paul Dupont Dave Poulin is returning to Boston. Stop the presses? The news conference at South Bend last week was a fraud? The Bruins pulled a fast one and Poulin will be back in black and gold for the playoffs? No. No. And sorry. Named Notre Dame's new hockey coach last Tuesday, the 36-year-old Poulin will begin his collegiate career as soon as his Washington Capitals finish their postseason run. He's going back to the school he graduated from 13 years ago, backed by a dozen years of National Hockey League experience and armed with at least 15 full scholarships. It's that scholarship money, in part, that will bring Poulin back to the Back Bay and surrounding burgs. Jobs? Yes, there are hockey jobs in South Bend, and Poulin figures metro Boston is the perfect place to find student-athletes who would like to help turn Our Lady into a skating tigress. "It's going to be a natural, no question," said Poulin, his message inviting competition - and maybe a touch of paranoia? - from the likes of the Boston University, Harvard, Northeastern and Boston College hockey programs. "There are so many quality kids up there, from the standpoint of hockey and education...young men at Catholic Memorial and Matignon. Just look at the Caps. We've got a pretty good goalie [Jim Carey] out of Catholic Memorial." CM perennially has been a feeder stream for the local colleges, especially BU. The Terriers won the NCAA hockey title just four weeks ago, with no fewer than five CM grads, and now here's Poulin threatening to muscle Jack Parker off the puck. Imagine what that will be like when Poulin wanders into the BU rink - home for CM practices and games - just, oh, to take in a workout. "Hey," said Poulin, sounding like the Tom Cruise character ("It's only business") in "Risky Business." "We've got to give kids an option." Once again, kids, that address is: Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind. 46556. Attention: Coach Poulin. And, oh, if you're mailing from the Harvard Square, Kenmore Square, Chestnut Hill or Symphony post offices, postage will be paid by the receiver (only kidding, we're not looking to disgruntle any postal workers). Poulin should be a perfect fit for his new career and ND the better for it. In his 3 1/2 seasons in Boston, he was a classy, dependable and sometimes stellar performer. He not only anchored a third checking line with faceoff proficiency and dogged checking, he also was a near-constant threat on offense while doing it. He not only changed the oil and replaced the filter, he cleaned the ashtray, swept the mats and Windexed the rearview mirror. Philadelphia dealing him away in 1990 (for Ken Linseman) was a landmark chapter in Flyer mismanagement. Beyond what you saw on the ice, Poulin was always the consummate professional and gentleman, always agreeable and approachable. If there is ever an NHL players' guide on etiquette and decency, Poulin will have to be the author. Watching him work the parents of a prospective ND hockey player - on one of those in-home visits - would be a joy. In 30 minutes, the kid will be signed up, Mom will be the team cook and Dad will be driving the team bus. "It makes it easier to leave [the NHL] because the challenge ahead of me looks like so much fun," said Poulin, reached at home for a telephone interview. "I'm skating well now, too. Injury hasn't been a problem. I'm leaving the game healthy and I'm having terrific fun - the game is still a lot of fun for me. So it helps, that feeling of leaving while you're still on top." In these final days of fling, Poulin finds himself a center converted to left wing. Dale Hunter anchors his line and Kelly Miller is on right wing. Combined, they're 102 years old. "That's why they call us the Century Line," said Poulin. "The other night in New York, though, we scored all four goals - so we might be old, but we're getting to play. Is there ever a right time to say goodbye? Probably not. But when you've got a situation like this, leaving for something that looks so good, it sure makes it a lot easier." Like the Bruins and Flyers, the Capitals will be lesser a team with Poulin out of the mix. And what is true for the team is also true for the league. Good to know, however, that the NHL's loss could be New England amateur hockey's gain. Suddenly, going west, young man, could mean more than a prolonged ride on the Green Line. END SEGMENT Dupont's weekly column includes the following notes relevant to college hockey: * Barry Melrose, recently-fired coach of the LA Kings, says that if he's back behind a bench (possibly with the new LA Ice Dogs, formerly the San Diego Gulls of the IHL), Cap Raeder will be by his side. Raeder was assistant to Melrose in LA and is a former Clarkson head coach. * "Blaine Lacher skated off with Channel 38's Seventh Player Award [note: voted on by the fans - mike] just prior to his 1-0 shutout of the Whalers Wednesday night, prompting WEEI's Dale Arnold to say, 'Not bad, pitch a shutout and they give you keys to a new car.' Responded Lacher, 'Yeah, if I get a few more, do you suppose they'll give me a house?'" * "He'll likely be too busy with the playoffs to attend, but the Penguins' John Cullen will be inducted into BU's Hall of Fame next Saturday. Cullen remains the Terriers' all-time leading scorer (98-143--241 in 160 games, '83-87). He'll turn 31 this summer and is a leading candidate to win the Masterton Trophy (perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication) after a remarkable return from neck and spine injuries." --- --- Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] Cabletron Systems, Inc. *HMM* 11/13/93