Jun 03, 2003

[size=18px]Islanders fire coach Peter Laviolette [/size]


UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- The New York Islanders fired coach Peter Laviolette on Tuesday, replacing him with minor league coach Steve Stirling.

The team announced on its Web site that Laviolette was out and Stirling, who coached in the AHL the last two seasons, would take over.

"This was a very difficult decision," general manager Mike Milbury said, according to the Web site. "Peter is a very good young coach with an excellent future.

"We felt a change was necessary for this team to move to the next level and compete for a Stanley Cup. Just making the playoffs is not enough."

Laviolette had a successful two-year run with the team, twice leading it to the playoffs, where the Islanders lost in first round both years. The Islanders had not made the playoffs since 1994.

But when they lost in five games to Ottawa this spring, there was much complaining and finger-pointing among the players. New York was outscored 13-4 in its four losses to the Senators.

Laviolette set an NHL record by winning his first four road games in 2001-02, the first coach to do that. The team picked up his coaching option for next season in December 2002, but now has changed its mind.



http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/144717.html