Numminen's 360-game streak comes to an end

PHOENIX (AP) -- Phoenix Coyotes fans saw something they'd never seen before in a regular-season game Friday night when their team took the ice without Teppo Numminen.<br><br>Numminen, who had played

Friday, March 3rd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PHOENIX (AP) -- Phoenix Coyotes fans saw something they'd never seen before in a regular-season game Friday night when their team took the ice without Teppo Numminen.

Numminen, who had played in every Phoenix regular-season game since the franchise moved from Winnipeg in 1996, ended his streak of 360 consecutive games when he was not in uniform against the Dallas Stars because of a hip flexor. It was the longest current streak in the NHL.

The 31-year-old defenseman hadn't missed a non-playoff game since he sat out one in Winnipeg against Edmonton on Dec. 15, 1995,
because of the flu. He missed five playoff games with a groin injury two years ago.

"It's mixed feelings," Numminen said before Friday's game. "You kind of think `No big deal,' but then you think about it and realize there are guys like Doaner (Shane Doan) who have never seen me miss a game. That's a long time. It makes you start thinking how
special it is."

With the end of Numminen's streak, the longest current streak is 227 games by Tony Amonte of Chicago. Mike Ricci of San Jose is
second at 213. Numminen was a long way from the NHL record of 964 consecutive games held by Doug Jarvis, who was at Friday night's
game as a Dallas assistant coach.

His streak was the second longest in franchise history behind Dale Hawerchuk, who played in 475 games in a row from Dec. 12, 1982 to Dec. 10, 1988. Numminen also had a 230-game streak from Feb. 22, 1990, to Jan. 28, 1993.

Numminen has played with a broken foot, broken finger and various muscle and tendon injuries during his streak, and smiled when asked if he thought it was odd that a lesser injury would end his long run.

But he decided that caution was appropriate in this situation.

"Right now we're getting close to the playoffs," Numminen said. "I would be maybe able to play, but if something happens,
there's a chance it's going to get worse, so why risk it?"

Numminen has played for the franchise since 1988.

He said he was hurt sometime in the second period of Wednesday night's 7-5 victory over Carolina. The soreness worsened in the
third period.

"I thought it would go away,"' he said, "but the next day it was really sore."

Philadelphia's Rod Brind'Amour entered the season with the longest existing streak at 484 games but missed the season opener due to injury.