Spurs at quarter mark

(AP) Denver, CO Here it is at the quarter mark of the season and the Spurs find themselves playing below .500 hockey (8-10-3, 19 pts in 21gp). It's a far cry from the recent glory days. However, the past 10 games have seen the Spurs post a 5-3-2 record, so a bit of a resurgence. While 12 points in 10 games is nothing to shout about, it's not bad for the way this Spurs' edition has been going. Leading the team in scoring is the top line of Lecavalier (9-12-21), Sykora (11-8-19) and port sider Smyth (5-10-15). The surprises to date are rookie blueliner Hunwick (2-9-11 +2) and winger Sergei Kostitsyn (3-7-10 in only 12gp). Marty Brodeur leads the goaltending corps, as usual, with a 2.05 5-4-3 .937 SvPct in 12gp. Newcomer Pekka Rinne has been a disappointment to date posting a 2-5 record with a 3.80, .886 in 8gp.
Dasher Notes
Recently, right winger Brian Gionta was acquired from the Victoria Ronin for a 4th rd pick. While he has injury problems next season and his contract also expires after next season, he's viewed as a stopgap measure for the time being. To date, he has been seeing a lot of ice time on the 2nd line and seems to be responding well. He had been relegated to the Ronin's 4th line and is liking his increased playing time with the Spurs. In another deal, blueliner Jeff Finger was dispatched to the Budapest Honved for a 5th rounder in the 2010 CCHL entry draft. While Finger was part of the recent above .500 team play, moving him for the 5th was better than nothing for the upcoming UFA. His departure will probably see John-Michael Liles being re-inserted in the lineup. He had been benched due to his woeful -10 plus/minus.

Reported by Peter Puckhead