Levels of the Game

WHEN DEVILSwinger Brian Gionta, the shortest guy in the NHL, has to scrap against Senatorsdefenseman Zdeno Chara, the tallest, he tries to be slippery. "You can'tlet him hold on," says Gionta, "or you're in trouble." The hulkingChara doesn't let up on smaller skaters. "I go after them hard, no matterwho I'm facing," he says. "You have to be physical."

Gionta, who sayshe's "been called 'midget' on the ice quite a few times," set a teamrecord with 48 goals this season; Chara's 16 goals tied for fifth among NHLblueliners. The ends of one NHL spectrum may soon meet--in the conferencefinals.

BRIAN GIONTA

Devils

5'7"; 175lbs.

AGE: 27

SKATE SIZE: 5

NICKNAME:G.O.

POSITION: RightWing

HOMETOWN: Greece,N.Y.

COLLEGE: BostonCollege

MOM: Penny(5'0")

DAD: Sam(5'4")

SIBLINGS: Joe(5'7"), Stephen (5'7")

QUOTE: "We'renot getting much taller in my family."

HOCKEY IDOL: PatLaFontaine

HOBBY: Golf

ZDENO CHARA

Senators

6'9"; 260lbs.

AGE: 29

SKATE SIZE:12

NICKNAME: BigZ

POSITION:Defenseman

HOMETOWN:Trencin, Slovakia

FIRST CLUB: DuklaTrencin

MOM: Veronika(5'9")

DAD: Zdenek(6'2")

SIBLING: Barbora(5'8")

QUOTE: "We'rea normal-sized family."

HOCKEY IDOL:None

HOBBY: Cycling,wrestling

TWO PHOTOS

LOU CAPOZZOLA (GIONTA); ANDRE RINGUETTE/FREESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY (CHARA)