Content Preview: rss
Joanne Ireland 328 days ago
Not only did Sheldon Souray score the game winners in the Oilers last two games, he became the first Edmonton defenceman since Paul Coffey to hit the double digit milestone in the month of December. In the 1985-86 campaign, Coffey popped in his 10th goal on Dec . 3. The Hall of Famer, according to Elias Sports Bureau, went on to rack up 15 goals by the end of the month. (It figures that that was the same season he set the NHL record for goals scored by a D-man — 48 in total.) Souray has scored 10 in 32 games. His career best is 26, a bar he set during the 2006-07 season.
Joanne Ireland 341 days ago
With Sam Gagner and Robert Nilsson both back in the Oilers lineup, Rob Schremp was handed a return ticket to the Springfield Falcons — a move that has puzzled his supporters given that he not only registered three assists in the four games he played during his call-up but also showed real strides in his two-way game. Trouble is, he's not yet in a position to take a full-time spot on the second line so rather than sit, he was sent back to the AHL to play a leading role with the Falcons. "He showed a lot of progress," head coach Craig MacTavish said. "We're encouraged by that. I just wasn't prepared to give him a spot on one of our top lines. I thought the kids played well the last little while . . . That's the Cole's Notes version. "At the end of the day, you have to play a guy like Robbie to his areas of strength and there's not a spot for him right now on those top two lines. When we called him up, both Sam and Robert were hurt. It was a perfect opportunity for ...
Joanne Ireland 341 days ago
With the mercury falling faster than the Dow Jones it seemed only fitting to check in with Lubomir Visnovksy who had spent the seven seasons in Los Angeles. Surprisingly, there was no cold shoulder from the defenceman. He was just a little worried about how his parents were going to handle the cold when their plane touched down after Monday's practice. "I took a picture of my car (thermometer) last night and sent it to my friends. It was -29," he said. "I've never seen that before." The coldest he can remember it getting back in Slovakia was about -15. And still on the subject of frosty receptions . . . During Saturday's broadcast, CBC analyst Marc Crawford apparently made some comment about the ice surface at Rexall not being up to snuff, which didn't sit so well with the Northlands staff. So they parked a Zamboni in front of the production truck, blocking the vehicle's exit route. Crawford, meanwhile, was in a warm bar probably having a cold drink right around ...
Joanne Ireland 344 days ago
Joanne Ireland Journal Hockey Writer Edmonton Sophomore seasons can be rife with struggles but Andrew Cogliano has done his damnest to stay on course. So even though he has gone from the Kid Line to a number of lines, he has emerged through the first 27 games with eight goals — putting him right behind Ales Hemsky (nine goals) and even with Souray. Three of his goals have come in the last five games. Better still, he figured on Saturday, was that with both Robert Nilsson and Sam Gagner back for the tilt against the Vancouver Canucks, the trio was once again reunited. "It's just me being focussed in on my own game, doing what I have to," Cogliano said. "I know I have to create speed and be intense and be hard on the puck. If I do that, I can find some chemistry but it has been a little tough this year because there's been so many lines. "I know I am excited to get back together with them. Before they got injured, we were playing well. "There's comfort there, ...
Joanne Ireland 345 days ago
OK, so there are others more troubled by Joe Sakic's latest misfortune — like the Colorado Avalanche. Like the NHL. But I had him in media pool. He was supposed to get over his bad back and lift me back into contention. I now have a pool high five players out with injuries. Fernando Pisani? Out. Cory Stillman? Still out. Brendan Morrow? Probably gone for the season. Mike Green? He's at least days away. These are at least hockey injuries. These are the reasons why I have fallen from first to 15th. Sakic, meanwhile, is a man with disposable income and a herniated disc trying to fix a snowblower. Now he's got three broken fingers and an even longer stay on the injured reserve list. "There's nothing more humiliating than a handyman project," offered Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish when the subject arose at Rexall. "It's incredible how often bad things happen in those situations and how incredible it is that you get away with some things. In hindsight you think, 'Wow, what ...
