Week of January 31, 2007, Issue #589
FRONT
In The Box
David Young and TB Player / inthebox@vueweekly.com
Win one. Lose one. Last week saw another way up and way down Oiler performance with an embarrassing 5-1 home loss to San Jose and a revitalizing 4-3 win over the LA Kings. This week’s In The Box, in an off-handed salute to the All-Star Skills contest, will feature a series of rapid-fire shots, passing observations and speedy notes.
On Jan 27, 1984 Wayne Gretzky ended a 51-game point-scoring streak that began at the beginning of the season—an NHL record. On Jan 27, 2007 Ryan Smyth was rolling with a two-game point-scoring streak. • Shawn Horcoff has 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 12 January games. Box score: Horcoff. Horcoff: box score. Remember each other? • It’s just not the same seeing pics of the last Oiler players’ hospital visit without Big Georges bear-hugging kids. Laraque did more than just the public photo-ops, though. • Dwayne Roloson already played 44 games as of last Monday. He has never played more than 50 games in an NHL season (2003-04 with Minnesota). • Ken Dryden's number 29 finally went to the rafters in Montreal. Not entirely sure why he had to wait almost 30 years, but the six-time Stanley Cup winner is surely deserving. • Of Ryan Smyth’s first 25 goals this season, 19 of them (76 per cent) came in nine games of Smyth’s 40 (22 per cent) with seven two-goal games and one hat trick. • Four of five league leaders with powerplay goals are Euros. Four of five league leaders with even strength goals are Canadians. • Remember Brad Winchester? Does MacT? • After losing on Friday, Ales Hemsky told the media that “we suck…and you can start with me” and followed that with a four-point night against LA. That’s called character and accountability. Good qualities, both. • When did Atlanta get so good? And who in Atlanta cares? • Since his playoff “coming-out party” I miss stodgy, square Paul Lorieau cranking out the anthem. • Who says that Swedes are the best passers? Four of the top five assist leaders are Canadian. • Some happy Alberta couple named their child DiezelBlaze last year. I hope you are nice people and your child forgives you. • The Oiler record for most goals in a season for a rookie d-man is nine. That record, held by Paul Coffey and Marc-Andre Bergeron, looks safe this year. • While a lot of people are less than enthused by Lupul’s lack of production, his 13 goals are good for third on the team. It’s his minus-14 rating that has me concerned. • When did the Predators get so good? And who in Nashville cares? • New daily routine: checking the Oilers website, the Sportsnet site and others to see when or if Smytty will sign the contract offered to him—several times an hour. • Parents of young DiezelBlaze: we named our daughter Pepper so we’ll find out what she thinks of that one. • Dwayne Roloson’s been a little kooky lately, throwing sticks and shit. Erratic behaviour and temper tantrums are symptoms of Oiler-fan-itis. Welcome to our world, Roli. • The Oilers have three short-handed goals this year. Pittsburgh’s Jordan Staal has five. Get well soon, Ethan Moreau. We need you. • Zack Stortini is fun to watch, isn’t he? Just by hitting, fighting and playing with passion. JF Jacques should try that—if he gets another chance. • Petr Nedved. Disappointment? Or exactly what I expected? • Jan 29, 1999. Andrei “The Tank” Kovalenko is traded to Philly for Alexandre Daigle, who was quickly flipped for Alexander Selivanov. I miss Kovalenko. So do VLT operators from what I heard. • Last year by Jan 29 the Oilers had 28 wins at game #52. This year: 24 wins at game #50. It’s not doomsday—yet. • Did Zack Stortini and Mathieu Roy find Mike Peca’s beard in the dressing room? V