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Gameday: Oilers vs. Ducks |
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Everyone's favorite defenseman returns to Rexall Place for the 2nd time since leaving on bad terms with the organization and the fans. Dustin Penner, now a member of the Oilers, was a Duck the first time Pronger returned to Edmonton. "It was pretty intense when we came up here. I remember he had RCMP with him just in case." Penner says it doesn't matter to Pronger; nothing gets to him: "He's like Ice Man in Top Gun." The media contingent wondered if Penner could think of a rink that Pronger didn't get booed in: "That's a trivia question for the ages. Maybe one that hasn't been built yet. I've been to his house down in Anaheim, he's got a mini rink downstairs, and we were booing him just for fun." As far as tonight goes, Penner says: "Oh I'll chirp him. I've got 6 hours to think of something. I gotta think of some good ones; I can't just go out there and suck."
As far as the actual game goes, the Oilers are looking to redeem themselves after what Craig MacTavish called a "train wreck" of a performance on Wednesday. The guys today were understandably frustrated when asked to look back on the game, but not one of them made an excuse. Don't blame it on us young guys said Andrew Cogliano and Kyle Brodziak; as Brodziak told me "when we want to play, we can play with anybody in this league and we've proven that we belong here." Most players today were calling it an unacceptable lack of focus; most figured they can take it as a lesson and not let it happen again. Putting that loss out of everybody's head starts tonight with a win against Anaheim. Do that, and you're back to having won 3 out of 4. Do a split on the weekend road trip and you're 4 of 6; not bad.
Dwayne Roloson starts in goal tonight. Rest of the lines remain status quo by the looks of it.
INJURY UPDATES
Fernando Pisani skated again today and sounds like he'll accompany the team on the road trip to California. He seems to think he's a bit closer to being back than Craig MacTavish does, but MacT did acknowledge today that the weekend trip is a possibility if Fernando came through the hard skate today and tomorrow alright. There won't be a conditioning stint in Springfield, though. Both Fernando and MacT are comfortable with his ability to get back into it at the NHL level quickly; MacTavish pointed out his strong mental knowledge of the game as a main reason why he can be battle-ready quickly.
Matt Greene met with the media again today. The media members have started to look forward to this on a day to day basis because it's basically more of a stand-up routine than anything. Today, the focus was Greene's former roomate Dustin Penner who recently moved out: "He's unbelievable. When he was living in the basement there he was paying his rent pretty well and picking up after me and getting me stuff. Now he's moved out across the street so I have to call him now. I have to call him and tell him it's time to go to the bathroom and he comes and carries me. I get a piggyback in there, he sets me down and gives me my private time and then carries me back out. It's like Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard. I'm his little Whitney Houston." Greene is gunning to be back in a month and a half.
Finally, Sheldon Souray was out skating again today. He's skated a few times this week but is still a couple weeks...maybe a bit less...away from being back.
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