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Thursday, December 23, 1999
Rene rocks
Corbet's feisty return fires up Flames
To classify Rene Corbet as a 'hit' in his first game in six weeks would be to give the man short shrift.
He was banging around on the ice like a pinball ricocheting off flippers, taking dead aim on any moving thing in green with an infectious glee, and trying to squash it.
"Was I excited to be out there again?" said Corbet. "Did it show?"
And how.
Officially, Corbet was only credited with two hits, meaning someone must've dozed off about five minutes into the first period. The Corbet-Jarome Iginla-Marc Savard line set an emotional and physical tone, not just for the Flames, but for the game as a whole.
Tonight's important clash with the Oilers is certain to be a highly-charged, take-no-prisoners affair as a win for Calgary would move it to within two points of its provincial rival.
Depending on what happens in Buffalo, where the Northwest Division-leading Avalanche take on the Sabres, the Flames could also creep to within three points of the third seed in the conference.
"I felt good. No pain. For me to be effective, to help my team, I have to irritate the other team, take the body. I was talking a lot to Eddie (Belfour), too, trying to put him off his game.
"He was giving me some shots back. We had a nice conversation going there."
Corbet had been sidelined by a broken bone in a foot.
"I've had my share of injuries but never anything as long as this one," he said. "It's frustrating, obviously."
His return made an immediate impact on the Flames. They hope Derek Morris (concussion) and Jeff Shantz (bruised ribs) can do the same tonight. Both hope to be able to play.
NOT OUT OF LINE? The Flames are defending the contract they paid out to fourth-round selection Shaun Sutter, son of the coach.
Any charges of favouritism or nepotism, they claim, are way out of line.
The money paid the young Sutter, taken 102nd overall, is, they argue, in line with what has been paid others in his draft range.
Whether the youngster was taken too high by Calgary, of course, is still very much open for debate and really a question only answered by time.
According to the NHLPA Web site, players drafted around Sutter received roughly the same money to put their John Henry on a contract -- Petr Schastlivy (Ottawa), chosen 101st, received an average major-league salary of $500,000, an average minor-league salary of $40,000 and a $450,000 signing bonus; New Jersey's Pierre Dagenais, selected 10th, received a $400,000 average major-league salary, $50,000 for the minors and a $200,000 signing bonus; Boyd Kane of the Rangers, picked 114th, got $325,000 in average major-league salary, $42,5000 in minor-league money and $200,000 as a bonus.
Goalie Dany Sabourin, claimed by the Flames six picks behind Sutter, same year, same round, received $301,000 in average NHL salary, $40,000 for the minors and $200,000 for a signing bonus.
ON CALL: When Oiler backup Bill Ranford suffered a badly bruised big toe in the first period on Tuesday night, the call went out for 46-year-old Floyd Whitney, father of Florida sniper and former Oiler stickboy Ray, to suit up in case of emergency.
So Floyd, a city cop, sat in full battle gear in the Edmonton dressing room, praying nothing would happen to starter Tommy Salo. Whitney was given No. 45, prompting Oiler PR man Bryn Griffiths to ask if that signified his draft year.
"I would've loved to have played him," joked Oiler coach Kevin Lowe. "But I didn't want to rub it in (Edmonton was in complete control of Washington at the time).
"Floyd has improved a lot in the last 15 years."
THUMBS DOWN! One of GM Glen Sather's off-the-wall attempts to loosen the Oil up went awry when he suggested tough guy Georges Laraque lace up the gloves with Canadian kick-boxing champ Daryl Duke, who also is a conditioning consultant with the team.
Laraque suffered a scratch-ed cornea in the playful bout, missed the Washington game and is questionable for tonight.
BIG CHANCE: With captain Doug Weight on the mend, Oilers centre Jim Dowd has landed himself a great gig between Ryan Smyth and Alex Selivanov on Edmonton's No. 1 line.
Throughout his NHL career, Dowd has seen action on top units and checking lines, and rotating in and out of the lineup.
"With Smitty and Seli, you give and go, move the puck and you're going to get chances," said Dowd, who has two goals in the last two games. "I know Ryan's going to go up and down the wing and go to the net and work hard in the corners and Seli's a great scorers."
-- with files from, Sun Media
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