Gazdic rewarded for playing his role
There was a nice bag wrapped around Luke Gazdic’s mighty right hand, which he used to deck Patrick Bordeleau in the Edmonton Oilers’ 8-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.
That was only part of his story on Thursday night.
After the rookie put the finishing touches on his eighth NHL fight, he found himself back on the ice for the final shift of the game — a power play, no less.
He got in front of Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov, took a shot in the back from defenceman Andre Benoit, then joined the celebration after Taylor Hall scored his hat-trick goal at 19:49 of the third period.
“I was pretty shocked when (head coach Dallas Eakins) told me I was going out, but the guys loved it and it was a nice gesture, for sure, because there are not going to be too many times during the year where I’m going to get opportunities like that,” Gazdic said. “Definitely pretty cool to be out there.”
Gazdic, who brought 240 pounds of willingness to the Oilers when he was claimed off waivers from the Dallas Stars just before the season started, played four minutes and 35 seconds on Thursday, but he impressed his teammates and the fans, with his third-period fight with Bordeleau, a six-foot-six enforcer who seldom loses a bout.
The two fought three times in the minors, but this was definitely Gazdic’s moment.
“He’s a big guy and he throws hard. I wasn’t even really looking for it, but stuff like that happens and I had to take care of it,” said Gazdic, who will be back in the lineup for Saturday’s 8 p.m. game with the Calgary Flames at Rexall Place.
Gazdic fought Flames tough guy Brian McGrattan on Nov.16 in a 4-2 win that started a 6-3 run by the Oilers.
“I’m still trying to find my feet here with a new team and I do want to earn the respect of my teammates,” Gazdic said. “I want to create a sense for the young players that we’re not going to be pushed around, that they can feel more comfortable on the ice, even if there is a guy who is six-footsix on the other side.”
Gazdic has eight fights in 23 games this season, trailing only Derek Dorsett of the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks’ Tom Sestito, who each had nine fights before Friday night.
He dropped his gloves with Bordeleau after the Avs player charged Ryan Jones, earning high praise from Eakins, who has repeatedly said he wants the Oilers to stick up for each other. But Eakins doesn’t expect all of his players to respond with Gazdic’s gusto.
“I have a lot of respect for Patrick Bordeleau,” Eakins said. “I coached against that kid in the American (Hockey) League and I have never, ever seen him lose a fight. He’s as tough as they come. And he’s improved so much as a player ...so Luke coming into let him know that we weren’t going to take that kind of stuff was excellent. Then he came out on top in that fight.
“We want to stick up for each other,” he continued, “and it’s not always a fight. Sometimes it’s a push or a shove or some type of verbal response, but that’s what we need.”
“Oh my God,” said David Perron, who scored his teamleading 12th goal in the win. “I didn’t see the hit, but it was a penalty and, obviously, Gadzie is going to respond. It’s almost like you had to feel bad for (Bordeleau).”
OIL DROPS: Ryan Smyth made his mark with three key assists against the Avalanche. It was his second three-point game this campaign and the first time since 2009-10 that he’s had two three-point games in a season. “For an old man, he’s pretty good,” said Perron ... Eakins said defenceman Jeff Petry will be back in the lineup Saturday. Either Martin Marincin, who played his first NHL game Thursday, or Corey Potter will come out of the lineup.