Hab fans cheer Youppi!

PUCK NOTES Expos mascot takes to the ice in hockey debut Avs could get Hejduk back by this weekend

Just like old times in Montreal, Youppi! was there to high- five Andre Dawson and Gary Carter amid the wild cheers of a sellout crowd.

Sadly, for fans of the city’s late and lamented baseball team, last night he was standing on skates at centre ice at the Bell Centre — not outside the Olympic Stadium dugout — and all three were wearing Montreal Canadiens jerseys. Dawson and Carter, two of the greatest players in the Expos’ 36- year history, were on hand as guests of the Canadiens for a ceremony honoring the four numbers retired by the National League team, which moved to Washington, D. C. last season.

“ You really hate to see the city lose its franchise because it’s going to be very tough to get it again. But to see the banner hanging and know that the fans will always remember, not the names, necessarily, but the support that was here and how it was successful for a long time.’’

Youppi!, the Expos’ fuzzy orange mascot since 1979, did not move with the team. With the arena’s lights dimmed, the video scoreboard showed Canadiens defenceman Sheldon Souray looking into the camera in the team’s dressing room and offering encouragement to an unknown, who was obviously making his debut.

Cheers filled the rink as the familiar mascot’s image was seen wearing a Canadiens uniform and grabbing a toy stick and oversized puck before racing onto the ice to the approval of the audience. HEJDUK ON MEND:

Star winger Milan Hejduk, out since training camp after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, could be back in the Colorado Avalanche lineup Friday in Edmonton.

“ It feels all right,” Hejduk told the Rocky Mountain News. ‘‘ They thought it was going to be four or five weeks, and it looks like that’s what it’s going to be. It’s not much fun watching the games in the locker- room, working out and watching TV. It would be better to be out there.’’ OSGOOD GETS REHAB STINT: Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood was sent to the minors yesterday for conditioning after missing the start of the season with a groin injury. Osgood joined the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins for a twogame road trip in Texas.

Detroit signed Osgood in August to a $ 900,000 ( U. S.) contract to compete with Manny Legace. Without him, the Red Wings are left with Legace and rookie Jimmy Howard. ANOTHER W FOR LARRY:

Last night’s 4- 3 win over the visiting Florida Panthers was coach Larry Robinson’s 107th with the New Jersey Devils, passing Pat Burns for second place on the club’s all- time list.

Jacques Lemaire leads with 233.