Oilers' Horcoff out with shoulder injury
Defensive centre could miss up to 2 weeks for struggling club
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 9:30 PM ET
By Doug Harrison, CBC Sports
Centre Shawn Horcoff leads Oilers forwards in average ice time per game and is second to Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby in faceoffs taken this season. (Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)Struggling to score goals, the Edmonton Oilers will be without one of their top defensive forwards for Thursday night's visit by the New York Rangers.
Centre Shawn Horcoff could miss up to two weeks with a shoulder injury sustained after taking a hit by New York Islanders defenceman Andy Sutton in Monday's 3-1 loss.
"It just needs to be rested and it will heal sooner rather than later, but it's going to take a little bit," Horcoff told reporters on Wednesday.
Horcoff's ailment, which reportedly isn't related to the rotator cuff surgery he had two seasons ago, adds to growing list of Oilers either injury or battling the flu.
As a result, there has been little offensive punch of late. During its 1-5 skid, Edmonton has scored just three goals and been shut out three times.
Horcoff had only one point in his previous 10 outings and is 10th in Oilers scoring with five points (two goals, three assists) in 15 games.
But the 31-year-old leads Edmonton forwards in average ice time per game (19 minutes 43 seconds) and is second to Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby in faceoffs taken (311).
"He's obviously a key part of this team," said centre Mike Comrie of Horcoff. "He plays so hard at both ends of the ice."
Sam Gagner, who is third in team scoring with 10 points, will move up to the No. 1 forward line alongside Oilers leading scorer Dustin Penner (19 points) and Ales Hemsky.
"It's a good chance for players here to show each other what kind of character you have," said defenceman Steve Staios, who remains on injured reserve with concussion-like symptoms.
Defenceman Ladislav Smid missed Wednesday's workout with flu-like symptoms.
Edmonton (7-7-1) is fourth in the Northwest Division, seven points behind first-place Colorado (10-3-2).
After Thursday's contest, the Oilers hit the road for five games, starting Sunday in Denver.
