Top scoring winger suffers charley horse against Greyhounds
Jan 29, 2008 - 03:00 PM
By Shawn Cayley
OSHAWA -- The term day-to-day is getting tossed around the General Motors Centre on a regular basis lately.
First it pertained to injured goalie Michal Neuvirth, then the pending suspension of James DeLory and now Brett MacLean owns the label after suffering a charley horse in a 4-1 loss to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Saturday.
According to Oshawa general manager and coach Brad Selwood, MacLean suffered the injury early in the second period in a one-on-one battle with a Greyhounds defenceman, which ended his night immediately. However, the hope is after a few days of rest, the league's leading scorer will be fine.
"He is day-to-day. He didn't practice yesterday," Selwood said on Tuesday. "It's a reasonably deep bruise in his thigh, a charley horse I guess is the proper term. Hopefully it remains day-to-day and hopefully he comes around. Those things can be nasty if they aren't looked after."
In addition to the injury, or perhaps due to it, MacLean's 32-game point scoring streak ended. Saturday marked the first time since Oct. 28, coincidentally against the same Greyhounds, that MacLean had gone without a point.
In that span, the second round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes posted spectacular 41-37-78 totals.
MacLean's injury is just the latest in what has been a long list of Generals in and out of sick bay. Jeff Hayes, who took a shot off the foot a week ago in Belleville remains out, while Dale Mitchell just returned after nursing a hip ailment. Meanwhile Neuvirth, out since Jan. 13 with a hamstring injury, is getting closer to a return, says Selwood.
"He practiced (Monday) and I think it's more fatigue in that area that we're concerned about," he said. "I think the injury is relatively healed but now it's his conditioning. (Trainer) Bryan (Boyes) told him once he got on the ice (Monday) to do the skating, if he felt anything, anything at all, quit. He felt fine apparently. I think he is getting to a point where he is close to playing."
Selwood stopped short of saying he might play this week, however.
For now, Shea Cooper remains with the team as backup to Daryl Borden who just returned from the infirmary after battling a concussion.
Not only has the injury situation left the Generals short on bodies, recent suspensions to DeLory, Tyler Taylor, assistant coach Sean Murphy and Selwood stemming from a Jan. 20 incident with Sarnia, have also hit the team.
Murphy has served his two games as has Taylor. DeLory, meanwhile has five of eight remaining, and Selwood, who was relieved DeLory avoided a double digit ban, will be on the sidelines for three starting with Thursday's home ice affair with the Kingston Frontenacs.
Though he admitted to being "pleasantly surprised" with the length of DeLory's suspension, the fact he has been barred for three didn't sit well.
"I was obviously not pleased with James's end of it," Selwood began, before adding, "you don't like anybody using the stick ever. Getting eight games was less than I thought and mine I was surprised with that. I still don't believe I deserved any. But I understand it."
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