Don't look now but Geoff Paukovich is heating up for the Springfield Falcons, to bad the rest of the team isn't. Paukovich scored the birds only goal Sunday night as they lost 2-1 to Manchester. Springfield put up just 19 shots, including getting out shot 14-4 in the second period....they really are and Oilers cloned team aren't they? sounds an awful lot like the Columbus game on Thursday. Just like the Oil, the Falcons failed to get more than 10 shots per period. They've now lost 3 in a row and 4 of 5.
But as mentioned above, Geoff Paukovich's frozen hands are slowly starting to thaw, you might even say they're heating up. The former Denver Pioneer has 2 goals in 2 games and 3 in the past 5. This coming on the heels of a 1 goal in 31 game slump, hell that's almost a hibernation. Paukovich has the big body the Oilers so desperately need, at 6.04 and 215 pounds, his skating was much better at this year's training camp then the year before in Yellowknife and judging by how he drove to the net Sunday night for his shorthanded goal, his confidence is back.
Paukovich also fought Saturday night, and has almost 40 penalty minutes in 36 games this year. Next year is a big one for Paukovich as he'll be in the final year of his entry level contract. He hasn't had the smoothest career, with a few regretable hits from behind (Robbie Bina WCHA playoffs 2005, Kyle Greentree NHL rookie game 2009) but he has to play physical if he wants to remain with the Oilers.
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