The Edmonton Oilers made a special gesture before starting the Colby Cave Memorial Fund Scrimmage Saturday afternoon.
The team gathered in the corner of the rink and saluted Colby’s wife, Emily, who was watching from a suite in the Downtown Community Arena.
“It was a tremendous honour for all of us. It was a great idea from the organization do that to honour Colby,” said winger Cooper Marody, who in June wrote and recorded a song remembering Colby. “It meant a lot to all of us, and just saluting Emily and her family and letting her know that we’re playing for Colb, we’re playing for her.
“We’re so motivated and excited to get going, and his legacy is living on.”
“Colby was a great friend to everyone, just a good person. A really lively person. He’s missed around the dressing room,” head coach Dave Tippett said. “The guys were very, very respectful, and rightly so.”
The players all wore #12, which was Cave’s number. At a later date, the jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the Colby Cave Memorial Fund.
The game featured Team Orange, lead by Connor McDavid, knocking off Leon Draisaitl’s Team White 5-2. Philip Broberg, Matt Benning, James Neal, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Tyler Benson scored for Orange. Draisaitl and Tyler Ennis scored for White. Mikko Koskinen got the win in goal while Mike Smith took the loss.
Darnell Nurse didn’t play but Tippett said he should be good for the next practice. There was no update on Riley Sheahan, who left the scrimmage in the first period.
The Oilers will move into the bubble on Sunday as they prepare for their qualifying round series against Chicago.
“Before the pause, we were a good hockey team. We were well on our way to making the playoffs,” said winger Zack Kassian. “We have a good, solid team. Guys with roles, and that’s what you need to move up the standings and ultimately win the Stanley Cup.”
The Blackhawks will have goalie Corey Crawford available. He announced Saturday that he’d missed most of training camp after testing positive for COVID-19.
“He’s a good goalie. He’s won a Cup. They have a lot of older guys that have won,” said Kassian.
“I never, ever thought they would play without him,” said Tippett. “It doesn’t change my thought at all. I thought all along he would be there.”
The Oilers will play the Calgary Flames in an exhibition game on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. Coverage on 630 CHED starts with the Face-off Show at 6 p.m.
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