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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

‘Other’ Russian Puts On Show Oksiuta Scores Twice In Canucks Win Over Sharks

Dan Weaver Staff Writer

The storybook possibilities of the inaugural event came down to a Roman conquest.

The Vancouver Canucks’ 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks in the first event in Veterans Memorial Arena was decided not by the boys who were back in town but by Roman Oksiuta.

The other Russian.

While Vancouver’s superstar from Moscow, Pavel Bure, had his showy and productive moments it was the steady Russian from Murmansk - Oksiuta - who erased a 1-0 San Jose lead in the second period of the National Hockey League exhibition opener for both clubs.

Oksiuta had two goals and assisted on a third.

“I just go to the net,” Oksiuta said. “The coach tell me every time, go to the net.”

The Sharks went to the net first, taking a 1-0 lead 8:02 into the game when Jan Caloun took a pass from Viktor Kozlov, drew back as if to launch the slap shot and held up.

Caloun carried the puck to the net for a snap shot from about eight feet away.

The goal came after a near-miss by former Spokane Chiefs star Ray Whitney, who may remember the night for what might have been.

Whitney and Pat Falloon were greeted with a long ovation from the sellout crowd of more than 10,000, many of whom were hoping to see the San Jose twosome recreate the magic they performed here as juniors.

They skated around the rink under the spotlights after a short video clip reminded Spokane fans of what they had done as Spokane Chiefs, done to music including The Boys Are back In Town.

Whitney proceeded to hit the far post with the first of three scoring opportunities.

Nine minutes later he had Vancouver’s Kay Whitmore one-on-one on a breakaway, but Whitney’s shot was gloved by the Canucks goaltender,

In position again, Whitney whacked away from the doorstep but Whitmore was there to deny him a third time.

Center Cliff Ronning assisted on all three Vancouver goals including an empty-netter by Bure inside the final minute.

Vancouver out-shot the Sharks 37-29. San Jose goaltender Larry Dyck had 34 saves. Vancouver coach Rick Ley started Whitmore and relieved him with Corey Hirsch, Whitmore recording 16 saves, Hirsch a dozen.

San Jose coach Kevin Constantine, who’ll bring the Sharks back for exhibition games in each of the next two years, saw some things he liked.

“We’re trying to improve ourselves offensively,” he said. “We’ve been a team that has not over the last couple of years not taken a lot of shots. We got a lot of shots on net tonight.”

Dyck, one of four goaltenders fighting for a job in San Jose, did nothing to hurt his chances.

“We had great goaltending from Larry,” Constantine said.

“Winning is important all the time. We’ve spent two hard years working to become a winning team. In that respect we’re disappointed. At the same time the spirit on the bench was consistent all night.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo