Oilers Win as Weight Returns

The Edmonton Oilers celebrated center Doug Weight’s return to the ice with a 4-1 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night at Edmonton, Canada.

Weight had missed 34 games since undergoing arthroscopic surgery for a torn ligament in his right knee Nov. 3. He was injured Oct. 28 against the Washington Capitals.

Rem Murray opened the scoring for the Oilers at 3:27 of the second when his shot deflected off a Detroit defenseman and past goaltender Chris Osgood. Boyd Devereaux put the Oilers ahead, 2-1, at 9:01 when he beat Osgood up close. Ryan Smyth backhanded in his own rebound at 13:21 and Pat Falloon also scored late in the second.

Weight took a regular shift on a line with Smyth and right wing Bill Guerin. Weight also played on the power play.

Phoenix 1, Chicago 1--Defenseman Brad Brown’s first NHL goal with 9:58 left in the third period gave the Blackhawks the tie at Chicago.

Brown, 23, acquired as part of a multi-player trade with Montreal Nov. 16, had gone 37 games without a goal.

Brown converted a deflection from the edge of the crease. “I pictured my first goal as a slap shot off three skates as everyone backed into the net,” he said.

Brown’s goal spoiled a bid by Coyote goaltender Jimmy Waite to earn his second shutout of the season and first ever against his old teammates. Waite spent eight of his first nine years as a pro in the Blackhawk organization.

Daniel Briere scored the Coyote goal on a second-period power play, beating goaltender Jocelyn Thibault.

The Coyotes are 2-1-1 in their last four games after a four-game winless streak.

The Blackhawks are 1-5-3 in their last nine.