Post by phoenix on Feb 11, 2004 10:32:16 GMT -5
After meeting with team doctors on Monday, Ossi Vaananen was cleared to play. Ossi had been doing some light skating last week and started full practices late last week. GM Mike Lewis was glad to have Vaananen back. "Even though Vaan is only 23 he brings so much to this hockey club on and off the ice. Clearly one of the bright future stars of this young organization. Vaan is a big a strong stay at home defensman. He is the anchor of our defensive core." Hopefully this is the spark the club needs in the final four games as they fight tooth and nail with Nashville and Columbus for the final two spots in the West. Columbus is the hottest of the 3 clubs right now and with a game at hand looks like a strong bet to make the cut. Phoenix has seen the playoff position slip away from them as the season wore on. Phoenix were in the top eight for the majority of the season only to slip towards the end. With only two points seperating Nashville and Phoenix, GM Mike Lewis expects it to go down to the final game of the season. There is still no word on Brian Savage's return. Savage was the Coyotes leading goal scorer before he went out with a facial injury that sidelined him this last month. Doctors say that it is doubtful that he will return in the regular season. "It has been a real test for us down the stretch. We have had one of the toughest finishing schedules in the BRHL and we lost our top forward and our top Dman for a month. But long odds is nothing new for us, we take these sort of challenges in full stride here in Phoenix." GM Mike Lewis remarks. Just as Lewis was leaving the press conference he made these closing statements: "Brain will be ready to play for us when we make it into the playoffs."