Sports: Slap shots

Slap shots

By Compiled by DAMIAN CRISTODERO

WHAT PENALTY?: Former Lighting forward Brantt Myhres, who has hit the century mark in penalties three of his four seasons in the league, has some fond penalty box memories.

"The strangest thing that happened to me was when I was with Tampa Bay," he said. "A girl, who I think was there with her boyfriend, somehow managed to hand a bra over the glass, and it had her phone number written on the inside.

"I just started giggling, and I was hoping the coach didn't see my giggling. But (the bra) stayed right there in the box."

Wonder what the next guy in there thought.

THOUGHT PROCESS: When Ron Low turned down Glen Sather's offer to coach the Oilers in 1999, he questioned if he made the right decision.

"You question yourself, but you don't do it too long," he said. "You might find out you're an idiot."

Apparently not. The Oilers job paid $450,000. Sather hired Low to coach the Rangers this season for $800,000.

REVENGE: Mike Vernon's 3-0 victory over the Wild on Wednesday was sweet for a couple of reasons. The Flames goaltender has struggled this season, and he was able to get off a shot at the team that picked him in the expansion draft and then shipped him to Calgary in trade.

"It might have been less than 15 minutes," Vernon said of how long he was a member of the Wild. "They didn't even have the courtesy to give me a jersey or ask what number I wanted. That's gratitude for you."

HARD HEAD: Edmonton's Igor Ulanov is one tough dude. The former Lightning defenseman took a shot in the throat against the Blue Jackets on Sunday but still managed a jab at the doctors who were huffing and puffing as they rushed him to the dressing room.

"You guys ever thought of getting on an exercise bike?" Ulanov joked.

Against the Rangers on Tuesday, Ulanov needed 30 stitches after taking a slap shot in the face. He chastised doctors for not getting him back on the ice faster than they did.

OUTSIDE VIEW: After the Wild's team charter flight returned home after Tuesday night's game against the Avalanche, coach Jacques Lemaire watched television into the wee hours to see who won the presidential election.

Lemaire isn't a U.S. citizen but found the drama compelling.

"I didn't know it would turn out the way it has, but I'm not surprised," Lemaire said. "I think what this says is that neither candidate grabbed the country and that there isn't one issue in particular that has grabbed the attention of the country. I think it means the country isn't behind either one."