Sports: Hockey: Canadiens' Hal "Skillsie" Gill goal-scoring nites

Montreal Gazette (Mar7,2k11)

Montreal Canadiens' Hal Gill (2nd L) celebrates 

his first period goal against the Lightning (aka 

The Bolts) here with teammates 

Tomas Plekanec, Brian Gionta and P.K. Subban in an NHL hockey game in 

Tampa, Fla.   Photograph by: Mike Carlson, Reuters

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Canadiens+rearguard+Gill+takes+ribbing+scoring+touch/4398504/story.html#ixzz1FzBfha95


MONTREAL - On average, over his career, Canadiens defenceman Hal Gill has scored one goal every 28 games. It’s for this reason, and perhaps others, that his teammates razz him with the nickname Skillsie.


So, who would have guessed the handle was for real?





Earlier Canadiens game - Mar5,2k11 - Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos (R) hooks Montreal Canadiens' Brian Gionta during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Tampa, Florida . Photograph by: REUTERS/Mike Carlson

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Habs+Lightning/4390813/story.html#ixzz1FzEFZ1vC




Big Hal is on fire, comparatively wallet-sized David Desharnais the only other Canadien to enter Tuesday night’s game against the Boston Bruins also riding a two-game scoring streak.


If Gill’s been playing offensive possum all this time, he’s just been revealed as the world’s largest, sharpest-shooting marsupial.


On Monday, following practice in Brossard, Gill was scrummed by reporters who wanted to talk not about his strong defence, but rather his offensive output that helped lift the Canadiens to a pair of victories in Sunrise and Tampa, Fla.


He grinned, looked a little sheepish, raised his hands in a “what should I say?” gesture – and proceeded not to give himself the credit he deserved.


“You try to get a shot through, you shoot for a tip, you try to get it to the net and sometimes it goes in. What are you going to do?” Gill said, shrugging playfully.


The last time he scored in two consecutive games was Oct. 21 and 24, 2002, against Toronto and Ottawa as a member of the Bruins.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Canadiens+rearguard+Gill+takes+ribbing+scoring+touch/4398504/story.html#ixzz1FzBL52TW

-- Gazette materials posted by Sportikos