Oilers Clinch Playoff Spot, but Banham Gets Cheers

When Mighty Duck rookie Frank Banham raced around Kelly Buchberger and flipped the puck behind goalie Curtis Joseph midway through the third period Wednesday, the Edmonton Coliseum erupted.

Amazing how much noise the residents of Calahoo, Canada, can make when one of their own scores.

So there are only 150 of them, but you can bet all of them will now brag about how they witnessed Banham’s goal in the Ducks’ 5-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

What’s more, Edmonton clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the victory--which thrilled the rest of the sellout crowd of 17,099.

Banham later said he saw familiar faces each time he glanced into the stands. Family, friends and neighbors made the 10-mile drive south from Calahoo to see him play his first game at the Edmonton Coliseum.

One face was missing, though.

Jeff McGeough, Banham’s best friend since childhood, died in an auto accident several weeks ago.

“He was supposed to meet me here tonight,” said Banham, 21. “It was his birthday [Tuesday], so it was pretty emotional. He never saw the game, but I guess he was here with me tonight.

“We used to talk every few days on the phone. When I was in Cincinnati [in the minors] earlier this year, he said, ‘Don’t worry. You’ll be in the NHL at the end of the season.’ ”

Bittersweet though Wednesday’s game was, Banham said merely playing in the Edmonton Coliseum was a dream come true.

“I watched the Oilers during their dynasty,” he said of Edmonton’s five Stanley Cup championship teams between 1984 and 1990. “I grew up wanting to play here, if not for the Oilers then for the Mighty Ducks. It’s always been my dream to play in this building.”

His goal was an added bonus.

“This was what I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” he said. “It’s nice I’m scoring a few goals here and there.”

Wednesday’s goal was his eighth since being recalled from the minors last month. He also scored the game-tying goal in Monday’s 2-2 tie against the Colorado Avalanche.

“We have a lot of people who have gone into the lineup and given us life,” said Coach Pierre Page, whose lineup did not include injured forwards Steve Rucchin and Teemu Selanne for the second consecutive game. “We’ve told the players, ‘Show us who you are and make us remember you at training camp [next September].’

“Jack [Ferreira, Duck general manager] kept telling us Banham is going to do well. He’s just got the knack for scoring around the net. You don’t score 80 goals in junior without having something extra.”

That’s 83 goals to be precise and Banham accomplished it while playing for Saskatoon of the junior-level Western Hockey League in 1995-96. A number of groin and abdominal injuries slowed Banham’s professional progress--until now, at least.

Goals by rookies Banham, Matt Cullen and Josef Marha gave Page some hope.

“Usually, you don’t dwell on those things when you don’t win,” Page said. “[But] there are a lot of things you can get excited about. Then there are all these penalties. Why?”

The Oilers converted on three of nine power-play opportunities, scoring twice in the pivotal first 2:12 of the third period. Goals by Scott Fraser and Bill Guerin broke a 2-2 tie and propelled the Oilers to only their second victory over the Ducks in 12 games.