Oilers beg fans to calm down

Edmonton Oilers tough guy Georges Laraque says he's saddened that a handful of hooligans are soiling the reputation of some of the world's best fans.
And he hopes the escalating post-game havoc on Whyte Avenue stops before it reaches a full-scale riot.
"It's sad to see some of the incidents that happened," Laraque told Sun Media yesterday. "I hope it won't come to the point that it will ruin everybody's celebration."
The latest spate of hooliganism late Saturday night and early Sunday morning, which included bonfires, smashed telephone booths, flying beer bottles and broken windows along Whyte has garnered nationwide media attention.

Laraque says he's been doing his best to ignore the media reports because he finds them depressing during a time that should be sheer jubilation for the city.
The team's enforcer also believes the thugs behind the Old Strathcona mayhem aren't hockey fans.
It's people who are caught up in the moment and they want to cause trouble," he said, adding he still thinks the Oilers have the best fan base in pro hockey.
"I love the fans. I think we have the best fans in the world."
The Oilers are planning a series of public service announcements asking Edmontonians to behave themselves during their final run for the Stanley Cup.
Team president president Patrick LaForge said the Oil will work with the city and the Edmonton Police Service to produce print, radio and television spots calling on hockey hooligans to lay off.
"They don't represent our ethics or our morals or our pride in the city," said LaForge.
"I think they're using the Oilers' celebration of success to let their crazy demons out."
The city's mayor, police chief and probably a couple of Oilers will ask rowdies to stay at home for the remainder of the Stanley Cup run.
Forward Ryan Smyth told reporters Sunday: "Obviously we would like everybody to be safe and have fun, but be responsible too."
Oilers legend Al Hamilton, who retired in 1980, said the events on Whyte are overshadowing the teams accomplishments.
"It'd be nice if everybody just walked away from the whole thing (on Whyte) and didn't have the big celebration there, but that's not likely to happen," said Hamilton, 59.