Gotta See It: Oilers’ Smyth slashes Principe

Ryan Smyth's year-long assault on the tender rears of Gene Principe and Mark Spector has them resorting to wearing hockey pants during pre-game chats. But is it enough to stop him?

Who says a last-place team can’t have any fun?

Ryan Smyth, the wily Edmonton Oilers veteran, has a tradition.

The 38-year-old is always last off the ice following the Oilers’ pre-game warmup, and as he passes Edmonton-based Sportsnet reporters Gene Principe and Mark Spector, he gives one or both of them a slash in the hallway before retreating to the dressing room.

For the Oilers’ final home stand of the season, which began with a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday, Principe and Spector prepared for the pain by wearing hockey pants.

Still, it doesn’t prevent Smyth from delivering a nice two-hander to the back of Principe’s thighs. Twice. Nearly knocks the poor guy’s Jheri curl off:

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