Rookie glory in Chi City

 (from NHL.com) The book on NHL rookies is they tend to wear down as the season goes on and the adrenaline rush of dangling in The Show and cashing pay cheques they can buy Corvettes with every two weeks subsides. That’s a bogus tome when it comes to Edmonton Oilers greenhorns Andrew Cogliano and Sam Gagner—they’re having too much of a gas showing the old guys how it’s done to go by the book. Both were at their exuberant best again in the Windy City as Cogliano scored two goals, including the overtime winner, and Gagner added two assists in a 6–5 decision over the Chicago Blackhawks. Cogliano’s OT goal at the United Center was his fourth-game winner of the season and his second straight—he beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 2–1 in OT Friday. Nod off if you must, grandpa, let the kids play. "We’re just having fun," Cogliano said. "We enjoy playing with each other and we’re just laughing every time we’re on the bench. We’re having a good time out there." Cogliano, 20, and Gagner, 18, have not only endured the grind of their first 82-game schedule, they’ve excelled. In fact, they’ve been at their best in the 16 games since No. 1 centre Shawn Horcoff went down with season-ending shoulder surgery. Cogliano’s scored 6-7-13 in that stretch and Gagner, who set up Cogliano’s first goal in Chicago, has scored 3-13-16. Cogliano now sits with 15-22-37, while Gagner is rolling along with 7-30-37. They’re tied for fifth in scoring among NHL rookies. MAGIC BY ANY NAME Coach Craig MacTavish has taken to calling Robert Nilsson "Bobby" of late, but he can call him Alice for all fans care the way the son of Kent (Magic Man) Nilsson has been playing. Nilsson, who had his backside stapled to the pine and sent to the minors earlier this season, hasn’t let Cogliano and Gagner hog the spotlight. Nilsson had a goal and an assist against the Blackhawks and has 3-8-11 since Horcoff got clipped. He’s got a seven-game points streak on the go. IT SAYS HERE… Mathieu Garon looked ordinary in his 15th straight start, but he also had to fight off the effects of having Matt Greene suffer a brain cramp and dump 250-pound Chicago forward Dustin Byfuglien on top of him in the second period… Marty Reasoner looked more like Marty McSorley than Joe Sakic when he took a high-sticking penalty for raking Patrick Kane across the mug with his stick late in the second period to put the Oilers two men short for 1:39. —Listen to Robin Brownlee every Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m. on Total Sports with Bob Stauffer on Team 1260.