AVALANCHE AT OILERS, G5 (12-13) 28.1.13
Woodguy mentioned something yesterday about coach Ralph Krueger devoting a high percentage of even strength ice time to the Oilers top line. He posted in response to my assertion that Ralph Krueger might be best served by moving Taylor Hall to the Gagner line and Yakopov to the Nuge line–thus creating a ‘tough minutes’ line and a soft parade line in Gagner (Hall-Hemsky) and RNH (Yak-Ebs) respectively.
WG takes it from here: RK’s 5v5 TOI/gm is why I don’t think moving Hall pays dividends.
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 16:28:00; Taylor Hall 16:20:00; Jordan Eberle 16:02:00
- Sam Gagner 13:04:00; Ales Hemsky 12:49:00; Nail Yakupov 11:52:00
- Ryan Smyth 08:20:00; Shawn Horcoff 08:07:00; Magnus Paajarvi 08:05:00
If you move Hall and have 10′s line do heavy lifting then the TOI needs to flatten out considerably. That’s not RK’s plan. His plan is to play his top two lines hard in most situations, with 89′s line getting the shitty end of the stick.
–
All the graphs we looked at yesterday confirm the bolded portion, and a quick look through the EV TOI at NHL.com also confirms WG’s point:
- Nuge-Hall-Eberle average 16:17 EV ice-time per game (37.86%)
- Gagner-Yakupov-Hemsky average 12:15 EV ice time per game (28.25%)
- Horcoff-Smyth-Paajarvi average 8 EV ice-time per game (18.6%)
- 4th line and extra’s (15.29%)
Going back to 1997-98, no Oiler forward averaged 16 EV minutes per night, let alone an entire line. Now its early in the season and Ralph Krueger will likely flip lines around (has already tweaked 3 and 4lines) countless times during the year. Still, Woodguy’s point is well taken: this team’s even performance rests on the 6 forwards at the top of the order. Imagine Ryan Smyth batting 7th.
–
- Horcoff: “We still aren’t learning. It’s a mindset, it is patience, and that comes from experience. We’re young, we’re inexperienced, and we’re showing it at the start of games. We’re not patient, especially on the road. We wanted to make plays and win the game in the first 10 minutes, and that’s not the way it works.”
I think that’s a great quote. Most of the things hockey players say aren’t really valuable–I’m not trying to be a smartass here, but its true–I’ll love Ryan Smyth as a hockey player until I die, but his interviews are the same ones that I heard Gretzky and Fuhr give and before them Keon and Orr and Mahovlich. “We gotta get pucks in deep” would be a great name for a book of cliche hockey quotes, but I can’t imagine any hockey fan would buy it.
We hear it every night.
Horcoff’s quote (courtesy Joanne Ireland at the EJ) is a step above that imo, he’s giving some insight into this young team. Anyway, we could go the whole year without hearing another quote that has some value so I wanted to point it out.
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Interesting item came up last night on twitter. The Oilers have 4 EV goals, and Taylor Hall is 1-3-4 at evens! Incredible.
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Shawn Horcoff went missing for about 10 minutes in the third period, it’ll be interesting to see if we read about why this morning.
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All of these teams are basically tied for first and only one of the has an even GF-GA (tonight’s opponent). Varlamov has a .927SP, Matt Duchene is 4, 2-2-4 and PA Parenteau and John Mitchell have a couple of goals each. Gabriel Landeskog has no goals, but 17 shots, so tonight might feature a breakout for the young gun.
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I won’t post lineups because there could be a tweak or two–please post if you see them. Thanks!
Yeah, that’s the problem. It makes sense almost if you’re thinking of even a 2012 Smyth. This year’s 10 / 94 is where offense goes to die sadly and putting Yak on that line… well it would be hard to call that putting him in a position to succeed.
I had espoused that line as an idea myself, but honestly I’m thinking of 10/94 from years gone bye.
link? anyone? can’t find it on justintv
Awful first shift by 64
What a brutal first shift by the 89 line
There is a huge difference between 5v4 and 6v5. The number of bodies clogging the net, the added pressure and responsibility. 2 more bodies is quite a bit on the small ice.
Oh lord, what a beautiful zone entry by Hall. He victimizes lone defencemen so often.
A couple of horrible passes by Yak but the Nuge line was on fire first shift.
Nick Schultz has not looked good this season. Average at times, but making poor decisions under pressure. J. Schultz looks better on that pairing.
Who cares about the game? It’s just shocking to watch the internet feed and the Av’s PROFESSIONAL BROADCAST.
Compared to the Oilers with their second hand bought from Hooterville Media War Room.
Beauty pass up the ice by Ryan Whitney. Shades of Chris Pronger and the former Ryan Whitney.
Of all the things that we knew or suspected would be weaknesses this season, I never EVER thought passing would be one of them.
Oil need to make shorter passes on the PP. Better support to get it out of the zone.
That PP made me thirsty.
Oilers wasted that PP, very disappointing. Now the Nuge line with another golden chance.
hunter1909,
whats the feed?
Working link:
http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/165964/2/watch-edmonton-oilers-vs-colorado-avalanche.html
That pp has to get way simpler until they start having more success. Get puck to middle, shot, traffic, retrieve puck. Repeat.
Oilers are a like Tiger tank – with training wheels.
Avs look too cocky.
Hah! Harski won a faceoff nice and clean.
Very nice sequence there by Hartikainen and Paajarvi.
#56 looks good.
well at least they seem to be shooting more.
Hartikainen whirling like a Dervish.
He’s a beauty. Missed that effort on Saturday.
I like that when there is something to work on, it seems like the coaching staff has addressed by the next game. There haven’t been any Mona Lisas so far, but it s encouraging that Krueger seems to address problems quickly.
Yeah the Pajaarvi line looked a lot like the top six setting up.
Even better news tonight: Dubnyk’s awake.
Something I’ve been wondering for a while: Oilers site game stats shows Varmalov with 2 seconds more ice time in the game thus far than Dubnyk. This is a very frequent thing during games, I’ve noticed: TOI frequently does not match between goalies, though they generally both show as 60 mins by some point after the game, if not when when final buzzer sounds (sometimes as much as a 15 second difference before it is ‘corrected’ at some point post-game).
Anyone have any idea how/why this happens? Is there a reason for it, or is it just a result of two different timekeepers being not quite in sync?
So far the 4th line has drawn a penalty and kept COL in their own zone on their other shift. Maybe ice time will be tough to find for Eager and Hordichuk once Jones is back?
you can tell there’s a concerted effort not to turn over the puck so much in the neutral zone.
lots of wheeling around in the d-zone until the path to the o-zone is obvious.
sort of tripped up the PP though, since any kind of fore-check prompted a turn.
Magnus laying the body!
And Harski dangerous.
God I love this line.
speeds,
Jones in for Petrell. Hard to send MPS or Harti down if they play like this for a few games.
on delayed penalty calls, Goalies go to the bench until the other team touches the puck.
time on the bench doesn’t count toward TOI.
Harti can stay up all season if he keeps playing like this.
Man, that 4 line is rocking. Move 54 up to one of the top 2 lines rfn to create some space for the skill kids
Yes, absolutely. The Ryans are crazy good together.
Did Petrell just dump it in with a delayed penalty call?!
he may be better than Hordichuk by a long shot, but you figure either Harti or PRV goes down when Jones gets better.
Smid looking good.
this team depends on him so much. as goes Smid, so goes the game.
striatic,
Ah, of course. Thanks, Striatic.
WOOO HEMMER! And Harski with the big body battle.
PS:
Eat it, Gagner haters.
Hemsky!
Quick: trade him right after the goal while his value is high!
striatic,
if Eager is on IR, they’ll have to decide on Peckham. Otherwise they will be forced t o send one of the nords down.
And finally a crash the crease goal
Harksi made that happen
I love Krueger. now Keep 56 on that Pp unit dammit
Hemsky (Hartikainen, Gagner)
Love that the first lead of the season is created by three of the most unjustly maligned players.
great PP.
more, please.
and Hartikainen, damn, i think i’m in love.
Really enjoy the 56, 64, 83 work there.
Belanger, Smyth and MPS looking dangerous. i guess at what point do we discuss Horcoff the 4th line captain
I can see… almost taste the Gagner and Hemsky hatred in every post we have here, but I’ve never seen much anti-Hartikainen talk.
Yakupov needs to calm down with his passing through the nuetral zone. We all know he has great hands, but when they’re breaking out of their own end he seems to just fire it in the general area of the forward ahead of him.
Best thing is I haven’t seen him once all game.
This night is going to be about Gagner, MPS, Hartski etc. The up and coming foot soldiers of the future dynasty, lol.
The whole game’s been like one big Oiler powerplay.
I’m lovin’ this “4th” line. Wow
Oilers just need to keep playing the same game and not sit back just because they have the lead.
seen that happen too many times in OKC.
currently taking advantage of a weakened team. normally other teams do this to the Oilers. feels weird to be on the other end.
Wow
that’s a decent shot.
the Harikainen, PRV duo was doing very well together in OKC, so no surprise to see them clicking right away. it isn’t a new combination.
yep. gonna drop his scoring. percentage down, but man he shoots more. He keeps the 11% up je’ll get 40 every year if he plays this much. eberle is a beauty
Eberle (Hall, Whitney).
The Whitney showcase–if that’s what it is–continues.
14, what a rocket
LT, if the Oilers keep scoring with the man advantage like this, your dream of a goonless squad may come true.
I can’t believe he gets teased about the velocity on it. Varlamov didn’t even react until it was in the net.
You can definitely tell that Eb’s reputation for being able to shoot high kept Varlamov on his feet. He couldn’t drop down and the five hole was open almost the whole time.
If Gagner was 6’3″ he wouldn’t have got that penalty. Think about it.
Hopefully that didn’t give Hemsky a concussion, looked like the only contact point was his head
It could just be that Krueger realizes that Whitney’s best weapon – his passing – is still there even if the rest of him isn’t. Whitney doesn’t have to be fast on the power play – not with those kids out there.
I wonder if we’ll see Whitney with Yakupov on the right side. I really doubt it. Krueger trusts Gagner but won’t trust a rookie.
The thing about Eberle is that he’s tracking beyond reasonable even when people are saying he’s coming down to earth. tonight, he is 6, 3-3-6 with two periods to play in a game that looks like an 80s Wednesday.
48 points in 48 games would be outstanding. Absolutely outstanding.
Not so bad on here (though there have been days…). Might be the Oilers Nation comment threads where the long knives come out. There was a lot of talk after game… 2 I think> That he was out of his depth and couldn’t keep up with the plays or make good decisions.
Hopefully Edmonton lets in a bad one early in the second so we can get back to teeth-gnashing though. We’re much better (and more experienced) with that…
5, 3-3-6. On pace for 60. In an 82 game season, it’d be 102-103 points.
Heh.
Yes. Bad hit on Hemsky and Schultz J took one too.
Lowetide,
Actually he’s over a ppg pace so…
I like seeing Yakupov out there, struggling lol.
If they awarded 3 points for a clear win, Kevin Lowe would brag about having a 100 point team.
Btw, no one enjoys ragging on Lowe, but everytime I see an old dynasty clip, he’s the one I always notice because wow what a defenceman.
BlacqueJacque,
You’re ruining our fearful irrational cynicism.
More pretty questionable officiating tonight. At least it seems to be going both ways.
According to tsn, Eberle entered the game 5, 2-3-5. A goal makes it point per game, no?
This is game 5.
TSN’s website has fallen far behind the times. NHL.com’s official stats page is fantastic.
If this game turns out to be anything more than an easy win, I’m going to be pissed.
Anyone watching the Avs feed? They’ve got Don Cherry’s replacement working that show.
Ah, gotcha. Never mind. (aging sucks).
The Oilers really do have an embarrassing amount of skill. They didn’t even play that well and have a 2 goal lead.
The kids are generating good chances 5×5, just nothing in the net yet.
Tell me about it.
I turned 34 recently. My generation is getting washed up. There’s a subtle sense of bitterness as I see the Smyths and Horcoffs of the NHL get replaced by the Halls and Nuges. =/ I’m excited, of course, but realize I’m within spitting distance of middle age (and judging by my aunts and uncles, my life is two-thirds over.)
I’d commit murder for 34. Just saying.
Oh, more news in Taylor vs Tyler – Tyler has his first goal and first multi-point game. Power play assist and a power play insurance goal.
Hahaha that just depresses me more, knowing it gets WORSE from there haha.
Youth is really wasted on the young. If I was 16 again… yikes.
I’m watching my son piss away days right now. I understand my Dad way better now, though.
Decent puck possession by Hartikainen. Seems lost though, or maybe the Oilers weren’t moving around enough to allow him to make a pass.
The point when you realize you’re older than virtually everyone in the NHL is a tough one to swallow. Must be tough on LT, being (I’m pretty sure) older than all the coaches, too.
I am getting sick of seeing Corey Powerpotterplay on the backend. He seems redundant and at least with Fistric the high-events were possible crushing hits.
and that was a dominating shift by the kids.
I remember the 1969-70 season pretty well. (creak).
Oh God, I understand every screed my dad gave me about Nintendos, TVs, and computers – and wish he’d given me more! I just wish he’d had the sense to guide me into sports, or something useful in life. It’s a whole lot harder getting in shape at 34 than it would have been to stay in shape, I bet =/ Ah well, I made a New Year’s Resolution and by Jove I’m going to stick by it.
Our first line is ridiculous. The puck dominance in the opposing zone once they establish themselves is absurd.
Looks like the 3rd line just became the 4th line. That will probably change when Jones gets back and Petrell sits (hopefully) but its still interesting.
He just said “Over the course of my career in this building I went a combined -80.”
As our kids piss away their youth, the city decides to piss away history.
funny world.
Quiet night for Dubnyk so far, but that was a nice save. Would love another Oiler goal here.
and more of that MPS and you will be up with big club all year
I want an even-strength goal, dammit.
I mean, obviously the flood gates are due to open. No team can get so many good chances and not finally start putting them away.
Yeah, the speed of Horc-Smyth is a tell. I don’t think that 4line gets broken up this week.
Tonight’s game is like a reverse polarity version of an Oilers/Avs game from 2000.
…Horcoff?????
Seriously. When was the last time a visiting team had to play one of those horrible games that they knew they were going to lose? 1988?
off the Scorcoff!
wow. Good and lucky.
Horcoff scores like only Horcoff can. The shooting percentage of his ass has got to be unsustainable.
Edit: okay it was his skate, but the point remains.
3 PP goals. best tough guy deterent we have
The fire hydrant scores one.
God this power play is so sick.
That passing between Nuge and Ebs? When I do that in NHL 13, I realize “yeah, absurd passing like this is why NHL 13 is never going to be close to real hockey”. And then THAT happens.
Horcoff (Hall, Nuge)
GREAT puck recovery by Hall before the set-up. Serious question is Horc’s shooting percentage still zero?
although now with game starting to get out of hand is where a fistric would come in handy. Just saying.
That commercial (assuming you’re watching Sportsnet) is why radio guys don’t do television. That was almost an SNL skit it was so bad.
The short passing game of Nuge, Hall and Eberle is sublime. They are really getting to know each other’s tendencies.
Hall is clearly the best player on this team.
You know what? I can totally see a rivalry form between the first and second lines.
Hemsky: “Hey, I almost literally carried this team for 5 years, 5 years with 3rd liners, wanna-bes, and rookies around me”
Gagner: “So you guys think you’re the saviors, eh? The special ones? Look, I made Robert Nilsson look like an NHL scorer.”
Yakupov: “I like score goals. Line number one play more. We number one.”
And I know it’s coming off a tv timeout, but send the 4th line out there to crash and bang a bit.
64 is having a rough night
Haha hoo boy, Dubey’s snooze alarm went off!
Or at least in the top seven. :/
Seriously, some of the criticisms that get levelled around here…
Speaking of, what the hell was Petrell thinking there!? You just KNOW that’s going to get called.
sorry. i meant the new third line who started game as the 4th line. not the Horcoff and smyth and petrell line.
icecastles,
Habits are hard to break.
I don’t imagine it’s a set they do at practice.
Fin dumb penalty – at least 2 per game
Reminds me of playing Gretzky’s 3D hockey on the N64 and my friend (as 99) backhanding a flaming puck through the goalie from the the blue line. Absurd, until I saw a clip of Gretzky scoring off a backhand from the top of the circle.
Gags is PPG, and the second line pp is doing amazing considering the ice time compared to the first pp line. Plus he is killing penalties and only has one PK goal against.
Too bad he and Nuge combine for 9% on the dot.
Wow, Nugent-Hopkins gives Malone everything he can handle along the boards.
“Smothering the Puck?”. WTF kind of a name for a penalty is that?
What’s coming next: “Two minutes, for inappropriate behavior.”
“Two minutes for getting in the way of Hall” I like very much.
We’re going to miss games like Saturday; filled with controversy and debate…as this team begins to regularly stuff everyone.
Potter, do not, I repeat, do not leave the front of the net to chase someone and put yourself out of position. Seriously, why does he kill penalties.
icecastles,
Hall is the work horse.
Hall is the bus driver.
Hall is the force.
Hall is the desire.
Add it up, he is the best player. Even if Ebs gets two more points than him a year he will be better. (not a shot at ebs)
hunter1909,
Actually that’s “unsportsmanlike conduct”
Hall is rolling now. NHL timing looks to be back
I really hate these penalty calls, but it’s hard to get upset when the PP is shooting at a 75% clip.
Samwise also finally has good linemates to play with. and guess what he is the one carrying the line right now.
Ahhh how did Ebs do that!!! That was like watching Magic Johnson doing a no-look behind the back pass.
Yak is not having a good time tonight.
PRV is having a good game. He looks like he is starting to figure out what he needs to do to be a NHL player.
The 3rd line is still critical to winning.
MPS 1st star tonight.
Cant believe how much hall drives the play into the offensive zone.
48 percent body fat,
I was mocking the people who said Hall was the “7th best” forward or a potential bust. I am definitely certainly absolutely NOT among their number.
Can you really make a tennis player look tough? I thought it was a mock commercial right up to the end.
Seriously. A headband.
48 percent body fat,
Ya, it’s remarkable. I like how he is gaining the zone and hanging up to wait for everyone else more and more, instead of dashing in in a kamikaze fashion.
icecastles,
I know you were.
Hemsky looks better but I dont see him back to full glory, but all of our top six look good. I know everyone wants that fictional 6’4″ center that can produce more than gagner, be physical and only cost 3M but it aint happening. I love our top six even with out size. Gagner is currently the largest. Seriously he weighs the most. When Hall and Nuge get older there will be more size.
I hope Martidale, Hamilton and Pitlick can all turn into good third line players. That would add some much needed size.
Avs lottery chances could be high with this lineup for any length of time.
crude,
I like the kamikaze fashion other than possible injuries. I would love to see him run over Schnieder.
i’d be concerned if Edmonton wasn’t also strong 5v5.
almost like every time the Oil start gaining momentum 5v5, Colorado takes a penalty.
which is great for the PP but i’d really like to see what Edmonton can do at sustained evens.
How did Jansen not get ten games for cross checking a referee?
All four lines are rolling tonight. Tons of pressure in the good end, and the kids had a shift in the second that had the crowd saying “oh!” so much it sounded downright dirty.
You heard it from Doug MacLean first folks. RNH is a GUARANTEED 100 point player w Hall and Eberle. How’s that for reasonable expectations
LOL at blaming Dad first off…like it was his fault you’re unfit and a slob but if you really are serious then find a Chinese martial arts school that does competition fighting. It’s either that, or go into politics.
geowal,
Hockey news august issue for projections said Nuge would lead the league in points one year, just not yet,
ten games is harsh .. it was a pretty soft push .. but that has to be at least a game suspension.
if you’re pushing around the ref, with your stick no less, you’re not doing it right.
The same Doug MacLean who was so bad as a GM he made Scott Howson look like a good candidate?
geowal,
A wee bit excited he may be, but next year with a full year and one more year of experience, along with that 2nd line with Yak being one more year together means great things for our top 6. Roll the Nordic lads on the 4th line (bring up Lander) and have Belanger play on the third line (if they don’t resign Jones). Not much nasty but it’ll cause serious matchup problems.
striatic,
but it wasn’t incidental, he did it completely blatantly. Regardless of if he knew it was the official or not set a precedent.
im out for the 3rd peops. Enjoy the game.
Halls nick name should be Panzer.
BlacqueJacque,
Getting mad at hunter1909 is understandable (we’ve all done it at some point) but ultimately unproductive. Laugh it off as the rantings of a mind drunk on expired Guiness more than anything serious.
Have I mentioned how much I like the 4line tonight?
And, apparently Yak is a kid playing against men, learning in the toughest league on the planet. Who’d thunk it?
I’ve deleted a few posts, lets move on.
Oilers up 3-0 after two this should be a simple period. Heads up, score a goal or two and quick plays out of the zone.
You made me spit out my pizza when I read that. Thank you.
Eberle skates through the slot past two Avs, like he’s got a cloak of invisibility.
Teams want to try to skate with the Oilers, their vanity demands it.
Oh great. Let them back in it.
Paajarvi’s been great tonight…
i feel bad for Colorado.
they remind me of the Oilers of the past couple years.
striatic,
they are, especially if you consider we usually have 2 or 3 of our top guys out.
Avs do look horrible, no doubt. But they’re down a player or two and the law of averages suggests we’ll be there someday soon, too.
We’ve already been there LT.
Potter and Nuge behind the net.
6 gets beat to the net
This brings me back to the end of the MacT days. Team letting the foot off the gas in the third with a 2-goal lead.
Petrell should not be out there at all for the next 10 minutes.
that’s exactly what i was thinking about.
there, they scored. now i feel slightly less sorry for them.
oilers need some 5v5 production now.
I’m not sure it’ll take too many games like tonight before Yakupov moves down the lineup, and Paajarvi/Hartikainen moves up.
Dubnyk earning his keep in this period. Lordy.
yep. panic everyone, panic I tell ya!
also what had been going on in OKC all year.
need to learn to focus in the 3rd when you’ve got a lead.
looks like the goal against served as a wake up call.
Sit him down for the night
ouch Belanger.
Yakupov may be fighting the puck, but our vets are letting us down in our own zone.
I’d be happy with a Horcoff-Smyth-Yakupov and Belanger-Hartikainen-Paajarvi line for 3-4.
We’re Oiler fans.
OMG Hemsky robbed Varlamov and go robbed himself.
If 56 and 91 can keep this up, they won’t see OKC again.
Lowetide,
Who are you moving up? Or is that when Jones is back?
yeah, Hemsky he’s good. not lucky right now, but serious skill
Oh my Eberle that’s three times you’ve done a jaw-dropping pass.
Eberle is sublime. Mike Bossy potential.
Potter beaten behind the net. Fistric mean and strength needed right now
what they are providing right now is something this team has needed for YEARS.
if the duo had played against Calgary instead of Hordichuk, it is a different story on saturday night.
they are hopefully demonstrating that you don’t need to be some giant, hulking brute to dominate along the boards. just very fast and extremely strong.
Yak’s been benched, and he deserved it.
Are there anymore key players for the Av’s, besides Landeskog who are out of the line-up tonight?
pboy,
Downie and O’Reilly. Basically their 2nd/1st line
Jordan Eberle is Spiderman.
Unless something changes no oiler lead will be safe in the 3rd. Just no shutdown/closeout capability
DBO,
Thanks.
I wonder if Hordichuk gets put on waivers when Jones is healthy?
LT, can you write a blog and get all of your blogger buddies and news friends and radio cohorts to start a campaign to please for the love of god have the Rexall faithful stop that bloody awful habit of chanting “nuuuuge!!!” or worse “Doooooooooob!!!!” every time they touch the puck or make a save.
The parallels it conjures in my mind with all the Vancouvidiots screaming “louuuuuuuuuuu!!” makes me throw up a little in my mouth every time I hear them do it.
Please tell me I’m not alone in this!?!
OIlers outshot 20-4 this period? Twenty?
They could have put Magnus or Harski in Yak’s place.
thanks Johnson!
Holy, that should be more than 2 for delimbing eberle
Missed the first half of the 3rd, but that’s the most obvious penalty I’ve seen all game.
lol. Yakupov!!!!!!!
Well that was weird.
Knee slide!!!
HAH! Gagner wins a foot race decisively and Yak with the rather undeserved empty netter.
No big celebration.
Great hustle by 89 there.
Yakupov’s such a prima donna.
The future of this team is insane.
Yeah, Yak!
yak hurt himself there?
Yak?
whaaaaaaa?
SK Oiler Fan,
That Potter he hit.
Last minute goals are an Oiler calling card
Not pretty but W is better than L
Power play percentage tonight must boost them to about 3rd best PP in the league after tonight?
I like that Ralph put him back out there to try get an easy goal after keeping him on the bench for awhile.