AVALANCHE AT OILERS G14 (12-13) 16.2.12
Nail Yakupov is apparently moving from the 2line to the 3line, as coach Krueger plans to take him away from Gagner-Hemsky (which is a very good spot) to the Belanger-Smyth line (those are two veterans, nice soft landing spot for the kid AND he gets to play RW).
I’m excited to see Yakupov have another scoring spree. He had 4 goals in 7 January games, but has scored only once in 6 contests this month. It doesn’t really matter, he’s such a ridiculous talent the goals will come–Nail Yakupov is a wonderful young hockey player.
Let’s compare him to the other #1′s through each of their first 13 NHL games:
- Yakupov 13, 5-3-8 -7 12pims 22shots 14:45TOI
- Hall 13, 3-3-6 -5 4pims 26shots 16:15TOI
- Nuge 13, 6-6-12 +4 6pims 26shots 16:55TOI
I don’t know which of these men will have the better career, but believe each will enjoy significant success. As an Oiler fan since 1972, I’m so thrilled to be along for the ride.
–
The early HNIC game will salute the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Stanley win, so expect a late start to the game and possibly missing the early minutes of the Oiler game. The Leafs always do this crap, but this time around it’s going to be long because Dave Keon will be in attendance. Keon was (along with Frank Mahovlich) the best skater for Toronto in the 1960s and 1970s, and does not attend these events because Harold Ballard.
So this is a rare item, expect a long ovation and men older than me in tears. I don’t blame them, childhood heroes are special no matter your age, and those with the courage of their convictions are even more worthy.
–
Nail Yakupov, Chris VandeVelde, Justin Schultz, Jeff Petry, Mark Fistric and Teemu Hartikainen got their heads shaved at WEM yesterday in the annual Hair Massacre in support of children with life threatening illnesses. What a wonderful cause, and God bless these young men for doing it. (photo courtesy the Edmonton Journal).
–
We talked about Toni Rajala last night, he had a good evening for the Barons (who got a Bettman point but lost in the shootout). Rajala’s arrows are heading up, but 2007 1st round pick Alex Plante is down, down in a coal mine underneath the ground. The three first round picks from 2007 (Oilers edition)–a draft class that should have set them up for years–looks like this in terms of NHL action:
- Sam Gagner #6 overall: 379, 81-152-233
- Alex Plante #15 overall: 10, 0-2-2
- Riley Nash #21 overall: 5, 0-1-1
Gagner is an NHL regular and tied for 27th in points this season; Nash is enjoying his best AHL season (his entry level contract expires this year); Plante has been a healthy scratch for three games in a row. Those concussions, along with some foot speed issues look like they had a major impact on his lack of development. I doubt he’s in the organization as part of the 50 man roster next year.
The five names taken right after Plante (Colton Gillies, Alexei Cherepanov, Ian Cole, Logan MacMillan, Angelo Esposito) are as a group underperforming their draft number (and of course Cherepanov passed away before he had the opportunity to show us his skill), suggesting a soft area in the first round (although Max Pacioretty, Michael Backlund and David Perron were still available).
2007 was an opportunity missed.
–
Brandon Davidson had a helluva debut in Stockton.
–
Michael Parkatti has been posting scoring chance numbers over at his blog and they are (as always) revealing interesting things. For instance, the club’s successful lines are filled with kids. Here are the numbers for the Dallas game (I believe these are even strength):
- Jordan Eberle +11
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins +8
- Taylor Hall +8
- Teemu Hartikainen +4
- Eric Belanger +1
- Magnus Paajarvi -1
- Sam Gagner -5
- Ales Hemsky -5
- Nail Yakupov -6
- Lennart Petrell -8
- Chris VandeVelde -8
- Ben Eager -11
Faced with those numbers at even strength, I’d think the coach would:
- leave the top line the hell alone
- give the Nordic line (w/Belanger sitting in for Lander) more minutes
- suffer through the Yak growing pains with Gagner-Hemsky knowing that good times are on the way
- rotate as many new people onto the 4line as humanly possible
Krueger, who has been impressive in media scrums and in both in-game decision making and lineup decision-making, decided to tweak this way:
- leave the top line the hell alone
- give Gagner-Hemsky another LW (Hartikainen) in the hopes the chance plus minus edges toward level par
- move Yakupov to his natural position (RW) and give him two veterans (Belanger-Smyth) to make things easier. That’s a rocking chair for the kid, and might have added value if Smyth can post some offense.
–
LAUGHER
The Oilers are averaging only 2.15 goals per game, ranking 28th in the 30-team NHL. The Avs are 27th at 2.17. Sooner or later the Oilers are going to break out, and maybe it will be tonight against an injury riddled Quebec Nordique lineup. Edmonton (apparently) got some good news late yesterday, as it looks like Justin Schultz and Jeff Petry will both play despite some bumps and bruises.
A few places on the Al Gore have suggested this is a “must win” for the Oilers, but I think with their streaky past and the relative youth on the roster they could just as well go on a winning streak away from home as they could at Rexall. I do think there are a lot of good arrows, but that’s been the case for some time. As Taylor Hall said after the Dallas game, if they play as well as last game every night, they’ll do just fine.
We’re a long way from the first “must win” game of this season.
94 shares some blame there for being way too high and then standing thrrr and watching
yeah, good bye 6.
MPS is awesome in his new role.
54 shots
My Magic 8-ball foresees Ryan Whitney complaining about sitting on Tuesday.
God I hope this game will turn out as a “be happy event”.
BlacqueJacque,
Let him whine. I hope he never plays another game for the Oilers. He is awful
Sorry forgot to conclude with Grant Fuhr had a few games that looked like this.
I don’t have rewind. Was that really Whitney that passed the puck top the Avs? Fack. I wanted to blame that on Fistric. Smyth certainly not to blame on that one.
Poor guy (Fack off).
Lee jinxed them when he brought up the record.
mps!!!!!!
MAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGIIEE!
Boooyah.
This is like 80s hockey again. Coming back from 3 down.
And then I reversed the hex, lol!
PAARVARVU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
total 94 redemption tonight!
You beauty!
That is exactly what was needed!
Thank you, baby Jesus.
Lol, Petrell gets hurt in warmup, thanks.
Holy fuck this team is something else.
Wow, he got Yak-happy!
Paajarvi did a little bit of a Laraque after the goal there. Nice!
Smytty has redeemed himself tonight. Whitney, not so much.
these guys are like college love… everything is awesome and terrible at the same time.
Krueger fixed Ryan Smyth – Ryam Whitney still needs work.
This fucking team!
One Ryan responds to the benching, the other is simply physically unable to.
What a night, to witness a record! A comeback! And a crushing win over a division rival.
YEAH BABY!!! MAGGIE!!! CLUTCH AGAIN!!
Squuuuuuueeeeeeee!!!
Eberle, Hall.
Nice to break the shot record not in a loss!
Whitney has not seen the ice since that giveaway.
Let’s hope that we go on to view these guys getting more shots than those guys in the 1980s ever did as symbolic, rather than interesting trivia (like that mediocre Oilers team that owns the team record for the longest winning streak).
they make it interesting don’t they
Colorado totally played Edmonton’s game. Do you even remember them hitting anyone???
Hall had a hell of a chip pass over an Avalanche on the empty net goal.
It’s good smyth, bad smyth tonight. Great play by 94 to handle the first pass, gain the zone, then the awareness to chip to prv
You smell that? You smell that? Nothing else in the world smells like that.
I’d have liked to see a few more goals, personally.
Wow, this is the Oilers team I was hoping to see this year. I hope at least half of their remaining games can approximate this amount of oompf. If they can do that, they’ll be fine.
Varlamov looked irate at the end of that.
talk about getting the lead and then hanging your goalie out to dry.
Good point. Teams know not to skate with them. Colorado also didn’t clog up the ice, allowed them access to the middle a lot of the night. We’ll take it.
Ridiculous, just ridiculous come back, wow
Yes, thank you !
Really hope #56 is okay. He looked great with 83 & 89. Also allowed #64 to make another line semi-dangerous.
Why are people excited Colorado look like an AHL team and played like one.
Oilers dominated a non NHL team yeah
I hope they follow PJ’s and Cherry’s advise and bring back some goons because they are all kinds of helpful when you need to come back from 3 goals down. In my favorite LT article ‘when you know, you know’. Sorry PJ you and Cherry brave as you were would not make the modern NHL.
I love goals!
Blades come back in the third and so do the Oilers. Great night.
33 hits on the night for the Avs. And yeah, I can remember quite a few of them.
The biggest thing for me was the Avs not standing the Oil up at the blue line. Or playing the trap.
Rondo,
Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t like you and cannot fathom you ever saying anything of value to anybody.
Good teams win games they’re supposed to win.
That’s an even better answer than mine.
Brilliant and dominating comeback.
He didn’t get the one-timer, but Yakupov was a beast on the tying goal shift.
The sky is blue, and Paajarvi should never again sit for Petrell.
Khabibulin.
Well that was something.
Thank goodness Paajarvi was in the line up. May Petrell never play another game again.
With all the boozing being done around here tonight it’s the difference between passing out with a smile on your face and choking to death on your own vomit.
We’ll take the win.
Looked like he was voicing his displeasure about something as he came off the ice. Just a guess, but it might have been about 94 waiting for the pass near the blue line. Regardless, he’s played himself out of the lineup. He’ll do well inthe SE division when he gets traded to the Jets for a 2nd rounder. They need D even worse than the oil
That one too.
Right, but it’s better to beat crappy teams than lose to them. You’ve got to smile a little about 6 goals and 56 shots, no?
Yak looked very good in the 2nd half of the game. Diving backcheck and all. Hope Harti’s OK too.
PS – welcome back Smyth. Unlike Whitney, doubt he’ll see PB again.
I imagine there’s more than one soon-to-be-free-agent “top-four on any team” defencemen looking at the Oilers right now and they **know** if they can get one or two of their types signed onto the Oilers the Oilers will be a rock solid team.
Girgle.
Great win. Still buzzin…
Oh fuck. Count Chocula making sense…
(Oilers need to surround the excellent core with decent support players).
that was BEAUTIFUL hockey at the end there.
just everyone flying, amazing passes, vision, shot taking, incredible transition play.
gorgeous to watch.
Looked like an All Star game without All Stars on 1 side.
NHL teams don’t play like this.
Hang in there LT
Beating the 80′s Oilers for shots in a game.
WOW!
94 had a nice effective game. Key play on 2 goals.
MPS getting the winner was pure kismit.
Hall in an unstoppable force of nature. That top line dominates because he wills it.
Good points on the broadcast about how those 3 support each other in the ozone, don’t break that line up.
The biggest gong show in the OIlers end all game featured a 6-45 pairing with 6 unable to turn around and actually do anything. Khabby saved the game there.
If the Oilers can get a non-terrible #5 D they’re competitive.
Avs are a injury riddled team and the Oilers should dominate them, but that was still the most gripping Oilers game all season.
Out played the shit out of Dallas and lost, out played the shit out of Avs and won.
Hopefully the puck luck is evening out and they can string something together.
Also,
Ales Hemsky is a bad, bad man.
Here, hiccup, Hereeeee I am going to make it my personal good luck charm. That and Pertelo’s pink skirt. If she won’t wear it I will.
This reminds me of playing pick up hockey and scoring goals on a bad goalie.
You realize that that’s a compliment to the Oilers, right?
You have many lessons to learn from D-S-F.
Get your answer?
Regardless of what this reminded you of, it was the NHL. And the Oilers just dominated. And won. Not completely without warts, but I’m happy.
Oh, and the “bad” goalie was 1st star.
Hemsky is a sweet, sweet hockey player. We’ve known it for so long but now that he doesn’t have to do all the offense for this team, nor bear the load defensively, he’s getting a chance to shine.
STFU PJ that is *not* a bad contract. Just because you stuck your head out doesn’t mean you have to compound the error by trashing Hemsky.
That’s pretty awesome.
you know, they were pretty damn good in the first too. just D. big problem with inconsistency on D.
but there was some stretches of serious dominance in the first too.
Yes. Man. This team is going to kill my liver.
He is past STFU it is kick in the nuts time
“Steve Smith”,
Yeah Oilers are an all star team in the AHL
But better for your Heart
That’s not what you said, but your willingness to move the posts confirms your status as CapHap’s dumber, less articulate, alter-ego. Revel in that! Revel!
Brownlee just tweeted that Whitney had a big bounce back game. Your local intelligentsia everyone.
These people are too stupid to breathe. I command all of you to shun them from our city. Visit oilersnation, call in Gregor’s show, make it be known that people like Brownlee and Spector are no longer welcome in our city. We deserve better. We demand better.
I’m not so sure SS. By applying Steve’s fourth law of comedy, you may in fact have yourself the funniest response… No?
I like Dubey’s sense of humor about this. He could be pissy but isn’t. Attaboy.
Odd – my backside doesn’t feel like there’s been anything shoved up it.
Someone send Dubnyk to the tailor. YIKES!!
It almost sounds like you get it, in which case the fourth law dictates that you’re wrong. So fuck off and die, Bendelson.
Stock is trashing Hemsky?
Someone should steal Elliott away and then just gas everyone else on the panel.
I wonder how Brett Clark might look in Oiler colours? A 5-6 pairing of him and Potter/Fistric… well, it couldn’t be much worse.
Oilers second in the division, 10th in the conference (the northwest is probably as weak a division as it has ever been). Second in points, second in GF, second in goal differential.
Flames second-last in the division. But last in goal differential.
Thank you.
Dubnyk is very small looking tall player. I know goalies are skinny, but sheesh he looks out of proportion, or it could be that awful suit.
Captain Obvious,
Spector and Brownlee should be traded to the CBC for Friedman and Campbell. They wouldn’t have the national audience but this team could take them to the HHOF.
“Steve Smith”,
Tough crowd.
Wow, that’s scary. Hrudey I think said something to that effect towards the end of the game too.
Don’t worry, I doubt Ralph saw it that way.
They don’t watch the games.
Saw a couple outlet passes and made his note.
Did I miss something? When did Brownlee become unpopular around here?
At this point I’m having difficulty understanding why Maggie is not permanently on the roster. This isn’t because he is 2 for 2 for GWG, but he is probably our fastest skater, grinds it in the corners, becoming a solid PKer and never quits. He is not making a lot of mistakes out there.
“This was a great reaction. It needed to come. We knew how important this game was. We needed this win.” – Coach Krueger
Retweeted by Ztacy The Drummer
The Oilers play in the NHL since 1979. They have a farm team in the AHL. Seriously, I have never seen a more uninformed comment in my life – ever!
Two words: waiver eligibility.
I wasn’t happy with Nick Schultz’s game tonight. He’s like the aanti-Whitney. Good around the crease and in the corners, but can’t outlet to save his life. Three or four blown passes on the night, and a lot of chip it high and out.
BlacqueJacque,
We’re still waiting for Deslaurier to “Shove it up our backsides” . Brownlee likes to “Go with his Gut” which told us Whitney was our #1 defenceman.
In all fairness, Brownlee is okay. He’s just a fan like the rest of us. It just takes a bit to realise the context when you read his stuff.
I’m a little disappointed with Scott’s lack of Oakewardness tonight.
He used to go after the math guys quite hard with the “tall foreheads” and “eggheads” stuff.
Then the math guys kicked his ass at projecting teams and players for 2 years and he calmed way down.
Just watching After hours – does it sound like this to anyone else?
- “So, Devon, you may have played the worst game ever by a goalie in the NHL and you must totally feel like shit at this very moment, suicidal even, but we appreciate you being here even though you screwed over your own team. “
the speed that Eager and PRV brought to the bottom six tonight had a huge impact.
Petrell is a very good penalty killer but i think PRV is proving that he is almost as good on the PK and is better than Petrell in all other respects.
Woodguy,
Gregor was the same and he has been converted. Brownlee is just a little behind the curve. Even the MSM is going through the rebuild! When Matheson converts we know the corner has turned!
Great, great point. This might be Petrell’s Wally Pipp.
Top line is elite. pP kills.
Management is burning good years where stars like Hall, RNH are locked in at good cap hits by not signing Veteran Dmen to short term deals while playing at the cap.
Dumb. Wasting chances to win big for no reason but fear of trying.
I agree and that is just based on current play. Add in upside and it is not even close. PRV on the PP, PRV the odd night in the top 6 is not out of the question.
You expected less? Hah. Dubnyk is great with interviews, though. I still think he will be a commentator some day.
I think Hunter drank himslef to being unable to type.
Well, there’s a few of us ‘in the range.’
MPS is to be Gehrig? Awesome.
Brownlee isn’t just stupid. He’s a hypocrit and a bad person. He spent the past week talking about how unfair it would be for the fans to run Whitney out of town while ignoring the fact that the media in Edmonton, him included, have made running good players out of town a personal pet project.
Where was Brownlee last year when Hemsky was in his contract year. That’s right, with the rest of the crew, talking about his body language. Brownlee is worthless.
well, that was amazing. crazy, but amazing.
I hope 56 is ok, 6 brings us back something of value, 83 scores 20 goals and I never have to seen another popped collar on a suit again.
Only a douche bag would do that… and they have the gall to claim he’s the “fashionable” one… he may be, but only “fashionable” in the pejorative sense.
People came over for the game after the 1st. How can this team have so many fewer shots vs. CBJ?
After Hours taught me that DD has a small torso.
Goil! Over .500 hockey in Febz!
I am eating painkillers – they have big warnings – no alchohol – so I am just dopey and in pain. But the Oilers won! Yay!
Tencer is talking about giving Khabibulin the next start.
Khabibulin is proving he can still play, but he’s done that before.
the MVP needs to be deployed in extremely limited starts, an Dubnyk needs to keep playing.
Well, I stayed away, but now watching it on PVR. Crazy. Guess I can’t watch a live game ever again.
So, was watching for the Harti injury. Just before the “holding” penalty that Smytty took for Yak in the 2nd, Harti was run into the boards hard by two Avalanche. His next shift was right before the RNH goal, and he only played half a shift then changed, and never came back. So probably not a major injury, but we’ll see.
Can’t see Krueger messing with Doobie’s head like that.
Both Healy and Friedman popped their collars at the end of the game and Healy said to Friedman, hey look at that collar, you look just as stupid as I do. And then both put them back the right way. I laughed.
Stock looked like an idiot.
Mostly I don’t have a problem with Brownlee… but there are times when he irks the hell out of me.
This story last year… was some ripe version of Yellow journalism:
http://oilersnation.com/2012/1/3/did-hemsky-say-oilers-quit
don’t bother getting an accurate quote and tarnish a player with it with sirens blaring.
especially galling when you consider his complaint on that night — that is on the assumption it was based in reality, which it wasn’t — is something that is routinely said after most loses… like for example tonight by Giroux:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3BLWpEx7YI
Huh, I never really paid Brownlee much attention, other than being annoyed at the way he came off in the comments.
Not very cool w.r.t. Hemsky.
You’re trusting CBC cameras? I think the unmatched pants/jacket combination had a lot to do with it.
Dubnyk will be back in. I’m still convinced Kruger is not an idiot.
Nice to see Khabi be a useful backup all the same. He played well tonight.
During the Afterhours interview with Dubnyk they cut away to an interview where Krueger said that, Doobie has been doing a lot for us lately, and that during the second intermission he said lets win this one for Doobie.
Dubnyk said that Coach didn’t have to say that but it sure made him feel good.
Just got back from the game. This was one of those games that just works out perfectly if you have money on the line.
Bet before the game on the oilers -1.5.
Bet on the oilers win after the first period @ +325
Bet again after it went to 4-2 @ +500
Bet on the score to be over 9.5 at the second intermission @ +200
Sit back and pray. And then get overly excited for an empty-net goal.
I don’t think DD played bad tonight.
the 2nd goal was the goalie reading the play.
the 3rd was a 2-1 after a fluke goal.
#83 made this a game. Without Ales, we lose.
Smarmy,
GO Blades!!
Agreed.
Gregor used to grate on me a bit, but now I think he’s the best sports journalist in town.
It takes a wise man to know what he does not know and to keep an open mind.
I don’t think this can be said enough
The top line looks like it can take over games.
Couple of decent veterans inserted in the lineup could make all the difference in the world
I hit the OIlers at +390 in play at bet365 when it was 2-0, then the Avs scored to make it 3-0.
Should have hit it again.
I think the winning in reg line was over +1000 when it was 3-0
One point in the third and some idiot behind me shouts “come on Hemsky, learn to shoot the puck!”. And I shout to nobody in particular “yeah Hemsky, you’ll never lead the team in goals playing like this. Come on!”
And then I muttered to my seatmate for an unreasonable length of time.
I saw that too – might have been at 4-1, but either way. Kicked myself a little. At one point the over 9.5 was like +400 as well. Oh well.
i think the issue is that there aren’t the players out there to bring in.
lots of teams are in similar situations to the oilers but i’m not seeing anyone making moves right now.
dress pants with off color blazer is definitely ok.
he was wearing a very slim cut, fitted jacket though… I suspect that was throwing people off.
the juxatpostion of him with hrudy and oake… who were wearing more classic cuts, with broader shoulder and a lot more room… is what was striking.
at any rate, I thought he looked fine. at least he didn’t pop his collar!
It would have been great it he did. @strombone1 might have, hah.
Didn’t see it, but I’ll guess Paul Wood?
Pretty sure the Sportsnet talking heads just said this week that Dubnyk has been successful partly because he’s big in the torso, not just a kid with gangly legs.
Can we make them fight to the death?
I assumed that Khabi was the punishment – as in, “you shitheads want to play like that? Fine, have fun with the Russian fossil, see if I care”
I think they said tall or long…
Dubnyk wears a massive chest protector. from what i’ve seen, it cheats out on either side considerably.
Schitzo,
team certainly played tighter defense once Khabi went in.
I debated trying to start a “Na-il Ya-ku-pov” chant when Cherry came out tonight. Not sure why that old asshole gets a standing ovation after all his comments, but I guess fans love their old timey Canadian (but no Quebecois) hockey
But the important part – can we make them fight the CBC crew to the death? I’m picturing the brawl from anchorman, with PJ Stock wandering around proudly holding a grenade.
Forgot about that thead.
That was when every sports media member couldn’t wait to hit Hemsky in the back of the head with billy club for the slightest perceived slight.
Then Hall told management to pull their heads out of their asses and the local Hemsky trashing stopped like Wile E Coyote hitting the glue patch.
Watch the sequence from about 3:10-3:45 and tell me 6 can still play responsible hockey:
http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20122013,2,211&cmpid=embed-share-video
What ticked me off is most of the time we honor players for their steely-eyed realism and ability to call it like it is, etc. etc. such that when a vet calls out a young team after a loss they get a pat on the back by the media (look at Cole after Toronto pounded Montreal last week, or the Giroux comments after a woeful 18 shot night tonight)…
but when hemsky does the same thing, they misquote him and tar and feather the guy… brutal.
Hemsky 7-3-10… You know if he wasn’t such a selfish scorer and would learn to make plays and pass the puck, he could be leading this team in points.
What do you expect from some fancy euro with bad body language?
Sacco looked like a sad hamster after the game.
Let’s go Kruegering
http://oilers.nhl.com/club/podcastplayer.htm?pid=98&iid=41391
I’m cheering for Khabibulin-every good game improves our chances of getting something for him at the deadline.
The 3 stars tonight for those scoring at home:
1.Deadguy Ale
2.Howe Sound Honey Pale Ale
3.Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
To put things in perspective a bit… Hordichuk has played 2:02/G. Eager 7:36/G. Two guys the Oilers played against tonight… Bordeleau 5:11/G, Olver 9:58/G
Perfect game for my annual appearance at Rexall. I can tell the enthusiasm here is tempered by frustration at the hilarious defensive zone play (except Rondo, who is… mad that they only managed to win? Or that we’re happy they won? I’m not sure. You’re right that a good team should dominate the Avs, but we did. So… good, right?)
I, on the other hand, am still riding high from hearing the crowd chant “Khabi” for the first time since Allah knows when.
Gagner was imperfect but was trying his ass off all game, but the guy who really impressed me was Belanger. He was exactly what we hoped he would be- mature, calm, dare I say… poised? True he has no offensive imagination and my hands, but when the first period was imploding Belanger lead not by dominating, but by staying calm.
Kudos to Captain Obvious for finding a way to injure Petrell before the game to sneak his pick in.
Top Line: Sick
Hemsky: Sublime
Best Part: Eberle’s sigh to the heavens after RNH’s goal
Hooray fpr Bendelson!!!! Bendelson forever!!!!
i rarely post because i am too busy reading but i would love to hear a response. love the fight back tonight and felt at 4-1 we still had a great chance at beating the avs. love that feeling cause we all know that it has been a while since that’s happened . my question is we all know there are holes in this line up and who do give up to fill. while GMing this team at the draft has been easy the past 4 years i think that job is about to become extremely mind bending. my opinion is that this team is butter soft to play against with stacks of skill. and now khabi has looked great when called upon which makes another good problem for a gm or gm”s that aren”t proactive and barely reactive. love the kids and its going to be tough to see one go unless its for quality coming back. love the blog lowetide, daily visit
Eager had a helluva game tonight, full value for his minutes. I can’t remember him playing with such hustle in Oiler silks before. Got to play up the line up with the Harski injury, and skated his ass off. He drew the penalty that Eberle scored on.
VV was 4 out of 6 on the dot and drew the penalty before Eager’s, the one where the Nuge missed an open net from a stride out. Made a great power move off the wall, forcing the Av defender to molest him. Two shots and four hits. Made a huge clear out of the zone while killing the late 3rd period Smyth elbowing penalty with Paajarvi.
Paajarvi didn’t look out of place on the PP or the PK and of course scored the game winner.
Thar’s a pretty damn fine night by the 4th line.
Smyth might have redeemed himself with the two beautiful assists, and they were beautiful, but he still took two penalties.
Gagner blows in his own end, but he’s an absolute stud on the PP>
Ales Hemsky had a fabulous game… not only for the beautiful goa and th umpteen scoring chances,, but he made so many amazing defensive plays tonight that it was a joy to watch.ng. Was the first man back a couple of times and played the walls very strong. He seems more physically involved this year and I wonder if he is feeling completely healthy for the first time in a long time.
For his age. Nuge is a joy in his own end making some key defensive plays himself. Hall also came down low quite a few times and paid special attention to Duchene after the first intermission. Nuge never should have missed that 3rd period PP chance though. The things he hasn’t buried…. The level of will on the first line is daunting. How long till they’re the vaunt? Not long, it looks like.
Nail looked a little more secure out there and had some real nice plays. Even when he came back up to the left wing. And the sequence on the PP where he had the puck on a string for 20 seconds was impressive.
Whitney despite the one real shit show bad clear/pass up the boards and his role in the comedy of errors by everyone first goal, did bail out Yak nicely on a shorthanded rush by the Avs, skating his ass back and breaking up the play..
I stand by what I said of NIck Schultz above. He can defend well, excellent even, but not outlet well.
Fistric gave what you would expect. Petry was looking for offense and is showing some gamble to his game, but apparently that’s at coaching’s request. Smid was his usual solid self, and I thought the interference was unfair… was still within a step. Belanger showed the same hustle as Eager and played a very smart game in all three situations,: EV, PP, PK.
I’m going with ‘because the PA guy said “make noise, you’re on TV”.’
there you go spoiler, you put it out there. just when i think OK trade that guy, they pull out a hell of an effort and make you say maybe not. agreed?
spoiler,
Smyth only took one penalty – 64 was clearly the guy who did the hook (slash?) that Smyth sat for. Smyth’s second penalty was not a bad one.