The first game played by the Edmonton Oilers against the New York Rangers was not successful. Final score: 10-2 Manhattan, on October 24, 1979 at MSG. Studio 54 was in full swing, Sandy Duncan was in Peter Pan on Broadway, so was Gilda Radner with her brilliant show. On the charts, Herb Alpert’s “Rise” took over No. 1 from Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.”
Glen Sather was playing Dave Lumley and Dave Hunter with Stan Weir, Wayne Gretzky with Brett Callighen and Blair MacDonald, Mark Messier spent time with Ron Chipperfield and Dave Semenko. On defense, young Kevin Lowe partnered with Lee Fogolin, who had NHL experience and would be counted on to play big minutes. Pat Price, Risto Siltanen, Colin Campbell and Allan Hamilton were the other defenders. Both goalies (Eddie Mio and Dave Dryden) saw action.
One year later, October 19, 1980, Edmonton defeated the Rangers at MSG, on a hat-trick from one Dave Semenko. He got an assist too, in a 4-2 win that saw Ron Low stop 33 of 35, .943.
The Oilers honor Kevin Lowe tonight, putting his jersey in the rafters for all-time. That 1980’s team was an amazing crew, I expect Lowe the final man from that amazing group to reach the HHOF. I’ve never had more fun watching a hockey club than the 1979-91 Oilers, can’t expect to be blessed like that again. I am hopeful!
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Is this Connor McDavid’s peak season, and how good could it be?
- Lowetide: Who is the Oilers’ top prospect now that Evan Bouchard has graduated?
- DNB: Oilers’ Tyson Barrie says what needs to be said as NHL faces reckoning
- Lowetide: Did Oilers general manager Ken Holland win the offseason?
- DNB: The Duncan Keith-Cody Ceci pair have helped to overcome a notable loss
- Jonathan Willis: Seven Oilers surprises so far in 2021-22
- Lowetide: Will Xavier Bourgault be the best Oilers’ QMJHL pick this century?
- Lowetide: What Evan Bouchard’s move up the depth chart means for the Oilers’ defensive pairings
- Lowetide: How hot streaks, shuffles and slumps will determine the fate of the Oilers’ second line in 2021-22
- Jonathan Willis: Evan Bouchard’s evolution, in context
- Lowetide: Zach Hyman’s buzzsaw style makes him an instant Oilers fan favourite
- DNB: Comparing the Oilers’ 5-0-0 start this season to their 5-0-0 start in 2019-20
- Lowetide: Oilers prospect Philip Broberg showing his potential
- Lowetide: Should Jesse Puljujarvi drive his own line for the Oilers in 2021-22?
- New DNB: He’s a one-shot scorer’: Oilers prospect Carter Savoie thriving at DU
- Lowetide: The Oilers finally have an effective third line — so how should they deploy it?
- Jonathan Willis: Success or failure for the Oilers could depend on their Duncan Keith-Cody Ceci tandem
- DNB: Evan Bouchard subscriber Q&A
- Lowetide: First impressions of 2021-22 Oilers — is this strong start sustainable?
- Lowetide: Which Oilers AHL players are most likely to be called up in 2021-22?
WHAT TO EXPECT IN NOVEMBER
- At home to: SEA, NAS, NYR (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
- On the road to: DET, BOS, BUF, STL, WPG (Expected 3-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: WPG, CHI (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: DAL, ARI, VEG (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 8-5-0, 16 points in 13 games
- Actual November results: 2-0-0, four points in two games
- Oilers in 2021-22: 8-1-0, 16 points in nine games
I think this is going to be a tough game for Edmonton, it’s been a few days since the team faced a strong group like these Rangers. I expect a close contest and I also expect the five-game road trip to define the month. Things are about to get ker-razy.
RANGERS IN THE EARLY 1970’S
For some reason, I remember teams who should have won a Stanley Cup but didn’t get it done. The 1971 Chicago Blackhawks had the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 that year but Jacques Lemaire scored from near center late in the second period and the Habs closed it out in the final frame.
The next season, New York Rangers had a great roster, probably the equal of my Boston Bruins or close. Jean Ratelle got hurt late in the year and he was a key player. That was a veteran lineup, two fine goalies (Eddie Giacomin, Gilles Villemure) and some terrific defensemen (Brad Park, Rod Seiling, Jim Neilson, Dale Rolfe) and a pile of fine forwards led by Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, Rod Gilbert, Walt Tkazcuk, Ted Irvine, Billy Fairbairn and Peter Stemkowski.
Glen Sather was on the 1972 Rangers.
Fast forward to 1994, and the Rangers would win the Stanley that wouldn’t arrive in 1972. Former Oilers on that squad included Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Craig MacTavish, Kevin Lowe, Esa Tikkanen, Jeff Beukeboom and Adam Graves. I’m bitter about Messier and Graves, probably will be forever.
Lots of connections between these two organizations, it’s right to have Lowe’s night when the Rangers in Edmonton.
THE ENTRY CLUSTER
There have been times when this little corner of the roster was also the heart of the order. In 2021-22, the Oilers have the look of an organization using only NHL-ready talent. It’s been a long time, even the MacT coaching era have Sam Gagner pushed to the show.
- 2020-21: 77 games, 10-17-27 .351
- 2021-22: 20 games, 3-4-7 .350
THE MCDAVID CLUSTER
- 2020-21: 366 games, 106-173-279 .762
- 2021-22: 45 games, 21-33-54 1.20
This is the heart of the order and features three ridiculous talents, plus a nice kicker in Foegele. Puljujarvi is such a big part of this team now, one wonders how Ken Holland is going to get him signed. Expect a big number. McDavid and Draisaitl are so dominant it’s mind blowing.
THE VETERAN CLUSTER
- 2020-21: 366 games, 54-93-147 .402
- 2021-22: 49 games, 4-26-30 .612
Edmonton has several veterans pushing, and haven’t traded some quality picks who were developed, grew up and then established themselves as NHL players. The Oilers general managers of the past would have dealt Nuge and Nurse, and would have acquired Hyman two years from now. This is a much improved area of the roster.
THE 30+ PLAYERS
- 2020-21: 121, 10-19-29 .240
- 2021-22: 48, 7-8-15 .313
This section of the team also houses both goaltenders. Mikko Koskinen is the most valuable of the 30+ Oilers so far this year and by some distance. Mike Smith is once again a health concern, but he has been good for a strong run each season in Edmonton and that may come to pass as well. I would count Kassian, Barrie, Keith and Ryan as productive full-time elders. This is a far more productive group than we’ve seen in past seasons.
Example? In 2012-13, the Oilers 30+ group included Shawn Horcoff (31, 7-5-12), Nick Schultz (48, 1-8-9), Eric Belanger (26, 0-3-3) and Ryan Smyth (47, 2-11-13). Those are great numbers, this is a better list, although much of the value comes from the goalies. In 2012-13, a broken-down Nikolai Khabibulin was a part-time solution.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, TSN1260, we have a great show lined up. Steve Lansky from Inside the Truck podcast will help us look back on the career of Kevin Lowe and ahead to the Rangers game tonight. Colin Stephenson from Newsday will give us the lowdown on the NY Rangers as the hit town. Matt Iwanyk will help tee up the weekend, including Oilers, Elks, and a little event called World Cup Qualifying at Commonwealth (one week from today!). 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Friday bitches!
Poor Rangers goaltending lol
It’s amazing the four Ranger skaters + Georgiev didn’t catch a cold after being so thoroughly undressed.
Game management was at work at several points tonight, most obviously in the last hundred seconds or so. When Yams was hauled down, then held onto buddy’s stick… call either penalty, or call both penalties, or just get off the ice and quit trying to make us believe you are even trying to do your jobs. Can you imagine doing such a crappy job at work, right in front of everybody? NHL refs must feel very ashamed sometimes.
Ugh, just erased a big rant. Would way rather talk about the hockey than the refs, but the NHL makes it hard sometimes.
Imagine getting paid 6 figures where your job is to actively not do your job and your bosses defend your work.
*closes eyes and imagines* Eeeeeeeeeeew, I’m a Senator!
Why doesn’t the broadcast team have a closeup Isolation cam on Pullujujjujaarvi’s giant Bison head at all times!!!!
Reading through Twitter and Reddit, and noticed there was alot of American hockey fans watching on ESPN+ tonight. Great game for a late Friday night on their new TV deal, wonder if the Oilers just became must watch TV for a whole new audience.
This team legit deserves scrutiny from any student of the game and will provide enjoyment and frustration both to any fan of the game. Hope the NHL realizes what they have in McDavid. Did anyone notice that little five second clip of when nobody hooked, slashed, or interfered with him, and he scored the goal of the year? Imagine if we could watch him do stuff like that all the time, instead of watching a bunch of scrubs follow him around humping his leg all night.
What a game!
Wow!!
I’m just glad that goal will live in infamy with Jack Michaels as the commentator…not some asshole like John Garrett or Kelly Hrudy or Dave fuckin Randorf
This – we need to get a petition going to get Jack Michaels to be our regular play-by-play commentator.
I like Jack, but Louie “shooter mentality” Debrusk is terrible.
To be fair, he might not be terrible if his analysis of every play did not involve players needing or having a “shooter mentality.” Someone should point this out for him.
Also, does he really think that everyone should shoot the puck as soon as they get it, every time, from wherever they are, every time. Because that is what he is saying.
Speaking of Jack Michaels’ commentary…
After he says “beautiful move, backhander, scores….there’s total silence from the broadcast booth….you can hear Debrusk chuckle…then silence…13 seconds of silence like Jack and Louis had the mute button pressed….
then Jack comes back and YELLS “What can you SAY!?” Nailed it Jack
It is a rotten, ugly shame that #97s best moments feature the voice of someone who should be commentating on wrestling.
Home game, important goal, fired up crowd. Let the fans call the post-goal celly. Well done Jack.
Every post game with Puj is a bonus to the game.
It appears that Connor knows a thing or two about winning….
Has there been anyone better at 1on3 (or4?) let alone 1on1? Lemieux was majestic but he didn’t do it every second game. Bure was fire but didn’t have the hands to keep up with his legs at times. Gretz could tip the ice in his favour with his mind but couldn’t dangle through a whole team. Jagr was dominant but it was reach & size – he needed positioning.
The empirical evidence mounts. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone even close to this dominant at 1on1.
I like the fact that in the post game he basically said he did it because he was pissed at himself for losing the zone.
And saying it was his job to score big goals like that 😂 or how it maybe wasn’t a great idea to go 1on4. Ha! That’s Patrick Roy-esque arrogance and I love it!
Watch some footage of Bobby Orr.
When McDavid was still in junior my colleague David Staples referred to him as “Bobby Orr playing centre” & I have made the connection periodically ever since.
we have two generational players; JP could be imo, he is positionally poor but if he fixes that he will be an amazing player
Positionally poor?
I’ve heard other posters say this and I don’t get it?I’ve always seen him in the right places, especially in the dzone.
JPs biggest issue right now is his hands. He’s flubbed a lot of shots so far. He could easily be in double digit goals with the looks he’s had.
Yeah he’s good positionally. What is holding him back from being a star are his mitts. That’s fine. We couldn’t afford him if he went supernova anyway.
was at the game from out of town. Easily most entertaining game I have been to. from MacT roasting Lowe, learning about Lowe and genuinely believing he bleeds oil, the comeback w jessie’s slapper making the fandom go wild and then mcdavids act of brilliance. Just a great team and yeah my first game (25+ over 15 years) where I believed in the team and that they cared.
props to the rangers, they came out and were forecheck demons and played w astute structure all game; momentum in that building won out imo
Oh yeah, & Leon’s fourth game winner of the young season on a great play by the core three in OT.
RNH with one assist and it may have been the best game I’ve ever seen him play. The second line is fire.
I hate to be a Debbie downer, but the level of officiating is beyond awful. It’s hard to think this is actually a professional league. It feels like they don’t want to give the team PPs because it’s not fair to the other team. Someone REALLY needs to say something.
That’s exactly what’s happening Jimmy. The Oilers power play is so dominating, that the officials have decided their opponents will have to commit murder in order to make it fair. That power play alone could win them a Cup if was allowed to do so.
As I see it, the NHL has either failed to hire good referees, or they have hired good referees and given them instructions that they do not tell the public about.
The Hyman/Nuge/Yamamoto line was 15-6 shots…..
It was fun watching this line they seem to all play off each other. This could be huge if they can keep the magic going. McDavid can be hard to play with because everything happens at a 100 miles a hour Leon has it figured out and Jesse’s not far behind.
Rangers are a well coached team.
So are the Oilers … McDavid scored that goal against the Rangers 4th line, and worst D pairing. Give credit where it’s due for the coaching staff getting that favourable matchup.
and triple shifting McD final five.
well coached means the players doing what they are taught to do, not so much the game mgmt side of things they have no say in; rangers looked great
No they didn’t … they got completely run off the ice by the Oilers tonight. One of the most complete games the Oilers have played in a long time. The only reason this game was close is cause Koskinen kept getting beat blocker side high (he was playing too deep, but that will happen when you’re not sharp mentally, which tends to happen to him when he plays too many games in a row). Otherwise the Oilers basically turned their game intensity up to 10 midway through the second and completely overwhelmed the Rangers.
I was totally unimpressed with their young players – did Lafreniere or Kakko even play tonight? They were far less noticeable than Jesse or even Yamamoto was. That team still depends on Zibanejad, Panarin and Kreider to carry them. Fox was the only one of their D that stood out in a good way. Gorgiev stood his ground admirably.
Enough with the inferiority complex – our team was better than theirs tonight.
When the Rangers got up 4-1 they went to a prevent defence I give them credit for getting the lead back that 5th goal was a dagger by Mikko nice shot but Mikko has to challenge the shooter instead of playing deep in the net. Oilers did not wilt and kept coming it was a great finish on Kevin Lowe night.
So the last NHL rule wrt penalties to punish the Oilers was to do away with 4 on 4 for coincidental penalties. It appears that the new strategy is to just not make calls on blatantly obvious infractions.
Tippett: Shore probably going to miss some time.
Well, looks like Ryan McLeod will get another chance (although Marody has been good lately and Griffith has been the best of the all – not a center though)
Tough break for Shore … he’s worked hard to move up the roster.
So, Drai has 10G and 23 points in 10 games……
23 and 22 points between them.
LTs article over at the Athletic was a beauty and as he noted in the comments it’s becoming an article about two people not one.
This is going to be incredible.
Well, he has to produce to such a degree to stay ahead of McDavid.
The fact that he is ahead of McDavid is unreal, when you think about it, considering the level at which McDavid has been playing.
I do think Leon is less affected by the refs putting the whistle away. Except when people are allowed to repeatedly cross-check him in the back. To be fair, that makes me a lot less effective, too.
Tippett: “One of the guys said as we were coming off the ice, ‘Can you believe we played with no fans last year?’
Oilers win, unreal McDavid goal, Canucks lose.
A good night. Not perfect (fewer goals against needed for that), but damn fine all the same, in the end.
Edit: Also of note; RNH finally has company on the Assist leaderboard, with McDavid catching up to him, heh. RNH’s 0-14-14 run is amazing, and slightly sad. He’s had some looks, but.. All the same, he’s played really well.
Oilers Win, Canucks Lose and not one peep from the troll
His hands are still greased up from when the Rangers were up 4-1 so he can’t type
pretty standard no?
Forgive me, I just started forming words a minute ago. Out of this world goal, I’d put it a touch above the Columbus return.
I don’t think this team outscored its mistakes tonight. Rangers were more opportunistic, Koskinen was mediocre, 3rd line outplayed, and the refs favoured the Blueshirts. The difference in offensive zone time was staggering. This had the feel of one of the ‘50 you lose no matter what’ games LT refers to. But they won!
Don’t feel guilty for a moment, we deserve this
We have a Lavoie sighting – a beauty pass from behind the net cross-crease to Niemelainen to tie the game with 2 minutes left.
Zach and Jesse comedy hour.
Game of the year and I couldn’t watch because I just missed my ferry. Doh!!! Stupid BC Ferries.
brutal. Doesn’t sound like it would have helped, but I’ve been in exactly that situation wishing B.C. Ferries wifi weren’t a complete fiction.
The motto of BC Ferries – What are you gonna do, swim?
also google nhl66, you might not be too late
If you have a cable sub, sign into the SN Now app and you can replay the game for 24 hours.
Hockey is a beautiful game when played with skill. What a game! They have no fear of losing. Just joy of winning.
That was the best goal in the history of hockey!
PS. Lowe still sucks
Jessie is a fucking beaut.
I reference his Mike check with Zach.
8 more points by the Posse on D.
LT, you will have another McDavid photo like the Flyers one. Only there were 4 Rangers trying to stop him this time.
Cover of next post. Book it 😉
Screw it, just make it the balance photo too. It was that glorious.
Whoever was lucky enough to be at this game…
… … … …
i can’t think of what to say next…
Old time hockey.
Mein Gott.
Mein Himmel as my Oma liked say
That was fun.
Sloppy defensively but man was that fun.
What… a… goal
That one is up there with the Reilly ankle breaker.
Greatness defines itself. Truly the Canadian Super Promise.
That was the most Kevin Lowe NHL game of all time.
6-5 OT for the Oilers over the Rangers who were off to a 4-1 start and leave with a point.
Oilers 9-1 and ready to go on the road and start burning down the Eastern Conference.
Get ready for Boston baby!
Highlander and the Hitman – no matter what this team is fun to watch
The McDavid goal was pure Bobby Orr.
He was pumped to score like that in front of all the Oilers legends in attendance tonight.
THAT was a GAME!! wow, just wow.
What a game. we beat the omens, the celebration JInxes, the refs, the Rangers, the three goal deficit, Georgiev’s mask… WE FRICKIN BEAT EVERYTHING!!!!
HH’s hex was almost spot on tonight. The Rangers only let in 6 instead of 5.
Thanks HH!
I almost called it. You can throw the stats out the window going into games like this when you know the emotion will be running high. Knew it would be a barn burner either way.
Is that one worth 3 points as they beat a good team from the east that had more rest than the Oilers (hadn’t played since Tuesday)?
That one should be worth two…if they ever go to the 3 pt regulation win system
No only worth 1point as it was not on a Saturday night with a full moon. I know it is hard to keep track of the HH points rules.
Ah. I think I see your mistake. You’re forgetting to move the goalposts. I’m not sure how exactly – could be done any number of ways.
That was a no look shot. Draisaitl has become the Borg.
resistance is futile
…
I need a cigarette.
Going to be a few celly beers after that one.
this calls for a left handed cigarette
Schwing.
HH was right… With the Rangers goalies no way this game was ending 7-5 😁
This team goes to 11.
Effing puck retrieval – not just Jesse and Hyman and Foegle but McDavid and Drai as well.
That, my friends, is a season defining win!
What a comeback
down 4-1..?
no problem
a 9W 1L record after 10 is more that anybody could have hoped for but here we are
The Lowetidian cheer:
Here we are! Oilers! Here we are!
This is a good team. Coming down from 4-1 is not easy.
That goal by Leon was all on the defensive board play of Connor.
Bravo.