I can still remember the excitement. It was November 1979, and the Edmonton Oilers were into the early days of the inaugural NHL season for the franchise. The first win came versus the Quebec Nordiques, another expansion squad, but most of the first month featured losses to original six teams.
The game on the 11th was in Edmonton, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. I was nervous for the upstart Oilers, Toronto was over a decade from Stanley but could still ice a strong lineup. The first period was terrible, I was genuinely disappointed in the Oilers. They were better than this! Eddie Mio, what are you doing! Ronny Ellis pumped two past Mio in the first, and they were the third and fourth Toronto goals of the game!
Dave Dryden relieved Mio with nine minutes left in the first, but the game was lost. Wayne Gretzky got an assist in the second period on a Stan Weir goal, that was a positive (Gretzky had been knocked around a little over the summer by some Toronto media, Dick Beddoes specifically) but it was a humbling experience. I was unsettled, kind of embarrassed by the performance. I didn’t expect better, nor did I fear worse, I just didn’t like Ron Ellis getting five shots, and Paul Harrison of all goalies (who had a tough time with Montreal, making him unpopular in my family) was solid in net.
Wayne Gretzky had just played NHL game No. 14, and his boxcars (5-13-18) were impressive. Over the following 65 games, he would go 46-73-119 to finish 51-86-137 on the season. He would make the enlightened Toronto hockey lords rue the day they questioned the Great One, time and time again. A humble start to a hockey story that towered over the game for decades. Oh, oh, Toronto.
THE ATHLETIC
- New Lowetide: Hard-target search for the Oilers’ next starting goaltender
- New Jonathan Willis: Oilers forward lineup isn’t deep or good enough
- DNB: Time for the Oilers to move on from Mikko Koskinen
- Lowetide: If Oilers plan a coaching change, why stop there?
- New DNB: Exploring how the Oilers can get back on track
- Lowetide: Long December has Oilers fans looking for reasons to believe
- Lowetide: Can the Oilers fix their defence with the current personnel?
- DNB: Why getting Mike Smith back now is important to the Oilers’ present and future plans
- Lowetide: The five most effective Oilers mid-season recalls since 1979-80
- Lowetide: A complete review of the Bakersfield Condors’ 2021-22 season to date
- DNB: For Oilers’ Kailer Yamamoto, the goal has always been to belong with the best
- DNB: Jesse Puljujarvi’s next contract? Expectations for Dylan Holloway? Oilers mailbag
- Lowetide: If the Oilers add a big deadline asset, Philip Broberg will be the ask
- Lowetide: 7 AHL trade targets that could immediately improve Oilers’ NHL forward depth
- DNB: How Stuart Skinner became Oilers’ ‘young goalie on the rise’
- Lowetide: If the losing continues will the Oilers make a coaching change?
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- On the road to: NYI, NYR, TOR (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-1-1)
- At home to: OTT, CHI, FLA, CGY (Expected 2-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: VAN (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: NAS (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: MTL, OTT (Expected 2-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 5-5-1, 11 points in 11 games
- Actual January results: 0-1-1, 1 point in 2 games
- Oilers in 2021-22: 18-13-2, 38 points in 33 games
I expect four goals against in the first 10 minutes, and wouldn’t be at all surprised if Ron Ellis scores two of them. The great thing about sports is that you never know. This Oilers team is up against it alright, pucks going in from east of the sun, west of the moon and casting a pall over the land of ice and snow.
SANS 97
The one thing I was looking forward to on this road trip was watching McDavid versus the Maple Leafs. Any fool can see the captain loves playing these games and usually has something special planned. In his NHL career so far, he has scored 8-17-25 in 19 games against a strong TML team.
Fashioning a roster without McDavid and Derek Ryan is a sticky wicket. Here’s my suggestion.
I moved McLeod over to left wing because it’s miserable over there once Hyman is moved to center. I wonder if Tippett loads up Hyman-Drasaitl-Yamamoto/Puljujarvi by the end of the first trying to find a goal. This isn’t going to be a big scoring night for Edmonton. Smith brings his Superman cape, something goes in off Perlini’s ass, Oilers have a chance.
DEFENSE LAST 10 GAMES
Duncan Keith has been playing great hockey in the last few games, it’s unfortunate Edmonton hasn’t been able to take advantage. Credit where due, he’s over 50 percent across the board. His partner, Cody Ceci, has a poor goal differential (these are five-on-five numbers) but other indicators are also positive. Nurse-Bouchard is good, the Oilers need to keep them together and the goal differential will come around.
FORWARDS SCORING LAST 10
Edmonton’s offense over the last 10 games has been popgun for sure, but 97 keeps rolling and McLeod has made a difference. Kailer Yamamoto is off the mat and fighting, need Jesse Puljujarvi to recover. It comes down to Leon tonight, ladies and germs.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
A big show this morning, TSN 1260 at 10. Bruce McCurdy from the Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal will talk about tonight’s game and expectations for the Oilers in January. Joe Osborne from Odds Shark will give us a preview of the NFL this weekend and playoffs to come, plus talk about surging NBA teams. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
I am just catching up on this this morning and it is so infuriating. Why do we have to put up with this dick (HH) every fucking day. You know, we talk about not buying tickets to get ownership attention to the product. We should do the same here. Oilers on a break, everyone should just find something else to do until LT cleans that shit up. It just destroys what could be a great product.
If I banned everyone who people wanted to be banned, this place would be a ghost town. I have thought of shutting the comments section down for a week, perhaps that is something we might consider.
It’s not a ban who people want to be banned, it is a serious product problem with every day the same thing. Shut it down, sounds good.
Maybe just set the chat to emojis only for a few weeks.
What would shutting the comments down for a week achieve though?
Nothing good except keep people from reading each other’s thoughts. I hate the idea personally but tried banning people and it doesn’t work.
One thing I may try: Running ALL posts by two or three people through a filter. That’s not something I want to do, but it may come to it.
I agree that shutting comments down wouldn’t change anything and would prefer that not happen either. I also understand that banning posters is problematic. Though I’m definitely not enjoying the trolling either.
Filtering certain posters could be helpful, as well as Randle’s suggestion of just ignoring posts. I can personally do a better job of the latter, but it is challenging when the poster is interjecting with replies to multiple of my posts.
My vote. Leave it open. Don’t read the comments you don’t want to read.
It’s like an exercise in the real world. We have to learn to tolerate people who we perceive are not like us. Even the trolls. Perhaps especially the trolls.
Truer and more important today than ever.
I don’t understand what shutting the comments down for one week accomplishes if as soon as you open then up things resort to how they’ve been? Or do you really think that wouldn’t be the case, that a certain someone will change the intent of why they are visiting here?
When one customer is continually causing problems do businesses kick everyone out and lock the door or do they kick-out the problem customer so business can continue, likely for the better? I suppose in that scenario some, perhaps many, customers would have already long since found somewhere else to go and the business will suffer, perhaps deservingly so.
I think the thing that bugs people is that many are told at times to smarten up and behave better, but because of how HH phrases his comments he is usually allowed to openly and freely antagonize many commenters, and be generally obtuse, and behave in a way that many see as also disingenuous.
However I prefer to hold my temper and ignore him if it’s too offensive and aggravating.
I do not condone punishing the many good people (by shutting comments down) to limit one individual.
I like coming here for a break to discuss my passion for the Oilers, from a small business, 4 hooligan children, and two naughty cute little dogs.
You’re completely right. I’ve been visiting here for a few years now but rarely post. This blog has been an amazing source of information, interesting people and the best stories from Lowetide but HH is completely ruining the experience now and is obviously here just to cause problems. Not sure what you want to do Lowetide.
Need to find a way not to have Slater Koekkoek in the lineup nightly.
One has to think that Lagesson has earned the next game over Koekkoek (presuming Barrie is back).
You know, Koekkoek’s been pretty good lately too.
Yes, generally, but he’s making a mistake leading directly to a goal against every game, to my eye.
Yeah no question he is making some mistakes that have ended up in the net.
But in the 6 games since he returned from injury (going back to Dec 18th) he’s 5-3 in on ice goals (and with strong underlying numbers).
Lagesson is 1-3 in 3 games over the same span (also with strong underlying numbers).
I agree Lagesson is playing well, but not that Koekkoek needs to come out of the lineup (just looking now, in the 6 games only Keith 9-3, McDavid 5-1 and Shore 3-0 have better goal differentials than Koekkoek).
Wow, 5-3 for KK. That’s hard to believe. I don’t recall him contributing positively to GF, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
I hate the Leafs so much. They won cuz of luck…two goals from shots not even on the net. Oh and the winning goal comes from a PP in the last 10 mins of the game…of course.
Drai was just good…not elite. I’m guessing exhaustion is taking it’s toll on him.
Yamo is progressing finally. He looks like a guy that should be resigned again. Couple points and he believes in himself again…good news.
Pool doesn’t look like a guy that should be paid 5mil plus. Not even close. Might be time to drop him down the line-up and make his agent realize he’s also getting the McDavid zoom right now. If he’s asking for north of 5mil, it hurts to say it, but he might be the guy to trade for other gaps in our lineup. Lots of teams would be interested, and we might actually win a trade this time for the haul coming back. People won’t like it, but it might be the play to help our team the most.
Foegele is identical to Pool in value by my eye. He has a better head for the game but lacks the shot Pool does. He’s already signed and mimics Pool in many ways…keep him and let him play with skill for a while. I don’t think there will be much of a drop off, both these players are 2nd/3rd line players. One of them might want north of 5mil, the other one is already getting paid properly for a 2nd/3rd liner. I say keep the guy that’s already signed, and trade the guy that has more potential.
Hyman looks slower since his injury…hasn’t been even close to the same player since he went out. Hope it’s just rust cuz we need him playing like first 10-games Hyman.
McLeod is becoming the Highlander right in front of our eyes. Why didn’t the coach put him out there for the 6th man? Tip seems like he’s blind to when a player on his team is having a good game. You need to reward players for good play…McLeod earned that icetime. He’s young, and by gifting him that icetime, he starts to believe and progresses quicker.
Perlini looks like a player, just keep playing him. He’s better than Turris and Shore, neither should play ahead of him.
Kassian looks disinterested in playing hockey anymore. I think he enjoys being injured more than being on the ice now. Too bad. Love him when he’s engaged…gives our team character.
Sceviour is solid and I think someone said it earlier…he’s going to be that playoff hero to score a big one when we really need it.
Benson is getting better each game. I did notice the “slow boots” observations today…but not to the point that makes him ineffective. He could be legit. Keep playing him and give him some skill to play with.
Turris and Shore both are bad players, they need to be pressboxed until their contracts are up. Bring up Marody and Griffith. They can’t be worse than the two vets at this point.
Nurse is not worth 9mil and is proving it so far this season. Hope he turns it around. Love him, but he’s not playing like a top 10 dman right now.
Bouch took a bad penalty, but did everything he could to make up for it in the remaining part of the game. He’s awesome. By my eye, he has a slow acceleration…if he can add a step there he could be elite.
Keith is too slow to play anymore. KH needs to make him retire. Sit him for the rest of the year and make him retire. 9mil in cap space is worth more than his decent play so far. I don’t hate him, but the cap space is way more valuable to us.
Ceci is paid a tad much, but he’s a solid d-man. I think he makes us better, not worse.
Lags had a great game. I would keep showcasing him to the league and maybe by the deadline he has enough value to bring in something in a trade. He’s not resigning here, so make him worth something or lose him for nothing.
Kooks is a mediocre 7th d-man. No more, no less.
Smith played great and lost. He keeps playing like that, the other team’s luck will run out and we start winning some games.
This break couldn’t have come at a better time for us. Hope we use it properly and come back on fire. The fans deserve it.
Good post except the JP comparison. Pool>Foggy, let’s hope Kenny is a grinder.
11 straight losses under Tippett.
But yeah moral victory tonight.
Are we out of the playoffs yet?
Yes.
The Oilers are currently 10th in the WC by points percentage.
Well, no. Technically, the Oilers are still in the 2nd wildcard spot.
Looks good on paper but:
Winnipeg .578
Los Angeles .561
Edmonton .559
Dallas .552
Dallas, which is finally getting healthy, has FIVE games in hand on the Oilers and should be able to win 3 or 4 of those.
And, as it stands, the Oilers will only play one game (Ottawa) in the next 2 weeks so will be looking up at a lot of teams.
Yes, I am aware of how games played and point percentage works.
The question was: are the Oilers out of the playoffs yet? The answer is no.
According to how the play-in standings worked we are.
He’s only here because his blog failed.
Set that up nicely.
Also very classy to use whichever of points or points % suits you better on a given day.
Also, if you want to get a handle on a predictor of final standings, Goal differential is almost perfect in large enough sample sizes.
COL +27
CAL +27
STL +23
VGK +19
MIN +18
NSH +13
ANA +12
WPG +6
_________
LAK +2
EDM +2
Dallas and Vancouver charging hard from the rear.
Ah yes, if I need to get a handle on things. Oh my.
Always happy to lend a hand 🙂
I’m sorry, this is a boldfaced lie.
You were going on about points rather than points % regarding both the Condors and Oilers just yesterday.
Man oh man… The last 10 games or so have been hard to watch.
Soft on the puck, lazy backchecking, struggles making/taking a pass, struggling to get shots off, struggle to get HDSC, struggling to get in opposition shooting lanes, bad goalering… & that’s all throughout the lineup. Top line & 4th. 1st pair & 3rd.
Just a major OOF all around for most of the game.
Getting hard to watch.
I thought that was a very fun game to watch and there was tons of hard on the puck, effort in all zones, effective puck movement in all zones, etc.
A definite improvement for sure, but this team is still not favoured by the hockey gods…that is still in evidence by the bounces against and 1 PP.
Also, does Hyman ever pass to Jesse? I noticed he loves to rag the puck in the ozone and didn’t pass to JP in at least the last 2 games…odd
I am not certain the Oilers threw a single check. It has been like this for a while.
Oilers – 19
Leafs – 22
https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/edm-vs-tor/2022/01/05/2021020596#game=2021020596,game_state=final
Can’t complain about much after this game. Hard working game all around. Own goal, double tip and in goal and the puck tipped to the D on a pp for a HD chance. Some of our younger guys showed skill with extra time.
No moral victories here. We lost.
We keep up this type of effort, however, we will work our way out of this debacle.
Players can recharge now that we have a break. I can use a break, too…
Moral victory, anybody, anyone?
Our goalie had a save percentage over .900! YES!
That was more than a moral victory
TO is a top team, the Oilers are slumping and missing top players
That they played a competitive game and played 60 minutes is all that can be asked
They played better as a team than most games when healthy
Decent tending didn’t hurt
I usually rip them but nothing to see here
Oilers were a desperate team playing a rusty Toronto team in front of no fans. Participation ribbons end when you start making millions and results matter unless we’re going to start a new rebuild.
leafs got two lucky goals
Good teams often lucky!
I like Nurse. Still, I would like more out of a 9 million dollar dman.
It is what it is
But he’s not a top level D as I see it
Awareness is the difference between the elite and the good
Maybe he’s got nagging injuries.
I know Keith isn’t a favourite here but I hope the other D are learning from him.
He is head and shoulders better at moving the puck well than any of them to put the recipient in a place to make a play or skate
And at a far higher pace
As you say…awareness is a big damn deal but so is elite skating.
Nurse is fine in a straight-line but lacks the edges and mobility of a modern defenseman.
Cale Makar has 14 goals (and 28 points in 24 GP)
Nurse has 14 points in 26 GP.
Nurse will soon have a higher cap hit.
Why don’t you start your own blog about Cale Makar and you can write a poem about how much you love him every day. It would be great!
Everyone knows Makar is better than Nurse. What is your point? Comparing their contracts is pointless. Different age players, different contract rights.
Smart GM/Dumb GM.
It’s a thing.
You don’t need to compare Nurse to Makar to illustrate Holland’s ineptitude as a GM.
If anything, your comparison between Nurse and Makar obscures this point because the comparison does not make any sense.
You should look up the difference between unrestricted free agency and restricted free agency.
You should look up the difference between GM’s who recognize brilliance early and lock it up early.
Colorado has Makar, Toews and Graves (and soon Byram) who are all better defensemen than Nurse and all of them makes substantially less money.
He’s trying to trade some of your boys
public info
Joe has a stellar record, especially in the second season- what??????
He only had 2 fanboys read his blog, so he’s left posting nothing of value here.
Braden Point has much better edges than Mathews blah blah blah blah
Nurse can tear Makar limb from limb and win corner battles
blah blah blah blah…..
TBH, I’d like more out of a 7 million dollar man. . .
Nurse isn’t earning $9 million. Less than 2/3rds of that.
Yes, but he’s already signed the 9 million dollar contract has he not? I suppose he could get substantially better next year. . . That is the Oiler way after all (don’t worry, they’ll be better next year)
That was a terrible deal the day it was signed. The “you hate Nurse” crowd used to be very loud when you claimed he had warts in his game but I still don’t understand how he got more than 7-8 mil a year.
Seth Jones.
Nurse put up a lot of points, is durable, one of the few fighters left
Any of you have to sign people with street creds for your business?
Price sucks but any team would have paid .
Sakic wouldn’t have.
Sakic is only hitting his re-ups; we’ll see
He was also much better last season. Hopefully he gets back there.
He had a 10.4% shooting percentage last season.
His career average is about 4%.
Not coming back.
This is so tiring HH.
Do you get tired of this crap sometimes too?
When oilers are losing, he obviously doesn’t.
This may be the worst outcome – no points yet allows a narrative from the brass that ‘we showed a lot of grit against an elite team without our captain’. Nothing will change.
Fire Tipps
I’m not usually one to advocate for coach firings mid season (except Dallas Eakins, man he was a terrible coach), but they might need to let Tipps go just so it can force a system shock to the Oilers. It has worked out for a few other teams in recent years. Bring up Woodcroft for the remainder of the season. (Or at least Let Gully intern if that’s not in the cards).
Just please Kenny, for the love of Hockey, DONT HIRE BABCOCK!
Pretty much every condor has come up and is well groomed.
Woodcroft may rely on veterans, but all the youth coming up with the guidance of the wood have been good when given opportunity.
The Croft already knows the core of this club and has several young guys that would do everything he says without hesitation knowing the coach believes in them.
They should and imo must give Woodcroft the rest of the year.
Another game trailing 5mins in, the only Victories in over a month have been with the assistants leading the charge.
I said Holland would never fire the coach in season unless they lose 10 in a row or something crazy like that. Never believing they’d actually get there.. Yet here we are.
Losses matter the most for coaches at the end of the day and it’s the end of the line for this fella.
Damn. Such a good game, too.
Not one to usually nitpick the stars but Hyman made a few curious decisions in that 3rd period.
Didn’t like the back nad forth between Draisaitl and Bouchard at the end either. Too much hesitation.
Sigh, a bummer end to what otherwise was a fun game
Agreed regarding Bouch. He’s gotta bomb that with all the traffic. But I did like seeing him take command a few time and lug the puck into the O zone himself. Almost scored end to end. Everyone tells me he’s slow but I dunno…
Bye bye Tippett
That was a well played game IMO given the challenge
Absolutely it was.
but Holland needs to do something and he’s not gonna give himself the axe and given the players he’s signed he’s not likely to trade himself out of this situation
And btw I think Holland is the one that should go
Please take Burgers too
Holland gonna start feeling the heat like he’s never felt before. Fire Tippett get the dead cat bounce and get back in the playoff race. If the Ducks make the Playoffs with Eakins coaching over the Oilers Holland needs to be shit canned as well.
godot10 trashes Kassian, everyone drinks!
Kassian on the ice in the last minute instead of Puljujarvi. #CoachTipsy
To be fair… Puljujarvi has been like a puck magnet, with the same polarity as the puck. LOL
Kassian made the blunder on the goal at the end of the first period. He was fluffy soft against Nylander on the faceoff loss by Draisaitl. He was out of position on the draw. He gave Nylander about a three foot edge to the faceoff dot. Was totally out of position to lean on Nylander and win the battle for a loose puck. Nylander was able to get the puck uncontested.
i.e. Not a fluke goal against. Just Zack being Zack.
LOL
Was screaming at my TV over this one, too. Kass doesn’t dig on on the draw, then gets beat… that goal is on him. Tired of the player – holy smokes does he ever not look like he is trying out there… And what is Tipp doing throwing him out as the 6th skater!? It’s like he wants to just get fired and get it over with. ha. sigh… oh, Oilers…
Gut check time. Don’t panic. Keep working. Get the puck on net and follow your shot. Im outta cliches…
You’d like your goalie to have that, notwithstanding the poor clear by KK
Not good by any of Bouchard, Koekkeok or Smith on that one. Nobody made a smart or strong play.
Bouchard wasn’t on the ice….
Exactly, if Bouchard was on the ice KK would have been on the bench and no weak clear would have occurred. #benchbouchard #galaxybrain
Bouchard took the penalty after having control, losing it and then tripping Tavares
Yes, I know – you post was talking about the play – at least that’s how I read it.
Smith has looked pretty solid tonight (so far!) If he is truly back do you put the goalie panic on hold and wait until the off season? Would still swap Mikko and Skinner and see how that works out
Smith will be day to day, tomorrow.
So far… Sigh
The difference between these two teams is 940 vs 900 sp
Whoa, 3 high danger shot by Oilers on three rushes….
Great defensive zone play and outlet to Kass there by Shore – really strong series of plays.
Jesse not getting a ton of ice tonight.
He made one great puck recovery play on the PP but, to my eye, he hasn’t really impacted the game and hasn’t been his normal puck hound self for a while.
I wonder if he’s banged up – Tip did mentioned before a game, 3 or 4 games ago, about the lineup being subject to some guys that were dealing with bumps.
oops. Posted the below on yesterday’s thread by mistake before today’s game. Glad to see the team gutting it out and getting a decent result so far
Go Oilers!! Win the 3rd period
By no means a historical Tippett hater and have been staying off these boards and the networks (hi spec and HH) for the past few days as tippets throwing koski under the bus was an absolute disgrace I didn’t wish to be reminded of. Don’t let the the door hit you in the ass on the way out Dave!
97 missing for short period may be a blessing in disguise. Suck it up, play hard and I feel reasonably good about this game. Not casting stones at them individually but this “two stars” bullshit has gotten way out of hand and team won’t win until shift lengths, ice time etc becomes more reasonable and a bit more “team” focused. At some point the fact that every bottom sixer and bottom tier D flounders and drowns in Edmonton is more than a coincidence.
decade of darkness didn’t ruin me as an oilers fan but this may.
After Two:
2-2 (no scoring in the second)
22-17 Toronto shots (8-7 Edmonton in the second)
36-25 Toronto Corsi five on five (13-10 Toronto in the second)
==
Draisaitl is 1-2 goals, Hyman 0-2, the top of the TML roster (Matthews and Tavares lines) is so very good.
I’ve been impressed with Sceviour and McLeod among the bottom six, I thought McLeod had a goal for sure there late.
Jesse has a HDSC and is skating well, snake bit lately. Maybe the third period brings him some good fortune. Smith with a massive stop late.
Sceviour has looked VERY good to my eye – surprised to see he’s only played apx 7 minutes at 5 on 5.
He is driving an effective 4th line with Perlini helping.
Regular short hard shifts. Who knew
Another solid period. That’s two in a row. Haven’t said that in awhile. Better coverage that period, too. Smith is solid in net. Lines are working their asses off. Nobody is cheating. Amazing. Stay the course. Strong on D and hard on the forecheck. Our chances will come. Hope McLeod gets one so he can laugh off that last chance. lol When his head catches up with his feet he’s gonna be dynamite!
When was Kassian’s last shift?
Some shifts where they got hemmed in and running around that period but the Leafs’ top six is dynamic and the long chance.
Really good effort and, for the most part, execution with the puck.
Fun game!
I thought they did a good job keeping them to the outside. Aside from the shift where they got caught out to long. Not to many HD scoring chances, to my eye..,
Shore just can’t take a pass from Benson. Flubbed two good ones earlier and now couldn’t even get a shot off of another good one. Liking Benson tonight. He’s gotta be elevated when we’re healthy
Spec just make a good point – mentioned that this is only McLeod’s 33rd NHL game.
Seems like more.
He’s shown some real development this season – in particular given his play during training camp and the games before he was sent down.
For sure. Real progress. Also seeing Benson better for a while now that he is getting some ice time.
For sure on Benson – stringing together performances now.
He makes lots of subtle but solid skilled plays these days.
Use makes master. He’s getting more time so he’s getting more comfortable. I hope Tipps recognizes this and continues to spread out the ice time.
What was McLeod thinking. Just try to bury it in the net instead of attempting a fancy-ass pass.
I think McLeod had an open net, there. lol Rookies…
I thought he flubbed a shot but it does seem like he tried to make a pass.
He didn’t realize that his moves created an amazing scoring chance for himself…… needs the game to slow down a tiny bit more I guess…. it will.
He messed the bed and he knew it immediately.
Was thinking pass the whole way.
Dammit that would have been nice
He’s gonna hate that replay…lol
Oh, man, McLeod, you had that – you made the moves, had the goalie down and then flubbed the finish…. it was there.
I think he was possessed by the ghost of Marty Reasoner at the last moment
After replay looks like he was trying a pass. Either way, good try.
Trying to pass there was not “a good try”. The rest of his shift was excellent.
Whew. Has the worm just turned? Feels like it.
I’ll take a scoring chance and an offensive-zone draw while on the PK.
Great short pass by Ceci to Keith and then smart clear by Keith prior.
Laggeson is a warrior. Painful One timer off the ankle and didn’t stop til the whistle. Love it.
Way too much room given up in neutral zone
Continues to be a problem
Would really like a kill here….
You mean like.. Matthews?
Not a very private place for a murder…?
But what better time, with no one in the stands?
Sceviour is driving a 4th line – driving.
Some help from Perlini but Sceviour is a buzz-saw out there and making plays with the puck on top.
Of course, then they get caught out on a straight-leg shift after some defensive zone running around turning in to a long 6-4 against – with the 3rd pairing.
The best….. didn’t break.
Keith with the PP2 time.
No Nurse.
Edit: Keith and Nurse
Bouch with the PP1 start!
With uhhmmm Turris.
This is enraging.
Putting Turris on PP is an attempt to sabotage the opportunity. What a silly silly call.
Crazy. Turris has zero goals this year…edit: nhl.com saying he has one goal. I do recall a shootout goal but did not think they count.
He handles the puck like a grenade, isn’t great on the forecheck and doesn’t drive the net.
In what world is he a better option than JP, McLeod, Benson or hell Bouchard at forward?
Bizarre decision
Why is that striped fellow holding his arm up..?…is he ordering drinks…hailing a cab..?
They’re tied?! Just checked the score. I’m floored. This is promising but the end result matters too. Sometimes it seems like this team needs a McDavid absence to remember that they’re worthy of playing in the NHL.
How are they playing? (Intensity and confidence eye-test)
Nurse or Bouch or both?
Game against the Hawks on the 18th has been postponed.
It’s already a moral victory!
…now maybe, a real one is due?
Wow, a second solid net rush by Perlini.
I thought he should have shot earlier but the lane was there and he took it.
Two great high board offensive zone keeps by Benson there – nice stuff.
He is making solid subtle plays with consistency.
Where are the people who were blaming Barrie for a puck going off his skate into the net?
Maybe they missed the puck go off of Bouchard’s stick and Nurse’s leg before going in the net.
Is it weird that we seem to be playing faster without McDavid on the ice? Guess nobody is standing around watching him do it all. If only we can learn to play like this With McD…