The Oilers arrived in the NHL about the time I started earning enough money to have real independence. Bought a car. It was a 1965 Chevy Bel Air Super Sport, red with a white hard-top roof, armstrong steering, It took more oil than gas. I had to stop in Leduc to put oil in before heading to Wetaskiwin for my first job in radio. I lived at Southgate! Man that thing burned oil. I loved that car, listed to The River (Springsteen), My Aim is True (Costello), Remain in Light (Talking Heads) and one of the Peter Gabriel albums on the way to work. “Call Me” by Blondie was the big hit that year, I loved Deborah Harry so much there was a poster of her on my wall at home (the final one I ever bought at Southgate Mall). I used to buy my lunch at Grandma Lee’s, and when I moved to Wetaskiwin (lived in Elsie Klone’s basement, $100 a month, she put more than $100 worth of food in my fridge every month and that’s a fact) would get my veggies from Debaji’s and my go-to fast food was Burger Baron. I pursued the fairer sex far more than they pursued me, but had a great time all the same.
The Oilers were in season two, the electric debut offering great things to come. If you dropped in to see me at CJOI Radio (1440) Westaskiwin that year, you would know that the 8am news (read by Ray Stout) would be interrupted by the loud whistle of the train that stopped in Westaskiwin around that time. You would also know the Oilers had a brand new Alberta rival, formerly known as the Atlanta Flames. Things were about to get interesting.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: What should Oilers do on right wing this summer?
- New DNB and Hailey Salvian: Flames vs. Oilers: Key matchups, injury updates and storylines
- Lowetide: Inside Oilers’ stats from wild first-round series win over Kings
- Lowetide: Oilers defence prospects, who’s staying and who’s going?
- DNB: Connor McDavid is turning playoff dreams into reality
- DNB: For Edmonton Oilers, Game 7 stakes vs. Kings are simply enormous
- Lowetide: What’s Oilers prospect Dylan Holloway’s future fit on depth chart?
- Lowetide: How Oilers can finally fix salary cap nightmare
- Lowetide: Reasonable expectations for Oilers could not see chaos ahead
- Lowetide: Early look at Oilers’ options for 2022 NHL Draft
- DNB: How Dave Manson is making the Oilers blue line better
- Lowetide: Oilers regular season report card for 2021-22
- Lowetide: Stock up or down for every prospect in the Oilers system
ROADHOUSE BLUES
An NHL regular season is an endless drive, dusk to dawn, then again, then again again. Even injuries are measured long hand, “he’ll be back by February” is a typical description. A big canvas, many miles to go. The big question in the regular season surrounds making the playoffs and after that getting everyone healthy. There is some urgency in the “trade deadline!” but most of the verbal has a leisurely feel. So relaxed you might read an article about the team general manager taking a trip to the farm. Maybe pick an apple off the tree, check out the prospect goalie. Relax. Take a load off. There’s a certain pace to the regular season, a comfortable one.
Playoffs? It’s such a quick switch. Overnight, the future’s uncertain and the end is always near. Game One matters. Big time.
BLACK ACES
We talked about this earlier in the week and yesterday Edmonton announced several recalls.
- Stuart Skinner
- Philip Broberg
- Markus Niemelainen
- Dmitri Samorukov
- Dylan Holloway
- Seth Griffith
- Brad Malone
Kyle Turris is already on the roster, having been recalled the other day. Some of these men won’t see playoff action, but men like Stuart Skinner, Philip Broberg, Seth Griffith and Brad Malone have the best chance in my opinion. Dylan Holloway is a popular choice for fans, and there is precedent for a prospect to make his NHL debut during the playoffs. Among the men who did it for Edmonton are Esa Tikkanen (1985, Oilers won Stanley) and Kelly Buchberger (1987, Oilers won Stanley).
THE FIRST TIME
The first time Edmonton and Calgary met in an NHL game was October 22, 1980. It ended 5-3 Oilers, Dave Semenko scored two, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Risto Siltanen and Blair MacDonald all had two assists. Edmonton’s Ron Low outbattled Daniel Bouchard in the Calgary net.
The Oilers picked up rugged winger Curt Brackenbury on waivers two weeks before the Calgary game. He played a couple of times for the Oilers in early October but didn’t dress against the Flames. When Brackenbury was plucked off waivers by Edmonton (from Quebec Nordiques), Vancouver grabbed Colin Campbell when the Oilers dropped him. News reports had Don Ashby as the most likely but Campbell landed on the left coast instead.
Meanwhile, trade rumours surrounded Minnesota’s Gary Edwards, who lost the starting job in net for the North Stars to teenage stopper Don Beaupre. Edwards would be dealt to the Oilers for a third-round selection (Wally Chapman) in 1982.
FARTHER ALONG
I have the Oilers in seven, but if you’re a Flames fan you have every right to say to hell with that noise. It’s go-time for Calgary, several key players (Jacob Markstrom, Mikael Backlund, Chris Tanev, Tyler Toffoli, Blake Coleman) are over 30 and some of the best young guns (Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane) are about to get paid.
Unlike the 1980’s, where the Flames spent every waking moment of each summer tweaking a roster designed to beat Edmonton, this generation sees Calgary ahead of the Oilers in quality, depth and balance.
Why then am I picking the Oilers? Four reasons.
- Number one, Connor McDavid. He has matured as a player, delivering a complete game, while still posting breathtaking offense.
- If McDavid is working all 200 feet, playing a physical style, how can anyone on the roster give less?
- Mike Smith appears to be in one of those zones goalie expect Catherine Silverman told me about a couple of years ago for The Athletic: “When he’s on his game, his size and his reasonably above-average command of puck handling can make him an unstoppable force even when facing a high volume of shots. His bad games are especially poor, though, and has a fiery temperament that can seem to drive him to perfect games or sink his own ship.”
- Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson. Call it Witchcroft or Woodcraft, but it works. Since arriving in middle February, these two men have turned a struggling five-on-five team into a club that can play better than par consistently. Combined with the team’s special teams abilities, the results have been excellent. Edmonton is in every game, and McDavid late with the game on the line is a supernova waiting to happen.
So, I’m picking Edmonton. It’s going to be a great series. Farther along we’ll know all about it. Farther along we’ll understand why. Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine. We’ll understand it all, by and by.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
We’ll jumpstart the BOA with a rocking two hours of the Lowdown beginning at 10 this morning, TSN1260. Bruce McCurdy from the Cult of Hockey at the Edmonton Journal will set the scene, and we’ll also look at what the experts are saying. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Our game was so putrid – not much point in belaboring it, really.
Need Woodcroft to re-focus the group.
Let’s ease up on the old patented Oiler’s excuses though. ™
Our team had a full 3 days off before the game last night.
Not one team is not dealing with injuries.
What the hell was that, but I’m not worried.
Missed tonight’s game due to a work related meeting … had a feeling this one would be a stinker though. Still feel optimistic about our chances, cause the Woody Oilers have followed up bad games with better team structure. Same thing with Smith – he’s followed up bad losses by stringing together 2-3 solid outings after.
Big time wake up call though – Oilers better show up on time for the next game.
So apparently, the captain tells the ref who is coming out of the box, it’s been a long time tradition in the NHL. It’s just three guys in the box at the same time… doesn’t matter who did what to who.
For those interested in what the actual rulebook states regarding players returning to the ice from the sin bin, since this also threw me for a loop….
From a 2 or 3 year old edition of the NHL Rulebook:
16.2 (iI) When the minor penalties of two players of the same team terminate at the same time, the Captain of that team shall designate to the Referee which of such players will return to the ice first and the Referee will instruct the Penalty Timekeeper accordingly.
Without a consistent #1 goalie and no top pair Dmen on the team , Oilers will continue to have problems in the playoffs.
With respect to Kane and Nuge both struggling, seemingly, with skating and other aspects of the game, lets not forget they both were absent from pretty much all the skates prior to today…
Woody put the PP problems down to effort and mental errors rather than anything the Flames were doing. Said they handled active PKs well in the season and they didn’t tonight,
I’d have to say though that one big difference tonight was their inability to win a PP face-off.
He was not happy with everyone’s effort, battle and play. Said the focus in the second half of the game was no freelancing contractors, play better as units, and thought they did a better job.
Kept emphasizing they scored 6 ES goals and they should never lose when that happens. Seemed very disappointed.
14 ES goals in a playoff game is insane, btw.
Man to lose like that after coming all the way back. Just when I thought, “shit! We could actually win game 1!” They quickly quelled my optimism. I should have known better…
Man they have trouble against strong, heavy puck possession teams. Tbh, the Flames aren’t that good, they just play their game very well. It’s execution.
The top line is the goods, Draisaitl found that out the hard way.
The rest of it? Streaky at best.
As mentioned earlier this week it depends on which Jekyll or Hyde effort level pops up. Tonight it was a mix of both but some weak weak play when it mattered most.
Still stewing over that botched PP after they tied it up.
Hyman-McDavid-Yamamoto
Draisaitl-Nuge-Kane
Ryan-McLeod-Puljujaarvi
Foegele-Shore-Kassian
I honestly don’t know, but the current lineup is not going to work. Jesse was more noticeable, maybe he can be elevated. Nuge and Kane were not themselves and based on the missed practices, are likely battling something. The top 9 needs to get fixed in a hurry. Archibald was not the problem tonight, but he’s not the solution. Maybe they need to take Leon out to heal.
Awful start.
I want to see what this team is like with actual legs, and battle, and showing up at puck drop, not chasing the game.
There are a several real unrelated problems though.
The Calgary PK is owning our PP. Wasted 4 opportunities tonight.
Drai can’t play C right now.
We cannot win the physical battle with size. They’re bigger. Only effort and speed and battle and sacrifice will win.
I’m not the guy that usually says this, lol, but there is something seriously wrong with Nuge’s skating. That’s the slowest I’ve ever seen him. That was not Nuge.
Kane too.
I wonder if they saw the Dallas series and thought the Flames were slower and suckier than what they are and tried to get through this series nursing their injuries and effort. looking for a level to play down to. And the Flames instead brought it.
Probably a bunch of injuries we dont know about. Its the cup, ya battle through but agreed Nuge hasnt helped the cause and hes supposed to be in the cherry minutes.
Yeah, agreed. I’m hoping they just have the flu that’s been going around. Be better than injuries. Drai and a rehabbing Nurse is enough.
No such thing as cherry minutes playing alongside Archibald, Nuge’s hockey career “life ain’t fair”
Game One was over one minute in.
Woodcroft rarely has his team putting out two bad ones in a row.
Game Two next up!
Well, going to bed on the east coast. This is good for hockey. My juices are flowing.
I recall the Oilers’ performance in games 2 and 6/7 last series (after terrible performances in games 1 and 5).
Yep.
If the boys have shown anything in the ManWood era, it’s the ability bounce back.
Picking Puljujarvi over Tkachuk stings a little more on nights when the latter is ripping a playoff Hattie against us. Does that even register with Jesse?
Jesse needs to sit he’s bringing nothing.
Agreed.
‘but his expected goals for’ blah blah
Stauffer pushing for Holloway but Brown and Michaels have both reminded him that’s unlikely until he gets some practices with the team in.
We should however expect to see Foegele now.
Foegele as the one, and only, change makes sense.
Lets not forget how the Oilers were outplayed in games 1 and 5 last series and how they bounced back without major changes.
Is that the worst goaltending duo performance in the history of the game? Literally 10 levels below disastrous. You’ve got to put in Skinner to back up next game don’t you?
Calgary could use him.
Smith will battle next game. He’s done it before and outgoalied Markstrom in the playoffs over his career.
Skinner was absolutely awful in the 3-game sweep by the Heat.
The main reason the Condors lost was they got out-tended every game.
So if anyone had any doubts as to why all these Black Aces were up today, this is why. I would start Skinner in a heartbeat but that’s too ballsy on a personal level for coaching staff to probably negatively hit team morale. On paper though, how do you not start Skinner?
We’ll it actually doesn’t make a lot of sense in any way so I’d start from there and work my way back?
Do you suppose Sutter is gonna shut down Markstrom for the series after his barn burner tonight?
If you think AHL players are this team’s panacea, you’re looking for cures from the wrong apothecary.
FYI – Skinner was AWFUL in the 3-game sweep by the Heat.
No doubt Smith starts – as he should.
Foegele likely draws in – maybe for Archie.
That’d be my guess too. Although Kassian was pretty invisible today. Archie 4 hits and Kass with 0. Kass did miss a hit in the Flames corner. I don’t know. I don’t see size coming out of this line-up. Archie for Foggy seems like the obvious change.
Drai not at C makes things troublesome.
Couldn’t tell from the TV angle in real time who Quasimodo was slashing in the legs as the clock wound down the last ten seconds.
It was McLeod. Who wasn’t even near the puck (above the top of the circles when the CGY D were playing catch close to the net) either.
What an absolute piece of human garbage Lucic is, at least Kassian stepped in on the Highlanders behalf.
I really, really, hope someone runs Milan in the next game. Fuck that guy.
Well he’s in his natural element with a classless bunch like that
Barf on the refs who would allow such dirty and harmful garbage then. That is not letting the boys play that’s misconduct worthy
So frustrating that lucic is allowed two slashes to start that all.
Who’s going to stop him?
Parros, if he was interested in doing his job.
Otherwise, Nurse, Kane, Kassian are all equipped.
Lucic is such a strange man. Why go after McLeod of all people with seconds left of a 9-6 game?
Weak prey rubs salt in the wound. Nothing the oilers can do about it leaves you feeling demoralized. Veteran tough guy move.
He’s a narcissistic bully. He wouldn’t go after someone who might fight him, picks the meekest guy on the team
I bet him and Turtle are BFFs.
McLeod elbowed someone a few seconds before. I believe it was inadvertent but did happen.
I backed up the feed on nhl66 after reading this, good eye.
What I saw was McLeod’s stick may have ramped up CGY 88’s stick on a puck play, with about 37.7 seconds left to go. After that he picked Lucic’s pocket and got slashed from behind several times.
We’ve got a BINGO!
Ooooooooof course Tkachuk gets the empty net hat trick. Oh well, it was a memorable game, that’s for sure!
Expected a let down game but that was an incredibly poor effort.
Why did you expect a letdown game? I thought the talk was that the Oilers were maturing and have learnt what it takes to win in the playoffs, the right way to play.
Who was looch hacking? McLeod? He needs to return the favor. Stick is the equalizer.
The first question Jay needs to answer tonight is why the team wasn’t ready to play.
Never start Keith-Bouch again. Infamously passive, slow and late to react. Add in Smith doing Smith things on the first shot, along with McD and Drai loving to sit back a bit and waiting to spring like it’s 4×4 and you have a recipe for how to start terribly.
I think Smith had to move his arm
out of the way to let that first muffin in.
No need to blame anyone but him on that goal.
That question is to be asked of the players – not the coach, in my opinion.
That’s 18 goals given up to Flames in last 2 games against.
Lucic slashing someone like that with 15 seconds left in the game is exactly why I’m glad he’s not on our team anymore.
I’m glad he’s gone because he’s not very good at hockey any more, one of the most egregiously overpaid players in the league.
And probably more so because he’s a verified locker room cancer, coming from Brian Burke and Mike Futa on ON with Bob.
Fans love him in Calgary and i mean adore. Sometimes economics comes into play.
3 yards and a cloud of dust is pretty boring. Just a bunch of field goals and we finish 9-6.
Is this the time everyone complaining about Holland not addressing the goaltending all year and gambling on Smith/Kostco again says “I told you so?” Not that the team has been any better apart from them, but still…scoring 6 goals and losing, woof.
You’re right Markstrom stole that game for Calgary
Markstrom has been terrible as well; however, he has a history of strong performance including a Vezina nomination this season. So a bad game from him is not an expected occurrence. With Oiler tenders, inconsistency has been there all season long.
Evergreen post after every poor goalie performance.
There could be one bad performance in 10 games and this post comes out.
* Not a shot at the poster directly, just that this happens after every poor performance.
OP, it is certainly an evergreen comment, but I would submit that the reason you see it fairly often is because Oiler goalies are wildly inconsistent. I acknowledge that they have been good to even great at times, but the issue all year long is you never know what you will get.
I maintain that the Oilers would be a far stronger team if Ken had shored up the goaltending long ago. The proof is in the playoff pudding over the last couple years (granted that this series is FAR from over), though I hope the “good” Smith shows up in game 2.
Except that Smith has not really been wildly inconsistent when healthy – this season or last…..
Has Kassian even thought about a hit tonight.
He’s hardly the reason for the loss
Generally no, but he did go after Dooshic who was slashing McLeod in the back of the legs when the puck wasn’t within 20ft during the last ten seconds.
Night. Gotta have a better showing Friday!
Little known fact. Keith Tkachuk had 3 sons until he ate one of them.
You’re en fuego tonight.
Wish my team had been on fire!
At least the Oilers are making sure Tkachuk gets paid next year.
If I’m Woody I think I’m pretty hoppin mad about the last 15 minutes there.
Had it all tied up and then totally pissed it away.
All good though. Flames are sissies and Markstrom is mind-fuckable.
Oilers in 5
Terrible game. For both teams actually. The flames are beatable but the Oilers aren’t going to do it with efforts like this.
The Oilers don’t want to play a more mature game it seems
They’re sloppy with the puck, sloppy with details when under any pressure. They don’t know how to use traffic still, time plays to the slot, the things the mature playoff teams do because you have to
They lose their legs when nervous
There is enough there to beat other teams but the chances of them playing the right way consistently seem remote
Didn’t they just win back to back elimination games by playing the exact hockey you’re describing?
Backlund taunting Kane to punch him. That might come back to haunt him.
You had a chance to nail gudreau and you puck fished. Idiot. If that was McDavid he woulda went sliding down the ice.
Did you notice who that was? I was saying the same thing but didn’t catch the number
Didn’t see but I think it was Barrie. Wasted chance to hit their best player!
Keith the Elder won’t even toss his hat on the ice.
Says all you need to know about that family.
That was quite the display they put on
Reminded me of post Cup Ovechkin
maybe it was a special, lucky hat? (athletes are famous for superstitious stuff like that)
At this point the only workout Keith looks to be doing is 16oz curls.
Mercy.
Even if we lose this game, we go home knowing that the city of Calgary has more crapped pants per capita than anywhere else on Earth tonight.
They never trailed.
Entertaining game, sure it was fun for the fans.
Nuge has to be better. Pretty much invisible all night. Not good enough.
His early play wasn’t invisible unfortunately
Don’t run him! He’s our only hope
Nurse with a shot when nobody’s near the net…where have I seen that before?
They certainly haven’t figured out the whole traffic in front thing
It would really make them a lot more dangerous and effective
that was Boosh wasn’t it?
Nurse. It’s his specialty, unfortunately…
I really don’t think this game is over yet. Incredible. We’re two crits from overtime in a game where everyone’s throwing 1s and 20s.
.700 + .865 vs .750
woof. That’s awful.
if only the Oilers had more than 24 shots
A bit disappointed that Mikko has been as bad as he’s been.
The go ahead was a softy. Should’ve been able to elbow that one into the corner
He’s just not very good when there’s any pressure involved.
Lol, sure.
or it could be rust from not having played in weeks.
Pressure, like when Smith was injured and he carried the season with a lopsided winning record?
Okay then.
Holland Jekyll and Hydeing between genius and bozo
I liked that semi-late hit by Connor on the far side boards.
Now is the time to dig in and punish them for every puck. Get in their heads, and start the war of attrition.
Which is something they should have done 55 minutes ago, but here we are.
Lindholm’s one helluva counter puncher. Defensively, Connor’s going to need eyes in the back of his head this series.
Funny how many were dismissing that 9-5 beatdown as an aberration – 3 games in 4 nights, Oilers have their playoff mojo now, etc,.. this game picked right up where that one left off, with the fLames just swarming them and scoring almost at will. Unbelievable.
You should go cheer for the Leafs!
Argh, I got enough heartbreak with these guys thanks 😉
Have you seen the Oilers SH% tonight?
pretty believable
Wonder if there was a discussion about putting Smith back in for the 3rd
that was a more Nurse-like play to spring Pujo
Brutal by Kane there
Zero effort straight to the D
This is the worst game I’ve seen Kane play
And RNH.
And Nurse
And and and….