2021-22 Game 37: Flames at Oilers

by Lowetide

The Edmonton Oilers season is spiraling out of control, and the Calgary Flames could put its Alberta rivals closer to the edge with a win tonight. Based on reports a punishing loss by the Oilers could mean the end of coach Dave Tippett’s coaching career in Edmonton.

That’s quite a pre-game teaser, but wait there’s more! A series of transactions on Friday gives Ken Holland some room to wheel. Evander Kane signing? Trade for a goalie? Prepare for shock and awe, with a 50 percent chance of shock and aw dammit.

THE ATHLETIC!

WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY

  • On the road to: NYI, NYR, TOR (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-2-1)
  • At home to: OTT, FLA, CGY (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-2-0)
  • 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: 4-5-1, 9 points in 10 games
  • Actual January results: 0-4-1, 1 point in 5 games
  • Oilers in 2021-22: 18-16-2, 38 points in 36 games

At this point my predictions are a sad reminder of how low the expectations were entering the month. I predicted the Oilers would start 1-4-0 this month and it was too aggressive!

Amazing.

Edmonton appears to be on the verge of a move, but we’ll have to wait and see. If the Oilers merely activate Stuart Skinner in time for Tuesday’s game (and Nuge too), then it really was about finding a way to get Konovalov on the roster for tonight’s game.

Evander Kane signing? Trade for a goalie? We wait.

FOUR GOALIES

It feels like three goalies is the limit for a successful season. If you employ four goalies in a season, something went wrong, and if you employ four goalies who play more than 10 games each something really went wrong. Is that true? No. Oilers won Stanley a couple of times employing a large number of goalies during the regular season.

WILL THE OILERS EVER WIN AGAIN?

Yes, but they’re down a few important players (Zach Hyman, Nuge, potentially Stuart Skinner, others) and will be undermanned again tonight. December right now looks better than January might end and that may be enough to end the Oilers’ hopes.

Darnell Nurse is coming off an injury (broken finger) suffered in mid-November, and frankly he hasn’t been the same since coming back:

  • Before injury: 14-14 five-on-five goal differential
  • Since return: 6-11 five-on-five goal differential

It’s had a big impact on the club and his fellow defensemen. Evan Bouchard was 11-11 when Nurse got hurt, 15-20 since. Tyson Barrie was 12-12, and is 10-12 since. On the other hand, Duncan Keith was 13-14 after Nurse’s injury, and is 11-8 since.

According to Puck IQ, Keith is playing about 33 percent (about 5:50 a night) against elite competition, and by percentage of overall minutes per player he ranks No. 2 behind Nurse in the metric.

The Oilers play well against the Flames in recent seasons, 6-4-0 a year ago and 1-0-0 so far this season. I don’t know that the Oilers will win tonight, only that it will eventually happen. I will tell you that in all honesty this wasn’t something I considered possible, I thought the team running 49 percent five-on-five goals was close enough for jazz.

I understand there were many who were yelling about the special teams, but there’s many miles between a slump on the power play and penalty kill and what we’ve seen since December 1.

I believe the next 72 hours could be filled with loud noises. I believe it could impact the prospect pool, the draft to follow, the coach and at least one goaltender.

Ken Holland is a patient man, Daryl Katz is something else again. The two men need to forge a path to success pretty damn quick. Hold on to your nuts.

DYLAN HOLLOWAY

Holloway plays tonight! I’m sure there will be many reports in the comments section, I’ll be paying attention and add my two cents if I see something interesting. Sorry for the lateness of this, I slept in big time.

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pts2pndr

A most enjoyable evening as the oilers beat the “much superior Calgary flames” that is of course curtesy of HH our self proclaimed authority on all things hockey and resident troll, but his over wager on the Habs/Aves also cost him two units. You just gotta love Karma!

Tarkus

The Oilers stay at #19 on Casey Kasem’s Scott Wheeler’s Top 40 32 prospect pool rankings.

Includes video of a couple of Savoie’s snipes.

Wheeler likes their depth on the wing, not so much on the D.

Last edited 2 years ago by Tarkus
No

Nope

godot10

#NoBarrie #NoKassian #NoProblem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrgpZ0fUixs

Koskinen is dead. I gave the eulogy in yesterday’s blog. Long live Koskinen. And Spector is an honourable man.

Randle McMurphy

835 comments…. holy crap

northerndancer

Great game. Great win. I feel shame. I didn’t think Mikko had it in him. That rainbow goal just about did me in. Mea culpa Mikko. Mea culpa Oilers.

Randle McMurphy

Evan Bouchard 24+ minutes tonight

Boil-in-the-Oil

Hope he can keep improving. He’s played a strong game tonight… I believe he is in our long term future.

Jethro Tull

He keeps playing like that, we won’t be able to afford him.

Randle McMurphy

Plop Plop Fizz Fizz

tileguy

You got to be old to remember Speedy.

GarbanzoHumanBean

Oh what a relief it is!!!

Sierra

.936

i expect 100+ posts on how good Mikko was.

and he didn’t have to score tonight!

Randle McMurphy

He’s going to make an excellent back up on some team next season.

Boil-in-the-Oil

Now, if they can just resist playing him so much. Tonight he was mostly brilliant, but his play this season is far too inconsistent…he cannot play night after night.

Munny 2.0

that might be the most minutes we’ve ever seen the bottom 6 play

#rollthelines

jp

They played lots (relatively) vs. the Panthers too.

Munny 2.0

Yes That’s true, thanks. I hope there is more trust there now

OriginalPouzar

Holloway, who isn’t close to 100% and was playing his first pro game and first game overall since last March, was one of the best players on the ice – his skating, motor, zone entry and battle skills were every bit as dominant as they were in college last year.

Its one game but, if this is the player he is at the AHL level already, he will be in the NHL in February and ready to make an impact.

Add me some Kane, Holloway and Archie – that’s some jam!

tileguy

And what 5 players do you take out of the lineup, 6 if you want Kassian back in as well.

tileguy

Shore, Turris, Sceviour, Benson, Ryan, McLeod? Perlini?

Last edited 2 years ago by tileguy
OriginalPouzar

Kane/McDavid/Puljujarvi
Holloway/Drai/Hyman
Foegele/Nuge/Yamamoto
Perlini/McLeod/Archie

Benson/Kassian

Sierra

+1

tileguy

Yep, I’m with you on that.

Ranford.85

Unicorns….

flyfish1168

That is a good lineup. I might switch Yamo and Hyman

Genjutsu

I think you find a way to trade Kass and have Ryan as an extra but yeah that looks about right.

OriginalPouzar

Kass as a healthy scratch is very good depth but, of course, with two more years at over $3MM, if he can be moved without a poison pill, it needs to be done.

Of course, the chances of the entire roster being healthy at the same time…..

€√¥£€^$

He needs at least 5 or 6 games. He had some nice shots, but he needs to work out the kinks before he get thrust into the fire. I would start him on the 3rd line, as well.

He is such a good passer and he was hitting. They play tonight and I bet he does even better, I predict a goal for sure. I would like Lavoie on his line as well, Lavoie needs to play with more skill, rather than the grinders he plays with. Play him with Hamblin and DH and they will unlock him.

OriginalPouzar

Oh, I’m not saying call him up any time soon. Definitely not until after the all-star break and that is super early – could be closer to March.

I was simply excited given how he looked last night in his first pro game, it being his first game in 9 months and him being thrust in to the middle of a season.

His top skills from the NCAA translated wonderfully to the AHL in his first game – it was very encouraging.

Shane

Jesse doesn’t get rewarded on the scoresheet but he was a huge part of three goals tonight.

oilinthepeg

Such a good hockey player. Has always been a pleasure to watch!

Chelios is a Dinosaur

We’ll that was excellent.

Butt should unclench by mid-week.

Bling

JP on that net drive was like Kramer walking through a door.

oilinthepeg

LOL. Yes!

tileguy

Miko Bobrosky!!!

Bling

Koskinen was excellent. Still way too many high danger chances being given up.

SKOilerFan

Oh yah, the D Zone is still a fire drill. D way too much gap on the rush because the Fs are 2 zones away

flea

Completely unsustainable play. Happy they got the win but they are a mess 5v5. PP helps them win tonight.

Mikko was good but also lucky, most of the time this is a 6-2 final for the Flames.

Sierra

So when he’s unlucky he just plain sucks

but when he’s good he’s lucky.

flyfish1168

Shames tide has turned. injuries, puck luck and bad bounces are going to start being their nemesis

flea

They were excellent tonight, IMO. Clearly the better team. Just some shots found corners for the Oilers and Mikko had a game/got lucky.

Sierra

When our guys find corners it’s not skill, but luck.

When our goalie is good it’s just luck

Tough crowd.

maudite

They do have the Harper’s hair lip kiss of death (TM)

jp

Did he win his bets tonight I wonder?

Elgin R

doesn matter as he probably won’t pay up if he loses.

Brogan Rafferty's Uncle Steve

The comments section gets the first star from me tonight.

Everyone was firing on all cylinders.

SayItAin'tSo, Gretz, SayItAin'tSo!

Look Koski, a bunch of people are going to want to be you friend tomorrow. Just remember that they aren’t your friends and I was with you from the start!

Last edited 2 years ago by SayItAin'tSo, Gretz, SayItAin'tSo!
Psyche

Nuge and Hyman are back for next game? E. Kane’s skill would be a great add too.

OriginalPouzar

Hyman should be as long as he’s not sicker than others.

Nuge skated with the group today and will practice Monday. I think Thursday is more likely.

flyfish1168

Who comes out when Hyman and Nuge come back? I would keep Perlini in. He needs to be put into a spot to shoot more

OriginalPouzar

Sceviour and Ryan.

Whaler Slamamoto

Add Nuge, Hyman, and Kane. Massive lift

KnightRain

I forget what this feels like.
Cheers.
Now for some serious celebration drinking.

Gerta Rauss

Yes, I’m currently regretting they make beer in 6 packs

Admiral Ackbar

Remove the stone of shame! Attach the stone of triumph!!

Derek

Thank you Oklahoma

Genjutsu

Repost?

LMHF#1

Koskinen won them that game. Well done.

Leon and Bouchard produced.

Should still be firing the coach tomorrow but this will now be used to justify inaction.

Reja

Tippett pumped up like he won a playoff game.

Jethro Tull

It’s been a while…

Whaler Slamamoto

So am I to be honest.

Sierra

Why shouldn’t he be just as happy as the players and fans?

odd thing to complain about.

Brewha Ha

Wow! We win. Oilers win! Had two units on the over and two units for the win….extra sweet.

JOFA

Happy for the team

Greenberg

Happily said, I was very wrong.

leadfarmer

Well given how bad this team has been doing you wouldn’t think they were 2 points back of Calgary who are “doing all the right things”

Jethro Tull

Up yours!

StixMalone

Coach is safe. Now bring on Kane

SKOilerFan

Good for Koski.battled hard

Ice Sage

Well, LT, may we humbly request you not set your alarm on game days, henceforth?

Genjutsu

Fuck yes.

Material Elvis

Wow did I, I mean the team, ever need that win.

flyfish1168

Mikko should be star tonight

Ice Sage

Yes. He’s taken a lot of crap but tonight he battled (as did the guys in front of him).

Gerta Rauss

Holy frack we needed that

That’s a big 2 points, and not just from an emotional standpoint

Munny 2.0

Massive

leadfarmer

Strong game for Koskinen

Material Elvis

Draisaitl pisses into the empty net. It was in for sure.

Randle McMurphy

what a pissy way to score,

does he get an assist on his own goal

OriginalPouzar

Massive win and massive to do it in regulation.

jp

So. Our goalie outplayed their goalie.

Material Elvis

I could cry.

Munny 2.0

Occasionally happens. Be better if it was frequently

Material Elvis

McLeod is not physical but holy can he close the gap with his stick quickly.

JOFA

Smart hockey Jesse

Jethro Tull

Fucking ref. Elbow on JPs head in front of him. He twitched his arm, then took his whistle out his mouth.

flyfish1168

That was pathetic and should be reviewed

€√¥£€^$

He was bleeding from the corner of his eye I noticed as he came off the bench went to celebrate at the end.

Munny 2.0

High stick on Pujo uncalled

flyfish1168

JP has done a lot of little things good tonight

Brogan Rafferty's Uncle Steve

I hate that KK and Ryan are on the ice together in the last 5 minutes of a game.

SKOilerFan

Shows the lack of depth Kenny has supplied

Bling

Very good outlet pass by Keith to Draisaitl. Then JP steamroll and Drai magic!

JP has played an integral role on 3 GF today.

Whaler Slamamoto

HUGE goal. Massive. Then we proceed to immediately roll out the Turris line! Are they trying to kill me??

SKOilerFan

Very nice delay and go by 29. Been a while since we’ve seen a pure skill play end in a goal

Admiral Ackbar

Eat shit Matheson!

Genjutsu

Big hug from Drai for his goaler after the game.

Admiral Ackbar

He’s a leader.

Genjutsu

100%