GDB 48: It couldn't possibly get any worse...
Robin Brownlee
January 30 2009 02:44PM
Having had to wear Tuesday's 10-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres like a bad haircut and endure the musical taunting of a smart-ass radio station from The City of Cows since Tuesday, the Edmonton Oilers get a chance to redeem themselves, not a minute too soon, when the Minnesota Wild come calling at Rexall Place tonight.
Niklas Backstrom? Pfft. Derek Boogaard? Say hello to my little friend (insert photo of Steve MacIntyre speed-bagging Jimmy Vandermeer or Allan Watt scowling as he works the speed dial here) (ed note: no such photo exists... yet).
After 72 hours of torment, the Oilers get the opportunity to prove that Tuesday's "debacle of monumental proportions" was a fluky, freakish one-off never to be repeated. Same thing for that, ahem, 9-2 starching from the Chicago Blackhawks... never mind.
What better circumstances to do it in than against a Minnesota team that arrives with the exact same record, 24-20-3 for 51 points, and is probably still reeling from Tuesday's 6-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs... never mind.
That aside, the Oilers come into this HUGE FOUR-POINTER with untold confidence and a flawless 0-10 record against Backstrom after having lit him up like a cheap cigar in a 5-1 loss in Minnesota Jan. 15... never mind.
What could possibly wrong?
Second look for Potulny
Look for Ryan Potulny to be back in the line-up tonight on the second line between Robert Nilsson and Erik Cole. After tallying three assists in four games during his first stint, Potulny is eager to show well again after being recalled from Springfield.
"Hopefully, things can go the same way they did last time," Potulny said of getting another crack alongside Cole.
"I guess there's a little bit of pressure, but it's a good pressure. Any time you come up you’re going to put pressure on yourself. You have to do whatever role you're put in. I'm just going to go out and play hockey."
If coach Craig MacTavish wasn't pulling any fast ones with his lines this morning -- like his little bit of mis-direction over Zack Stortini's readiness to play the last time out -- the line-up should look as follows:
Forwards
Penner – Horcoff - Hemsky
Nilsson – Potulny – Cole
Moreau – Cogliano – Pouliot
Macintyre – Brodziak – Reddox
OUT: Stortini
D-men
Souray – Gilbert
Grebeshkov – Visnovsky
Smid – Staios
OUT: Strudwick
Dwayne Roloson will get the start in goal against his former teammates despite getting yanked after allowing three goals on eight shots against Buffalo.
-- Listen to Robin Brownlee every Thursday from 4 to 6pm on Just A Game with Jason Gregor on TEAM 1260.
Yakman wrote:
Peace
@ Wanye Gretz: I wonder what the song was after the 10-2 lose??
So we're in 5th now huh? It's been a while since I've seen us that high in the standings - like uhhh...forever.
Big game tonight. HUGE game.I really believe this was one of the most important games of the year. Lose this one and the psych is shot. Overall, lots of character. And as much as I hate Staios' game, good to see him stepping up - finally. I'm going to call it now - we're making the playoffs.
Wind is howlin' downtown but a good night for drinkin.
Dana - "Preview" button like Blogger would be nice. Or at least the capability to "edit" your post, although both would probably mean a verification password.
Jack "slacking off at work" Bauer wrote:
One question: If you are referencing Bertuzzi, how is playing in Calgary any better than jail?
256 comments? Nice game to finally hear about at 5am home from work!!!
Oh, and does anyone know where I can see BigMac's fight???
Go Oilers!!!
ps_ The Oil are undefeated since i got my 2006 Finals Laraque jersey... well, 1-0...
@ charlie: You're not missing much if u didn't see it. They squared off for 30+ seconds than they both cmae in tight and no one really threw anything great!
@ charlie:
I found it - nothing to crazy. Like a boxing match, the hype was better than the event...this time.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=WduoY0lUF9Q
That game was awesome! Man, I needed that.
Don't know why they were talking up Nilsson after the game though. He looked horrible to me from the stands.
@ charlie:
You can check it out here:
http://www.hockeyfights.com/fights/59950
freeze wrote:
He looked pretty good on pirate Free Per View. But that was a Minnesota feed. Something tells me Nilsson's line with a healthy Gagner would have had at least a couple. Poor Cole. He always gets stuck with the AHLers.
Kelly Hrudy is really talkin' up Matt Greene today. I know Viz is gold, but I'd take Matt over Staios any day.
BUCK75 wrote:
It strikes me that there's alot more respect between fighters than we know. It was almost like "ya sure your face can handle it?" I know I was more than a bit scared about that tilt. One hit in the wrong spot and you've got a badly busted orbital bone. Not sure if any player wants to be known as a guy who ended another's career.
David S wrote:
You can say that again! Greene is having an awesome year. I'd love to see either Staios or Moreau gone by the deadline.
I'm not sure what it was about Nilsson; seemed like every time I noticed a rotten play, he was the guilty one. He was strong in the play several times but wasn't pulling the trigger. That drives me crazy!
Good to see Garon still sucks in Pittsburgh!