GDB 60: V-v-v-v-v-v-v Vinny and the Bolts

Jason Gregor
February 24 2009 01:01PM

vbolts

Vinny, Vinny, Vinny and the Bolts. Or maybe it is Marty, Marty, Marty and the Bolts because after those two, the Bolts don’t have much. The Bolts have scored the fourth fewest goals in the league, with 152, but 43% of their goals come from three players in Lecavalier, St. Louis and Ryan Malone.

Tampa gets basically no goals from their D-men. They have a league-low 11 goals from the backend, while the Oilers have 33 from the rearguards, the fifth most in the NHL.

The Bolts have also given up the fourth most goals, 191, so they don’t score much, they don’t defend very well and their goaltending is suspect. This should be guaranteed-win night for the Oilers, but this is a home game for the Oilers and nothing has come easy at home.

The Oil have 30 points in 28 home games, and are tied with LA for the fewest home wins in the Western Conference. What’s even worse for the Oilers is that they have been outscored 75-81 on home ice.

Yes, their offence has been inconsistent, but the biggest reason the Oilers find themselves out of the playoffs today, is because they have no identity at Rexall Place. This isn’t a tough rink for the opposition to come into right now. The Oilers don’t amp up their physical play at home; in fact, they are much more aggressive on the road.

Tonight is the first of three straight home games, against teams that are beatable. Tampa, Columbus and Minnesota are not world beaters, and when you look at key stretches of a season, tonight starts an important three games.

Currently the Oilers are on pace for 87 points, which would leave them outside the playoffs. Columbus, Dallas and Minnesota are all on pace for 90 points. Granted those projections can change quickly with a two-game winning or losing streak, but today they are outside the playoffs. It looks like they will need 92 points to ensure they get in, so they will need to go 13-7-3, or 14-8-1 or 12-6-5 or some combination of that to make the dance.

Tonight is a must-win for the Oilers, and the line-up will be the same as Saturday.

27-10-83
12-89-26
18-13-46
85-51-33

Same D and Roloson will start again. The drive to the playoffs begins tonight, and the Oilers can’t afford to hit the ditch against the lowly Lightning.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on the TEAM 1260. He writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal and appears every Sunday on Global TV. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

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Reply #101 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:03PM

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@ Travis Dakin: it must be my boyish good looks and sensitivity

Reply #102 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:04PM

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Hoodlum wrote:

@ Travis Dakin: it must be my boyish good looks and sensitivity

right...

Reply #103 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:06PM

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Well. Uh. That was a weird sequence of events. Did Rolli really try to make a save on St. Louis while both of them were in the corner?

Reply #104 David S February 24 2009, 08:07PM

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Travis Dakin wrote:

Why would any professional athlete be married?

Because it gets infinitely harder to bag a hottie when your next job has "salesman of the month" as it's biggest reward.

Reply #105 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:09PM

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@ jeanshorts:

HAHA there was no way he was going to let him score from that angle. Better to give him the full net....

Holy crap Horoff! what do you have against putting it into the top corner of an open net?

Reply #106 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:10PM

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David S wrote:

Because it gets infinitely harder to bag a hottie when your next job has “salesman of the month” as it’s biggest reward.

Nope I don't buy it. You should see Hoodlum... If he can hook up with some of the chicks he gets, then ANYBODY can do it.

Reply #107 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:10PM

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Travis Dakin wrote:

Holy crap Horoff! what do you have against putting it into the top corner of an open net?

That's too easy. You aren't earning you're 7 million dollar pay cheque putting in easy goals.

Reply #108 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:12PM

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WHY THE HELL DO I KEEP SPELLING IT YOU'RE???? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME!!!!!

Reply #109 Bruno February 24 2009, 08:12PM

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W.T. wrote:

Fred Stauffer

O.k....O.K... You get credit for that one.lol BUT THAT ONE ONLY!! NO LOL!!

Reply #110 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:13PM

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I wonder what Denny's Jeremy Wotherspoon works at these days.

Reply #111 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:13PM

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@ Travis Dakin: DUDE!!!!WHAT THE HELL??

Reply #112 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:13PM

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I can always be like Dakin and pick up my girlfriend after recess is over

Reply #113 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:14PM

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jeanshorts wrote:

I wonder what Denny’s Jeremy Wotherspoon works at these days.

BWHAHAHAHA

Reply #114 suntory hanzo February 24 2009, 08:14PM

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So really...how many shots did Souray have there?

Reply #115 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:15PM

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Hoodlum wrote:

I can always be like Dakin and pick up my girlfriend after recess is over

It's called trading your old ride in for the new model. Lately you've been diging through the scrap yard! HAHA

Reply #116 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:17PM

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@ Travis Dakin: hey.....well.....I got nothing. Check and mate. Well played Mr. Dakin. well played

Reply #117 David S February 24 2009, 08:18PM

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Travis Dakin wrote:

Nope I don’t buy it. You should see Hoodlum… If he can hook up with some of the chicks he gets, then ANYBODY can do it.

You guys obviously haven't seen the quality of women these guys have to choose from. Seriously - it's ridiculous.

Reply #118 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:19PM

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@ Hoodlum: It's all good.

Reply #119 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:20PM

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@ Travis Dakin: I will have you know though, that sometimes those older models, with a few kilometers on them, are the smoothest rides. Sometimes those new models are a little, jerky, so to speak, until you break in the engine

Reply #120 Harlie Chuddy February 24 2009, 08:22PM

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W.T. wrote:

Fred Stauffer

GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #121 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:22PM

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@ David S: No doubt, I bet even Rod Brind'Amour gets laid

Reply #122 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:24PM

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@ Hoodlum: True, but I like the idea of having a ride that hasn't been abused by too many drivers. Nothing worse than sitting in the seat and having to smooth out a previous drivers ass print.

Wow that was a beauty shot by Stamkos.

Reply #123 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:24PM

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JESUS, BLOWING A 2 GOAL LEAD REALLY MAKES MY SH*T ITCH

Reply #124 David S February 24 2009, 08:24PM

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Man I hate when these guys play down to crappy teams.

Reply #125 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:24PM

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@ Hoodlum:

He's got a face to rival Shawn Horcoff, but have you seen dude without a shirt? He's more ripped than those guys in 300.

OH COME ON. STAMKOS??? HE BARELY HAS MORE GOALS THAN GAGNER. Geeze.

That was a pretty beauty shot. I will give him that.

Reply #126 suntory hanzo February 24 2009, 08:24PM

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Sometimes I long for the two line pass rule.

Reply #127 Bruno February 24 2009, 08:25PM

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Is Stamkos Greek?? nice snipe!!

Reply #128 suntory hanzo February 24 2009, 08:27PM

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huzzah!

Reply #129 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:27PM

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BBBIIIIGGGG SSSSEEEEXXXXXYYYYY!!!!

No third period collapse. No third period collapse. No third period collapse. No third period collapse. No third period collapse. No third period collapse. No third period collapse.

Reply #130 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:27PM

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@ jeanshorts: Even hideous people have some good qualities I guess. Thank you SHELLY

Reply #131 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:29PM

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Hoodlum wrote:

Even hideous people have some good qualities I guess. Thank you SHELLY

Not sure I get this.... Souray is the sexiest thing this side of Hemksy.

Reply #132 suntory hanzo February 24 2009, 08:29PM

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My wife thinks Sheldon is the sexiest Oiler. SO does Wanye doesn't he?@ Hoodlum:

Reply #133 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:29PM

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@ Travis Dakin:

He was still talking about Rod the Bod Brindamour.

Reply #134 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:30PM

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@ Travis Dakin: I was talking about Brind A'mour. and Souray scored. I could never hate on that sexy mf'er

Reply #135 suntory hanzo February 24 2009, 08:30PM

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I bet "Amy's" Facebook says "It's complicated"

Reply #136 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:32PM

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That's so weird that the Bolts dressed Steve Downey as their back up tonight.

Reply #137 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:33PM

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suntory hanzo wrote:

My wife thinks Sheldon is the sexiest Oiler.

My girlfriend say Brodziak doing an inteview the other day. She's hooked. Oh well, if it keeps her watching the games with me.

Reply #138 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:35PM

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@ Travis Dakin: In your girlfriends defense though, she thinks your cute, you troll

Reply #139 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:35PM

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Hoodlum wrote:

@ Travis Dakin: In your girlfriends defense though, she thinks your cute, you troll

So does your sister and your mom... what's up with that?

Reply #140 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:36PM

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yeah I went there.

Reply #141 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:37PM

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@ Travis Dakin: true, but you have seen my sister boyfriend and my dad, so I wouldn't feel like that was some kind of victory

Reply #142 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:38PM

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Cogs is fast man

Reply #143 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:39PM

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or Malik is really slow...

Reply #144 jeanshorts February 24 2009, 08:41PM

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Remember that time that Malik scored that unreal shootout goal?

WHERE THE HELL IS EVANKA?????????????

Reply #145 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:42PM

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@ jeanshorts: He skated slow on the goal too... haha but damn that was a beauty.

Reply #146 David S February 24 2009, 08:49PM

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Pretty decent out pass by Stortini. I find myself thinking more often these days the guy is turning into a decent hockey player.

Reply #147 Travis Dakin February 24 2009, 08:52PM

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@ David S:

Peole forget he is only 23.

Reply #148 Bruno February 24 2009, 08:54PM

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David S wrote:

Pretty decent out pass by Stortini. I find myself thinking more often these days the guy is turning into a decent hockey player.

True!!!

Reply #149 Hoodlum February 24 2009, 08:56PM

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Has MacIntyre been on the ice since his fight?

Reply #150 longtimefan February 24 2009, 08:59PM

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if the oilers were to replace mact, can we attract a coach with a proven record? Like him or not Slats was able to secure John Tort, is that the case with the oilers. If not it could explain mact's continued support by management and katz

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GDB 60: V-v-v-v-v-v-v Vinny and the Bolts