GDB 70: Against the Avs, Roloson's 26th straight start
Jason Gregor
March 19 2009 04:20PM
Lucky number 26? If 13 is widely considered unlucky by many, I wonder if double the amount is twice as bad or if there’s no significance what so ever.
Either way, Dwayne Roloson will start his 26th straight game tonight against the Avs. An Oiler win tonight should get JDD his first start since November 30, tomorrow in Chicago.
Starting Roloson tonight makes the most sense. The Oilers need this game and technically speaking their odds of a win tonight are greater than tomorrow in Chicago. Every game is huge down the stretch, but Roloson can’t start every one, so put in your best goalie tonight, get the win and then hope that Deslauriers will be so pumped to play tomorrow in Chicago that he might steal you a game.
Roloson is 9th in GP amongst goalies, he has faced the 8th most shots, and only Lundqvist has a better save % out of the top nine work horses. Roloson has had a stellar season, when you consider no one thought he would be the bona fide number one this year.
The Avs on the other hand are in the basement of the Western conference and when you look at their goalie’s numbers it’s no surprise. Budaj has a 2.87 GAA and a .899%, while Raycroft is struggling with a 3.15 GAA and .892%. The injuries to Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny have definitely hurt them, but they don’t have good enough goaltending to compete.
On Saturday, the Oilers allowed the Avs to stay in the game when Hemsky was stoned on a breakaway, and then they didn’t muster a shot on two separate two-on-ones early in the first. The Avs are playing out the string. So much for the adage “playing loose” down the stretch, because the Avs have ONE regulation win in their last 12 games.
This has to be a win tonight for the Oilers.
Joe Sakic skated this morning for the first time since suffering a back injury on Nov 28th, and then getting outsmarted by his snow blower in December. It doesn’t sound like he’ll play tonight.
Mike Vernace and Derek Peltier made their NHL debuts on the backend for the Avs earlier this week, so the Avs blueline could be ripe for the picking if both suit up again tonight.
Penner took some shifts with Moreau and Cogliano while Pisani skated with Reddox/Stortini and Brodziak. Moreau and Cogliano worked well together earlier this season, so putting them back together makes sense and Penner seems more energized when skating alongside the Captain.
Jonathan Willis wrote:
But they won't overpay them the following year like Lowe did
Deep Oil wrote:
wayne - is this is the ip address that was slagging brownlee under my screen name ? notice the spelling errors from 24..... a pattern
Jonathan Willis wrote:
I don' t think the oil are confident enough to hold the lead - just saying. Thanks for your forgiveness Father Willis - a few hail mary's right
@ deepoil:
I suppose my point was that we could enjoy the game rather than bicker amongst ourselves. Your mileage may vary.
@ deepoil: Thanks Deep Oil, jesus you are one connected man, you have answer for everything. who are you? Barack Obama? What does the world have to do to come out of this global reccession?
Thanks
A little more killer instinct would really come in handy right about now.
This is a game thread, right?
Wow 1 shot 13 mins into the period, we are really taking advantage of an inexperieced blue line and a suspect goaltender...
Should say that more often
I wonder if Springfield could beat Rockies tonight
Sam and Nilsson. Niiiiiice!
I mean Avalanche
I was thinking about something that I think deserves some thread action.
What is the difference between Montreal and Edmonton. Think about this, Montreal's results and Edmonton's are close. Montreal fires their coach and has a bad GM take over. Edmonton keeps their coach but still has a bad GM.
Both teams continue to struggle, except for tonight for the Oil, Maybe it's not the coach but the GM?
HOw is Scott Howsan(sp) doing with the Jackets? Seems to me if Oil GM has an eye for talent why would they let Scott walk and then hire Steve shortly after? Something doesn't add up, did Klowe not like that Scott was/is maybe better than him?
albundy wrote:
I suspect Howson wants to be a GM. He'll never get the chance in Edmonton's foreseeable future.
I miss the time when Wanye led the chirping on GDB's.
Fame I guess.
He leaves though and Steve comes in shortly after. Something seems to be up here? @ David S:
Gene just single-handedly got Sam thinking about everything he's been trying to put behind him this year.
Man I'm starting to hate that guy.
David S wrote:
And I'm tired of his puns! Dammit!
POST 69???
albundy wrote:
One move sideways frees the next move up. Howson didn't have enough experience to move directly into the GM's position. By the end of next year, he will.
The Towel Boy wrote:
YEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHH!
*goes for high five...is left hanging*
Towel Boy slides over from the X-rated GDB to poke his head in here.
Who saw that coming?®
@ The Towel Boy:
WHOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
What do you call 6 guys that go camping in the winter
albundy wrote:
cold?
What a sweet backhand move by Patio!....too bad BooDie got lucky.
albundy wrote:
JSBM GDB?
@ David S:
I spent the 1st two periods in a partial coma on my couch...I'm wired now!
This is the first game I've watched since I can't remember when where I get a good feeling about the outcome when there's 15 minutes to go in the third.
How about Snow White and his 5 ........@ David S:
The Towel Boy wrote:
Towel Boy is in it to win it!
Great SAVE Rollie!
look at us hold off the spastic Avalanche attack!!
That kill was all Roloson. Good stuff.
YESS!
Nice passing!! Koti finally gets one!
Good line combos right now.
Man. Gagner, Nilsson and Kotalik are deadly tonight.
Chris wrote:
it's 5-1 right now. I guess we know what number 8 means. :)
Deep Oil wrote:
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
This is f'ing priceless!!! Deep Oil is trying to frame me for posting derogatory comments about Brownlee????
AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAHAHAHHAHAA!!!!
You weak bîtch. Try something new.
Harlie Chuddy wrote:
If the sum of goals of both teams ends up totaling 8...I'll probably construct an aluminum foil hat and start digging my bunker.
So awesome...Gagner ...love it.
http://aleskotalik.ytmnd.com/
holy crap, 6-1!?! who am I watching?
Is it too early to hope for a Gagner Hat Trick?
A systematic dismantling!
Too bad we play Chicago tomorrow night. It'd be nice to have these guys remember what confidence felt like for more than a day.
NoPantsTuesday wrote:
I've been calling it before just about every game all bloody year and I gave up on it about 3 weeks ago...now look at that kid.
David S wrote:
They may also walk into the United Center with a giant swagger and simply own the Blackhawks.
...OMG...they just scored again.
8!
What a friggin shot that Manwich has.
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Friggin' hatty. Haha...great stuff.