GDB 78: The Brink
Jason Gregor
April 02 2009 03:04PM
The Oilers playoff hopes are on the brink (I said a loss against the Ducks was the unofficial end of the dream, but mathematically they are still alive), and the Sharks are circling tonight. Do they smell blood?
Can the Oilers live to skate another day? Who the hell knows? One game at a time was the overwhelming theme and retort inside the lockerroom, and really, what else do the Oilers have to cling to.
I suggest covering your eyes when the second period starts. The Oilers have been outscored 90-74 in the middle frame, while the best frame is the 2nd where they have dominated the opposition 86-50 on the scoreboard.
The Oilers best frame, not surprisingly is the third where they have potted 73 and given up 66 goals. The first period they are -4, scoring 67-71. Maybe they should each chug a Rockstar or one of those Five hour energy drinks. Or get their video guru, Brian Ross, to have a motivational vignette of great movie speeches.
Play parts of Rudy, or the Reg Dunlop speech when he tell the team the only option left is to win the F-ing league. How about Tony DAmatos (Al Pacino) halftime doozy during Any Given Sunday to fire up the troops? Because whatever is happening in the first intermission is not working, so they better do something to change it up.
RYE AND COKE TO SPARK THE TEAM
The Trailer Park Boys were at the Rex this morning. They must have had a ripper of a party in Lethbridge last night because the aroma was obvious this morning. They eventually made their way to the players only area in the back of the room. Maybe Bubbles or Ricky or Julien loosened the boys up with a skit or some inspirational story about gathering shopping carts, living in a car, dealing pot or how to succeed with a drink in your hand 24/7.
At this point the Oilers need to try something different. Their routine is not working. Sixteen wins in 37 home games is pitiful. There will be one lineup change tonight. Robert Nilsson will skate on the LW with Gagner and OSullivan. Penner will play with Stortini and Brodziak. Expect to see Horcoff go against the Thornton line, and he will be flanked by Pisani and Moreau on certain shifts, and Hemsky and Kotalik the rest of the time.
FIVE-ON-FIVE PRODUCTION
The Oilers have more EV goals than the Sharks, 143-132, but they have also given up more 140-116 five-on-five. The glaring difference between these teams comes, wait for it, on special teams. The Sharks have 70 PP goals to the Oilers 48, and theres a bigger gap on the PK. The Oilers PK has surrendered 70 goals, while the Sharks have only been scored on 44 times.
Combine the two and the Sharks are 48 goals better than the Oilers on special teams. That explains the 30 point difference in the standings. I'm not sure what will have more life support tonight; the Oilers or the ER finale. Both might become unwatchable.
Poo Czar wrote:
FACT. Very briefly, but fact none the less.
Woah, i have a new favorite... Alyssa is hot, but the competition to get her is too fierce... Check out Punky Brewster now: Soleil Moon Frye!!!!!
Chaz wrote:
You take that back right now... IT'S THE FINAL COUNT..DOWN... dana na na. dana na na na.
I hope DesLauriers starts tonight.
Antony Ta wrote:
ABAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Damn Nation, just back from Vegas, and I'd really like to know what the hell happened?????? Madness, we where 7th when I boarded the plane. Come on boys, it's the sharks...lets set the tone for round 1.
@ Milli:
ABAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
looking forward to watching the Oilers getting blown out tonight Sharks 8 Oilers 2.
Am I hearing this right? Did Katz actually just say that it's going to be a "3 year rebuild with MacT at the helm"? And that it's the players that are the problem?
I'll agree that we are missing a few key pieces in the lineup that would really help bolster our game, but seriously when is enough enough? Does this team have to miss the playoffs 5 years in a row for them to finally realize it might be a good idea to get someone in here with a new point of view?
GAME DAY!!! GO OILERS!
@ jeanshorts: I think you heard that right. OMG. This is going to be a long FMNF campaign.
jeanshorts wrote:
I was just at your site, looking for some pregame comedy and saw this at the bottom of your GDB. Is this for real? Link?
@ David S:
hxxp://www.630ched.com/Channels/Reg/LocalSports/Story.aspx?ID=1078536
You all should just come aboard the NNC train now...
jeanshorts wrote:
In the immortal words of JSBM:
Ho. Lee. Sh1t!
I thought MacT looked relieved at the pre-game presser. But I figured that he'd already given his resignation and was relieved to have it over with.
I didn't personally get to hear it unfortunetly but from what was relayed to me the main points were:
1. Katz is super hard all the time for MacT
2. It's going to be a "3 year rebuilding process"
3. Katz feels it's the players that are the problem
4. It looks like Katz is still stuck in 1987 like the rest of the boys on the bus.
To quote Ramathorne from Super Troopers: "Mother of god...."
Well, Katz is a businessman. Obviously he believes in the management team and thus ascribes to the adage that it's easier to replace employees than good management. He may have a point as there's been no real consensus as to who would come in here to replace MacT. Also as a businessman, he must go by the thought that there's a reason guys like Crawford and Tortellini aren't working right now.
My main argument is, and always has been, the system doesn't seem to work. We've had a revolving door of players, and no matter which team we are icing the result has always been more or less the same. It's been 9 years for MacT with very little success. It's time to try something new.
And I understand that Katz LOVES the old boys but I just don't understand how he can still put this much stock into a coach that has clearly overstayed his welcome.
She's gonna be a loooooong night I'm afraid.
Not sure if that's the start that they wanted.......
We Play better when we're behind. so thats our strategy tonight. Any time the score is even we gotta give up a goal so we can go back to playing catch-up hockey.
I think we may have forgot to carry the 1 on this game winning equation.
I'll get edited for this but :
F U C K!
Katz is a useless moron if that's how he feels about MacT and I hope MacT has enough pride to quit anyway especially after his pre-season comments.
No hope on the horizon then.... If MacT is back Next year because of Katz I will boycott the team. It's hard enough being a fan when the rest of your family doesn't give a **** but when you hitch the team to a lead weight forever & accept mediocrity and all hope for change is gone then I'm done.
I had hope things could improve this off season, every year til that point today there was something to latch on to and now there's not. A license for mediocrity has just been issued. If after game 82 and the subsequent miss of the post-season MacT isn't gone, I'm done, period.
Hurry up mathmatical elimination. 6-2 sharks.
jeanshorts wrote:
Perhaps theres a little bit too much "love" going on there (wink wink) and that's why he won't let go of MacT.
MacT: "here's my resignation" Katz: "I wish I could quit you, Here's a 12 yr contract extension and a handsome raise" MacT: "that's worth a bleeding cornhole, alrighty then"
@ Jason Gregor: @ Wanye Gretz:
Why does no one ever take me out and get me bombed? It hurts guys, right where my heart one resided.
@ Colin-FMNF: And what do we, as fans, get for our bleeding cornholes?
Colin-FMNF wrote:
On the contrary. I'd bet big money that at least a third of the team you're watching tonight will be playing elsewhere next year.
Amber wrote:
I saw the team 1260 SUV at Hudson's downtown last night. If you had dropped by I bet there woulda been Jagers o'plenty for you.
So i have an actual question for all those people who want MacT fired. Why?
Its an honest question and iwould be very interested to hear what someone actully and factually has to say. I read the same papers and watch the same games, and i see more problems with the on ice talent and players then him
@ David S:
Agreed. And half of those guys are going to go have career years somewhere else and somehow find a way to ruin the Oilers at every chance.
the nick wrote:
Here we go...
@ the nick:
Results. It's pretty cut and dry. 3 playoff apperances in 8 years. If you aren't performing up to par at your job do you really think they'd keep you on? That and he has just never had a handle on how to properly use all his players. He puts so much weight on defense and gritty play that guys offensive games either plateau far too early or start to regress.
How many players have come and gone in Edmonton? Having a terrible time here, and then go to another team and have career years?
Ahhh...the 'ole even up.
@ David S:
Everything i have heard people bitch about on here, its all goes bck to one thing in my opinion.
The majority of Oilers fans seem to want someone to blame other then the players themselves. I personnaly dont care if MacT is the Pope or our head coach.
The one thing that has been constant this year is under performing players, The ones that do are also the ones that at least try in games. Horcoff and Moreau for exmple, are they having bad years? Yes terrible ones. But at least you can watch them play and see that they try. How many other players can you say that about?
@ the nick
It's not that I disagree with you, rather you might have stepped into a pit of cobras with that question around here. This IS the home of FMNF after all.
Aaaaaaannnnddd St. Louis won. Frickin awesome. God I hate that for the last 4 or 5 games in a row I've been hoping for a Canucks win. Ugh.
the nick wrote:
How about playing a defenseman who doesn't play forward at forward?
How about putting staios on the top d pair(he's #4 at best and I'd say 5-6th)?
How about his public call outs on players regardless of their actual stats.And shremp wasn't here unnecessary and unprofessional.
Despite Nilssons solid play with gagner and he gets to ride pine for an extended time when their's no other choice for an offensive forward(when you say you don't score enough...)
How about always deflecting blame for losses(game 77 excluded)?
How about mismanaging our goalies, so that now he doesn't dare rest Roli?
Poor PK and PP , both very coachable areas of the game
Mismanagement of players period:
Cogliano with his speed should get PK time
Reddox shouldn't be on the pp
Your topline was best with Penner, Horcoff & Hemsky, and all the stats back it up, but because Penner is "lazy" he doesn't get played there.
Playing Kotalik on the 1st line(he's a PP specialist and best against weaker opponents).
Reducing Cogliano's ice time when he has the best goals/60 of an forward and 2nd most of any forward period.
Brodziak not getting a shot at 3rd line centre(yes move Cogs to the wing at least on face offs).
I could post more but I'll let someone else take a turn.
And yes the players should get some blame too, but when its 15+ players it's hard to say it's just the players.
Here we go! 2nd Perdiod! this is where the Oilers work the magic
San Jose has good line balance. Not hard I guess when your lines are 1, 1a, 1b, 1c.
WTF is this effort thing I'm seeing in the 2nd period? sweet jeesus its tasty
@ Smokin' Ray - NNC: Hey Smokin, I forget what NNC stands for, I remember reading it, but have forgotten.
Souray. *facepalm*
@ Hockey Gods: I think it stands for 'Need New Captain'.
OH yeah, we all NNN1C. Need New Number 1 Center. I am not a Horc hater, but I think he is better suited in a second line role
BBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Gagner!!!!!!
He deserved that one. SO glad Nilsson's back.
so Nilson gets pressboxed and we lose every game he's out. I hope to hell he was hurt cuz if he was just ridin pine that looks like a grave error.
Beauty pass by Horcoff. Absolute beauty.