GDB 14.0: Oilers in Motor City
Lowetide
November 11 2010 11:50AM
Thank you. To the men and women who serve our country with courage and bravery we thank you. Before any puck is dropped, before we talk about the great game, before we post the lineups we thank our military past and present.
The Edmonton Oilers are showing all the traits of young teams. Wild inconsistency--not just game to game, but period to period and shift to shift--along with repeating mistakes to the point of distraction. After the Carolina game, the tendency is to believe it'll be a blood bath this evening (weird start time btw, 5:30 our time in Gordie's town) based on how badly the team played.
However, the game story for the Oilers this season is a lot about the the kids not getting in their own way. If the Oilers can put a solid effort together they have a chance to win most games. Tonight will be a tough one; Detroit is 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and have some hot hands on offense (Lidstrom has 10 points in his last 10 games; Cleary 5 points in his last 3 games; Datsyuk 7 in his last 5 and Zetterberg 13 points in his last 9 games) plus the defense is extremely difficult to score on (2.62 per game).
Detroit's Chris Osgood (groin) is injured but other than that the team is pretty much healthy. You can see the roster slowly changing at the bottom end, with names like Abdelkader, Darren Helm and Jakub Kindl working their way into the everyday lineup. Beautiful, textbook elevation of productive players. It's like Sam Pollock left the Bible for Ken Holland.
The Oilers forward group apparently looks like this:
- Gagner centering Penner and Hemsky
- Cogliano centering Hall and Eberle
- Brule centering Pääjärvi and Jones
- Fraser and Stortini working in when they can
The Oilers will go with 7 defensemen this evening (according to reports) so they could ice a 4line that might include Smid or Strudwick. Steve MacIntyre is a healthy scratch and once again we see the downside of having an enforcer on the roster: he is not a useful took against a team like Detroit. Horcoff's injury will be a major factor in tonight's game, and of course the PK and PP will play their usual roles as "death" and "death warmed over" for the Oilers this evening.
I'm no Kreskin, but there WILL be a bunch of UFO's over Vegas tonight. Or tomorrow night. Maybe Saturday. Certainly soon.
I don't like predicting final scores at the best of times and picking against the Oilers any time goes against the grain for me. 5-0 Detroit.
NHL players are men. That is all.
Cogliano between Hall and Eberle terrifies me
On the 11th day of the 11th month, we remember and give thanks...
GO OILERS
You sir are the Cogliano of Oilers Nation. Lots of try but limited finish. 13 minutes slow - time to step up your game. Haha!
If I said I rated Cogliano based on 1 game then yes sir you would be correct. but I have continually said my thought have been based over the last year or 2. THUS if you are to compare my FISTing skills to a player I'm at least Hemsky worthy :P
Assuming that's what happens, it defies logic (well my logic anyway).
Khabi laid a stinker in Carolina, let's see what Dubnyk does against a quality team. THEN let our Number 1 start against a drastically weaker opponent. With an opportunity to put a tick in the win column. All that said I'm not suggesting Dubnyk will have less success against NJ, I'd just rather see him play against The Wings is all.
Dude. This is Oilers Nation, the birthplace of small sample analysis. You might have been hot a couple of weeks ago, but maybe you need a conditioning stint over at the polls.
You know, back in the day this is about the spot where the Boys on the Bus would score a PP goal off someone's ass and then rip it up for 30 minutes.
Just saying.
This is my fist time saying first
@McCreeper
Lowetide,
I work for a credit company. We have collectors working the phones today. I can't imagine a veteran, down on his/her luck, receiving a call about a past due balance on 11/11. This should be, imo, a Federally Legislated Stat Holiday.
As far as tonights game goes, I envision a fabulous response to Tuesday's debacle, but a loss none the less. 4-3 Detroit, shots 30-26 in favour of the home team.
Any word on who our starting netminder will be?
EDIT: Didn't mean for this to be a response to McCreeper...Sorry bout that!
I hate you all :( **
**Run's away crying
LT not onside like Gregor yet for Gameday Predictions? I guess we'll have to wait for our fearless leader Scientist to get things rockin'.
Ender: I made a prediction but didn't like it. It's in there, though.
@Dyckster
Tonight's starter is Khabibulin as per the Journal: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Horcoff+tilt+against+Wings/3813144/story.html?cid=megadrop_story
I expect Dubynk to get the start tomorrow in Jersey.
I predict a 3-1 Detroit win tonight with a substantially better effort from the Oilers.
Exciting Last Place Hockey returns tonight!
Man we're going to get crushed tonight. I was really hoping Horcoff would be back in for this game, but charley horse injuries are always fickle.
Of the 77 who left to serve Canada i wonder how many never returned. :(
Well I'll be missing tonight's game and by the looks of things it might be a good thing, with that being said last time I said that we came from behind and made the blackhawks look like the worse team in the league.
Any idea how much longer JFJ is on his conditioning stint? Sure would be nice to either have him dressing or waive him and bring up someone from OKC.
@Ogden Brother Jr. - Team Strudwick for coach
Jacques conditioning stint will end on Friday as per:
http://newsok.com/jacques-close-to-nhl-return/article/3512628
"Jacques had three penalties in the Barons' win Sunday in the second game of a maximum four-game conditioning stint.
Jacques figures to play tonight vs. San Antonio in the Cox Center and possibly Friday against Chicago before returning to Edmonton."
Just think how much it scares the crap out of Cogliano.
That line will be AT LEAST even in tonight's game....book it.
@Dyckster
I agree with you 100%. I think Dubynk earned the opportunity to start tonight.
@Cheesenaka
Thanks. Good news to hear.
I just want to see some speed and compete tonight. After the Carolina showing, where they made us look slower than the Flamers, I need some passes on the tape, and some fighting along the boards. The rookies will make a comeback after the benching and the Hall/Cogs/Eberle line doesn't terrify me, but I see a lot of hard work from them (even though Cogs lost any hands he might have had, he has worked his tail off all season).
Our defense terrifies me. Vandermeer's positional play and skating terrifies me. Strudwick's speed terrifies me. I wouldn't mind seeing Foster on the wing though as I have been hearing some rumors.
Or do I?? Check out Gregors around the league post.**
** SQQUUUEEEEEEE!!!
Yes, yes and..... yes sir. I would like to see DD get the start for that reason exactly.
and props
LT
As a serving member of the Canadian Armed Forces, THANK YOU for your opening paragraph. On this day, we should be glad that the Vets did what they did, so that we have the freedom to express ourselves about our team.
That being said, can we stop whining about the players on OUR team. This is the hand we were dealt, and we KNOW we are bad. Sniping at Cogs and Pens for poor play does nothing.
All you S.Tam wannabe's give it a rest, please... I'd like to see how good of a job you would do with this rag tag bunch of "players".
That's my 2 cents...that's all I got, I'm out.
Does it matter?? Are we Goose Stepping down Jasper Ave, or speaking German? The 77 NHLers who went and served their country are true heroes.
That's all I got, I'm out
Oilers G: Thanks for the kind words. Hope you're having a great day.
As for the whining, I think it's difficult for fans because of the last few seasons. If we can forget about 2006-10 and focus moving forward, then the mistakes won't seem so bad and the end game (lottery pick) will mean another fun summer.
It's like Wanye says: we're all hoping for exciting last place hockey!
Here's what I found:
"In fact only two NHL players died in either of the World Wars. Hockey researcher Patrick Houda suggests that "more than 100 NHL players fought in World War I and World War II," but there were very few causalities."
http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com/2008/11/war-and-hockey-history.html
Edit: Dudley "Red" Garrett and Joe Turner were the casualties
We can't lay a 7-1 thrashing at the feet of our goaltenders, Dubnyk let in almost as many as Khabibulin did. The problem is on the blueline out, we're soft on the blueline and soft up front. Teams that are half a step quicker and more physical than the Oilers can show up for one period and easily take the 2 pts that are on the table. Till we have a body or two coming over the boards every second or third shift who can lay the smacketh down this won't change. Stortini and MacIntyre's 5 minutes a night isn't going to help, maybe the kid in Boston (played for the Vancouver giants) is available, he looks like he could play 15 minutes a night effectively, he seems to have fallen off the map a bit with the Bruins.
6-2 Detroit.
@I'd rather have Shock and Awe, over just Bold.
@Quicksilver ballet - Put your man down, cuz he'd do the same to you. said:
"We can't lay a 7-1 thrashing at the feet of our goaltenders, Dubnyk let in almost as many as Khabibulin did."
Lets sprinkle a little perspective on this statement -
Dubnyk 3 goals on 34 shots = .912 SP, Khabi 4 goals on 8 shots = .500 SP
Nuff Said
@I'd rather have Shock and Awe, over just Bold.
I don't think anyone (in this thread at least) is suggesting that 7-1 game was completely the goaltender's fault. Our defensive coverage was horrid and he had numerous other problems.
That said, I think it's pretty clear that Dubynk had a much better game than Khabibulin in Carolina. Dubynk's positioning and rebound control was pretty decent despite allowing 3 goals. Khabibulin clearly had an off-night allowing 4 goals on 8 shots. He had poor positioning and poor rebound control.
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I think Dubynk deserved the start.
Thank you for taking the time to look into that Cheesneka, happy weekend sir.
@I'd rather have Shock and Awe, over just Bold.
And he faced just over four times as many shots...
@ Cheeseneka
I think the result would've been the same or worse if Dubnyk would have started that game.
If our intention going into every game was to win the game then Khabibulin's the first choice every night. I don't see the need to throw this back-up goaltender a bone, letting him play a game or two every month isn't what he needs. He should be in the AHL playing 40+ games a year splitting duties and Deslaurier. Gerber could spell Khabby when he feels he needs a break up here.
@I'd rather have Shock and Awe, over just Bold.
"I think the result would've been the same or worse if Dubnyk would have started that game."
Based on what premise?
Put your calculators away gents.....the game was for all intensive purposes over when Dubnyk came in. Why are we discussing goaltending when the problem is the blueline and the forwards. You guys think it makes much of a difference if we lost 5-1 rahter than 7-1. Dubnyk deserves has nothing to do with the issues the Oilers have right now.
I was wondering that myself - thanks for looking that up!
I should mention that a fair number of players from the pre-NHL days went overseas to WWI and didn't come back, among them the great "One-Eyed" Frank McGee.
I was interested to see Sam LoPresti's name in the article on NHLers who enlisted. That would be the father of Pete LoPresti, who had a very brief cup of coffee (like, a shot of espresso) with the Oil in the early 80s, no?
Chunklets. I believe that is Pete Loprestis' Dad, yes.
Hmm, as per Joanne Ireland, "Jim Vandermeer, Theo Peckham, Jason Strudwick could all see some spot duty on the wing [tonight]". Just curious as to who the nation thinks would be the best player to play on the 4th line out of those guys and Smid?
I remember when MacT put Smid on the 4th line... This coach Renney sure has some MacTavish-like ideas.
@Horcsky
I'd try Vandermeer up there just for the reason that he seems to always want to pinch and ends up getting caught. That and in my opinion he is the greatest liability on defense (though it is a close race).
Yes, I think that bodes well. Renney's season is a bit mysterious so far (line matching by ouija board) but he seems to see the same things as MacT did in his time here. Is Toby Petersen available?
@Cheesenaka
Your comment about close race makes me both laugh and cry at the same time.
I can see why Renney doesn't like to play big mac, but it seems to go against the team's mandate of giving everyone an opportunity. To me, Big Mac has been given no leash and no real chance to make an impact with a hit or a fight since the Ivanin's K.O.
Put Peckham on wing to forecheck.Let him pound some defencmen into the glass.
Sorry LT, don't quite get what you think bodes well. Or is that sarcasm?
No, no. I am one of the few people who liked MacT's coaching style. I've defended him forever, which (along with defending Horcoff) have put me outside the prevailing wisdom.
Which is fine, I've spent most of my life there. :-)
how many years until people can reasonably expect Tambellini to address the issue of the PK?
Anyone?
This game is going to a shootout. 5-4 Red Wings take it, but I'm hoping for some ELPH. Plus, who doesn't want to watch Datsyuk in the shootout?
Dennis: I suspect he'll have that figured out around the end of Hemsky's contract.
1- Cogs is getting a ton of time to turn his game around. Sadley i doubt he will. Trade will come!
2- I get that Macs foot speed is limited on this team but nobody is scared to hit any player on this team.. He should dress almost every game and put the hurt on who ever is on the ice. We get pushed around way to much and frankly its getting gross. We made all these changes to make the team tougher and we are still easy to play against. and the stars and kids are still getting pounded!!DRESS THE MAC!!! 3 - Benching the 2 kids and mac i thought was a joke. Bench a vet for crying out loud.. all hall and eberle have done is play very well under the watchful eye of this city... and mac well geez if he isnt allowed to play tough then why have him. 4- effort.... if its not there then sit the baby not playing hard. im getting a bit tierd of being sooo pumped to watch this team only to see the boys take the night off.. how can this still be happenening??
hats all i got sorry for the rant!!!