The Boston Bruins are not only good on the ice; their marketing team is pretty solid off the ice as well. The Bruins have produced some humourous commercials the past five seasons, and this is one or my favourites. The Oilers aren’t a divisional rival, but many Bruins fans have told me they have a healthy disdain for the Oilers due to two Stanley Cup Finals losses in 1988 and 1990.
The Bruins and Oilers are at opposite ends of the NHL standings, and have been since 2007/2008, and the Oilers will need to play their one of their best games of the season tonight, just to keep it close.
The Oilers might catch a break with Tukka Rask battling the flu, but the Bruins are stacked and they haven’t lost in Edmonton since October 17th, 2000. That night Dan Lacouture and Brian Swanson scored their first NHL goals in a 6-1 thrashing of the Bruins. Since then, the Bruins have won four straight games in Edmonton including a 3-2 victory in their last visit to Edmonton on February 27th, 2011.
It is hard not to respect the Bruins.
They have skill, size, experience, solid two-way players, great goaltending and they are the toughest team in the NHL led by their captain Zdeno Chara. They don’t have any weaknesses, and once again they are sitting first in the Eastern conference with a 21-8-2 record.
The Oilers are playing their best hockey of the seasons, 7-3-1 in their last 11 games, and while they didn’t beat up on the top teams in the league, they did grab 15 of a possible 22 points. That is a solid stretch of hockey, but tonight will be a much more difficult task for the Oilers.
The Oilers will need to use their speed, and be disciplined with the puck. They can’t continue to turn the puck over, especially on the powerplay, or the Bruins will skate them out of the rink.
LINEUP
Perron-RNH-Eberle
Hall-Gagner-Yakupov
Joensuu-Arcobello-Hemsky
Gazdic-Lander-Jones
Boyd Gordon still isn’t healthy enough to play. Ryan Smyth is also banged up, and he’ll be a game time decision. Eakins will switch up the PP units. They’ve been really hot or really cold, similar to the overall play of the team. Since November 5th, the PP is 17 for 71 (23.9%) so it’s not like it has been terrible. The production has been great, but the bad giveaways are the issue.
Ference-Petry
N.Schultz-J.Schultz
Belov-Larsen
Jeff Petry has been cleared to play. He’s an upgrade on Potter, and the Oilers need their best lineup against the Bruins.
Dubnyk
QUICK HITS….
- It was a subtle message, but Dallas Eakins didn’t play Taylor Hall in the final five minutes on Tuesday after Jeff Skinner tied the game. You might say it was only five minutes, but it was the most important time of the game, and I’m sure Hall got the message. I’m curious to see how he responds, especially in the defensive end.
- Eakins did put Hall out for the PP in OT, which was a smart, but not being on the ice for the final five minutes of regulation should get Hall’s attention.
- It was interesting to note that Hall got a short stint on the bench, but Sam Gagner, despite some equally bad defensive decisions never missed a shift. Eakins must be giving him some leeway due to the injury, or he wants to keep throwing him over the boards with the hope it builds his confidence.
- Firing Feaster today makes sense. There is no point waiting until the end of the season to can him, if the Flames knew he wasn’t their guy moving forward. You can also expect the Flames’ new GM to fire Hartley before the start of next season. The Flames should look at Oilers to see that firing coaches frequently doesn’t change much, if you don’t give the new coach better players.
- Good luck to all of you in Fantasy Football playoffs…whether you are going for a championship, or trying to avoid losing the Toilet Bowl. Good luck. I have Manning, Decker and Moreno on my team…Please don’t pick tonight to have an off night.
TONIGHT….
GAME DAY PREDICTION: Because everyone expects them to lose, the Oilers stun the Bruins with a 4-3 victory. P.S… I put the team logos in front of my son, and whichever one he touches, I go with that team to win. He is 8 days old, and his record is already 2-0.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Oilers lineup has a combined four career goals vs. the Bruins; Hemsky, Perron, RNH and Ference each have one goal. Two Oilers will score their first career goal against Boston tonight.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Now that he isn’t a member of the Calgary Flames, the Oilers will give St. Albert native, Jarome Iginla a healthy cheer when he announced over the PA. Iginla will be honoured, and he’ll return the favour by scoring a second period goal. After the game, Oilers fans collectively decide never to cheer for an opposing player, who never played for the Oilers, ever again.
DAY TEN…MONTH OF GIVING
Yesterday we raised another $2,800 for Santas Anonymous.
Today we have an excellent and very generous package that was donated to us by The Home Matchmaker Michelle Derk from Remax Elite.
- Up for grabs is the seller’s commission for your house. (In a regular sale half the commission goes to the seller realtor and half to the buyer. So this is $3.5% on the first $100,000 and $1.5% on the balance).
On a $500,000 house that is a value of $9,500.00 just to give you a reference point.
You can bid on this package by calling 780.444.1260 between 2-6 p.m. today.
Thanks in advance.
- THE NHL IS SAFER
- GDB 32.0: FOND MEMORIES
- SIMPLE, YET DIFFICULT
- GAME CHANGER
- GDB 29.0: SHOW UP AT HOME
- TANDEM STEALS WIN…
- GDB 27.0: BACK-T0-BACK?
Well the end result is as expected, but they made it interesting. This stretch of games should be good to see who puts up and who shuts up. Gagner and Dubnyk have no place on this team. Arco, Ebs, and Perron had a great game. Gazdic needs to stay. Joenssu looked like everything we hoped for. Next up: The Tortoranucks.
Well it is bed time,wonder if Dubnyk is going to wake up in the middle of the night trying to catch that floater.
Beauty!…lol…sign out on a high note!
Edit: and on post 300..at the end of page six…. You’re at the top of your game tonight!
Thanks bud ,I had consumed some liquid inspiration.
It’s a real shame, which of these young guys is going to step up and take ownership of this team? I have to admit, I’m a little shocked. Thought Hall and Eberle would step it up this year, especially after being passed up for captain.
Personally, I think that’s a big sign you need to split those guys up. Just my opinion.
Would Beckett be opposed to touching my 649 and LottoMax tickets? I need the luck!!
And, no surprise on the Feaster firing.
Agreed. With the hiring of Burke was just a matter of time. Although would say the mess the flames got in were really the result many bad decisions by Sutter.
Did sportsnet hire a bunch of highschool sound techs tonight? And these guy are a telecommunication company. Glad they have tv rights for the next 12 yrs.
I thought the game was being broadcast in SD. Actually had to check that it was in HD.
Let’s see… one period in and both Hall and Gagner are -3 each for the night, Dubnyk is .833SV% and we’ve given up a SH goal.
I would say that this should be a lesson to the Oilers but I’ve seen these type of effort (and loss) from them about 300 times in the last 5 years or so. And I’m afraid that we’re going to see another 25-35 of these types of games before the season is out.
I used to get made when a team scored on us– but now I just expect it.
This aint no lesson son, this was just the handing out of the syllabus. Class is about to be in session. Guest speakers: LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and ST Louis Bloues.
Good news guys! Dubnyk’s training buddy is in
We scored??? That’s allowed???
nice bed head on jack michaels
definiteley has a face for radio
Check out Brian Burkes disheveled look at the Feaster press conference…….Burke looks like he’s aged 10 years in 6 months!
Really does look like the Mighty Oz!
He looks like he was on a bender for a week.
Do him and Eakins have the same barber?
yeah he didnt look very ‘truculent’……he looked more haggered and tired
It’s the scotch.
I actually don’t think he’s been the same since the family tragedy a couple of years ago. But then, who would be.
But he and Eakins apparently use the same stylist.
Just a quick question for Oilersnation, where would be if Perron was Paajarvi? If we hadn’t traded for Perron?
Near or at the bottom of league standings!!… Oh wait…
It’s difficult to fathom, the Blues opted out of David Perron, cast him adrift, sending him away, and he’s the Oilers best player…….a Blues cast off.
Same place we are now I would say.
“Same place we are now I would say.”
You’d have to hope some of the “young guns” wouldn’t have wanted to lose as badly as they would have if Perron’s production wasn’t replaced, lol.
Personally I think the Oilers have actually done pretty well with RNH’s, Hall’s and Eberle’s contract, with the latest news about the cap. All 1st line talent with reasonable contracts and no, no trade clauses. Which of them gets our #1 d-man? The one we need so funking desperately.
We would be in last! oh wait 🙁
Thanks Dubby you reinforced my statement of the OIL need to score 4 goals to have a chance to win games.
Burkey says he wants to see more truculence on the flames. from pro hockey talk,
“If a team wants to win the Stanley Cup, Burke believes it needs to be big. And yes, he even used the word “truculent,” much to delight of everyone watching his press conference today in Calgary following the firing of Flames general manager Jay Feaster and assistant GM John Weisbrod.”
Are you listening kevin and MacT? Tonights game should prove that point in spades.
GDP – Bruins 5, Perron 1.
Oilers hopes of winning 0-0 SHATTERED by a 55′ Seidenberg knucklepuck.
WOW! Awesome fight!
Bruins 3 Perron 2
Iginla is an Oiler Killer.
Dubnyk is the killer, Gagner is an accessory.
Dubnyk is an Oiler killer.
Lowe is an Oiler killer.
Gag-me is an Oiler killer. If Eakins is preaching accountability then Gag-me better be sitting next game. And on another tangent, would Louie DeBrusk please go away!
Can’t sit him until Gordon is back. No depth at center.
Too bad you can’t trade Lowe for Iginla. He could do Lowe’s job and still play on the second line…
Surely Boston could use the help in the Front Office. After all, they only have one ring, not six.
Ha – beat you to it!
You did so!
You are right, though. How many games have the Oil lost now (despite certain bloggers apologist articles) because of Dubnyk?
The guy doesn’t win.
That floater goal had to seal his fate.He is gone this summer.
“If you have to ask the question, you know the answer.”
Mac T is not going to let this get past the trade deadline if he can help it…he’s praying Dub can play decent enough to have someone offer a bag of pucks for him.
To bad he never answered the question this summer.The team might not have been out of the playoffs by Halloween.
He tried on Draft day. And at the time I thought his offer to Van was a big ugly overpay but in retrospect, maybe not…then again, we were not going to make the playoffs anyway with our current set of D so might as well have another top pick and see what happens.
Sucks to be an Oilers fan….
that’s what happens when you’re the joke of the league, teams are going to try and swindle you. Honestly the trade for Perron was a masterful move, it was an armed robbery.
Even you have to admit he tried to.
Sure he tried no doubt there.Obviously not hard enough.
This summer?
If a high draft pick is the aim, then keep him.
If giving the team a chance to learn how to win, how to close out games and how to put teams away is the aim for the rest of the season than put him on waivers tomorrow. It isn’t like he’ll get claimed, however much the bloggers here love his save %. You can always call him back up later.
The guy might look ok in Oiler silks as a backup at $1 million per season?…that way he doesn’t go to Pheonix or St Louis and win a Vezina…..
Dubnyk? Win a Vezina?
In Phoenix or St. Louis?
Not bloody likely…
Just to be clear, I’m talking about Devan Dubnyk. Master of the save %.
Not remotely likely……but it would be just our luck to suffer through his development just to see him freakishly flourish somewhere else…..ok….$750 K
It’s harder watching him suffer thru his development and not develop… Same with Gagner
Well, that would be stunningly freakish.
But it would be like one of those Marty St. Louis things…
Yeah, he showed flashes in Calgary. But nothing that made you think he was Theo Fleury.
I have a hard time thinking Dubnyk is going to turn into Andy Moog someplace else.
He must have meant win a vespa.
Fine who replaces him here?
I am not entirely sure it matters. Bryzgalov and Labs could hold the fort as Mac T scours the world for someone less prone to backbreaking, heart wrenching, soul crushing goals against.
Who cares who replaces him here. We are losing far too often with him so it cant get worse. may stay the same crappy way but it wont get worse. Can you imagine DD in the playoffs when whichever team they face actually focuses and gameplans for him? Not that they will ever see the playoffs….
Yeah…..but his STATS are better than any Oiler goalie in history….so there has to be some other reason the floaters from the blue line keep getting past him……hhmmmmm…what could it be…..there must be stat somewhere that explains it.
Oh that’s right!……being on your knees when the opposition players crosses the blue line is one of those intangibles….we can’t count that……
Actually Jonathan Willis posted a goalie list with numbers updated for the modern day sv%. Dubnyk ends up somewhere in the bottom third of the list.
See!!!…..I knew there was a stat that would explain it. Thank you. I feel better.
Dub is an Oiler killer….
The fcukin a$$hole $hitnyk cost us the game!!! Get rid of that sob!!!
It wasn’t just him. The whole team was being ragdolled through the first 20 minutes. GAgner was specially awful
Looks like Jack is bringing his own donuts to the game.
He’s following the Bob Stauffer diet…
Curious what our coach is going to do when Gordon returns from injury, should be a lively debate…
Isn’t it obvious “the braintrust” says Acro sits.
Sad but true….from their point of view……they bet on their horse and the betting window is closed.
Eakins will send Arco down is what I would expect.
I’ve got a good vibe brewing for the Mighty Oil tonight. My emotions say they are going to WIN, but history dictates that i must experience ultimate disappointment at every step, so that means the Oil will Lose; Badly.
Oilers Lose 7-1, but the Dirty Frenchman will STRIKE AGAIN to score the lone goal! (Perron)
Shocked about Feaster. Calgary was over achieving, every knew they were bad but frankly that team plays hard and has had injuries to their top players.
I guess Burkie said WTF is this Mark Janikowski.
Now for a real test. I’m cautiously optimistic about this one because that’s just my nature. I have lots of relatives who are Bruins fans so a win tonight might make hockey talk a little more bearable at Christmas time.
If we make it out of this game without any major injuries, I’ll consider it a victory.
Wow… what a piss poor backcheck on that second goal (or was it the third? *chews his own fingers off*). Piss poor. I can’t tell who it is as my grainy internet feed isn’t good enough. Their number ended in 4. Eberle? Smyth?
Someone tell me who that was. Unacceptable.
It was Eberle and a horrible back check. Yes Larsons shot got blocked but Eberle had no idea how to tie up the guy waiting for the pass.
Good to see Perron and Belov mix it up. Belov has never seen Lucic so isn’t afraid to take him on.
Is it me or is The Oilers’ most physical player tonight Arcobello? He seems to be hitting guys twice his size and going to the dirty areas.
He’s the most physical Oiler every game
with Lowe and Mac T trading off their heart and sole D-Man Smid, they now have freed up some cap space to sign Yakopov to a 7 year $42 million contract.
Can some please STOP the insanity ! this is to comical and quite honestly sad for us long time Oil fans. Looking for a new team to cheer for ! Surfing centre ice for an NHL team to watch.
Eberle on the pt making a cross-D pass along the blueline. Schultz Sr. bails him out. My god, get it deep or put it on net. Yay Perron!
Dubnyk, Gagner, Petry and J Schultz hype is whats wrong with the oilers
Iginla is a lesbian.
Oilers need to shoot the puck a little higher. It’s tough to know where the rebound is going to go after it rocks Johnson in the mask.
Is that the same Chad Johnson that played for the Cincy Bengals?
No that is Chad Ochocinco the wife beater.
Interesting that Eakins came out and publicly back tracked on his stance at the start “if the Oilers are gonna win, it will have to be done his way”
Now its “a coach would be real dumb, if he continued to impose his will on a player group not suited for playing his way” So – he goes on to say that a number of things have been changed but didnt say what, at least in the interview I saw on TSN, which may have been cut short.
The swarm is probably the biggest thing he is refering to – thank god, but dont see as much scorer types on PK and 5 forwards on the PP – among other things. That kind of risk is only maybe necessary when you really need a goal – bad.
Anyway – must be some pressure coming down on Eakins to eat some humble pie in public. Not a fan of MacT’s selection of a rookie coach to lead this team. However – whats done is done and maybe with Eakins ego in check, the team will be led more effectively.
Pretty sure Feaster saw the end when Burke came in..
Pretty sure Burke will be the new GM or someone that has worked with Burke before (Dave Nonis anyone?)
No offence 2 percent realty is cheeper and I dont have to win a prize.
Well that’s the spirit 🙁