At least the last few minutes of the game were good? Final Score: 3-2 Avalanche 
Does anyone else get nervous when you look at the schedule and see that the Oilers are playing on Hockey Night in Canada? Maybe it’s just some kind of rebuild PTSD but I can’t help but feel the need to brace myself before Saturday night games. I remember when my HNIC faith in the Oilers died. It was a game where I thought the end of days were surely coming. It was against Detroit, just before the Bryzgalov era of the rebuild, and the Wings absolutely slaughtered the Oilers 5-0. These games have left me feeling uneasy ever since, and with just cause. *shudders*
If there was a remedy for my pregame lack if faith it was that the Oilers were playing the Colorado Avalanche, which meant anything could happen. It’s not like the Oilers were playing the Sakic/Forsberg/Roy Avalanche from the 90s, and so maybe they could get something done. When Taylor Hall scored early I thought that maybe my early uneasiness was just me being an old crank, but then the Oilers allowed two goals to wide open Avalanche players and the negative vibes returned. Frankly, the Oilers were flat tonight and gave the Avalanche easy lanes to the net, and they took full advantage.
Coming back from the road trip I was hoping that a few weeks at home would put some wins on the board. Before this past home stretch, the Oilers had been a pretty solid home ice team, but they can’t win a game to save their lives lately. Worst of all, tonight’s game was another winnable game on the calendar that the Oilers never really showed up for. It was a snooze fest. Let’s be honest, the most exciting part of the game happened at the end of the night when the Oilers pulled the goalie. It was another tough night in OilersNation, but at least we’re another day closer to the draft.
We wrap.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

  • After being on a goal scoring drought, Taylor Hall seems to be finding his touch again. He scored his 20th goal of the season by driving to the slot and burying the puck when he had a chance. The Oilers pass up on too many shooting chances, and it’s always nice to see Taylor Hall firing away. 
  • Benoit Pouliot is one of the few Oilers forwards that is consistently willing to go to the net. He scored his 14th goal of the season by banging the puck home at the side of the net. 
  • I can’t say enough good things about the year Brandon Davidson has had. He is playing big minutes on the penalty kill and at even strength, when most people would have expected him to be a non-factor this year. He plays big minutes and plays them well. Amazing story. 
  • Zack Kassian played his first game in a while after coming back from the flu. You’ve got to admire that the first thing Kassian does it get in a scrap. That takes a lot of energy for a sick guy.
  • I think Cam Talbot was better than he stats will tell you. He had absolutely no chance on the first two Avs goals, and the third was no slouch either. He finished the night with 26 saves and an .897 save%.
  • Big props to the penalty kill, especially the work on the 5 on 3. 

THE FACE PALMERS

  • The Oilers completely forgot that John Mitchell existed as he walked into the slot and put the puck home, completely uncovered. Bold strategy. No chance for Talbot on this goal. 
  • The Oilers followed up with another ghost defensive effort on Tyson Barrie’s goal in the second period. He was wiiiiiiiide open. 
  • The power play sucked again. Broken record, I know.
  • How many times have the Oilers sent out a blind pass into the slot with absolutely no idea if anyone is there or not? Has to be millions, right?
  • For the second straight game the Oilers have had a goal called backed. In tonight’s chapter Taylor Hall was bumped into the goal (outside the crease) and was given a penalty and had the goal disallowed. Lame.
  • Actually I just hated the reffing in general. How about that phantom tripping call on Fayne? Ridiculous.
  • The Oilers made Pickard look like a Vezina candidate. He’s supposed to be the backup. 
  • Shout out to CBC for missing Taylor Hall’s goal because they were in commercial. Nailed it. 

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST PERIOD
07:14
EDM
Taylor Hall (20) Wrist shot – ASST: Leon Draisaitl (27), Teddy Purcell (21)
1 – 0 EDM
11:19
COL
John Mitchell (9) Wrist shot – ASST: Blake Comeau (19), Tyson Barrie (30)
1 – 1 Tie
2ND PERIOD
01:23
COL
Tyson Barrie (9) Deflected shot – ASST: Jarome Iginla (18), Matt Duchene (22)
2 – 1 COL
3RD PERIOD
03:49
COL
Tyson Barrie (10) Wrist shot – ASST: Alex Tanguay (18), Gabriel Landeskog (25)
3 – 1 COL
18:19
EDM
Benoit Pouliot (14) Wrist shot – ASST: Jordan Eberle (17), Connor McDavid (17)
3 – 2 COL

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THE NORTH X NORTHGRETZ PODCAST

The boys are back from Jasper and still licking their wounds! This week they talk about McDavid’s five point night, if McDavid has a legit shot at the Calder, what could have been for McDavid this season, and other, non-McDavid related things!

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