2006 FLASHBACK: ROUND ONE, OILERS VS. RED WINGS
By Lowetide
7 years agoThe hockey world spent most of the pre-series talking about the legends on the Detroit Red Wings. Honestly, if you listened to the verbal before Game 1, betting a plug nickel on the Oilers would be a silly thing to do. As they say, that’s why they play the games.
TALE OF THE TAPE!
- Goals-For: Detroit 301, Edmonton 249
- Goals-Against: Detroit 206, Edmonton 242
- Shots-For Per Game: Detroit 34.1; Edmonton 29.8
- Shots-Against Per Game: Detroit 26.6; Edmonton 25.5
- Save Percentage: Detroit .906; Edmonton .884 (league worst)
- Power Play: Detroit No. 1; Edmonton No. 17
- Penalty Kill: Detroit No. 3; Edmonton No. 8
The Oilers showed well in shot suppression (25.5) but the goaltending was very poor until Dwayne Roloson arrived. It should also be mentioned Kevin Lowe added Sergei Samsonov at the deadline and that helped the offense. Opening night of the playoffs, these numbers were a lie.
GAME ONE
It was an exciting, eventful game filled with greatness (Chris Pronger scored) and frustration (6 pims for M-A Bergeron) but it was Kirk Maltby who made the difference. The former Oiler—of course—scored twice in the game, the second tally winning it in double overtime.
- Maltby: “Our coaches have harped on us all year: Get it to the net, just get
it to the net. As soon as I got it, that’s all I
was thinking. Just had that little voice in my ear, just get it on net,
especially when it’s in overtime. It just found a way in.”
GAME TWO
This is a very famous game in Oilers history, but not because Chris Pronger scored again, or even because Dwayne Roloson outdueled Manny Legace in goal. No, this game is famous for one thing: Brad Winchester’s first NHL goal.
- Craig MacTavish on inserting Winchester in the lineup with Shawn Horcoff and Ryan Smyth: “Something clicked when I saw him in
practice. I remembered that the last three times he’d
dressed for us, we’d won. Now it’s four for four. After the Saturday practice, I talked with Horc and Smitty, and they were receptive to the
idea. I wanted to make sure they were comfortable, first and foremost.
They pulled him aside and told him their expectations.”
GAME THREE
Edmonton took the lead in the series for the first time, but it was anything but easy. The Oilers were up 3-1 heading into the third period, but the veteran Red Wings turned it around and scored twice—sending things to overtime for the second time in three games.
At 8:44 of the second overtime period, Jarret Stoll scored from Sergei Samsonov and Shawn Horcoff—and Oilers fans poured into the streets to celebrate.
- Jarret Stoll: “I didn’t know it went in at the start, it was kind of a surprise. I found a hole, and [it’s] a big win for our club.”
GAME FOUR
I remember this game, Red Wings scored four power-play goals and that was the story. Edmonton kept taking penalties, it was a bizarre hockey game. Flukey goal? Yes. Contested goal? Yes. Five-on-three? I lost count. The source above is a game report from USA Today but it was a miserable game.
GAME FIVE
This was the game I began to believe it could happen, beating the Red Wings seemed possible and not in a fan cheering like hell kind of way. Fernando Pisani, a good soldier always, started to show up in offensive situations and cashed on more than one or two. Dwayne Roloson was looking very good—remember, Edmonton fans were still getting used to having a substantial goalie—and the team was selling out.
Game 5 was the game I became a devout follower of the Church of Horcoff. Late in the game, with my emotions somewhere between ecstasy and suicidal, Horcoff dove in front of a Nick Lidstrom shot and—I thought—blocked it with his face. From that day forward, I have never uttered a discouraging word about Horcoff, nor will I, until the day I die. Shawn Horcoff is one brave soldier, full stop.
- Shawn Horcoff: “I dove across and I got my hands in front of my face to stop it.”
- Associated Press: Would it have been worth it to stop the blast with his face?
- Shawn Horcoff: “Of course.”
GAME SIX
- Oilers 4, Detroit 3
- Summary
- Source
- Third period play-by-play
It was May 1. Detroit scored in the first, and then another in the second. After two, Oilers Nation remained loud and proud, but even the brave have doubts in times like these. I have included the play-by-play in the notes above, I encourage you to read the third period.
- The Oilers scored four times
- 30 seconds before Pisani’s marker, Brett Lebda killed the goal post
- Steve Yzerman was toast, smoked everywhere
- Ales Hemsky was one beautiful hockey player
- We won. Sweet Jesus, we won.
Quotes
- Craig MacTavish: “A wild, wild game. And now we move on.”
- Dwayne Roloson on Rexall: “I haven’t seen anything like that. The place erupted. It was unbelievable.”
- Craig MacTavish on Rexall: “I literally thought the roof was going to blow off Rexall
[Place]. My head is still ringing.” - Mike Babcock: “I am shocked we’re in this situation.”
What a beautiful two weeks. I will remember it forever.
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