A look at last season’s games
By Jason Gregor
14 years ago
The Oilers aren’t blessed with an abundance of proven scorers at this point, in fact as of today they don’t have one 30-goal scorer on the roster. If you don’t have true top-end talent then you need to play a more physical style to be successful.
JW had an interesting take on how hits relate to success, and while some of the top teams can get away with not being as physical, a team like the Oilers needs to be physical, because rarely do they have more proven skill than the opposition.
Let’s take a look at the game-by-game results for wins/loses and hits. (home in bold)
Oct 12th… 3-2 win v. Col… Get out hit 16-15
Oct 15th… 3-2 win @ Ana… Get out hit 27-20
Oct 17th… 4-3 win @ CGY… Get out hit 22-15
Oct 18th… 3-2 win v. CGY…Out hit Flames 21-8
Oct 22nd…3-0 loss @ Chic…Tied in hits with 17
Oct 23rd… 4-1 loss @ Col…Out hit Avs 16-11
Oct 25th…6-3 loss @ Van…Out hit Canucks 21-8
Oct 27th… 1-0 loss v. Bos…Get out hit 13-11…
Oct 30th… 3-1 loss @ Nash… Get out hit 14-12…
Nov 01st…3-1 win @ Car…Get out hit 26-21…
Nov 02nd…5-4 win @ Phil…Get out hit 16-8…
Nov 05th… 5-4 loss @ CBJ…Get out hit 26-18…
Nov 06th…5-4 loss @ Pitt…Get out hit 25-19
Nov 09th… 2-1 win @ N.J…Get out hit 17-15…
Nov 10th… 3-2 win @ NYR… Get out hit 31-22… (SO Win)
Nov 13th…5-2 loss v. Tor…Get out hit 13-5
Nov 15th… 3-2 loss v. Col…Get out hit 10-6 (SO loss)
Nov 17th…4-0 loss @ Det… Get out hit 18-16
Nov 18th… 7-2 win @ CBJ…Out hit Jackets 22-19
Nov 20th…4-3 loss v. Det…. Get out hit 10-8
Nov 26th…2-1 loss v. L.A… Get out hit 22-18
Nov 29th… 4-2 win @ St.L… Out hit Blues 21-16
Nov 30th…4-3 loss @ Dall…Get out hit 25-17
Dec 03rd… 5-2 win v. Dall…Out hit Stars 9-6
Dec 05th…5-4 win @ L.A…Out hit Kings 32-25 (SO win)
Dec 06th… 3-2 win @ S.J… Out hit Sharks 16-15
Dec 11th…2-0 loss v. Flor… Get out hit 12-11
Dec 13th…3-0 win v. Van…Out hit Canucks 17-11
Dec 16th…9-2 loss v. Chic…Tied in hits with eight
Dec 17th…4-2 loss @ Van…Get out hit 13-10
Dec 19th… 3-2 loss v. Ana…Out hit Ducks 15-11 (SO loss)
Dec 22nd… 4-2 win v. Pho…Tied in hits with 22
Dec 26th … 3-2 win @ Van…Get out hit 21-12
Dec 28th… 5-2 win v. Nash… Get out hit 10-9
Dec 30th… 3-2 loss v. Ott… Out hit Senators 17-11
Dec 31st… 6-4 loss @ Cgy… Out hit Flames 23-18
Jan 03rd…4-1 win v. Dall… Out hit Stars 19-13
Jan 05th…3-2 win v. NYI… Out hit Islanders 20-18
Jan 07th… 4-2 loss v. Van… Out hit Canucks 19-14
Jan 09th… 4-1 loss v. S.J…. Get out hit 15-10
Jan 11th… 2-1 win v. Blues… Out hit Blues 18-16
Jan 13th… 5-2 win @ Wash… Get out hit 16-13
Jan 15th… 5-1 loss @ Minn…Get out hit 24-18
Jan 16th… 3-2 win @ Col… Get out hit 25-16
Jan 18th… 6-3 win v. Pho… Get out hit 18-7
Jan 20th … 4-3 win v. CBJ…Out hit Jackets 18-13
Jan 27th… 10-2 loss v. Buff… Out hit Sabres 11-5
Jan 30th… 3-1 win v. Minn… Out hit Wild 17-13
Feb 01st… 2-1 loss v. Nash… Out hit Preds 24-17
Feb 03rd… 3-1 loss v. Chic… Out hit Hawks 27-17
Feb 05th… 2-1 win @ St.L… Out hit Blues 25-22 (SO Win)
Feb 07th… 8-3 loss @ Det … Get out hit 16-15
Feb 08th… 3-2 loss @ Minn… Get out hit 30-9 (SO loss)
Feb 11th… 7-2 win v. Mon… Get out hit 27-11
Feb 14th…3-2 win @ L.A… Get out hit 41-33 (SO win)
Feb 16th… 3-1 win @ Pho… tied in hits with 28.
Feb 17th… 4-2 loss @ S.J… Get out hit 30-20
Feb 19th… 4-2 loss @ Dal… Get out hit 48-34 (a very odd number).
Feb 21st… 3-2 loss v. CGY… Out hit Flames 33-24 (SO loss)
Feb 24th… 5-3 win v. T.B… Get out hit 12-9
Feb 26th… 1-0 loss v. CBJ… Out hit Jackets 31-27
Feb 28th… 3-2 win v. Minn… Out hit Wild 16-12
Mar 03rd… 6-5 loss @ Nash…Get out hit 25-19
Mar 05th… 4-2 loss @ Ott…tied in hits with 26
Mar 07th… 4-1 win @ Tor…Get out hit 33-27
Mar 10th… 4-3 loss @ Mtl… Get out hit 24-15
Mar 12th…4-3 loss v. Atl… Out hit Thrashers 16-13
Mar 14th…3-2 loss v. Col.. Out hit Avs 16-8
Mar 17th…2-1 win v. St.L… Out hit Blues 13-10 (SO win)
Mar 19th…8-1 win @ Col… Get out hit 16-10
Mar 20th…5-4 win @ Chic…Get out hit 19-15 ( SO win)
Mar 22nd…3-0 loss @ Minn. Out hit Wild 14-11
Mar 24th…3-2 loss v. Det… Get out hit 13-12
Mar 26th…3-2 loss @ Pho… Get out hit 29-21
Mar 27th…5-3 win @ Ana… Out hit Ducks 15-14
Mar 29th…3-2 loss v. Minn.. Out hit Wild 19-11
Mar 31st…5-3 loss v. Ana… Out hit Ducks 22-20
Apr 2nd…. 2-1 loss v. SJ…. Out hit Sharks 16-12
Apr 4th… 5-3 win v. Van… Out hit Canucks 15-14
Apr 7th… 2-1 loss v. LA… Get out hit 21-14
Apr 10th…5-1 win v. CGY.. Get out hit 13-8
Apr 11th…4-1 loss @ CGY. Get out hit 13-9
Here’s a breakdown of how they fared when getting out hit.
- At home…they went 6-9 when getting out hit.
- On the road…they went 13-15 when getting out hit.
- Combined they were 19-24 when getting out hit.
When they had more hits than the opposition the results were as follows:
- At home…they went 11-13 when they had more hits.
- On the road… they went 6-4 when dishing out more hits.
- Combined they were 17-17 when they had more hits.
When they were tied in hits they went:
- At home…they went 1-1
- On the road…they went 1-2
- Combined they were 2-3 when even in hits.
Ten times they went to a shootout, and hits are clearly irrelevant during a shoot out, so that’s why I put those games in parenthesis. When they got out hit in SO games they went 3-2 and when they out hit the opposition they went 3-2 as well.
Pat Quinn stated he wants his team to be more physical next year and harder to play against, and after crunching the numbers from last year it’s clear they should be. While they were only .500 when out hitting the opposition last year, they still had more success than when they got out hit.
It was also interesting to note that in their 41 home games they averaged 15.4 hits per game and went 18-23 at home. On the road they averaged 18.4 hits per game, which is interesting.
Are the stats guys at Rexall very strict when handing out hits, or were the Oilers that much less physical at home? I’d say it’s a bit of both. I went to every home game and many nights there was severe lack of emotion in the Oilers’ game, but I’d say that in Edmonton the stats crew is more strict when handing out hits compared to other buildings.
Regardless of which rink crew was tracking the hits, the fact is in games where the Oilers out hit the opposition they had more success on the scoreboard.
Leadership questioned
I spoke with Jarret Stoll yesterday to clear up the rumour regarding his break up with Rachel Hunter. There is no truth to the rumour that Hunter found out via email.
“That is complete BS. We had been talking about it for awhile and unfortunately it didn’t work out,” said Stoll. “Rachel and I are still friends and there is no truth that I broke the news to her via email. Anyone who believes that isn’t very smart.”
Guests did receive an email saying the wedding was off, but it came days after Stoll and Hunter had agreed to part ways.
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