GDB 45.0: ALL HELL FOR A BASEMENT

7 years ago

It has been years since we’ve been here. Saturdays in Edmonton, over these 10 years, have come and gone without the feeling we have today. Combine anxiety, anticipation, 10 years of rage, demon liquor, unsatisfied sexual urges, blind anger from the workplace, and the blasted carbon tax, and you begin to approach the potential explosion just hours away in our fair city. Tonight, a 20-year old hockey player, touched by God, hits the ice with his fellow soldiers in a battle of Alberta that matters. Hello, friend. It is so very good to see you again.

CURRENT STANDINGS

Even without the Alberta angle, this is a massive game. Edmonton can move five points ahead of Calgary, and stay in touch with first place in the division should the team gain a victory in regular time this evening. A regular loss would not be crippling but would re-set the second half of the season as basically an even-Steven race to the finish line. This is big.

TABERNAC SATURDAY

After more than 10 years of losing, we all have our favorite things that angry up the blood. Some get mad at losses to Arizona, others cannot understand why newborn goalies stone the Oil drop. For me, there are three main gallstones left:

Losing on Hockey Night in Canada
Losing to Calgary
Losing on Saturday

As an older gent, I have had to curtail some activities over the years. Saturday is my one day a week to tip a glass of wine, to pour a stiff CR, or unload a portion of the beer fridge. Most of these nights end in me sending a tumbler of ice across the room with the dog heading for cover, as our town team rolls down the tracks as a train in vain.

But I swear as God is my witness I can feel the change coming. I pray baby Jesus tonight sees this team trip the light fantastic (as opposed to tripping over the light fantastic), scoring at will and plunging the dagger deep into the sea of red. If tomorrow brings glory to the Oilers, and a newfound Sea of Dread in Calgary proper, I will break my self-imposed rule for Sundays and have a beer—and then, I will have another one.

LINEUPS

Oilers

According to Todd McLellan, Adam Larsson is out for tonight’s game with a lower-body injury and JJ Khaira is out with an illness.

Flames

We’re guessing on who starts for the Flames but Chad Johnson started last night so it’s possible that they wouldn’t him playing on back-to-back nights.

Lineups (subject to change) are courtesy of DailyFaceoff.com.

NOTES

The Maroon—McDavid—Draisaitl line is in a zone right now, shredding opposition defenders and scoring goals at a rapid rate. Containing that line will be a key for Calgary.
Brandon Davidson’s efforts to get back to mid-season game speed are proving more difficult than hoped, I wonder if a conditioning stint would have helped him.
Jesse Puljujarvi looked terrific again on Friday night in Bakersfield, setting up a Joey Laleggia goal with a sweet play and serving as the hammer on the 1PP. He is 2gp, 0-2-2 so far in the AHL.
Nuge, Ebs, Pou and Milan Lucic need to get going on the offense at even strength. If those four men break out, this Oilers team has a very strong chance to make the playoffs.
Taylor Hall and the New Jersey Devils did Edmonton an enormous favor last night with a win at the Saddledome.
The Oilers play Arizona on Monday, Florida on Wednesday, Nashville on Friday and then the Flames next Saturday night. This time next week, where will the Oilers be in the Pacific Division?

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

From Ryan Pike at FlamesNation.ca

History Lesson: In 231 previous regular season meetings with Edmonton, the Flames are 117-91-23. This is the third of four meetings between these clubs this season. The Oilers won each of the first two games back in October. After tonight, they play again next Saturday in Calgary and then the season series is complete.

TONIGHT

(photoshop: @TomKostiuk)

GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Oilers start well, the best in several games. A flukey goal against off Kris Russell puts the home team down 1-0 after one despite an edge in play for the Oilers.

OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Flames own the second period, scoring twice on the power play, leaving a restless Saturday night crowd in a terrible mood. A goal by Oscar Klefbom with two seconds left in the second period gives Edmonton a pulse.

NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Oilers open the floodgates and storm the Calgary end, scoring early and often. A four-goal outburst in the third period, with only one Flames reply, makes the final score 5-4 for Edmonton in what all agree is a classic.