I probably should have posted this sooner, but I’ve had a hangover since Friday. Can you believe these Oilers? First they hand the Colorado Avalanche their collective behinds on Thursday, and then they sneak past the Blackhawks on Friday — the same day as a Night with the Nation, no less — for a shootout win. Imagine, if you will, my mouth stuffed with spicy chicken wings as we take our second shot in the shootout: chicken wings spat everywhere as I dump a half-drunk beer over Wanye’s dome. Now imagine me being shown the door, as Wanye shouts behind me, “That man is not affiliated with OilersNation.”

Just another Friday night, really.

Anyway, this is what it feels like to be optimistic again! This is the madness of the Oilers rollercoaster. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still on the FMNF bandwagon. Any coach whose been in the same job for as long as MacT has and has been as, ahem, “successful” as him has certainly overstayed his welcome. But we can worry about all that when the season’s done. And I’m not saying any Oilers will be hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup any time soon, but I’m an Oilers fan — I’m deluded and happy to picture that in my head no matter how much of a longshot it is.

So, we end a three-game roadtrip today. We’re ahead of the Wild, and behind Columbus. We sit at seventh. As of right now, we’re in the playoffs. Our boys are still making mistakes, but they’re also earning points.

You’re probably wondering about the photo up top there. That there is a young man from Japan named Tomo. He was in Edmonton on an exchange, and his sponsor family wanted to make sure he got to see a for-real NHL game before he headed back home last week. So the Splendid Mr Gregor went out and found young Tomo a pair of tickets. His sponsor family made sure he went to the game in Oilers threads.

This young Japanese boy — now an honourary Canadian — had a great time, despite the fact that he isn’t old enough to drink beer.

Hope you had a safe trip home, Tomo. Keep the spirit of the Oil alive in Japan! Arigato!

It’s a lazy Sunday, and optimism abounds. Today the Oil will earn another win as the take the Wild down 3-1. Mark my words. None of the overtime/shootout stuff. Just a normal, regulation game.