Saturday, October 08, 2005

 

Oilers Game Day

Season Record: 1-0-0 Season Record: 1-0-0
Head-to-Head: 0-0-0 Head-to-Head: 0-0-0
Last Game: 4-3 Win vs ColoradoLast Game: 3-2 Win vs Phoenix


This should be a good test for the Oilers. For the last few seasons the best games of the year have been between these two teams.

CityTV reported yesterday that Jussi would get the start in goal, but I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere, and I doubt it is true. It doesn't seem to make sense to start a guy who hasn't had any training camp or preseason action against last season's conference champs. I bet Ty gets the nod and Jussi starts on the road against the Ducks or Kings. That said, if Jussi does get the call I'd still be confident. I should have picked him for my breakout player.

Predictions?

Comments:

Prediction: Canucks 7-3
 


Oilers 5-2 The vancouver D is pretty week this year. They had their hands full with the Dogs... Go Oilers
 


Ah yes, now we can ask ourselves which is more porous the Vancouver defense core or our goaltending?

I figure both are questionable so it will be a 5-3 game. Though for whom remains to be seen. Though admittedly I'm going to feel fearful if Naslund and Cory Cross are ever on the ice at the same time.
 


Well, after two, letting them skate hasn't been a proble. For about 12 min during the second Vancouver simply couldn't keep up.

Horc is having another terrific game, and Stoll, Pronger and Hemsky are starting to run a pretty smooth powerplay.

If Jussi isn't our #1 goalie by Chrismas I'm going to be pretty happy, because it will mean that Ty is having a Vezina year.
 


Here are my thoughts on the game. Listening to Rimmer, there were alot of complaints about the penalties called. Especially the phantom hook by Shawn Horcoff. One guy complained that the forwards have too much room to cycle the puck. I disagree 100%. I don't want the D to be able to pin a guy for 8 seconds on the boards, and I don't want a guy to cross-check a forward in the back so many times he ends up with a back like Craig Simpson or Cam Neely. Some of the calls were questionable, and the diving by Vancouver seemed flagrant, but I want the fowards to be able to dance in the offensive zone. Players better learn to be skate and use their sticks on the ice.
 


I thought the worst penalty was the holding call on Peca. He didn't even touch the guy! They went through the replay and the announcer noted "Evidently he grabbed him with a third arm". Some of the penalties were justified but a few of them involved a stick brushing past another player and seemed as stupid as the game they played against Colorado with Smyth got a penalty for goaltender interference for falling into the goaltender after the defenceman who also got an interference penalty pushed him into the goaltender!

Its hard to referee a game as there are all sorts of on the spot judgement calls to make. However, there were alot of marginal calls in this game. The one in the Colorado game just bugs me as its illogical.
 

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