Wednesday, April 26, 2006

 

Wednesday Morning Coming Down

I'm a bit late with my thoughts on the game, and I really don't have much more to add that hasn't already been covered by Cosh, CinO, the Calculator (hattip Mirtle), IOF, LT, BDHS, A2Y, Saler and Christy.

In sum, I thought that the Oil controlled the play for most of the regular time, but Detroit controlled the last 10 mins of the third and the OT's. If I can take anything from last night's game, it is that Edmonton really can win playing a number of styles. The first part of the game certainly wasn't trappish hockey, and it wasn't until they started really playing trappish hockey that Detroit got back in the game. I take great comfort in that.

One thing is certain, I think I'm starting to agree with A2Y about Oilers fans. I live in the same Old Strathcona neighbourhood as Pleasure Motors (heck, we might live in the same building), two blocks away from Hooligan Alley. Last night one of those drunken fools snapped the Oilers flag off my car. Thankfully, the window was intact. I swear if it was you, Grabia, heads are gonna roll.

Anyway, the other reason I'm so slow with this update is that the game almost killed me. Mirtle guessed that it must have been a rollercoaster of emotions for Oilers fans. I don't know, I've never felt as sick on a rollercoaster as I was feeling in the second OT. I was having a heckuva time until the two quick ones by Detroit in the third; but, I can't say I really enjoyed myself during the OTs. Even the winning goal was more of a relief than anything else. I came home totally exhausted and spent most of today recovering. Oh, and there was a tiny little twerp in the seat next to me who honestly wanted to fight me. I guess that's what happens when you get tickets through a bar. One of his buddies slept through the first OT (in the bathroom?), but found his wind for the second OT enough to spill his beer all over the people in front of him. Good times.

Anyway, I think I'll let the video evidence speak for me. The game was loud. Really loud. I was happy to see Paul singing the anthems, but I couldn't hear him at all. Nobody could hear him, and the crowd kept getting ahead of him in the singing. Finally, the video guy got the bright idea of putting him up on the jumbotron so that we could at least read his lips and keep the tempo. I actually couldn't hear myself when the Oilers hit the ice for the first time. Of course, during the second OT when I was in a fetal position whispering "please, please, please" I could only hear myself.

As a couple of folks noted, the best part about the crowd last night was the huge love they gave the Oil after Detroit tied it up in the third. It was definitely inspiring.

Comments:

I think I read this in a Freep piece where a guy said the beautiful thing about hockey is two guys can watch the game game and come away with differing opinions.

That leads me to disagree with you and say the only time I thought the Wings were in this game was when they were on the PP or when the Oilers were too aggressive in their forecheck.

I thought the Wings got back in the game in the third because A: the Oilers took three f**king penalties in the first 11 min of that frame and how much can you tempt fate with that PP and B: Schneider has 20 odd goals so if he gets an open look like he did on the 3-3 goal then sometimes he's gonna cash it.

But as for the Wings getting back in because of the trap? I saw the exact opposite.
 


Good point on the third-period Oil love. I don't think I've ever heard a crowd get pumped up like that after such a deflating goal.
 


Nobody could hear him, and the crowd kept getting ahead of him in the singing.

Could this have anything to do with the fact that Lorieau himself sucks at singing to the proper time signature? I realize this borders on sacrilege, but most Edmontonians probably think our national anthem is written in 5/4 as a result of Lorieau throwing extra rests into the same damn places in the song for three decades. In early performances this season I was shocked to hear he'd "corrected" this somewhat (lessons during the lockout?), but by now, any approximation to the right (binary) tempo marking is just going to confuse season-ticket holders who learned "O Canada" from him.
 


It wasn't me. I am almost positive I was not near that area. Almost positive.

Funny you mentioned the illness. I actually cried a little when William's goal went in in OT. I was devastated. And then, after it was disallowed, I was actually sick to my stomach. I almost puked I was so nervous. Again, I am almost positive it had nothing to do with the gin.

And lastly, is that you I hear screaming in that last video?
 


No one sings "Gotta keep our land" and "the rockets red-uh glare like Paul Lorieau. Many years ago, during the Oilers' heyday, he worked in an optician's shop near the U and he fixed my glasses once during the playoffs. Brush with greatness.
 

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