Sunday, December 10, 2006

 

Oilers Game Day-Blackhawks

Record: 16-10-2Record: 10-12-5
Preview


• Making his first appearance in two months Saturday night, Marty Havlat potted two goals and added an assist in Chicago's overtime loss to the Wild. Quite the return, I'd say.

• The Boulin Wall was out of the Blackhawk's lineup Saturday with the flu. One more day, Sicky McSuckboy. I really want to get me some more of that Brian Boucher action.

• I'm well aware that getting a shot on net is not the same thing as a quality scoring chance, but I do hope the Oilers start getting some more pucks on pads (they are currently 30th in the NHL in Shots/Game). They haven't had thirty Shots For in a game since November 13. That was ten games ago, and includes two overtime games. Of course, they've won seven of those ten games, so maybe I'll just shut it.

• The Oilers have scored first in nineteen of twenty-eight games this season. I'd say that percentage (69%) is fairly remarkable, and unlikely to continue. In those games, their record is 13-5-1. In the nine games where they did not score first, they have a 3-5-1 record.

• If they win today, the Oilers will be back to .500 on the road. Just like that.

• From the "No Rhyme or Reason" category:

November 4th: Craig MacTavish fined $10,00 for criticizing referee Mick McGeough after McGeough blows a call that costs the Oilers a point. McGeough is not fined, suspended or even publicly reprimanded.

November 4th: Bob Hartley fined $10,000 for verbally abusing officials during a game between the Atlanta Thrashers and Washington Capitals.

December 5th: Alexander Ovechkin fined $1,000 for a boarding penalty and hit from behind on Daniel Brierre. Ovechkin is not suspended.

December 8th: Peter Schaefer fined $2,500 for waving a white towel at referees, in a sign of surrender.

• From the "Killing a Franchise's Will to Live" category: Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz still refuses to show home games on television. And this is an Original Six franchise. Shameful.

• The Oilers really are doing all the right things right now. I tend to be overly critical of the team on this site because I'm cognizant of the fact that in most instances, in my heart, my team can do no wrong. Plus, I enjoy the irony of cajoling RiversQ, who I am now convinced is a replicant, into unseemly fits of human-like rage. But they (the Oilers) sure have been easy to watch over the past week. It's no vaunt, but it's pretty in its own way.


Prediction: 6-4, Edmonton. Sykora (2), Torres, Horcoff, Stoll and Reasoner. The game gets out of control when the Oilers chase both the Waterboy and Patrick Lalime in the 1st, forcing Dirk Graham's Mustache (great name for a band, I'd say) to play goal for the remaining two periods. Head coach Dennis Savard has to be revived with smelling salts, JF Jacques is attacked in the dressing room by a deranged Al Secord, and John Cusack and Chris Chelios are caught making out on the United Center smooch cam.

Comments:

Good lord. A gameday preview a mere few hours into the Game's...er, day.

THAT'S BLOGGIN!
 


You put the rest of us to shame Andy.
 


Your prediction made me spill my coffee. You are on a roll, Andy.

Go Oilers!
 


Pretty in it's own way?

Geez, that's like saying the girl has a spectacular personality.

I don't care how it's done, a win's a win. Tonight's game is somewhat scary, but much LESS scary if the Bulin Wall is down and out. Boucher is in the Conklin-class of goaltenders. As long as we don't get some no-name backup and he ends up looking like Bernie Parent circa 1975...
 


I wonder where the Oilers shot accuracy would rank in the NHL...it's gotta be high since we get like 15 SOG/game (gasp!) and still beat teams 2-0!!

Love your blog! :)
 


EDM's record having scored the 2nd goal:

12-2-1

Not scored the 2nd goal:

4-8-1

EDM's record having scored the 3rd goal:

12-2

having not scored the 3rd goal:

3-8-2

Not surprisingly, It's almost always good to know you have scored at least one goal.
 


Not surprisingly, It's almost always good to know you have scored at least one goal.

Their record in scoring the first goal isn't what impresses me. It's the fact that they've scored the first goal so many times, period.
 


Showoff!

Hawks just signed Bondra.
 


You forgot the part where Savard comes back and shows PM BOUCHARD how a spin o rama is really done.
 


Great prediction. Go Oilers. On a sad note maybe a kind thought for Bob Gainey and his family. His daughter is missing at sea.
Maybe the Hawks should get Keith Magnussons toughness back on D
 


Terry Jones was once a good writer?

I must've been out of town that day.
 


Well, that was enjoyable.

Two big developments tonight: The Minnesota Mild leapfrog the Oil for the division lead on the tie breaker.

And ... with that singleton tonight, the Vaunt has a lower Goals Per Game than, yes, the Flames.
 


the vaunt is naunt
 


This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
 


Hey Pete, since you're full of information and sah-tistics and such, can I get a check on who has more Cups, Edmonton or Calgary? Or who's ahead of who, Edmonton or Calgary?

Thanks.
 


Everytime the Oilers stumble, the first words I hear are "5 Cups!" Does that make the stumble OK? I guess it must.

All I said is that my team is outscoring yours. Maybe once we make up our games in hand, we'll be outpointing yours, too.
 


Hey Peter, how 'bout this one?

How do YOU think the Flames would do if Iginla and Tanguay both went down within a week of each other?

So far, the Oilers are 3W vs 1L.

Let's just see how the Flames and Oilers sit at X-mas. Last time I checked, they're going on a six-game road-trip leading up to the break and, if my memory serves me correctly, they kind of stink away from the Saddledome.

Bottom line, games in hand only mean something if they actually win them, which is far from a guarantee...
 


Making up the games in hand won't change the season series score. At least, not until New Year's

Sincerely,

The Oilers' 2-1-0 record vs. Calgary.
 


I have to side with Peter on this one. His comment was pretty innocuous.
 


Yes, the Flames are outscoring the Oilers.

By a fraction of a goal per game.

We shall see if it's still that way at the end of the season. I somehow doubt it, as there are numerous Oilers playing below their offensive capabilities at this point, AND there are issues with the puckmoving abilities of the blueline, which is hindering the team's goal production.

The Flames are kicking our ass when it comes to even-strength play though. There is no denying that.
 

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