Saturday, December 23, 2006
Stars Preview/Happy Holidays
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| Record: 18-14-2 | Record: 22-13-0 | |
Space. I imagine that will be the keyword for the Northwest Conference from here on in. Every team will be attempting to create it, and every team will be attempting to eliminate it. Tonight, the Oilers have the opportunity to create some space, as the Canucks and the Wild both lost last evening (thank-you Wings and BJs). But the Flames and Avalanche can close the gap or make the leap with victories of their own this evening. The point? Win, baby. It can be naughty, or it can be nice. But it has to be two points. Every single night. From here on in.
The Stars team the Oilers played two weeks ago was the worst Stars team I have seen in ten years. They looked lost on the ice. Phillipe Boucher is currently the Stars number one scorer and point-getter, which tells you all you need to know. Brenden Morrow is back from injury, however, as is Eric Lindros, so the Oilers should seen an improved Stars club tonight. The Oilers also have difficulty winning in Dallas, so two in a row might be a bit much. I don't know for sure if Dwayne Roloson or Jussi Markkanen will draw in tonight, but I'm going to asume it will be Roli. If so, he better step up. That junk from the other night cost the Oilers two points, against divisional rivals. Unacceptable.
This will also be my last post before Christmas, perhaps even until the New Years Eve game, so on behalf of Heat Miser Matt and myself I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday. Take care of yourselves, and take care of each other. Special shout outs to Van and Sarah, my litmus tests for everything. They like, me happy. Special shout outs also to Hugh, Matt, Colby, Tyler, James, Pat, Mike, Chris, Dave, Vic, Dennis, RiversQ, LT, Loxy, Alana, Prez, Avi, Abboud, and all the regular commenters. Thanks for making me a smarter hockey fan. Oh, and much love to Stephen Colbert, Zach Braff and Will Ferrell, for keeping me sane in a mad world.
Prediction: Roli works the Oilers faithful into a spiritual frenzy, like a Baptist minister. His goalie mask comes off with a "MMMM HMMMM." Rebounds are eaten up with a "PRAISE THE LOOOR-DAH!" And the glove hand gesticulates, resulting in a "HALLELUJAH, YES SIR!" The power play gets two goals, because it was on my Christmas list and Santa loves me. Plus, Ales Hemsky makes so many beautiful plays that the Baby Jesus cries. Tears of Joy, that is.
4-0, Oilers. Sykora, Stoll, Hemsky, San Fernando. AMEN.
# posted by andy grabia @ 9:14 am 
Comments:
You know when the last time I saw The Year Without Santa Claus? Probably around 1993.
Merry Christmas. Let's celebrate it with a beatdown of the Stars.
Ladislav Smid does not belong on the second pairing.
It really is that simple.
He's against a player he should never be against, makes his patented "spin backwards 10 times because I can't see the passing lane" play, gets *****ed off the puck by a player he should never be on the ice against, and it's in the back of the net.
KEVIN LOWE GET A DEFENSEMAN.
- PDO
Some comments on the game:
1) I watched it with the boys from COI and The Prez. Inside scoop: Prez really likes Igor Ulanov.
2) I thought the refereeing was awful. And guess who it was? Marc Joanette. Vic will be shocked. Just shocked. Stoll was mauled by Daly in front of the net, and there was no call. He was also pinned against the boards for a good five six seconds after a dump in, and there was no call. And the penalty call on Torres at the end of the game was, for lack of a better word, horseshit. I actually like seeing more stuff called, because to be honest I found the "old" NHL to be an awful product except in the playoffs, but the inconsistency from game to game, ref to ref, is bewildering.
3) Santa obviously loves me, as the Oil scored 2 on the PP. And the Baby Jesus was certainly crying, as Hemmer was dancing all night. Roli didn't work me into a frenzy, but I can't say he really had a chance on any of the goals.
4) It was one of those games where nothing much happens, and suddenly you are down three goals. I just wish it had been the other team who went down by three.
5) Shawn Horcoff had two points, but could have had at least two goals as well. He's just not getting the bounces. You can actually see the Fates bending him over at this point.
6) After seeing poor Smid pushed around by Lindros tonight, and watching with sheer horror as MAB made bad mistake after bad mistake tonight, I'm officially on the "need another d-man" bandwagon.
Oh, one more thing!
Daryl Reaugh is awesome, Matt. We need to start a petition to bring him up here, ASAP. His colour is great, his between period segment was great, and he compared Mike Ribiero to Marc Anthony, which was fantastic.
Dennis here under the Anon banner;)
I didn't see the game and I'm just going on highlights plus the .com superstats.
I think we need two D actually but MacT seemed to have unwavering belief in in the 21/29 tandem in this game. They played early 20 min apiece at ES alone.
10's had such bad luck for such a long time that I no longer expect it to change. Nice to hear that 83 was dancing again. Reaugh is awesome though isn't he? I remember the McGoo game where CI had to go with the Dal cast because the Flames were going long in losing a SO in Colu. So I listened to the Dal boys for the first period and it was great. I can't believe that CBC didn't try and hire him away as a colour guy instead of going after Remenda.
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You know when the last time I saw The Year Without Santa Claus? Probably around 1993.
Merry Christmas. Let's celebrate it with a beatdown of the Stars.
Ladislav Smid does not belong on the second pairing.
It really is that simple.
He's against a player he should never be against, makes his patented "spin backwards 10 times because I can't see the passing lane" play, gets *****ed off the puck by a player he should never be on the ice against, and it's in the back of the net.
KEVIN LOWE GET A DEFENSEMAN.
- PDO
Some comments on the game:
1) I watched it with the boys from COI and The Prez. Inside scoop: Prez really likes Igor Ulanov.
2) I thought the refereeing was awful. And guess who it was? Marc Joanette. Vic will be shocked. Just shocked. Stoll was mauled by Daly in front of the net, and there was no call. He was also pinned against the boards for a good five six seconds after a dump in, and there was no call. And the penalty call on Torres at the end of the game was, for lack of a better word, horseshit. I actually like seeing more stuff called, because to be honest I found the "old" NHL to be an awful product except in the playoffs, but the inconsistency from game to game, ref to ref, is bewildering.
3) Santa obviously loves me, as the Oil scored 2 on the PP. And the Baby Jesus was certainly crying, as Hemmer was dancing all night. Roli didn't work me into a frenzy, but I can't say he really had a chance on any of the goals.
4) It was one of those games where nothing much happens, and suddenly you are down three goals. I just wish it had been the other team who went down by three.
5) Shawn Horcoff had two points, but could have had at least two goals as well. He's just not getting the bounces. You can actually see the Fates bending him over at this point.
6) After seeing poor Smid pushed around by Lindros tonight, and watching with sheer horror as MAB made bad mistake after bad mistake tonight, I'm officially on the "need another d-man" bandwagon.
Oh, one more thing!
Daryl Reaugh is awesome, Matt. We need to start a petition to bring him up here, ASAP. His colour is great, his between period segment was great, and he compared Mike Ribiero to Marc Anthony, which was fantastic.
Dennis here under the Anon banner;)
I didn't see the game and I'm just going on highlights plus the .com superstats.
I think we need two D actually but MacT seemed to have unwavering belief in in the 21/29 tandem in this game. They played early 20 min apiece at ES alone.
10's had such bad luck for such a long time that I no longer expect it to change. Nice to hear that 83 was dancing again. Reaugh is awesome though isn't he? I remember the McGoo game where CI had to go with the Dal cast because the Flames were going long in losing a SO in Colu. So I listened to the Dal boys for the first period and it was great. I can't believe that CBC didn't try and hire him away as a colour guy instead of going after Remenda.
# posted by 
: December 24, 2006 11:42 am
: December 24, 2006 11:42 am Post a Comment
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