Oilers v. Avalanche - Proverbs 13:8-13
by Scott Reynolds on Oct 27, 2009 10:27 AM MDT
in Game-Day Threads
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PrintColorado Avalanche at Edmonton Oilers, Oct 27, 2009 7:30 PM MDT
A rich man will take criticism for his riches but a poor man is praised in his poverty.
The start of the righteous shines brightly from on high but an impostor is quickly revealed.
A fool will ignore even obvious wisdom but the wise act quickly on sound advice.
Wealth spent hastily dwindles away but wealth spent slowly grows for the deadline.
An inconsistent plan causes anger but a real plan creates optimism.
He who scorns reason will pay for it but he who respects wisdom will be rewarded.
Colorado Avalanche (8-1-2) @ Edmonton Oilers (6-4-1)
Rexall Place, 7:30 PM MDT
Television: Sportsnet West
More analysis after the jump...
Visiting Team Scouting Report: I've been tracking scoring chances for all of the Avalanche games so far this year and so I've seen all of their games and actually feel pretty qualified to be doing this little preview this time around. Of course, everyone knows that the Avalanche have had luck on their side with both a high shooting percentage and a high save percentage but they've also got some nice things there: Craig Anderson is making me look good for picking the Avs as having the best goaltending in the division this year (but I picked Minnesota to win the division... you win some, you lose some). I'm convinced that he's the real deal. The Avalanche power play has also been very good, though it's fallen back a bit since the injury to John-Michael Liles. They don't generally have trouble gaining access to the zone and their puck movement on the power play is quick which gives defenders fits. They tend to look often for plays down low so the Oilers "abandon the points" penalty kill could be effective in forcing them to switch things up. Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly are more effective than you'd think considering they're both only eighteen years old both in terms of scoring and in terms of underlying numbers. Milan Hejduk and Paul Stastny, on the other hand, have been outchanced (by the best on the other team mind you) almost every game. The pairing of Scott Hannan and Kyle Quincey have been getting a lot of ice time and playing the primary shut-down role for the Avs while Adam Foote has gotten the scoring chance results you'd expect from Jason Strudwick: he's probably coming to the end of the line. The Avalanche are similar to the Oilers in that their percentages are very high and their out-shooting numbers very low. The Oilers started their fall back to earth over the weekend and despite the perky Oilerpretation above, the Avs are sure to follow suit in relatively short order.
Expected Lineups:
Edmonton Oilers (6-4-1):
Penner - Gagner - Hemsky
Comrie - Horcoff - O'Sullivan
Jacques - Brule - Nilsson
Moreau - Cogliano - Stortini
Visnovsky - Smid
Grebeshkov - Gilbert
Strudwick - Chorney
Khabibulin
Colorado Avalanche (8-1-2)
Jones - Stastny - Hejduk
Wolski - Duchene - Svatos
Galiardi - O'Reilly - Stewart
Koci - Hensick - Hendricks
Quincey - Hannan
Cumiskey - Foote
Wilson -Clark
Anderson
Behind the Numbers:
- Ryan O'Reilly (who was drafted ahead of Taylor Hall in the OHL draft some years ago) is currently on a seven game point streak and is second in the league in +/- with a +10 rating. Ladislav Smid leads the Oilers at +9.
- The last time the Oilers and Avalanche met the Oilers walked out with an 8-1 victory. Let's hope history repeats itself.
- The Oilers are 29th in the league with a shot differential of -8.27 per game. The Avalanche are tied for 27th with a shot differential of -8.00
- Craig Anderson's EV save percentage of .944 is .007 higher than his .937 performance on 1161 shots over the last two years. He's going to regress, but not as much as people are calling for.
- Colorado is off to a hot start but not because they've been playing a lot at home. They've played 7 road games compared to 4 at home and will play 11 of their first 15 away from the Pepsi Center.
- Among players with at least ten shots Gilbert Brule is tied for third in shooting percentage at 33.3% while his scoring chance percentage currently sits at 41.5%. Any discussion of his arrival should be put off until... well - if we look at his AHL track record - it will probably be put off indefinitely.
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Pisani took the morning skate today…
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Tencer tweets that Comrie draws in tonight.
Comrie returns to the lineup tonight…tells me he’s feeling “good enough”.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Well then. Apparently the Avs are shifting their lines tonight as well. That “expected lineups” section is… well… most of the players on the list will be in the game!
by Scott Reynolds on Oct 27, 2009 11:54 AM MDT up reply actions
The Proverb list was amazing.
I truly applaud it. Well done.
Avalanche 2009-2010: We fend off 7 man power plays? Do you?
Thanks. I like your tag line. That game against the Habs had some pretty terrible mistakes from the refs.
by Scott Reynolds on Oct 27, 2009 1:10 PM MDT up reply actions
That game was a mockery
The only teams allowed to have 7 men on the ice, at least I thought, were the Penguins and the Blackhawks. I was watching that game with someone who knows little about hockey and they asked me why the Avs couldn’t clear the puck.
Good luck tonight.
Avalanche 2009-2010: We fend off 7 man power plays? Do you?
Going to the game tonight!
Looking forward to seeing Zorg cash on the powerplay. (Eh, Derek?) Actually, I’ll be surprised if that experiment were to continue. Quinn wasn’t happy with the production he was getting from the second unit, and Stortini had some early success in very limited opportunity (2 PPGF ON in <5 minutes), so Quinn gave him a look over the weekend. I’ll venture a guess that the coach isn’t any happier with the second unit now than he was before. That said, Quinn likes “big body presence” on the PP, and after Penner he’s got JFJ who is -1 on the powerplay at this point. And Zorg. So his options are pretty limited. I suspect that Comrie will get back in and the second unit will be more smurf-like.
Anyway, that’s just one of many things I’ll be watching for tonight. I’ll be absent from the comments section but will file a game report later.
Writer for The Copper & Blue
Agreed. These proverbs were outstanding. Quite a lesson.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Once again, I come back from work to see that we’re losing. Maybe I should just stay there next time.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 7:52 PM MDT reply actions
Oh, so you didn’t see adventures in his own zone starring Shawn Horcoff?
Buddy is gripping the stick something fierce.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Wait for the highlights – you’ll grimace.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Nilsson started strong – hopefully he continues. That’s his problem.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
He’s darty, that’s for sure. I wish he was better with the puck.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
After the penalty kill, Penner was 1 on 3 in the offensive zone and held the puck in.
Brule then makes a nice hold on the far boards the next shift.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
So, Zach Stortini for captain: yes or very yes?
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:09 PM MDT reply actions
Is it weird that the two players I’m most comfortable having the puck at even strength are Penner and Stortini?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I think the play is ending with a ton of guys right now. It’s really awful to watch.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Pisani
If he was able to go tonight and the staff held him out, shame on them. They need him somewhat desperately.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Why would Hemsky even take that penalty. Dumb ass.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Own Zone
Are they being taught that slide pass up the boards to the other team as a breakout or a clear? If not, Quinn should start cutting every guy that does it.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
As in “with a knife”? I’m good with that.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:34 PM MDT up reply actions
Either or, just get them away from the ice. You know the play I’m talking about, right?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Ladislav Smid with the slap shot! Blocked, but a good try.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:35 PM MDT reply actions
He had two shots in the first ten minutes. He has made all of my research about least SOG in a season for naught.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Shawn Horcoff with the smart play at his own blueline.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 8:40 PM MDT reply actions
Now you know why Penner openly messes with him.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Oh, I always knew.
But at least he doesn’t cover the Oilers from home.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 8:46 PM MDT up reply actions
What is Barry Fraser doing these days?
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:47 PM MDT up reply actions
That’s different. The Mexican Elite League isn’t going to scout itself, you know.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 8:50 PM MDT up reply actions
I can’t tell if that’s self-deprecating or Staples-deprecating.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Mostly just poking at Tychowski, who has earned it.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 8:50 PM MDT up reply actions
Derek, I hate to say this, but I think Penner’s been a minus for us so far tonight. We need more out of him on this lousy team.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:42 PM MDT reply actions
HMmmm, maybe my bias is getting the best of me, but I think he’s been one of the best, if not the best forward on the ice for the Oilers tonight.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Right now, I have the reverse three as Grebeshkov, Penner, and Hemsky.
And that is really, really not good.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:47 PM MDT up reply actions
The only positives in the first period were Penner, Jacques and Khabibulin.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Penner is the only forward with a postive Corsi right now, and it’s +4 on a team with a -6 Corsi.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
With this team? You are the happiest fellow I know.
Penner getting from the front to the corner to get the puck and control back to the point. There is more to “ugly” than just being in front.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Gotta say, folks, I caught the first period of the game tonight and your club looked awful. And this isn’t just standard Springfield/Shelbyville jousting here. It really looked like the entire Oilers club just woke up from a night on the town.
Well, you’re one up on me; I missed the first.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 8:52 PM MDT up reply actions
No arguments. It’s awful to watch.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Springfield/Shelbyville jousting, eh?
Proposed nickname for Ethan Moreau: “Monorail”.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:59 PM MDT up reply actions
I already use that for Mario Lemieux.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
When 46 hopped over the boards I swear I actually heard Bruce cheer.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:51 PM MDT reply actions
The O’Sullivan experiment has to end. Terrible decision making.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
O’Sullivan’s never been a powerplay scorer, even during his good years. He’s miscast as a first unit option.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 8:56 PM MDT up reply actions
I love O’Lanterns, but the Oilers need to use him like Fernando Pisani with a shot and they’re just too desperate to do that.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 8:58 PM MDT up reply actions
My bottom three thus far are Moreau, Grebeshkov and Strudwick.
Honorable mention to Horcoff and Comrie.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Complete indifference award:
Hemsky.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Was Horc miserable in the first? Because he’s looked good (by my eye) in the 2nd.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 9:00 PM MDT up reply actions
Horcoff was awful early – he puked up the GA. He trended up the entire period, but Comrie is running in wet cement.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I know we have some karma to burn off because of Cogliano and Gagner’s rookie year, but by God am I sick of hearing “O HAI U HERD COLORADO HAS 2 18-YR-OLDZ?!?!?!” every five minutes.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:01 PM MDT reply actions
It’s okay. Eventually it will turn to ‘Colorado doesn’t have room to sign their two 25-year old free agents’.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 9:06 PM MDT up reply actions
“Make hay while… the hay is there?” Is Doug MacLean turning into the stupid man’s Don Cherry?
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:08 PM MDT reply actions
His opening two thoughts were the exact two sentences the host said prior to throwing it to him.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
And now we’re hearing that a hernia will make you gun-shy after you recover? When did Sportsnet turn into the worst television station in the universe?
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:09 PM MDT up reply actions
Two minutes into the third, and noone can think of anything to say. THE VAUNT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:22 PM MDT reply actions
I have season tickets for a D1 program. It’s more pleasurable to watch.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
The non-call
That was pretty egregious on Penner.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Tencer's latest tweet
Not a pretty game for the Oilers tonight to this point. Khabibulin has kept them within 1 shot, though. Powerplay not capitalizing again.
You.have.to.be.kidding.me.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
And that’s the problem with the “watch the game” people. From time to time they don’t even seem to know what they’re watching.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 9:32 PM MDT up reply actions
Hey, don’t take Dan Tencer as representative of our philosophy!
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:33 PM MDT up reply actions
There are competent observers and incompetent observers, of course.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 9:34 PM MDT up reply actions
Given Ben’s original look at the bottom three, which is he tonight?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Stortini and Grebeshkov BOTH tried that stupid slide up the boards pass on that last sequence. It’s a pandemic.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Reverse three stars: Penner, Stortini, and somehow Jari Kurri.
Out of SPITE.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:38 PM MDT reply actions
Still Grebeshkov, Moreau, Strudwick
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
It would be nice to see Hemsky show up.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Hemsky hasn’t been able to “control the puck” all night. Swine Flu?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Penner – Gagner – Hemsky
O’Sullivan – Horcoff – Pisani
Comrie – Cogliano – Stone
Moreau – Brule – Stortini
Good lord, even healthy this team is a mess.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
You forgot Pouliot.
Gagpensky
O’Sullivan – Horcoff – Pisani
Cogliano – Pouliot – Stone
Moreau – Brule – Stortini
ex: Comrie, Jacques
A playoff team? No. But better than Toronto.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:45 PM MDT up reply actions
Jacques – Gagner – Hemsky.
All better.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 27, 2009 9:48 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
How do the refs miss the high stick AND the hit from behind?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I’m telling you guys, we can create robot planes but not robot refs?
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:53 PM MDT up reply actions
You know, you really don’t see the automatic goal call that often. It was a correct one, but pretty neat to see it in a game situation.
The Vaunt, meanwhile, is deader than my liver.
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 9:55 PM MDT reply actions
We know that Bruce has a designated driver, right?
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 10:00 PM MDT reply actions
Chorney's neck
Why in the world was the trainer torquing his neck around? Possible neck injury, here let me hurt you more.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
You missed after Souray’s concussion when Ken Lowe started laying about his head and shoulders with a two-by-four?
by Benjamin Massey on Oct 27, 2009 10:07 PM MDT up reply actions
Penner and Hemsky +1 Corsi. Hemsky was a passenger tonight.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Well, that was a really bad game. The entire top line was pretty poor – really bad in the neutral zone and then plays dying all over the place if they did actually manage to take the zone. Penner definitely had a rough one in this game, but seems like he might be a flu candidate? Gagner had plenty of try but just chased the puck all night and killed plays. Hemsky mostly the same.
I thought Horc had one of his better games – he was really skating and that 1st goal was definitely not on him because 71 reached in and banged the puck off his shins for little potential gain.
I also thought JFJ had one of his better games. He’s not exactly a thinker out there, but he forechecks hard and finishes his checks.
Good obs
I was pretty unhappy with the forward crew — hell, the whole damn team — but Horc and JFJ were among our best for sure. Meaning they were passably decent. Horc seems to be getting his skating legs back, he covered a few km tonight. JFJ had a couple Av blueliners hearing footsteps.
Writer for The Copper & Blue
by Bruce McCurdy on Oct 28, 2009 12:31 AM MDT up reply actions
Yeah, over at ON the lynch mob was out but I didn’t get it. I pointed out three plays where Horcoff was easily the best Oiler on the ice, and nobody had an answer for that.
by Jonathan Willis on Oct 28, 2009 9:53 AM MDT up reply actions
Just watched the game and the Oilers were painfully awful the whole way through. Kent’s comment above is fully accurate. They were horrid. Having watched all of the Avs games so far this season, the only time they came close to being this dominant was their road victory over the Leafs. It’s the fourth time in twelve games the Avs have outchanced and it’s the first time their top line has won the scoring chance battle decisively. Good job Oilers! Way to make the Avs look like they’re actually a great team! Wowzers what a bad showing.
As for the Golden Roosters I don’t know who to pick for two of them but I strongly recommend the inclusion of Gene Principe for that horrible stick pun when he spoke about Mike Comrie’s mother. Puns are bad enough already but that… well, that is a 20th star performance if I’ve ever seen one.
Also, any word on why Lubo was sitting for the last fifteen minutes? I know he screwed up large on that first goal but I can’t imagine he was asked to sit. Did anyone notice if he was injured?
by Scott Reynolds on Oct 28, 2009 3:38 AM MDT up reply actions
As for the Golden Roosters I don’t know who to pick for two of them but I strongly recommend the inclusion of Gene Principe for that horrible stick pun when he spoke about Mike Comrie’s mother.
I agree. I was watching the game with my dad and we looked at each other in disbelief when that happened.
“Did he…just sneak a bad pun into a touching anecdote about Comrie’s deceased mother?”
As if employing MacLean wasn’t bad enough, Sportsnet.
I wanted to reach through my TV and slap Gene for that. Jesus Christ, man, restrain yourself.
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.
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