Oilers v. Flames - Daniel 7:1-14

On the third night of the seventh year - this includes the year of great shame - of Iginla's regin over Babylon, Buchberger had a dream, and visions of grandeur in his head as he lay in bed for his afternoon nap.  The he wrote down the dream: "I, Bucky, saw in my vision by night (he was always embarassed about his afternoon naps) the four forwards of heaven playing on the Back Yard Rink, when four great beasts came up out of the Rink.  The first was like a mound of snow, barely able to move, taken from the side of the rink and covered in fleurs de lis.  Then, as I watched, its fleurs de lis were plucked off one by one and it was lifted up from mediocrity, given the form of a Where the Wild Things Are ripoff and told to rule for a time.  Then a second beast appeared that looked like a... bear?  It held a long stick and was told, "Rise up and devour the inexperienced with your traps!"  After this, another beast that looked like (Bucky is being generous here) a whale broke through the ice.  It had eight wings on its back and three heads though two had been partially cut off, and it was given the power to deceive.  After this I saw in my vision by night (the PK coach dost protest too much methinks) there came a fourth beast with the head of a horse and the body of a giant, terrifying, yes frightening and filled with strength.  It had great iron teeth which it ripped out and threw to the ground and stomped with its feet which burned with fire.  It was different from the other beasts in the extent of its evil and it had five horns on its head.  I was looking at the horns, when another large horn appeared among the five.  I had thought there would be two but the second didn't quite pop up out of the skin.  Then the beast's eyes shot up through the top of its head and the holes had the appearance of flaming fire.  Its eyes then lodged themselves in the large horn and its mouth spoke with great arrogance."

"As I watched, thrones were set up and an Ancient of Days sat on his throne.  His gum-chewing was incessant but beautiful, and the hair on his head was like pure wool.  His throne was an oil derrick and its wheels were barrels of oil.  A bright light shone from his face, hope flowed from his presence.  Hundreds served him and thousands cheered his every word.  He sat down in judgment and the great books of history were opened."

"I watched him intently because of the blood-spittled arrogant words that the fourth great beast was speaking.  And, as I watched, the beast was put to torture, and its body given over to be mocked.  As for the rest of the beasts, their great powers were taken away but they were still given dominion over that fourth arrogant beast whose lot was last place for all time."

"As I watched in the night (no one's buying it Bucky) vision, I saw one like a human being coming on the clouds of heaven.  And he came and was presented to that Ancient of Days and he was given power and glory and an assitant coaching position and all of the cities and nations (not Quebec) and languages (that's right Quebec) will fall before his vaunted penalty killing and even-strength Corsi rates.  His reign as assistant will not fall and his eventual promotion cannot be averted."  

Calgary Flames (1-0-0) @ Edmonton Oilers (0-0-0)

Rexall Place, 8:00 PM MDT
Television: CBC

More Analysis After The Jump...

Visiting Team Scouting Report:

The Flames are coming off a win over the Canucks on Thursday night.  The good news for Oiler fans is how poorly the Flames played in the third period, getting outshot 21 to 7 and 42 to 23 overall.  Outshooting was a strength of Calgary's game last year so I don't expect to continue but if they could be fooled into playing like they were sitting on a lead for just one more game, I'd be very satisfied.  Hopefully the lack of chemistry that lead Brent Sutter to break up his first line of Moss, Jokinen and Iginla continues unabated!  The bad news for Oiler fans (which relative to some of the news this summer really isn't all that bad) is two-fold: the power-play and the most recent play of Miika Kiprusoff who stopped 39 of those 42 Canuck shots.  The Flames scored two PP goals against the Canucks which, at the very least, means they've probably practiced it which is more than you could say about them last year.  If last year's results are any indication, the Oilers better have practiced their PK.  As for the netminder, could it be that Kiprusoff has turned the corner back to respectability?  Let's just say Brandon "it was typical Miika" Prust and I disagree.  As an Oiler fan,  I hope the real Miika Kiprusoff shows up tonight. 

From Kent at Matchsticks and Gasoline:

The Flames still look like a work in progress. They dominated the first half of the Vancouver game only to collapse into a heap when the Canucks applied the pressure in the latter half. Like last year, it was the Flames depth players getting it done on Thursday while some of the money guys - notably Iginla and Jokinen - struggled. Sutter didn't change anything in recent practices, however, so expect the same or very similar combinations to what the team rolled in the season opener.

Expected Starting Lineups:

Calgary Flames (1-0-0):

Moss - Jokinen - Iginla
Dawes - Langkow - Bourque
Glencross - Conroy - Sjostrom
Nystrom - Boyd - Prust

Regehr - Bouwmeester
Phaneuf - Giordano
Pardy - Sarich

Kiprusoff

Edmonton Oilers (0-0-0):

Jacques - Horcoff - Hemsky
O'Sullivan - Comrie - Stone
Penner - Brule - Cogliano
Moreau - Gagner - Stortini

Souray - Visnovsky
Grebeshkov - Gilbert
Smid - Staios

Khabibulin