Oilers v. Predators - Mark 13:12-13
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 4:30 PM MST
in Game-Day Threads
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PrintIn those days, a defenseman will betray his partner with a bad pinch, a mentor will betray his rookie wingers with a lazy backcheck, and those rookies will refuse to listen to their coaches causing them to be fired. Many fans will give up on you, even hate you, because of this interminable losing, but those that endure to the end will be handsomely rewarded.
Edmonton Oilers (10-8-2) @ Nashville Predators (10-5-4)
Bridgestone Arena, 6:00 p.m. MST
Television: Sportsnet West
More analysis after the jump...
Visiting Team Scouting Report:
As usual, in my prediction for the Predators this year, I looked at their roster, decided on what kind of goal differential I thought was reasonable and then added twenty. The Predators constantly defy my expectations, winning many more games than I think they'll be able to pretty well every season. In the past, they've been able to do it with goaltending, and that has been good once again. But this year, the team's offense has been surprisingly good too. Despite a modest lineup, the Predators are in the top half of the league in goals per game (13th with 2.79), with most of their damage coming at even strength. The Predators don't have any one individual doing the damage (Patric Hornqvist leads the team in even strength scoring with ten points, good for 56th in the league), but with nine players in the top 185 even strength scorers, they've been able to beat teams with their depth. Given that four of the Oilers' defenders have played less than 120 career games, I expect that the Predators will find a way to take advantage.
Expected Lineups:
Edmonton Oilers (10-8-2):
Hall - Gagner - Hemsky
Smyth - Nugent-Hopkins - Eberle
Lander - Horcoff - Jones
Hordichuk - Belanger - Petrell
Smid - Gilbert
Peckham - Petry
Plante - Teubert
Dubnyk
Nashville Predators (10-5-4):
Wilson - Legwand - Hornqvist
Erat - Fisher - Kostitsyn
Halischuk - Smith - Tootoo
Geoffrion - Smithson - Spaling
Suter - Weber
Bouillon - Klein
Blum - Hillen
Rinne
By the Numbers:
- The Edmonton Oilers play in the worst division in the Western Conference. The division has a Clear Victory winning percentage of just .393 against teams from other divisions. The Nashville Predators, on the other hand, play in the best division in the Western Conference. That division has a Clear Victory winning percentage of .595 against teams from other divisions. The Central division also has four of the five best Clear Victory records in the Conference.
- Tonight's game features the two leading rookie scorers in the NHL in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Craig Smith. Nugent-Hopkins was the first overall pick this year out of the WHL and leads the league with 20 points. Smith, who has 15 points, passed through the draft twice before finally being selected in the fourth round of the 2009 entry draft after an excellent season in the USHL. Smith went on to have two very good seasons at the University of Wisconsin - he had one of the best NHL equivalencies among forwards drafted in 2009 last season - before jumping straight from college to the NHL.
- We all knew that the Oilers' goaltending wasn't going to be amazing forever but the difference in the last few games has been enormous. In the first fourteen games of the season, Nikolai Khabibulin and Devan Dubnyk combined to make 385 saves on 405 shots for a save percentage of .951. In the last six games, those two have allowed more goals than they did in the previous fourteen, making just 154 saves on 178 shots for a save percentage of .865.
- I mentioned yesterday that Darcy Hordichuk's lack of ice time led to some funky numbers, and mentioned his team-leading Corsi rate of +14.8 per sixty minutes of five-on-five ice time as an example. It's somewhat amusing, then, that after last night's game Hordichuk has dropped all the way to dead last with a rate of -31.25.
- The Predators currently have six different regulars with at least 0.7 points per game (David Legwand, Martin Erat, Mike Fisher, Craig Smith, Shea Weber, and Sergei Kostitsyn). If they end the year with that many, it would represent a huge change from recent seasons: in each of the last two seasons, they've had just one (Martin Erat last season and Jason Arnott in 2009-10).
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In those days, a defenseman will betray his partner with a bad pinch
I know who that’s about!
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Wandering the desert is very apt for him as well.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Yeah… that one was pretty transparent. But he deserved it!
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 6:01 PM MST up reply actions
I concur. You watched the game last night then?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I watched parts of it later in the evening after getting home late.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 6:10 PM MST up reply actions
It’s somewhat amusing, then, that after last night’s game Hordichuk has dropped all the way to dead last with a rate of -31.25.
Amusing in a masochistic way, I presume.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
We’re Oilers fans. Masochism is an entry requirement.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 5:58 PM MST up reply actions
those rookies will refuse to listen to their coaches causing them to be fired
I was confused as to whether this meant the rookies or the coaches being fired, but then I read Chorney, Chapter 4, Verse 21 and all became clear.
Oilers fan through thick, thin and anorexic. Writer for The Cult of Hockey.
What’s up with the Nashville jerseys? They look like bumblebees.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
Sh. There’s not enough yellow in the league.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I wish the Kings would go back to Yellow.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Eager – Lander – Paajarvi
That’ll bust him out of a slump.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Not a good start for Plante. At least he gave it to McGrattan.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
Renney throws out the 4th line with the 3rd pairing again. Why?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
If the Oiler 4th line is on the ice, odds are that the Nashville 4th line is too. Better to put the worst defenders on the team against them than any of the top Nashville players.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:13 PM MST up reply actions
If the Oiler 4th line is on the ice, odds are that the Nashville 4th line is too.
They’re on the road. Why risk Trotz breaking the gentleman’s agreement on the road?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
If he does, than Plante/Teubert are screwed…but what’s the alternative? Put Plante/Teubert out against better lines and watch them fail?
I think Renney’s logic is that it’s better to ice a good hockey team for 80% of the game and a bad one for 20% than to handicap good forwards with bad defenders or good defenders with bad forwards.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:19 PM MST up reply actions
If he does, than Plante/Teubert are screwed…but what’s the alternative? Put Plante/Teubert out against better lines and watch them fail?
Put them out with Triple H?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Wouldn’t that mean Hall/Horcoff/Hemsky would have to play more cautiously to cover for their AHL-caliber partners?
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:22 PM MST up reply actions
Yeah, sure. But I have confidence they can.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Hot damn that was a great shift by Pajjan.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Gilbert and Smid had a problem there when the puck went behind the net, like Peckham and Petry last night.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
And they struggle again as Smith takes the the puck in behind.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
That was really odd. Belanger won the draw in the neutral zone straight back to Smid and Smid just shot it in, way ahead of the forecheck.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Rinne thought he had it, but just plain didn’t.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 6:24 PM MST up reply actions
Nope, but Hopkins finally shot the puck again. He was shooting against Chicago, or at least threatening to shoot, but against Dallas, he kept trying to feed the puck to the middle into traffic.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Dallas just waited for him to pass
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Theo OHMYGODHOTPOTATOHAVEITJEFF Peckham is my favorite Peckham.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
by Derek Zona on Nov 22, 2011 6:26 PM MST reply actions 1 recs
God, what a defensive breakdown by the Preds there. Hemsky just skated right into the middle of the ice.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
Really nice little play by Gilbert to get to the puck and chip it to Eberle. He didn’t try to hold onto the puck at all. Excellent play by Gilbert.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Hemsky is 10th overall for Oilers and played 500 games (for 400 points)… what the hell would he be at if he wasn’t injured every week?
I’d love to find out someday.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:40 PM MST up reply actions
Gotta love it when Ryan Jones draws a penalty because of his lack of balance.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
I get knocked down, and I draw a penalty.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
The secret to Oilers games seems to be to watch every other one… since you guys are stats guys… is it true it doesn’t count as a minus (or plus) if it is on a power play/penalty kill?
Traditional plus minus gives a plus for a PK GF and a minus for a PP GA but nothing for a PP GF or a PK GA.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 6:39 PM MST up reply actions
Great shot by Eberle but I was almost more impressed with his ability to stay on side.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
I thought sure it was off-side when Hall had that little hitch at the blue line. That little hitch also enabled Tootoo to catch him and whack him.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
One of the few teams in the league I can make fun of for a worse goalie contract!
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
To be fair, Khabibulin’s play has made his contract much more palatable this year. He’s let in a few softies, but most of the goals he’s allowed have been a result of defensive breakdowns.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:40 PM MST up reply actions
Results-oriented thinking kills puppies.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Quit being so negative! Those puppies had it coming!
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:42 PM MST up reply actions
I think that’s the first time I’ve ever been cast as negative for trying to keep puppies alive.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
3-nothing.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:40 PM MST up reply actions
I know, me too. Didn’t think I’d be missing anything by going curling tonight.
by TakeoutArtist on Nov 22, 2011 10:05 PM MST up reply actions
9:31 – Horcoff (RNH, Hall), PPG
11:39 – Hemsky (Smith, Eberle)
15:51 – Eberle (Hall, RNH)
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:43 PM MST up reply actions
Every time Dubnyk makes a save, the Oilers celebrate by scoring a goal.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 6:51 PM MST up reply actions
Nashville looked terrible the last time we played them too. I forget what it was, but they had definitely had less than 20 shots. Less than 15 IIRC.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 7:11 PM MST up reply actions
Yep, Oilers outshot them 25-12 for a 3-1 win.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 7:14 PM MST up reply actions
Not sure how the Oilers are winning without Hordichuk’s top-line playing, energy-creating presence.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Taylor Hall is doing filthy things to Blum.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Kevin Quinn: “Math wasn’t my strong suit.”
No kidding.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
Peckham seeing the opportunity to make a hit at the OZ blueline.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Whoa. Dubnyk never saw that puck go to Legwand.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Heckuva dive by Hornqvist, but Gilbert knows he can’t have his stick there.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Blocking shots is good and all, but I wish Smid would clamp down a little.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
LOL, yes, just saw your post…agree to disagree, I guess.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 7:18 PM MST up reply actions
Peckham is out way to high on the 5-on-3
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Yeah, he was at the same level as the puck and there were three guys below him.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I was thinking the same thing, but he wasn’t actually following Dubnyk’s eyes (Avery was actually facing the goalie). At the very least, it was awfully close.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 7:19 PM MST up reply actions
You are correct...
The operative would be ‘facing the goalie’:
“An unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty will be interpreted and applied, effective immediately, to a situation when an offensive player positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender’s face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play,” Colin Campbell, the NHL director of hockey operations, said in a statement.
I’d like the delay of game rule changed so that if you raise your arm or stick to signal puck out of play without hitting the glass and it hit the glass, everyone who raised their arms or sticks gets a two minute minor.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Would they be allowed to use instant replay to enforce this? Can you see all the refs huddled around the monitor picking out the guys who do this?lol
No. No replay for this. They’d have to get it the first time.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Unsportsmanlike hand signals. It would cover that Andrew Ference celebration too.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 7:29 PM MST up reply actions
I think Ference is already covered by unsportsmanlike. This is for ref whining.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Gagner just changed the momentum.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Doesn’t seem to be working. Perhaps Hall should fight again.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Don’t even joke.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 7:35 PM MST up reply actions
It would be awesome if they called Sam Gagner for a “staged fight”.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Nov 22, 2011 7:31 PM MST up reply actions
He would bring the fans over to his side.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Never get their show run by anyone
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I’m not sure there is a proper answer to this question. AHL Dreg substituted for another AHL Dreg.
The Edmonton Oilers - All we do is win!!
Hall just got leveled at the DZ blueline.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 7:33 PM MST up reply actions
Hall was in Kamikaze Modano mode. Then he disappeared.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
So who’s offering odds on the Oilers making the playoffs?
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
Plante looked just awful again there. His first game was definitely better than his second has been so far.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
The bizarre thing is how often Teubert is handling the puck compared to Plante.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I’m guessing you didn’t see Chorney last night?
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 7:38 PM MST up reply actions
Shuffling the deck chairs, essentially. Doesn’t make much sense, especially because Chorney can help on the power play.
Unless Plante is needed on the PK
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Nashville out-shooting the Oilers now 21-20, while out-shooting the Oilers 18-7 in the second.
The Edmonton Oilers - All we do is win!!
To be fair, some of that is going to be score effects.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 7:44 PM MST up reply actions
According to Louie, the Oilers need to get the puck deep and establish a forecheck. Who knew?
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
Compare his analysis to Reaugh, Fox, or Crisp
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Dubnyk’s been over-committing tonight.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
That was Smid’s best chance in a year!
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I honestly can’t believe Gilbert just pulled off that screen.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
They’re crediting him with an assist.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 8:06 PM MST up reply actions
He had the fancy footwork going on that and topped it with the hop.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Good call by the ref on that one. The officiating has actually been pretty good tonight.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
Petry was having none of that monkey business.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Smyth is fun to watch when he’s relentless on the puck. Especially down the boards on that 4 on 4
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Three posts for the Preds tonight.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
One!
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 8:22 PM MST up reply actions
Two!
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 8:22 PM MST up reply actions
Three!
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Nov 22, 2011 8:22 PM MST up reply actions
I counted 3 posts and 2 bars at least. Just one of those nights.
"When you find yourself rooting for mediocrity – you might be an Oilers fan." - Neal Livingston
by proxy on Nov 22, 2011 8:37 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Don’t know if that was planned but it sure looked pretty. Horcoff just crushed it.
"When you find yourself rooting for mediocrity – you might be an Oilers fan." - Neal Livingston
Gilbert and Smid with 24 mins apiece, slight edge in ice time to Smid. What a bunch of hacks!
The Edmonton Oilers - All we do is win!!
Gilbert got the hard match against Weber ;)
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
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