Oilers v. Hurricanes - Matthew 8:23-27
by Scott Reynolds on Dec 7, 2011 4:30 PM MST
in Game-Day Threads
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PrintThen The Nuge led his team onto the ice, but when the Hurricanes came out, many of the veterans suddenly became nervous. The Nuge, however, was very calm. The veterans came to him very agitated saying, "This team engages in witchcraft! The goalie might seem like nothing special, but he works wonders against us!"
The Nuge responded, "Why are you so afraid? You have so little faith!" By the end of the game, The Nuge had scored seven times, and there was much celebration. The vetrans were all amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked. "Even old enemies like the Hurricanes are no match for him!"
Carolina Hurricanes (8-17-4) @ Edmonton Oilers (13-11-3)
Rexall Place, 7:30 p.m. MST
Television: TSN
More analysis after the jump...
Visiting Team Scouting Report:
I had to check that Carolina record a couple of times before I believed it. The team started the year 4-3-3, but has gone 4-14-1 since, which is just terrible. The team isn't very good to begin with, but the big problem over that stretch had been goaltending: the club has had an EV save percentage of just .898 over those 19 games. And it's not like it's just a bad backup tanking them: Cam Ward's save percentage over that time is .890 compared to .922 for back-up Brian Boucher. With Kirk Muller watching his predecessor get punted for the team's slow start, he probably feels some pressure to right the ship a little. If it happens, the turn-around will likely come mostly from between the pipes.
Expected Lineups:
Edmonton Oilers (13-11-3):
Gagner - Horcoff - Hemsky
Smyth - Nugent-Hopkins - Eberle
Paajarvi - Belanger - Jones
Eager - Lander - Petrell
Smid - Gilbert
Whitney - Petry
Sutton - Peckham
Dubnyk
Carolina Hurricanes (8-17-4):
Skinner - Staal - Ruutu
Ponikarovsky - Jokinen - LaRose
Tlusty - Sutter - Dwyer
Stewart - Joslin - Nodl
Gleason - Falk
Pitkanen - McBain
Allen - Kaberle
Ward
By the Numbers:
- Only five players drafted in 2008 have scored more career points than Jordan Eberle (71): Steven Stamkos (262), Drew Doughty (134), Josh Bailey (95), Erik Karlsson (94), and Tyler Myers (91), and it seems to me that Eberle would have to be the favorite for second place if we look at the list again in five years time. Hard to believe that player was available 22nd overall, but sometimes you've got to be lucky to be good.
- Among players with at least 50 shots so far this season (there are 189 players), no one has a better shooting percentage than Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (21.8% on 55 shots). He's definitely been impressive so far this season, but he's also been given a little push from lady luck.
- Ryan Smyth is leading Oiler forwards in even strength time on ice at 14:57 per game, but he's always been a minute-muncher. It's a slightly higher average than last year with the Kings, but lower than his first year in Los Angeles and than both of his seasons in Colorado.
- With 20 points in 27 games, Shawn Horcoff is on pace for 61 points, which would be the second-highest total of his career. He's also on pace to play every game in the season for the first time in his career.
- Last season, the Oilers got 22 goals and 96 assists from their defensemen. This season, the team's defenders are on pace for 33 goals and 85 assists. It's no secret that this team will need to add a strong defender, but it sure would be nice if that guy comes with an offensive dimension to his game.
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Comments
It should be worth noting that the team’s underlying numbers were getting better under Maurice’s final few games, but those have gone back down ever since Muller took over. Better performances out of Ward would definitely help, though. The team isn’t good at all but they certainly aren’t this bad.
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Awesome scripture. My favourite since the Word of Bruce.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
It’s not a stretch to imagine a Gospels book by Scott.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
It amazes me how few coaches are willing to give the other goalie more starts when the first one is playing so badly.
Paul Maurice was willing to sacrifice his job in order to keep playing Cam Ward.
In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!
Tactical contributor to the Copper & Blue and just as boring on the twitters... @dawgbone98
It was insane. He’s just a little worse than in 2006
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Though, to be fair, Ward is the worst of the huge money goalies and it’s not close
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I wonder if the Oilers need some greenies or something to get up for the first 10 minutes of the game
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Terrible turnover by Smyth, though.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
That’s pretty much a soccer goal. If it’s not overturned, I cede my time to Bruce.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
That happened two years ago, but I can’t remember the game or circumstances.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I think we got lucky on the kicked in goals, winning both reviews. I would have waved them both off myself.
Oilers fan through thick, thin and anorexic. Writer for The Cult of Hockey.
by Bruce McCurdy on Dec 8, 2011 12:32 AM MST up reply actions
It’s like last year’s model. shudder
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
That hit right there by Peckham – that’s the 50/50 for him. If he misses that they’re toast. But he hit it so it looks great. He should just avoid that situation altogether.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Whoa. Whitney really lucky that was offside. He was toast.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I’d love to know why he’s playing, to be frank. I called out the Edmonton media here:
http://www.coppernblue.com/2011/12/4/2609131/oilers-collapse-lose-5-3-to-flames-thanks-to-tom-renney
on the subject. They didn’t remain silent, at least to me, that is.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIMLsj0TUxQ
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Belanger pretty much crashed into Ward there. Nice stuff by Paajarvi though.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Dubnyk with his best Khabibulin impression and then Jonens fires a beauty of a pass to Belanger.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
It’s funny to hear the difference between Quinn’s “BLON ZHAY” and everyone else’s “BA LAH ZHAY”
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Nice stop by Dubnyk on that rebound.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Really nice step up by Petry at his own blue there. He looked huge there.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Oh Theo
He’s hold the puck back there as Hopkins circles around behind the net “Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up, HOLD IT hold it”
Like anyone in the arena thought you were bringing it out.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Tim Brent is on a power play in the NHL?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Dumb effing luck. Gotta be kidding me.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
You always pay for good calls eventually.
(just wait long enough for something bad to happen, then credit the karma.)
Yeah, and they got their butts handed to them in that period.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
The Oilers are being outplayed by the worst team (by points in the NHL). That’s no good.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Aw come on Sam. Don’t get yourself hurt.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Did Ponikarovsky stick his leg out there on Smid?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
The Oilers are missing the Cannonball.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Right now I think they’re missing Grier and Marchant.
by TakeoutArtist on Dec 7, 2011 8:48 PM MST up reply actions
Jeez oh man Whitney. He grabbed the puck on the far post and tried to bring it around but just can’t move. He was overtaken after a stride.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
http://twitter.com/dawgbone98/status/144624311343386624
The oilers have 1 scoring chance in almost 30 minutes against the worst team in the NHL.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Sure, but on the plus side, they have a 100% scoring chance-to-goal conversion rate!
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
by Ben Johnston on Dec 7, 2011 8:49 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Whitney walks, and I mean walks, the puck down to the goal line and Smyth thinks it’s a good idea to one-hand it to the point. The whole team is following Whitney’s lead.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Is it that difficult to gain the red line and throw it to the corner to get on the puck? Horcoff and Hemsky were playing feces-throwing monkeys at center ice instead of just getting the puck in the damn zone.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
They deserve every bit of this loss.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I forgot how terrible Cam Ward is
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
He flops around like a seizing seal and is genuinely surprised when a puck hits one of his flippers gone akimbo.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
by Derek Zona on Dec 7, 2011 9:08 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48397349@N03/5466983580/
Not quite what I had in mind, but it will have to do.
The Edmonton Oilers - All we do is win!!
That is exactly Cam Ward. Now make him have a seizure.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Who in their wrong mind would trade for Ward?
I’d need at least 2 first round picks to take that albatross of a contract.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
On a different note, Washington would very much like Ward. Not Staal as the other Caps poster suggested. Yes, a Backstrom-Ward phenomenal 1-2 punch would be phenomenal (gif anyone?). But a real, legit, not streaky, Cup-winning goalie would be so much better…
Yeah, Ward isn’t streaky at all.
In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!
Tactical contributor to the Copper & Blue and just as boring on the twitters... @dawgbone98
He’s not streaky. He just stinks.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
He’s been decent the previous 3 years.
In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!
Tactical contributor to the Copper & Blue and just as boring on the twitters... @dawgbone98
You know what this game looks like? It looks like a bunch of figure skaters playing hockey for the first time.
The Edmonton Oilers - All we do is win!!
Remember when the Oilers lost 7-1 last year?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Jesus almighty, this game is so bad. And the Oilers are full value here; this would have been an unusually awful game by last year’s standards.
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
You know it’s bad when the 4th line looks like your best line.
by TakeoutArtist on Dec 7, 2011 9:07 PM MST up reply actions
Whitney’s only play in the zone is a weak backhand down the boards back to Petry.
This is really sad to watch and the Oilers keep putting him out there.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I blame Doogie for wearing his Hartford sweater tonight.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
On a completely unrelated note
Via Hockey Wilderness:
On the Wild’s young players: “The Wild continue to provide no shortage of story lines. Rookies filling in on a first place NHL team and not causing any issues? How is that not a bigger story? Maybe they haven’t had long enough to regress before they are sent back down. Who knows.”
On realignment: “The only question that remains is… did the Board of Governors properly [consult] their advanced stats before making this decision.”
Do you think Derek et al struck a nerve?
Loyal fan of the Edmonton Oilers. Don't you judge me.
It’s just like Avs fans before them. Nothing new.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
See! That is what I meant by “attacking”, they are taking it personally. :)
GO SHARKS!
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin (see profile for more info on this quote)
it’s one of my favourite things. grown-ass men (and women?) feel compelled to cyberdefend their team against slights like it’s a parental duty or something.
by Passive Voice on Dec 7, 2011 10:09 PM MST up reply actions
It isn’t neither a slight nor an insult, it simply is.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Dear Coach Renney:
Since Ryan Whitney can’t move, can you please move him to the third pairing and put Sutton on the second pairing with Petry? At least give this defense a fighting chance.
Signed,
Everyone who has to watch this.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Alright, this is out of control. I can’t watch when Whitney’s on the ice anymore. That pass to Gagner was junk.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
And that one is firmly on Horcoff and Smyth. What the crap were they doing?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
No one backchecking down the right hand side there.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Can’t believe you guys are losing to CAR. They were the worst defensive team I’ve seen so far this season.
Hall is this team’s motor and they’ve got a mess on defense.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
What’s the plan for the Oil this year? Is management content to miss the playoffs and continue the rebuild? Or were aspirations higher?
22nd was the goal, according to Oilers employee Bob Stauffer
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Not even sure what he was doing with the puck there.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Lubo, Lubo, damn near anything for Lubo
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
I’m only half watching the game but holy cow, someone is pissed!
GO SHARKS!
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin (see profile for more info on this quote)
Kill off being 2 men down and then score … I must be good luck. :)
GO SHARKS!
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin (see profile for more info on this quote)
Friday no can do – double feature zombie movie I’m going to. :)
GO SHARKS!
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin (see profile for more info on this quote)
People wandering aimlesssly with no brains? Have you seen our defencemen?
by BigB_09 on Dec 7, 2011 10:01 PM MST up reply actions 3 recs
Certainly not Whitney. Maybe “aimlessly tethered”
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
by Derek Zona on Dec 7, 2011 10:13 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Why is Sutton going to the box? Made a good hit, guy comes after him.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
sutton is the only Oiler playing with any kind of emotion….its embarassing…i’ve been on Hemsky’s side but tonight he has been awful…falls down with every feather that touches him…hes not even a good actor…awful change on the shorthanded goal which is going to be the winner
by justshootitales on Dec 7, 2011 10:08 PM MST reply actions
Force the puck to him on the power play and stand around and watch.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
maybe but you make it sound like its his fault....he still scores and makes it happen
by justshootitales on Dec 7, 2011 10:12 PM MST up reply actions
Make what sound like who is at fault?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Ah yes – there was a certain amount of that going on this game and last.
Eberle looks bushed to my eyes – his hands haven’t been nearly as good as usual the last couple of games, and he just hasn’t been overall as impressive as we’ve seen him (not saying he’s been terrible, though).
Ah yes – there was a certain amount of that going on this game and last.
It was going on prior to the Flames too. It’s just a new direction to force the puck. Instead of the point, force it to the half wall and stand, mouth agape.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
just that hopkins is the centre of attn on the PP, you are right about the rest sitting and watching but thats on them
by justshootitales on Dec 7, 2011 10:16 PM MST reply actions
Funny thing about the Canes Mike Murphy. His stat line this year is:
1GP 9Minutes 0GA 2SA 0.00GAA 1.000sv% 1ENG
Record: 0-1-0. Nothing like replacing the starting goaltender midway through the 3rd and getting pulled for the extra attacker and having a goal scored against you to put the opposition up by 3, only to have your team score twice to give you the L.
In theory, there is little difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is!
Tactical contributor to the Copper & Blue and just as boring on the twitters... @dawgbone98
Yeah, that was unreal. First career game. Imagine if he never gets another, he’ll become part of the lore like the legendary Robbie Irons.
Oilers fan through thick, thin and anorexic. Writer for The Cult of Hockey.
by Bruce McCurdy on Dec 8, 2011 9:57 PM MST up reply actions
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