Oilers v. Blues - 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 4:30 PM MST
in Game-Day Threads
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PrintBut let me say this to all of you who truly love to watch hockey: the time that remains before the next lockout is very short. So from now until the Stanley Cup is awarded, those of you with wives should live like you don't. If you lose your job, or get a promotion, or win the lottery, don't get absorbed by mourning, or new responsibilities, or a life of luxury. Whatever God gives is given so that you may enjoy hockey in these last days: to spend all of your time reading and writing and counting chances; to slack off now that you know they like you; or to travel around the continent following your team. For the world as we know it will soon come to an end.
Edmonton Oilers (17-24-4) @ St. Louis Blues (27-12-6)
Scottrade Center, 6:00 p.m. MST
Television: Sportsnet West
More analysis after the jump...
Home Team Scouting Report:
The St. Louis Blues were a very good team getting poor goaltending last season. This season, that part of their game has improved plenty, and the rest of their game has stayed on track. The goaltending part has been especially true under Ken Hitchcock. In the first thirteen games (under Davis Payne), the Blues had a very good even strength save percentage of .926 and a respectable PDO of 100.5, but under Hitchcock their save percentage has increased to .948 and their PDO to 101.5. Both coaches had the team earning over 55% of the Fenwick events. In other words, these guys are good. Unfortunately (for them), they're also in the Central division, the toughest in hockey. The winner of that division will get a relatively easy first round match-up, but the second and third place teams will need to play one another. That'll be a great series, but I'm sure the Blues would rather not be one of the participants.
Expected Lineups:
Edmonton Oilers (17-24-4):
Paajarvi - Gagner - Hemsky
Smyth - O'Marra - Eberle
Lander - Horcoff - Jones
Eager - Green - Hordichuk
Smid - Petry
Peckham - Potter
Sutton - Teubert
Khabibulin
St. Louis Blues (27-12-6):
Steen - Backes - Stewart
Perron - Berglund - Oshie
Sobotka - Arnott - Langenbrunner
Reaves - Nichol - Crombeen
Colaiacovo - Pietrangelo
Jackman - Shattenkirk
Cole - Polak
Halak
By the Numbers:
- Jordan Eberle will be back in the lineup for the Oilers tonight, and boy do they need him. In the four games that Eberle missed, the Oilers scored a grand total of five goals.
- With only eleven forwards in the lineup against Columbus, a lot of players had to handle a lot of minutes, including Josh Green who played 17:26. Now, they had to play with eleven forwards because Taylor Hall was hurt during the warm-up and the Oilers weren't carrying an extra forward. So, as you'd expect, the Oilers have decided not to call anyone up and continue with just twelve healthy bodies.
-
The Blues have both Barret Jackman and Carlo Colaiacovo headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. The Blues have leaned on both players hard so far this year. Jackman handles a huge amount of defensive zone faceoffs, while Colaiacovo has been playing the toughs, and both players are generating solid Corsi numbers (Jackman is at +7.9/60, Colaiacovo at +14.5/60). Jackman will be 31 at the start of next season, and Colaiacovo 29, so they probably have some good years left. It'll be interesting to see what the Blues decide to do.
- Brian Elliott is having an amazing season so far. His even strength save percentage is .946 on 459 shots, which is about as good as you're ever going to see. Elliott was also smart enough to turn that performance into a two-year deal that will pay him $1.8M per season. That sounds small for a guy headed to the All-Star game, but Elliott's past performance isn't exactly stellar. Even if we include this season, his career even strength save percentage is just .912, which is well below average. Seems like Elliott's willing to bet on regression and take some security. Not exactly a great deal for the Blues.
- After finishing dead last in faceoff percentage in each of the last two seasons, the Oilers have improved a tonne this year. As a team, they have a faceoff percentage of 48.2%, a full four points better than last season, and good enough to vault them into... 26th overall.
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Paajarvi – Gagner – Hemsky
Is this just wishfull thinking or are thay actually going to give Paajarvi good line mates to start a game?
The Edmonton Oilers – Rebuilding through character assassination since 1998
Yeah, tell me about it. Only thing is Gagner and Paajarvi have been horrible together historically. However I don’t put too much stock in that in that eventually, talent will produce.
Let me guess:
Eager and Paarjavi flip spots? That Paarjavi kid, finally shaved those side burns after being sent down, only to start re-growing them the minute he’s called back up.
What is his problem?
by Trites on Jan 19, 2012 5:44 PM MST via mobile up reply actions
#Oilers starting lineup is Khabibulin, Smid, Petry, Gagner, Hemsky & Eager
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Ha! We have solved the Renney coaching strategy puzzle!
… appropriate for ages 1 – 2
by Trites on Jan 19, 2012 6:51 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Very nice job on the Bible passage today, Mr. Reynolds (not that this is abnormal, but I thought today’s was especially good)!
So, Hall out, Eberle just back and presumably not fully up to game speed just yet, Gilbert out, RNH out… Do we have a Pat Hughes in the lineup tonight, perchance?
Thanks, Chunklets.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 7:30 PM MST up reply actions
It’s a sham(e) the Oilers won’t claim Repik and send Hordichuk out
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Or just claim Repik and send nobody out. They have the room.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 7:30 PM MST up reply actions
You’ve watched this team for the last two years, you should know the answer to that.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Is this game any good? I have it on, but I’m afraid to look.
The Edmonton Oilers, keeping opposition fans happy for the last 6 years
Just got here. Looks like the Oilers are getting hammered, but going by the verbal of the commentators, they’re getting less hammered than they were earlier.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 7:29 PM MST up reply actions
Renney Game plan: let the opposing team take as many shots as possible, with any luck they’ll drop dead from exhaustion.
The Edmonton Oilers, keeping opposition fans happy for the last 6 years
The old rope-a-dope!
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 7:46 PM MST up reply actions
Mothering Christ.
(I just learned that phrase is in an actual hymn).
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 7:35 PM MST up reply actions
Is that from a medieval hymn (I’m trying to think of the Latin, but I can’t remember the verb “to mother”)?
The hymn is “Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth”. The words were written by… (looks up name)… Jean Janzen, but they’re based on the writings of a medieval mystic… (looks up name)… Juliana of Norwich. But I don’t know who owns that phrase.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 7:46 PM MST up reply actions
Sutton is horrible on penalties taken-to-drawn. So many PIMs have cost us too many goals against this year.
So do I. We pay half his salary to play for another team. When they could have just fired Tambellini and brought him back. A shame there was no foresight there.
Buddy has five points in thirty-four games so far this year on one of the best teams in the league. Well back of a couple guys on his team in TOI too.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 8:25 PM MST up reply actions
And is a HUGE upgrade over 5 of the 11 D to appear for the Oilers
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Oh, no doubt.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 8:35 PM MST up reply actions
How is this game still tied?
The Edmonton Oilers, keeping opposition fans happy for the last 6 years
Anyone else catch Doug MacLean drooling over Khabibulin there?? I actually caught myself wishing he was still GM of the Jackets there.. He would have gave us his 1st Round pick for Bulin at the start of the season
by Trites on Jan 19, 2012 7:50 PM MST via mobile reply actions
Anyone want to volunteer to write a postgame for this? C&B has no one available to do so.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
That was a terrible shot by Shattenkirk. Awful decision-making.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
I still can’t figure out that trade.
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Anyone want to do postgames for the Oilers all of the time?
Editor of The Copper & Blue, and leader of The Cult Of Hartikainen.
Mostly they’ve been looking overmatched, although they’ve sorted things out a little bit as the game’s gone on.
They look terrible.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 8:09 PM MST up reply actions
It’s a blowout of epic proportions, yet the game is still tied.
The Edmonton Oilers, keeping opposition fans happy for the last 6 years
by OilLeak on Jan 19, 2012 8:09 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Ooh I can wait the scoring chance line for this game!!
The Edmonton Oilers, keeping opposition fans happy for the last 6 years
I’m watching the St. Louis feed, and their last update had the Blues up 22-6.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 8:16 PM MST up reply actions
I’m jealous of the blues having an actual NHL hockey team.
The Edmonton Oilers, keeping opposition fans happy for the last 6 years
The Blues did use the “suck for a while” strategy to get it (ducks, runs).
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 8:26 PM MST up reply actions
5 year plan? 6? Dive for a decade?
The Edmonton Oilers, keeping opposition fans happy for the last 6 years
They had three years of suck (30, 22, 27) before moving in the right direction, and IIRC they were last in the Conference at the halfway point of Year Four.
The biggest fanana of the Havana Bananas.
by Scott Reynolds on Jan 19, 2012 8:34 PM MST up reply actions
Rob Brown and Dan Tencer will talk about how the Oilers were in the game with a top team, which shows progress.
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