Lucky

Definition: Luck or chance is an event which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result.

Example: Luck was the only thing that lead the Oilers to an overtime win over the Hurricanes tonight.

Highlights

Sam Gagner! Sam Gagner! Sam Gagner!

Let me set the scene, the Oilers are up 4-1 but have only been able to get 1 shot on net (the 4-1 goal) thus far in the second period. Anton Belov makes a simple pass up the boards to Sam Gagner who tries to bat the puck down the ice but Andrej Sekera is able to stop the clearing chance and passes the puck back to Nathan Gerbe. Gerbe goes behind the net with puck while Belov peruses him. Meanwhile Corey Potter has the front of the net covered and checks Kevin Westgarth. Jordan Staal skates into the slot (unchecked), while Sam Gagner decides to takeout Potter and Westgarth and skates right through the crease interfering with Devan Dubnyk. Obviously with Staal left all alone in the slot the pass comes right onto his stick and with Gagner successfully taking Dubnyk out of the play, Staal is able to score. What a great sequence for Sam Gagner!

What Gagner Could've Done Differently

This one is pretty simple. Gagner could have listened to his peewee coach when he was 13 telling him that his check was the centerman in the slot.

Tweet of the Night

I have been a big proponent of removing play by play from games for years. Does anyone remember the late 90s when the SRC (French CBC) was on strike and the Canadiens' playoff games were broadcast without play by play? It was great! It felt like being at the game.

Anyway tonight's Tweets are in respect to Kevin Quinn and his baseball-esque play by play and how removing the play by play could make the game more interesting.

I gather Kevin Quinn is ill but he sounds like he has an awful hangover, or that there's a sleeping newborn in the booth.

— Matt Fenwick (@FenwickMatt) December 11, 2013

Kevin Quinn's voice sounds like the embarrassment of the last 7+ seasons hit him like a ton of bricks at 729pm local.

— Matt Fenwick (@FenwickMatt) December 11, 2013

Granted Quinn was probably sick and he did a great job fighting through it but this was the worst play by play I've heard in years by a Canadian crew.

Game Thoughts

Power Play

The biggest issue tonight was the power play. WTF? I think I may have said this the other day but seriously WTF? How many SHG are the Oilers gonna give up this season? Again the SHG was allowed with a defenseman on the ice. The only time the power play scored was when it was all forwards. It's time for Dallas Eakins to revisit this because going with the "traditional" power play isn't scoring goals and the Oilers are still giving up short handed chances.

Three Stars

1. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
2. Anton Belov
3. Taylor Hall