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Game 81 Preview: Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers

Farewell, old friend.

By Jeff Chapman
Farewell, old friend.
Farewell, old friend.
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports


Vancouver

@
Edmonton
30-36-13, 73 points,  .924 p/g- Ranks 30-43-7, 67 points, .838 p/g
Pacific Division - 5th Pacific Division - 7th
26th Points per Game 30th
18th Special Teams 21st
28th Shots per Game 22nd
26th Goal 21st
7:00 PM MDT
TV - Sportsnet West, Sportsnet Pacific
Radio - 630 CHED
Rexall Place
The opposing view:  Nucks Misconduct

Flames Roll Oilers

The Oilers were trounced in their final Battle of Alberta on Saturday Night by a a 5-0 score.  In what could easily be called the worst game of the season, the Oilers scored a mighty zero goals, yielding five to their inter-provincial rivals.  The festivities kicked off with a shorthanded goal for Mikael Backlund early in the first.  Joe Colborne would score for Team Evil in the second, while Johnny Gaudreau scored a pair of goals in the third.  Mikael Backlund added another halfway through the third, and you can tie a bow on that one.

Coach McLellan was at his angriest after this one, suggesting he's upset that a proper work ethic would have to be taught so late in the season.

ON A BRIGHTER NOTE
Today has been a day in the making.  The Oilers will face off against the Vancouver Canucks in an utterly meaningless game in the standings, but it is a game to reflect and remember.  It seems like since the team has been a dumpster fire for so long that this is all that you or I have as a fan, but today, that remembrance is more than appropriate.  Today marks the final game to be played in Rexall Place (or the Skyreach Centre, or Northlands) before the team moves to the new bells and whistles of Rogers Place.  Fans, players, and anyone associated with the Oilers will no doubt have memories flow as the team prepares for the building's final sixty minutes of NHL play.

Can the Oilers close their time at the Coliseum on a positive note?  Let's go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

"I don't want to talk too much about the other night, but it was a poor effort on our part.  Unacceptable, no matter where you are, but when you're at home it's definitely unacceptable.  We put the work boots on the last couple days and demanded a lot of us in terms of practicing, skating, and executing and I thought everybody responded well and came to work, worked hard and hopefully these results will help us tomorrow night."

Source

That's Oilers forward Matt Hendricks on the team's performance against Calgary, along with the next two days where the Oilers were no doubt bag-skated for hours.

Another season, another year out of the playoffs.  This is nothing new to fans of the Oilers, but it would be nice if the team could put a W on the last game at home.  Go to Vancouver and do what you may, but winning tonight would mean a lot to a lot of people.

The opponents are saying

"It's always more fun to come to the rink when you're winning."  Source

That's Canucks forward Jannik Hansen on Vancouver's four game winning streak.

WINNING IS FUN
The Canucks aren't very good this year either, but Hansen's got the winning part figured out.  Winning is fun.  I recommend it.  You can trust me, I'm a doctor.

Have some of this

  • Jordan Eberle is a great player, and one who we've had many debates about here on Copper and Blue.  He's a great player who I believe can get a greater return based on that one time he shot nearly 19% and scored 76 points.  Someone's going to get moved this offseason, hopefully for a great big puck moving defenceman to play on the top pair.
  • Cam Talbot (20-27-4,.917 SV% / 2.56 GAA / 3 SO) is likely for the Oilers. Ryan Miller (17-23-9, .918 SV% / 2.61 GAA / 1 SO) should go for the Canucks.
  • Andrew Ference (hip), Brandon Davidson (knee), Adam Pardy (hand), Eric Gryba (knee), Benoit Pouliot (shoulder)  Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (concussion) and Oscar Klefbom (leg), are out for the Oilers, . The Canucks will be without Linden Vey (upper body), Sven Baertschi (lower body), Chris Higgins (lower body), Radim Vrbata (lower body), Luca Sbisa (upper body), Alexander Edler (ankle), and Brandon Sutter (face).
  • FAREWELL, OLD FRIEND

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