Oilers 3 the Stars 1

[Kev]

The Oilers picked the perfect time for their first regular-season win in Dallas in eight years. Hahah i love it. Those Texans should stick to making chili and leave hockey to the North.

Edmonton and the Canucks play on Saturday April 3rd on CBC. Should be another entertaining game. Best wishes in making the playoffs. --- Kev

 

[bruizewayne]

GO Canucks 1-1!!!!

 

[Kev]

annnnnnnnnd.......Calgary won tonight as well.

Edmonton, Calgary, and the Canucks are in the playoffs. PERBertian hockey is the best. --- Kev

 

[eagle]

Plus IIRC, Edmonton loses out if they end up tied in points with either Nashville or St Louis.

So Edmonton needs to beat Vancouver AND then pray that either St Louis goes winless in their last 3 OR Nashville scores no more than 3 points--- its tough but Edmonton needed to beat St Louis the game before last in order to be in control of their own fates.

 

[Kev]

As sorry as I am to have to say this, the Oilers aren't in the playoffs, yet...

Well i was trying to stay positive. --- Kev

 

[curiousman]

Colonel Dave - you are so right. So many lost chances before March. But, then again - because they were playing catchup, would the Oilers have gotten points in 16 straight games to make us wonder about the missed chances earlier in the year?

Ahhhh - got ya thinking, didn't I?

Best case scenario - St Louis and Nashville tie on Saturday. We win. Then we can cheer for both Colorado AND Minnesota to help the Oilers out.

 

[James]

But the 'nucks MAY need to smoke the Oil, in order to finsh the almost 10 year reign of the Avs atop the division. I know, we shoulda done it last year when we had em done like dinner, but.....

So, if the Canucks clinch tonight, which will be a challenge, then I won't be real upset if the Oil win tomorow. But if we don't win tonight, fuck 'em, they shoulda beat St Lou on Tuesday!

 

[James]

Hmm,

Goalies:
Johnny Bower (centre of the Universe Maple Leafs)
or how about one time Vancouver Canuck Tony Esposito?

More modern could include Cloutier.

 

[curiousman]

I believe that Francis did play in the 96 World Cup and think that Lucky Luc was part of the 91 World Cup team.

However, I don't remember guys like Cam Neely or Dave Andreychuk ever playing for Team Canada.

As for d-man/goalies - sheesh, that's a hard one. Gotta think about that for a tad (i.e. search the Internet!)

 

[curiousman]

Modern is easier - Luongo will be definitely putting on the Maple Leaf in the very near future.

Same goes for Bouwmeester, but I don't think GoEsks wants the new talent, simply the older guys that has been missed and may be deserving.

 

[northernbastard]

Goesks got me thinking about when I was a wee bastard and I couldn't remember if Orr was on the team in '72. Turns out he was, but he didn't play in any of the games. (knees of course)
I also had forgotten that he did play in the '76 Canada cup.
Came across an interesting stat tho. In the 1970-71 season Bobby Orr only managed a plus/minus of +124. Wonder if anyone else has ever come close to that or if we will ever see that again. Brewer is going to have to elevate his game a couple of levels. LOL

 

[wolverine]

Blues 2, Predators 1 in the 3rd period.
The puck drops for Oilers/Canucks at 8 PM.

The moment of truth has arrived.

 

[James]

Okay, everyone knows that my team is the Canucks. Gretz got so many milestone goals against us that he should have been paying us.

But, last game of the regular season, for their own reasons, both teams must win. Does it get better (other the the 'nucks taking down the Leafs in the final?)?

 

[jim]

Looking Bad

3 - 1 Canucks 5 mins left in 2nd period :-(

 

[BS Detector]

Shouldn't have started a new thread so I deleted it.

So are the Oilers going to continue from where they left off this year or will they do whay they do every year and lead us to believe they will but instead coast through the first three quarters of the season and then turn it on late and sneak into the playoffs. I'm hoping that because their last minute surge did not work this time, they might win some of those games in November, December and January that they normally piss away.

 

[Kev]

I would have liked to see Edmonton in the playoffs, but its nice for Vancouver to clinch the division instead of Colorado.

You know whats a shame about Edmonton? Is they play some of the most exciting hockey in the NHL considering they don't have any marque players. You have alot of talented players but not like Colorado or Detroit and i would put Vancouver in there even though we really only have one super skilled line. If Edmonton had the money to spend they would be a real Stanley Cup threat. Unfortunately there history is such that when they have to sign the big player they can't, and the player packs his bags and goes elsewere. I find this a crying shame. I would really like to see hockey strong and stable in Canada before we worry about the American markets. My 2cents --- Kev

 

[BS Detector]

Couldn't agree more Kev

I think the Oilers are probably the hottest team out of the playoffs right now and maybe ONE of the hottest period but they left it too long.

 

[wolverine]

I think this year they were really impacted by losing Todd Marchant and by the whole Comrie debacle. Oates was a disappointment since he didn't exactly help light up the lamp as he should. The money they paid him could have been better spent on someone else.

 

[curiousman]

I disagree Jub. Laraque played much better hockey after he stopped focusing on his radio show and started focusing on hockey. Despite what some are saying, you still need a heavyweight on your team and Georges is ours. Rita is going to be a very good player, he's just developing slower. Horcoff is our new Marchant, except he can score more. Isbister has been a disappointment and I think we could probably get something for him.

I think since we've freed up close to 6 mil by trading Salo (4 mil) and Oates is now retired (2 mil), we'll be able to sign Nedved which is good since Dvorak and Nedved play awesome together.

As for the Comrie/Salo rumor, take that with a grain of salt.

I think the Conklin/Markanen thing will work out. Conklin is going to be the number one goalie (although he looked bad last night) next year.

Alrighty, now that I've paid my 2 cents - who should l cheer for now that the Oil are out?

Senators vs Canucks in the final. Sens in 6!!!

 

[wolverine]

Don't underestimate Marchant's contributions to the Oilers either. When he was on the roster, their penalty killing was always near the top; this year their penalty kill was rock-bottom for most of the season. His faceoff capabilities were decent and was a team leader who was a candidate for team captain. He had less-talented people to play with in Columbus.

I don't see Hemsky in Jub's Oiler lineup. That's a guy who suffered the sophomore slump this year but could be a keeper next season, especially if he has a centre he can click with. I do agree that some underperforming passengers can be shipped out to make room for some talented farmhands like Rita, Bishai, Lynch and Woywitka.

Most of all, they need a coaching change. Most of the coaches behind the Oilers bench are mainly there due to old glory-day loyalties, but Stanley Cup rings on your fingers doesn't necessarily translate into coaching and front-office success. MacTavish is still relatively new as a head coach and would have done better to cut his teeth in the minors first. Bringing Craig Simpson onboard as a power-play coach seemed more like a hindrance due to his inexperience. I credit much of Calgary's turnaround success this year to their coach, who is a hardass Sutter. Maybe they should hire a Sutter brother as coach, or maybe Ted Nolan?