Game Day: Oilers vs Maple Leafs on HNIC

Well, the boys in white, orange and blue hit the big stage tonight. Hockey Night in Canada in the 5 o’clock slot. It’s not very often that it happens so when it does, it does seem like a must watch game.

Edmonton Oilers 1-3-0, 12 GF – 19 GA, last game 4-1 loss vs Montreal , last in the Pacific Division

Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1-0, 17 GF – 10 GA, last game 4-0 win at Nashville, first in the Atlantic Division

The Oilers need a win tonight. Last game was an improvement and they played a better 60 minutes than they have thus far, but it doesn’t matter if they aren’t putting 2 points in the bank. This game marks the start of a 6 game road trip and is also the start of a stretch where they play 12 of the next 15 on the road. A look at the schedule will show you that there are some quality teams coming up and I’m worried it could get ugly in a hurry. Please, just win tonight.

The Maple Leafs team they are playing has started the season red hot. The goal tending provided by Bernier has been other worldly and all across the board they are defying logic. Some fun with numbers…

• Bernier has saved 113 of 116 shots over 4 games thus far for an unsustainable .974 sv%.
• The team as a whole is is shooting over 10%.
• They are allowing 34.8 shots per game and putting up 31.8, good for 26th and 13th respectively, for a -3 shot differential,
• Their team Corsi %, shot attempts at even strength, is a sparkling 45.6% good for 26th in the league.

By all accounts this team is due for a stinker. A little regression, as wiser men than I would say. I REALLY hope it’s tonight so these young stallions can show the eastern media/execs and their uniformed views what Oilers hockey is all about on the big stage that is HNIC.

The Oilers have improved this year over last, bye eye and underlying numbers. It is early so that could change but it is looking like Dallas Eakins was the right hire. Although they are 1-3 with a horrible goals against number, last game they started to look a little better. They dominated stretches of the Montreal game but just couldn’t find a goal at the right time. Since I showed the numbers for the make-be-leafs, I’ll do the same for the Oilers…

• Goaltending has been abysmal. Dunyk, .847 in 3 games. LaBarbera, .892 in 2.
• They are shooting ~9.5 as a team which isn’t abnormal but Hall, Yakupov and Eberle have combined for 1 goal to start the season.
• There finally seems to be some balanced scoring on the horizon as 15 players have recorded at least a point in the first 4 games.
• They are allowing 31.0 shots per game (miles better than last year) and putting 29 at the other net (another team improvement) which are good for 18th and 21st respectively.
• The team Corsi % is a much improved 49.8% and good for 17th in the league. Music! as LT would say.

It is impossible for things to not start breaking this team’s way. The amount of pucks that are going in their net just won’t continue. Devan Dubnyk is a serviceable NHL starting goaltender and far better than the .847 he’s putting up right now. Nail Yakupov, Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall are going to start scoring. There is just to much talent in that trio for it not to happen. I think it all starts tonight.

I’m trying hard not to deal in negativity when it comes to this team. There have been moments over the past 7 years where that hasn’t been so but this season, as frustrating as the start has been, it really is starting to look like the worm has turned. I say this to all my fellow fans. If they lose tonight put your knives away for a little while longer. The sky isn’t falling, yet, and I think all they need is a little more time to figure things out. I know its hard to watch and I know we’re sick of following a loser but better days are coming, I can feel it. Lets not treat these young stars with disrespect and disdain when they fail to meet our early, and possibly unrealistic, expectations.

So tonight, sit down with family or friends and try to enjoy yourself. Grab a beer, or 10, and cheer like hell at your TV. There are going to be goals, hits and very likely fights. Tonight these guys will not disappoint.

Feel free to share some banter with me on twitter be it hockey or otherwise @borisnikov