The Oilers are back in action tonight against the Minnesota Wild, a team I think of so rarely that I forgot until just now that once-disgraced Oiler Devan Dubnyk is having a pretty good season there (with 20 wins on his own, compared to the Oilers team total of 22).
It’s always a treat when former Oilers come back to Rexall – for them. Look for Dubnyk to have a stellar game against the club that ruined his confidence.
In other news, the Oilers recalled Nikita Nikitin from Bakersfield, presumably to sit in the press box while Eric Gryba is sidelined with a knee injury. I know lots of people aren’t happy about it, but if he can maybe play a bit before the deadline the Oilers can ship him off somewhere and we’ll never have to be troubled with him again.
Last Games
Edmonton
Taylor Hall scored a goal and I was so happy I cried. I wish I was exaggerating, but it’s the honest truth. And obviously my Twitter friends know how I feel about him, because this happened:
(You guys are the best!)
Actual game notes: The Oilers lost 5-3 because of 2 empty-net goals against (one scored by former Oiler Andrew Cogliano, because why wouldn’t that happen?). It wasn’t a bad game, though, and were tied 2-2 at one point. I think if they’d managed to get the 3rd goal before the Ducks did, they probably could have hung on for the win. Around Oilers Twitter and probably in the comment sections of other blogs, there was much discussion about Pouliot’s culpability for the loss. I don’t think it was his fault (team game and all that), but it didn’t help that Gryba went down in the same game that Pouliot brain-farted and took 2 dumb penalties, leading to his being benched for most of the third. Was the loss squarely on Pouliot? No….but he definitely didn’t help, despite him scoring a goal to put the Oil back within 1 with a minute or so to go.
Minnesota
I actually saw part of this game last night, while I was doing pub trivia, and I remember thinking that Minnesota doesn’t play that terribly boring, soul-sucking brand of hockey anymore (which is kind of nice to see). Anyway, the Wild beat the Flames 5-3 last night, and it looked like a decent game (at least until the end of the second, which is when I left the pub). The Wild scored on the power play, short-handed and at even strength, which I think is a testament to having a more well-rounded lineup than our beloved Oilers.
Keys to the Game
Edmonton
Stay out of the box, obviously (ahem, Pouliot). I think they finally started to show some jump last game, and I sincerely hope that they can keep that up tonight.
The Wild are playing in the second half of a back to back on the road, and it would be to the Oilers’ benefit if they could capitalize on that and come out with an early goal or two before Minnesota gets settled. The crowd at Rexall needs something to be excited about, and maybe a filthy dangle from Connor McDavid (or a 4-point night from Taylor Hall) will do the trick.
Minnesota
As we found out Tuesday night, opposing players can do just about anything they want to Taylor Hall, and will suffer ZERO consequences., so the Wild should take advantage of that (although, if they do, I’ll be sending a curse their way).
Shutting the Oilers offence down early, or at least scoring a couple quick goals, is an almost surefire way to throw the Oil off their game. (Someday, I won’t have to say that).
Basically, Minnesota should win this game. The Wild are in a unique position, though, because they’re currently 2 points out of a playoff spot in the West, and can’t afford to give up points to a bottom-feeder like Edmonton. (Anyone remember what that was like?)
Players to Watch
Edmonton
You know who. *whispers* Taylor Hall. He’s good at hockey, and now that the goal drought is over, I imagine that he’s going to go on a bit of a tear. (2 goals tonight, one on the PP)
Draisaitl broke his goalless streak too, so maybe that line will get things rolling again.
Watch Connor. You know why.
Minnesota
I have it on good authority (read: my friend Dustin who is a Wild fan for no other reason than he’s from Minnesota) that Charlie Coyle is pretty good. I mean, he plays in Minnesota, which means I’d never know, but I’ll take Dustin’s word for it.
Dubnyk (if he plays, of course). He’ll have a big game against the Oil, because that’s the Oiler way.
Projected Lineups
Edmonton (There was an optional skate this morning, so I’m putting this one together with paperclips instead of staples)
Matt Hendricks – Connor McDavid – Jordan Eberle
Taylor Hall – Leon Draisaitl – Teddy Purcell
Lauri Korpikoski – Mark letestu – Iiro Pakarinen
Benoit Pouliot – Anton Lander – Nail Yakupov
Andrej Sekera – Justin Schultz
Darnell Nurse – Mark Fayne
Brandon Davidson – Adam Clendening
Cam Tal-Bot
Minnesota
Zach Parise – Mikku Koivu – Charlie Coyle
Jason Zucker – Mikael Granlund – Thomas Vanek
Nino Niederreiter – Erik Haula – Jason Pominville
Ryan Carter – Jarret Stoll – Justin Fontaine
Ryan Suter – jared Spurgeon
Marco Scandella – Matt Dumba
Mike Reilly -Christian Folin
Devan Dubnyk/Darcy Kuemper
Final Thoughts
I had a few thoughts rolling around in my head, but I think they’d be better saved for posts of their own (I know, right?).
So I’ll go with this instead:
I’ve been a fan of this team my ENTIRE life, and I’ve never really given up on them. I would get up in the middle of the night in Dublin to watch them play Vancouver on HNIC, in a game that meant nothing and started at 3:00am for me. 3 in the morning, for this team.
And despite them being actually better (not just visually better), I’ve noticed that a lot of fans are always angry about the Oilers. I see some version of the following every game day:
“They haven’t made enough roster moves” or “They haven’t won enough games” or “They have no heart” or (my personal favourite) “I’d trade everyone except Connor in a heartbeat.”
Just…..stop.
Stop grousing, stop whining, stop lamenting how bad they are.*
This team is ours, for better or worse. If you hate them as much as you claim to on Twitter, why bother watching?
*unless you’re doing it with a purpose, then carry on, by all means
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