WE WIN AGAIN! Suck it, Miller.
I’m not going to pretend like I wasn’t apprehensive about this game, because I definitely was. For the last decade it’s seemed like whenever the Oilers were “supposed” to win a game, they’d crap the bed. I mean we’ve been dealing with it for years now, so I feel no shame in saying I was nervous about playing the Canucks tonight. I was looking back at previous seasons and having flashbacks of blown games against the Coyotes or the Hurricanes or some other Gord Awful team that hockey never intended.
I wasn’t ready to take a win over the Canucks for granted, because let me tell you: as an Oilers fan, I’ve seen things, man.
It’s been difficult for me to adjust to the fact that this is a new team, and while it might be too early to plan the parade, I am so happy to cheer for a winning team again. I’ll always cheer for this team, but I have to admit I’ve developed a self-deprecating sense of humor over the years as an Oiler fan. I’ve seen early success turn into lottery finishes before.
But I just can’t help but soak it in and drink from the skulls of my enemies when given the opportunity. Lucic puts the dagger in the game? IN VANCOUVER?
Yes please.
Here’s some of my favorite tweets, and how I saw the game:
1st Period:
-The puck seemed to be bouncing around a lot for both teams and they both looked tentative to open the game.
-The Oilers were coughing up WAY too many turnovers early on (a theme that would continue through all 3 periods for both clubs)
-You could tell Lucic was engaged in this game as he tipped a shot off the crossbar within the first 4 minutes of the game
-I really liked Draisaitl and Puljujarvi in the 1st. They had a couple really heavy shifts where they manhandled the Canucks on the puck cycle. While they weren’t able to put up any points they were giving the Canucks all they could handle for extended periods of time in their own end
-Kassian was Kassian. He started a fight (which he lost) while the Oilers had possession of the puck in the offensive zone, and that’s a no no even if you’re playing NHL 94. That being said, he was a wrecking ball tonight, and when Kassian acts like a dick, it’s hard not to like him when he’s on your team:
Kassian is being a real jerk tonight. pic.twitter.com/uldN36Ruqf
— TowelBoy S. Pumpkin (@TheTowelBoy) October 29, 2016
Flattened: the sequel. #EDMvsVAN pic.twitter.com/P4LpC8EN8L
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 29, 2016
-The Canucks pressured the Oilers well on the forecheck throughout the period. I liked the Oilers ability to mitigate the pressure calmly for the most part. It was a weird situation because they were giving up a lot of shots against, but managed to limit Vancouver’s offensive zone time. When the puck was in the Oilers end, either Talbot would make a save or the Oilers would manage to relieve the pressure, leaving Vancouver with few grade A scoring chances in tight.
-Speaking of the Oilers D, Adam Larsson looked better as the period wayned (see what I did there!?) and drew a penalty with about a minute to go in the 1st. McDavid would register his FIRST SHOT ON GOAL ON THE POWER PLAY ALL SEASON. Yeah. That’s a thing in case you haven’t heard from 300 other bloggers today.
-Cam Talbot was spectacular. There was some question as to whether or not he could handle the load of a #1 after the start he had last season (and coming out of the gate a bit shaky his first 2 games this year), but he’s quickly silencing his detractors. The Oilers were once again lucky to exit the 1st period scoreless with a strong performance from their netminder.
Talbot. pic.twitter.com/okoLqogLtu
— Shanalee (@Shanalee1982) October 29, 2016
2nd Period:
-The Oilers would open the period with a couple nice chances through the first couple shifts but the game would quickly descend into a neutral zone cluster $*!%
-You could be forgiven for falling asleep for the first 5 or 6 minutes thereafter, as both teams seemed to be fumbling around with the puck and weren’t generating much in the way of scoring chances
-As the 2nd wore on, the Nuge line looked dangerous. They managed a couple of good looks throughout the game, and followed it up with some sustained o-zone pressure as the midway point approached
-Defensively, Nurse was the story of this period by my eye, and apparently some nerd agreed:
Unsung heroes: Nurse & Gryba (both 69% CF, 90% DFF!) are facing modest competition, but they are absolutely *killing it*. pic.twitter.com/qOFaJ3ae4n
— Oilers Nerd Alert (@OilersNerdAlert) October 29, 2016
-McDavid would eventually McDavid, Notching the first goal for the oilers on this beauty:
Rocket skates: engage. ? #EDMvsVAN pic.twitter.com/XunKlIFHWL
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 29, 2016
-Talbot was Talbot. I know, I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here as far as commentary is concerned, but he really was the story of the game:
I’m glovin’ it. #EDMvsVAN pic.twitter.com/gq7DMdnmzr
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 29, 2016
BAH GAWD CAM TALBOT!!!
— Captain McCotton (@DirtbagDonny) October 29, 2016
TALLBBOTT!! pic.twitter.com/Yk9TzAUbX0
— Maxine (@MaxineBeesgma02) October 29, 2016
3rd Period:
-It looked to me like Gudbranson almost injured McDavid early in the 3rd off a rush that resulted in the latter going hard into the boards behind the Canucks net. It was reminiscent of the injury that shall not be named, and I’m not sure why someone didn’t goon Gudbranson. What’s done is done though, and McDavid wasn’t injured on the play.
-Talbot continued his 1st star performance with a huge save 4 minutes in on some jabroni canuck
-Everyone’s favorite agitator (Kassian) would get a glorious opportunity with 14:04 left on a sweet breakaway, but NO GOAL:
Great chance by Kassian. #Oilers pic.twitter.com/S0dI5YCGb3
— VisuallyBetter (@Isuckatpicking) October 29, 2016
-Draisaitl would ruin a breakaway by some other Canuck jabroni with 12:30 left. In all honesty, It probably should have been a slashing penalty at bare minimum, but that’s the way she $&%*ing goes.
-There was a “LETS GO OILERS” chant with about 9 minutes left in the 3rd, and that’s just awesome. I’m not sure if it was bitter Canucks fans or what, and I don’t care.
-Jesse Puljujarvi would get his 2nd 2 on 1 of the evening and fail to convert:
Jesse off the bar. #EDMvsVAN pic.twitter.com/IpfXCK6ALh
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 29, 2016
-Miller would absolutely ROB McDavid on a breakaway. Easily his nicest save of the evening, but it wouldn’t matter.
-The Canuck’s would pull the goalie and then Vancouver native and Super Villain Milan Lucic would put the dagger in their hearts:
The dagger. #EDMvsVAN pic.twitter.com/drHqq9tkDT
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 29, 2016
Random Thoughts:
-Jesse Puljujarvi needs to be sent down. He had some flashes this evening, and he has a bright future ahead of him, but there is no harm in an 18 year old kid who needs some development spending some time in the AHL. He’s in a unique position, considering he wasn’t drafted out of the CHL, and the AHL isn’t going to stunt his development by any means.
-CAM FREAKIN TALBOT
-CONNOR MCDAVID
-IT AIN’T MILLER TIME
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