This is Our Game NHL '13 Commercial

Awesome.

If only there weren't a lockout, I would have this already and be knee deep into it.

Taylor Hall signs 7-year, $42 million extension with Edmonton

HELL YES!

Taylor Hall is an Edmonton Oiler until 2020.

Cult of Hockey's take.

And that's that.

Taylor Hall's season likely ended tonight in the Battle of Alberta that Edmonton won 3-1. If so it's another season ended on the injury list for Taylor Hall. And if that's the case, I'll check out for the spring and see you all next fall.

This sucks.

Oilers beat Blue Jackets 3-0

[Cult of Hockey] [Puck Rakers]

[Event Summary] 

Last night was the first night since Taylor Hall got hurt last year in the Derek Dorsett fight that I've gotten to watch the Oilers on cable television. Hall didn't disappoint, scoring the fourth straight game to match his career high goal streak. It was his 27th Geno of the season. 

Devan Dubnyk really helped out my hockey playoff pool, earning a shutout and pulling me even in that category.

Oilers lose another at home 3-2 to Sharks

[Event Summary]
[Cult of Hockey]

The Oilers got down 1-0, and then Ryan Whitney scored pretty much my favorite kind of goal. A top shelf slap shot:



I went to take my puppy outside to pee. When I returned back to the living room, Taylor Hall had scored for the 26th time this season, beating Anti Niemi:

Maybe Taylor Hall's sickest Goal yet

Look at that shot. That's a hockey shot. Hall is up to 24 on the season.

Oilers lose 5-3 to the Habs at home though.

This one was for Gibby

[Cult of Hockey]

[Event Summary]

I watched a pretty good amount of last night's game.The crowd in Winnipeg really seemed to be into this one and things got chippy after the Oilers pulled away 5-2 late in the game.

Here's Taylor Hall's 23rd Geno of the season. He actually talked to the officials after netting it and said that it was Lennart Petrell's goal in the way a good teammate does.



Hall was all over the ice last night, netting the goal, and an assist early in the game to tie the score at 1-1. He was +1 on the evening. He's got 48 points now on the year.

Goodbye to Gibby

Good luck to Gibby in Minnesota. Tough to see a guy like him go today, but welcome to Nick Schultz.
— Taylor Hall (@hallsy04) February 27, 2012

Tom Gilbert headed to Minnesota for Nick Shultz.

Oilers shut out Flyers 2-0

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

All was as it should have been last night in Edmonton.

Taylor Hall got the Oilers on the board and up 1-0 with a powerplay goal, his 22nd of the season. Jordan Eberle would later add his 27th in addition to an apple assist on the Hall powerplay goal. Devan Dubnyk shut out one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL. The Oilers proved that they again are a formidable opponent in Edmonton.

I have all along felt that Ales Hemsky is part of the solution in Edmonton, and he was signed to a 2-year contract extension today. 

Bobby Ryan between the wickets re-direct Goal

Bobby Ryan has been a solid contributor to my fantasy team all year long. This goal made ESPN today, so you know it's pretty slick. Had to get this bad boy on the blog before I went to bed tonight.

Ryan's got 22 goals and 16 assists on the year. He could have given me more (he had a +15 +/- last year compared to a -4 this season) but I still think he's capable of a big game should I make the playoffs. And he's a good young player to have in keeper league hockey.

Oilers win Battle of Alberta in Calgary 6-1

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

Last night after my 3 mile run, I decided it was time to dedicate the night to some NHL hockey. I had the Red Wings/Blackhawks tilt on my television and the Oilers/Flames going on my computer.

Things started off looking bleak, with Devin Dubnyk giving up an early goal to get down 1-0 to the Flames. Taylor Hall minutes later fed Ales Hemsky on a breakaway that opened up Oilers scoring and they did not look back from there.

It was a banner night from Hall--and I noticed before the game that he was not great in his brief history playing against his hometown team. He had never logged a point and was -6 for his career against Calgary. Things would change on this night. Here's a synopsis of Hall's night from the Edmonton Journal's Cult of Hockey:

Finally played his first game of the season in his home town, and it was a doozer. Set the tone with an early breakaway which, while repelled by Kiprusoff, stated that Oilers had brought their skating legs and were open for business. Led all forwards in ice time just a couple of ticks below twenty minutes, during which time he was personally involved in 10 scoring chances between even strength and powerplay. Made a superb pass to Hemsky on a fast-developing 2-on-1 for the game winner. All 9 of the shots he attempted were on target, and the last of these (barely) beat Flames backup Henrik Karlsson for a well-earned goal that was the cherry on top of a great night’s work.

I'm fighting to get into my fantasy hockey playoffs and there's a week after this one to lock up the 6th and final spot. Last night was a huge night for me, netting tasty results from Jordan Eberle (1 goal, 2 assists, +3) and Dubnyk's win aside from all the saves he tabulated. Of course there was also Hall's nice game.

This was the Oiler's first win in Calgary since 2008--since before I was even really following the sport and the Oilers. It was the first win since the opener of last season, dating back to October of 2010. This was an important win for the franchise and the fan base. And it's on nights like these where you want to hold on to the Smyth's, the Sam Gagner's, and the Hemsky's. It's tough to imagine breaking this team up when they play like this.

Here's Taylor Hall's 21st goal of the season, the first he's ever scored against the Calgary Flames:

Hall nets #20, Oilers lose 4-3 in OT to Maple Leafs

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

This one was a late 10:00 PM start time that I would have preferred played on a  Thursday, Friday, or Saturday evening.  As it was, I fell asleep before the third period began and didn't wake up until the Oilers had lost again.

Here's a look at Hallsy's 20th goal of the year. This tied the game at 2-2.

Happy Hockey Day in Canada!

Taylor Hall gets the winner on #SHDiC ! Time to pick a winner of #NHL tickets.
— ScotiaHockey (@scotiahockey) February 11, 2012

Taylor Hall has a flare for the dramatics:

 [Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

This is my second Hockey Day in Canada as a fan. It ended up a pretty good day. I had a feeling that if the Oilers went into overtime, Taylor Hall was going to find a way to win this one for the boys. Edmonton beats a team that's now 28-22-8 to improve to 22-28-5.

Holy Sam Gagner

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

It was a downright freakish night for Sam Gagner--and I missed the entire thing.

He became the 11th player in NHL history to collect 8 points in a game. He had FOUR goals and FOUR assists. The Oilers are getting all kinds of national recognition across the domestic United States today and I heard about it on my way into work on ESPN radio. You would figure one of their big three youngsters would be the one to do something like this. Although Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle played well, Sam Gagner was the whole damn show last night.

The Oilers once again blew out the Chicago Blackhawks. And when things like this happen you realize the Oilers really do have a nucleus and really do have a future. And it's hardly too late for this team to go on an exciting run.

Game Highlight Reel:

Oilers win 3-2 over Avalanche

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

Taylor Hall took his bumps and bruises last night, he turned it over a few too many times (five in total), but at the end of the day he got the knockout shot landed. His 17th goal of the year ended up being the game-winner for the Oilers:


Dubnyk had a good night in net, and Eberle (pictured above) got his goal early on to open up scoring. This is the type of win that could start a serious winning streak for Edmonton I feel like. It was a win over a quality opponent and the Oilers are getting their young guys healthy and a lot of regulars and veterans are returning to the lineup.

I could be wrong--easily--but I think it could be a really nice February for the Oilers.

Campaigns for the Next 'Faces of the NHL'

Patrick Kane at Deadspin.

Taylor Hall at Our Hometown.

And the news over the All-Star Game Weekend was that Columbus will host the 2013 All Star Game. This blog at this time next year will be getting some major coverage with me dispatching things from front and center to make some memories.

God I hope Taylor Hall is in C-Bus that weekend. It will be neat to have fans from all over Europe and Canada in town to see our city and celebrate hockey.

Oilers lose 3-2 Ovetime Thriller to Canucks

[Event Summary]
[Cult of Hockey]

I'm glad I watched this overtime, it was action-packed and high flying. The Oilers fell on the short end of the stick in a shootout after Ales Hemsky tied it up.

Taylor Hall, Goal #16. This one of the re-direct variety on the powerplay:

Taylor Hall's Shootout Magic Downs Sharks 2-1

 [Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

I've never understood why in the game of hockey when you hit a shootout goal that wins it, you don't get credit for a goal. It leaves things feeling hollow.

Oilers lose Battle of Alberta 6-2 to Flames

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey] [Edmonton Journal] [NHL.com]

In Saturday night’s dismal 6-2 loss to Calgary, what the fans were glued to, above all, was the passion and competitive fire of winger Taylor Hall, and not merely because of that raccoon-like shiner on his left eye.

Even as the seconds were ticking away in the third period of the club’s latest loss, there was Hall on his knees in the Oilers net, trying to stop a shot by Lee Stempniak, who buried the puck in the empty net for his third goal of the game.

Hall cursed, picked himself up, skated back to the Oilers bench, broke his stick and hollered at no one in particular and the whole team in general something to the effect of  “Why don’t we have a goalie?”

Oh boy. The Oilers better turn things around and start developing a winning culture at all costs here soon.

Taylor Hall looks like SHIT

Says he will try and play Saturday in the Battle of Alberta. He's definitely out tonight. Man these Edmonton Oilers are snake-bitten.