Darnell Nurse's Debut Spoiled by two late goals

[Event Summary]

[Cult of Hockey]

Everyone was highly anticipating the debut of Darnell Nurse, and he did not disappoint. In fact, Nurse and Connor McDavid were probably the biggest highlights on the night for the Oilers.

What I'll remember from this game, is Nurse's unbelievable slapshot to give the Oilers the lead on his first career goal; and Connor McDavid's sick stick moves that almost juked Devan Dubnyk out of his skates. Nurse also showed exceptional fire and speed.



McDavid logged his 5th assist of the season on a Taylor Hall goal, Hall's fourth of the season. It seems like McDavid is just scoring every game. This has gone on well over a week now. Hall also added his fourth assist.

There is some talk - and lack of evidence - that this incarnation of the Oilers in 2015-2016 is no better than past iterations. Edmonton is 3-7-0 and has Montreal coming to town off a loss tomorrow night. This is enormous trouble, and the Oilers will need a strong homestand to turn the season around; or it could be another lost year in this final season at Rexall.

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 lose 4-3 to Wild

[Event Summary]

NHL.com | Edmonton Journal 

I didn't get to watch last night's game because I was over at my buddy Joe's place watching the Baylor/Washington Alamo Bowl. But I kept my eye on the Oilers score and it looks like I missed a great game from Taylor Hall. The Oilers again fail to win in Minnesota, no surprise there. 

Here's Hall's goodies from last evening:

Goal #10:


Unbelievable assist:

• Are the Blue Jackets cursed?
• Winter Classic is Sunday, I still remember the first one I ever saw in 2007. Here's the five things about this 2012 Winter Classic.

Tomorrow the Oil play in New York against the Islanders, 1:00 start. Nice little New Years Eve contest going on, along with most of the NHL. I'll be over at my aunt's for an early lunch and hopefully back in time to catch it.

Rexall Showdown a Few Days Before Christmas

 

Image via Twitter

Oilers vs. the Minnesota Wild tonight in Edmonton. Hockey-Reference says that the Oilers are a 53% win probability. It never feels like a win when the Oilers go up against the boring Wild. But lets see if the Oilers can break out the holiday cheer a few days before Santa arrives and snap this dreadful streak.

Hope Hallsy buries a few in the net.

Oilers can't close out Wild, lose 2-1 in shootout

[Event Summary]
[Cult of Hockey]

Second game in a row that I went to sleep with the Oilers leading 1-0 heading into the third period and at the end of the game, the Oilers found a way to lose instead of close it out for the win. They fall to 2-2-2 on the season with six points tallied. They should be a lot better off than that.

From NHL.com:

The Oilers were two seconds away from a 1-0 shutout before Minnesota's Dany Heatley beat Nikolai Khabibulin with 1.2 seconds left in regulation. After a scoreless overtime, Matt Cullen scored the only goal of the shootout, giving the Wild a 2-1 win that stunned the full house of 16,839 at Rexall Place


Jordan Eberle's and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins' efforts were stopped in the shootout before Eric Belanger hit the post to end the game. Cullen, Minnesota's first shooter in the tiebreaker, came in slowly before whipping a backhander under the crossbar on the Wild's first try.

 Ugh.

The Bulin Wall's 30 saves were not enough because he didn't make the final save of the game. That's why Hockey is so painful yet so intriguing at the same time. I would think that 99.9% of fans watching this game had the Oilers going off as a winner last night. And it didn't happen. And until the Oilers learn to close and score one more goal that makes the other team quit on the night this is going to keep happening.

My playoff predictions may have been premature.

It's a hockey night

First counting hockey night of the year for Edmonton Oilers fans. They play host to the Vancouver Canucks at Rexall Place coming off the heels of a 2-1 OT loss in Minnesota on Thursday night. I was pretty upset the Oilers

Tonight's game also comes with a little good news, the Oilers are one step closer to the new YEG arena being completed. It's looking like a foregone conclusion that the Oilers are going to get their new arena, and I couldn't be happier that the Oilers are staying in such a rich hockey town.

I hope Taylor Hall nets a goal tonight and gets in the point box. He seems to have a flare for the dramatics on Saturdays and Hockey Nights. I'll be back with a nice post-game post after CBC's broadcast tonight most likely.