Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Edmonton Arena Deal. Done.
BOOYAH.
Finally... the Edmonton Oilers are staying for good.
I need to start saving for hotel and air fare now.
Finally... the Edmonton Oilers are staying for good.
I need to start saving for hotel and air fare now.
Taylor Hall is Sorry He's Not Sorry, Vancouver
Eberle, Hall, and Nugent-Hopkins were the causation.
If you want the full story, head over to Cult of Hockey.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
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.
[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.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Rick Rypien article in Vancouver Sun
I haven't read the whole thing yet, but this was a good article in the Vancouver Sun on the struggles of Rick Rypien.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Oilers lose to Calgary Flames rally, 2-1
[Event Summary]
[NHL.com] [Cult of Hockey]
I went to bed with the Oilers up 1-0 on the strength of a Tom Gilbert goal. Then I realized that Taylor Hall had the flu and got the DNP.
After that I decided that I wasn't going to watch the game. And when I woke up in the middle of the night and refreshed the NHL app scoreboard on my iPhone, I was not surprised to see the '1-0' lead morph into 2-1 Calgary.
The Oilers are 2-2-1. And they're showing that they're just slightly improved rather than a legit playoff team.
Hopefully Taylor Hall is back from the flu on Thursday evening.
[NHL.com] [Cult of Hockey]
I went to bed with the Oilers up 1-0 on the strength of a Tom Gilbert goal. Then I realized that Taylor Hall had the flu and got the DNP.
After that I decided that I wasn't going to watch the game. And when I woke up in the middle of the night and refreshed the NHL app scoreboard on my iPhone, I was not surprised to see the '1-0' lead morph into 2-1 Calgary.
The Oilers are 2-2-1. And they're showing that they're just slightly improved rather than a legit playoff team.
Hopefully Taylor Hall is back from the flu on Thursday evening.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Oilers top Preds at Rexall
The Oilers dropped a pretty good team last night (Nashville was 44-27-11 last year) by a score of 3-1, and they out-shot their opponent 25 to 12.
It was Ryan Smyth bobble-head night in Edmonton. He scored the game winning goal and assisted on an empty netter.
These guys are doing about what I thought they would do. They're playing well at home and logging points at a playoff-contender like clip. They got good goal-tending from Nikolai Khabibulin, who only allowed one goal. He's making it as though Devan Dubnyk is going to really have to battle to earn the majority of games.
Strong games were logged by Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Tom Gilbert and the captain Shawn Horcoff. Horcoff logged three assists and Taylor Hall scored on a beautiful goal on the PP.
Tonight the Oilers travel to Calgary for the Battle of Alberta, the first of the year. I have fond memories of this rivalry as when I first started following the Oilers they beat the Flames 4-0 on opening night.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday Puck Drops
-Oilers play the Preds tonight at 9:30 ET. It's been a little while since the Oilers have had a win, hopefully it comes tonight. It's Ryan Smyth bobble-head night.
-Sidney Crosby is back tonight.
-A Detroit Red Wing with a huge lipper in at 30,000 feet. Tweeting.
-December Hockey Night, with an Ottawa blogger.
-This day in Habs History. And this day in hockey history with an Oilers twist.
-Sidney Crosby is back tonight.
-A Detroit Red Wing with a huge lipper in at 30,000 feet. Tweeting.
-December Hockey Night, with an Ottawa blogger.
-This day in Habs History. And this day in hockey history with an Oilers twist.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Oilers lose 4-3 to Canucks on Hockey Night
Taylor Hall got robbed of a goal--but it was able to give Ryan Nugent Hopkins his first hat trick of his career. Hall had two assists on the night and was +2, but the Oilers in the end fell to 1-1-1 on the season with a 4-3 loss to the Canucks on Hockey Night in Canada.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Oilers Opening Night
That was an epic opener.
There were definite lulls in the play last night, but to go with it there was a certain degree of magic. The number one overall draft pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tying the game 1-1 at 15:05 of the third period with his first NHL goal--spanking in a backhand assisted by Taylor Hall and Tom Gilbert.
It was one of those magical, defining moments that you only know you're witnessing right when you see it.
The Oil battled hard, killing off each and every powerplay opportunity that the Penguins mounted. A huge part of that was Devan Dubnyk. He was absolutely lights out, matching and then outplaying Brent Johnson all the way into a shootout that would see the Oilers victorious after makes from Jordan Eberle and Ales Hemsky.
Something felt different about last night's game. This Oiler team is up and coming, and they can play with anyone on any given night. Tom Renney is now 8-0 in season openers. That is absolutely amazing.
No one out there is predicting them to do this thing this year and make a playoff run. Except this blogger. This team will be in it until the end. No one planned on Dubnyk arriving as a big-time goalie and no one outside of Edmonton and the people who watch the young signature talent on this team will know of the run they're about to make until it happens. But when they are put on notice after a hot start, the Oilers will have to adjust.
I think that this was a storybook start to what is going to be a special season.
And my God is Hockey season magical. Everything about it.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Oh my God I'm hooked on Fantasy Hockey
Last night even with the baseball playoffs going on I couldn't get enough of my fantasy hockey teams!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Opening Night 2011
-Pro Hockey Talk has their predictions for 2011-2012.
-Their Eastern Conference Playoff teams here.
-And their Western Conference Playoff teams.
-SB Nation has 5 things to watch from Opening Night.
-Opening night preview of the 3 games of the evening from Sporting News.
-Nice write up about Taylor Hall by a former player. He expects Hall to have a big year. He also adds Eastern & Western conference predictions.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Hockey Season Traditions
For me, I like going to Tim Horton's before the Oilers games and then listening on the radio or watching on the net. It's a new tradition I started last year when I started following the Oilers. I used to like putting in a chew of dip tobacco right at the first face off but I know I need to quit and I am trying to.
I love the games around new years day (for the time off work and it's around the time of year that games are getting into full swing) and have watched the Winter Classic for the past several years just as hard as I watch college bowl games.
I also take my wife to watch some high school hockey at the local rink on a couple friday nights each winter after the first snow. It's fun to watch how hard these HS aged kids battle.
I love game day reading the fish wrap each morning in the Edmonton Journal to get me ready for that night's game.
I also like finding hockey books at Barnes & Noble bookstore and piling them 3 or 4 high and deciding on one to take home and enjoy each hockey season.
There's more I'll think of but I am excited for this time of year and for some of these favorite traditions of mine to make a return. It's almost here!
I love the games around new years day (for the time off work and it's around the time of year that games are getting into full swing) and have watched the Winter Classic for the past several years just as hard as I watch college bowl games.
I also take my wife to watch some high school hockey at the local rink on a couple friday nights each winter after the first snow. It's fun to watch how hard these HS aged kids battle.
I love game day reading the fish wrap each morning in the Edmonton Journal to get me ready for that night's game.
I also like finding hockey books at Barnes & Noble bookstore and piling them 3 or 4 high and deciding on one to take home and enjoy each hockey season.
There's more I'll think of but I am excited for this time of year and for some of these favorite traditions of mine to make a return. It's almost here!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Oilers Opening Night is less than a week away
Less than a week from now, on Sunday night the Edmonton Oilers will open their season at a little hockey palace called Rexall Place against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The #1 overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will start the season in Edmonton.
The video is from one year ago at this time.
The #1 overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will start the season in Edmonton.
The video is from one year ago at this time.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Taylor Hall 'The Cup' Rookie Card
I wanted a Taylor Hall Rookie Card from Upper Deck--it's called 'The Cup' apparently. They just looked really snazzy and it featured not only a clearly signed autograph of my favorite hockey player but also a piece of his game worn jersey in the form of a patch.
I go to Ebay to check it out, and sure enough; it's between $2,300 and $3,500 dollars.
With my wife no longer working full-time and still in school; there's no feasible way I will own one of these 99 cards.
I go to Ebay to check it out, and sure enough; it's between $2,300 and $3,500 dollars.
With my wife no longer working full-time and still in school; there's no feasible way I will own one of these 99 cards.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
This is what Hockey is all about
This is why I love Canadian hockey and a Canadian team:
Canadian hockey fans are amazing. As was the case in 2010, I felt the pull of the magnet to check out the prospects every single day. I was far from alone; every day hundreds of local hockey fans gathered in Millennium Place to do the same, many of them on more than one occasion. Sitting among those fans from day to day, chatting casually about this prospect or that, I felt a strong sense of community, of a shared and deep-rooted interest. Just as the 31 scrubs on the ice represented the seedlings of Oilers future, those who gathered to watch them were the grass roots fans of the club, and of the game. More so than at an actual Oilers game, where availability and affordability are issues. Not much corporate schmoozing going on at Millennium Place, just interested folks keeping a watchful eye on the hopefuls below. Lots of room for kids, and for interaction with some of the sweaty heroes at the end of the day.
Man, is the season here yet?
Canadian hockey fans are amazing. As was the case in 2010, I felt the pull of the magnet to check out the prospects every single day. I was far from alone; every day hundreds of local hockey fans gathered in Millennium Place to do the same, many of them on more than one occasion. Sitting among those fans from day to day, chatting casually about this prospect or that, I felt a strong sense of community, of a shared and deep-rooted interest. Just as the 31 scrubs on the ice represented the seedlings of Oilers future, those who gathered to watch them were the grass roots fans of the club, and of the game. More so than at an actual Oilers game, where availability and affordability are issues. Not much corporate schmoozing going on at Millennium Place, just interested folks keeping a watchful eye on the hopefuls below. Lots of room for kids, and for interaction with some of the sweaty heroes at the end of the day.
Man, is the season here yet?
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