Game Review: Redwings at Oilers November 17, 2005

I suppose I'll write this thing period by period, so I don't overwhelm myself at the end of the game off my notes trying to recall each and every play... making a long tedious process that I give up on anyways.

1st Period:

The Redwings are just dead, they're beat tired. After a hard fought loss to Calgary last night, the last place you want to be in the NHL is the fast ice of the Rexall Place the next evening. Schedualing in a sense can work in the Oilers favor this year, and so can Calgary be a useful ally in wearing teams down before they show in the City of Champions.

The shots reflect this fact, the Wings are taking bad penalties and they seem to have trouble keeping up with the flow so far. A dose of mes. should be the order in between periods from Babcock. Or not, as that would result in a 36 hour drive and they seem to be fine even on dead legs.

Twice in two games I have to hand it to Ales Hemsky making vetern moves that the veterns of the Oilers do not realize. He seems to be the only Oiler that notices on the PP when the ref's arm goes up once again. Twice in two games everyone passed it around on a 5 on 4, and once it got to Hemsky, he passes it into the skates of an opposing player to get the whistle and a longer 5 on 3. I love little things like that.

Hemsky, while a fluky goal on his behalf, he needs to work on that shot and finishing sure goals.. deserved of all players to notch that one, because he earned the original penalty with the stick to the chops. Again with the vet move getting the whistle. Pronger's no look Magic Johnson pass has worked a couple times for the Oilers this season, a little more scouting by other teams would see Pronger doesn't shoot as often as he should, and the goal could have been prevented. No fault on anyone's part though, hell, he's Chris Pronger and if you look for the fake pass he'll bullet it right by your ear leaving you with that god damned whistle sound followed by an obnoxious Oiler crowd cheering and a horn blaring.

But the folly of the Oilers. Hard earned goal, and just as easily lost. Pronger coughs it up like he's Bobby fucking Beers, and we're all tied at one going into round two of this three round middleweight bout.

2nd Period:

"There comes a time when..... when.... " - Wayne Gretzky 1988.
I'll finish that sentence for him. When the Oilers need to suck it up and get a real goalie. A game the Oilers are dominating has been quickly been turned 3-1 Detroit by two quick goals. Raymond Ferraro may feel the defense is to blame, but both shots were stoppable, and able to see by most goalies.
Who are we fooling here? Markannen was a backup goalie for the Rangers. The Oilers gave up on him once, why would he be a #1 goalie now? Osgood was a UFA going into the fall, and he signed to Detroit for CHEAP. Instead he's a Redwing stopping everything the Oilers throw at him, while Jussi keeps trying to soccer kick every shot into the boards. With a clutch goalie, the score would probably be 1-0 still. Alas, it isn't and the Oilers are playing tentatively with fear of letting in another and starting a blow-out.
This isn't right. Lowe, please, do something. If not for the fans, for your legacy as GM.
The New Energy, is a bad energy that dies off extremely quick with horrible goaltending.

3rd Period:

Make it 3-2 Detroit, Oil down by 1 now but...
it just took the Oilers a lot of shots just to bury one. Against Edmonton, it only takes one clear shot (not a single goal tonight vs. Edmonton came on a rebound or tip). That to me is a problem.

Make it 3-3.
Well played Edmonton to keep the momentum after a goal, unlike when the Oilers in the first period and games prior to this have given up cheap ones moments after. It comes down to Osgood/Markannen now.
And the tired legs of Detroit. Will the Oilers capitalize and hand Detroit 2 losses?

4-3 Edmonton.
Beauty by Ethan Moreau, nothing but heart on the PK. Excellent pass by Horcoff, the Oilers are finally capitalizing on the dead legs of Detroit.

5-3 Edmonton.
Nice shot by Ryan Smyth, and despite my feelings about him... congrats on moving into #5 tie with Paul Coffey on the all time Oiler goal scoring list. It's an elite group and nobody can take that away from him. Also Horcoff gets 4 assists in one period, tying an Oiler record, which alone is remarkable considering the legacy of this team. Historical goal.

Detroit is dying on tired legs, and like I said in the first period all praise is due to Calgary for working them down.

5-4 Edmonton.
Detroit scores on the PP, with a man stickless. You could smell it coming. This is the worst position for the Oilers to be in. Confidence on this team is easily shattered. Let's see.

5-5.
Like I said. Choke. That's what they do. How can the Oilers leave that many RedWings to take a slap at a puck in front of the net?

Pre OT Comments:
If the Wings can kill this 4 on 3 PP, they should play for a Shootout win. A shaky Markkanen against the likes of Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Shanahan will mean a guaranteed win. But nothing is harder to defend than a 4on3 in OT, and nothing would be sweeter than to win it on a fuck up by a former Oiler Kirk Maltby sitting in the box.

OT:
Stoll slaps one home early in the 4on3. Game over, go home Detroit. Fuck you Maltby.

My players/retards of the game:

Stars:
EDM - Ales Hemsky. Veteren moves at critical times resulted in critical goals, including the OT winner.
DET - Chris Osgood. This team hung him out to dry, they were tired and let the Oilers fire away. Without Osgood, it would have been a win far before this point.

Retards:
EDM - Jussi Markkanen: One save 90% of the goalies in the league would have had, the Oilers wouldn't have had to play come from behind over and over.
DET - Kirk Maltby: A play at any other time could be overlooked, but running a goalie in the last 10 seconds of a tie game is unforgivable. Ended up costing Detroit a point.

Final thoughts: Streaky win by a streaky team. No wonder Craig MacTavish got so fucking much grey hair in 3 years. Until the goalie issues are solved the players will have to work their asses off all season long just to squeak out extra points. This isn't a good thing in the long run.