Monthly Archives: November 2015

Edmonton Oilers, Zach Laing

Oilers vs Hurricanes Preview – Storm Chasing

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TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: Edmonton Oilers (7-13-1) vs Carolina Hurricanes (7-10-4)

Location: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina

Time: 5:00 PM MT

Where to find it: TV: Sportsnet 360 – Radio: 630 CHED

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

The Carolina Hurricanes… woof…

Everytime the Oilers take on the Hurricanes, I can’t help but reminisce over the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Not over the heartbreaking Game Seven loss, but of the feeling surrounding the team the whole season. The success we once saw will soon return, and I can’t wait to see the first banner get raised to the rafters at Rogers Place in the years to come.

None the less, the Oilers need to focus on the now and not the future. This should be an interesting matchup tonight. The Hurricanes do a great job of suppressing shots (25.4 SA/gm), whereas the Oilers and their lethal top six loves to get pucks on net.

The Oilers have had success lately and there are lots of things going right for the team. A tough schedule to start the year hasn’t helped our efforts, but one of the better things I have noticed is that the systems are starting to show. Since last season, the Oilers have had a increase in CF% in all situations from 48.9 to 50.3. That percentage is good enough for 14th in the NHL – a nice change from the 22nd ranked CF last year.

The emergence of Leon Draisaitl has been big for the Oilers. In his first 10 games, he has scored 17 points. Good enough for the best point pace in the entire NHL. His linemate Taylor Hall isn’t far behind, ranking 5th in the league in that statistic.

“I think we’re all offensive guys and we all want to help the team win or get scoring chances,” said Draisaitl. “That’s the challenge for us tonight, to create as many scoring chances as we can.”

Anders Nilsson will make his fourth-straight start and his eighth in the last ten games.

Walter Foddis’ Pregame Analytics: 

The Otherside:

Forward Nathan Gerbe was placed on injured reserve Tuesday with a lower-body injury sustained in a 4-3 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday; general manager Ron Francis said Gerbe is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Defenseman Ryan Murphy remains day-to-day with a concussion; Murphy has missed four games and has been skating but not practicing. Carolina lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in overtime on Monday, scoring two goals in the third period to force overtime. The Hurricanes are 1-5-1 in their last seven games. “We have three points in our last two games, which is obviously good for our confidence and momentum,” defenseman Brett Pesce told the Hurricanes website after the loss. “We played the best in the third period (against Philadelphia), and we can carry that into the next game.” – nhl.com

Line Combos and Starting Goalies c/o Left Wing Lock:

Oilers (Anders Nilsson):


Hurricanes (Cam Ward):

  

Any ideas on how to improve my game previews? Send me an email at zjlaing@gmail.com.

 

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, Podcast

The Oilers Rig Radio is Back!

Hey folks! I’m writing this while the blog’s server is good. It’s been giving us fits this week hence the lack of action here are BLH. So with that said I’d like to let you know that you can hear me as well as the kick ass crew over at The Oilers Rig on Channel One Radio every Wednesday night at 7pm MST!!

Who are these kick ass people I speak of? Well, how about Alex Thomas, Dave Gordon, Jackie Dawson, and Sean Wingrave and the many more contributing behind the scenes. They’ve been too generous in allowing me to join in their podcasting fun and I’m not totally sure if Dave is regretting that decision to buy me a couple pints at the Tilted Kilt when I was home that fall but that’s a story for another day… If you’ve listened to The Oilers Rig Podcast in the past then you’ll know exactly who I’m talking about but if you haven’t and your cherry has yet to be burst by The Oilers Rig, then you my friends are in for a treat!

Channel One Radio is a local Edmonton Blues station that has made The Oilers Rig their go-to Edmonton Oilers resource. So if you’re into BB King, Muddy Waters and a weekly Edmonton Oilers recap, head on over to channeloneradio.org!

Me and Dave recorded the latest Oilers Rig podcast yesterday, which you can download on iTunes/Podcast Addict or stream on Soundcloud, and we got into some major issues from the past week including:

  • Travis Hamonic: Is he coming to Edmonton or not and what would Dave offer for him?
  • Is Nail Yakupov the next coming of Alexandre Daigle?
  • Who’s this Leon Draisaitl character?
  • Trading Nuge…
  • Cam Talbot’s never going to play again.
  • HF Boards contributor proposals
  • We know a guy who knows a guy who made himself look like a huge asshole in front of Connor McDavid last week…

Listen below and share it with all your friends and especially your friends who are Calgary Flames fans. There’s a special bit in there for them.

Kris Hansen, NHL

Edmonton Oilers BLH Weekly Round Up Nov 15th-21st

 

The Oilers had only two games on the docket this week with a 4-3 Overtime loss to Chicago on Wednesday and a good ol fashioned butt kicking 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Awesome. They got a possible 3 points out of four! That’s an actual positive and not a moral victory!

It’s crazy though. They are last in the Western Conference but only six points away from a playoff spot in the western conference.

Combine that with a five game eastern conference road trip and you have to think that the Oilers are going to get some points.

Edmonton Oilers Three Stars

3) Teddy Purcell Hey, it’s everyone’s favorite Edmonton Oiler! Teddy Purcell had recently worked with Adam Oates and it’s paying off. He reportedly cut four inches off of his stick and Purcell has been producing. He had 4 points this week, including three against Chicago. I’m noticing Purcell in a positive light and he’s making some outstanding passes and is fighting for the puck. He’s not flashy and not physical nor fast, so he’ll be in the doghouse of Oilers fans, but he’s a good player.

2) Taylor Hall Ah, don’t you love crow? That’s what people who were saying Trade Hall are eating right now. He’s firmly in the top five of league scoring. He too had four points, including a goal and two assists against New Jersey. Like Purcell, you can really see Hall’s play making ability. I mean that pass to Draisaitl for the first goal of the game. Just a beauty.

1) Leon Draisaitl This one was a pretty easy one as Draisaitl continues his massive tear in the NHL with a whopping 17 points. He’s tied with players like Kyle Turris, Kyle Okposo, Evegni Malkin and Steven Stamkos except it only took him ten games. Leon has been the best Edmonton Oiler and it’s not even close. Sure, he’s riding a 35% Shooting percentage which is definitely not sustainable, but you notice that Draisaitl is not scoring at garbage times: he’s usually scoring the first goal of the game, a tying goal, or a clinching goal. He had two goals and two assists this week and mirrored Hall in production against New Jersey with a goal and two assists.

Edmonton Oilers Trade Rumors. 

There was a huge trade rumor that is still lingering out there: Travis Hamonic of the New York Islanders requested a trade out of Long Island. It was not due to playing time, not liking the location but strictly for personal reasons. More interesting: Elliot Friedman speculates that it could take a three way trade for the Oilers to get land Hamonic. We had our very own analysis at Beer League Heroes concerning Hamonic. Also, a great blog Oilers Nerd Alert, did an advance stats look at Hamonic and is definitely worth a read.

 

Around The League

 

Highlights

Marleau’s 1000th point

 

NHL.com’s Plays of the Week

 

Ryan Kesler went as an undercover fan during a pre-season game

 

The Week Ahead

The Oilers play four games on the road this week:

Monday against Washington, Wednesday against Carolina, Saturday against Detroit and Sunday against Pittsburgh (plus a Monday tilt against Toronto)

In my opinion, that’s at least six points the Oilers can get this road trip.

That’s the week that was. Feel free to follow me on Twitter Oilers Fans!

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton Oilers Post Game Report, NHL

BLH Post Gamer G20 Oilers VS. Devils: Connor Who?

Photo courtesy of Andy Devlin

Is there a team you dread more than the New Jersey Devils when it comes to watching an NHL hockey game? Well that’s what I used to think when Lou Lamoriello was running the show in the Garden State. Geez, did you see the list of sh*t that the players were allowed to do and unallowed to do during the telecast last night? I mean honestly, if you’re injured you can’t join the team? Two Stanley Cups… Two! And that necessitates the kind of environment even the strictest of school masters wouldn’t be caught dead in? Good luck Toronto… Woof!

There was a game played and I missed the entire thing because I was teaching… So I’m catching up here.

The First Period

I’m going to go ahead and say that the most impressive part of it was that pass from Taylor Hall to Leon Draisaitl on the Oilers first goal. F’n beauty! I can also say I enjoyed the amount of possession the Oilers had during that period. It really seemed like they were giving the Devils’ young d-core a hard time with the urgency of their forecheck thus handcuffing them every time they tried to exit the defensive zone. On a bittersweet note, Nail Yakupov got four shots in that period which was equal to that of the entire New Jersey team. He wouldn’t have another shot the entire game.

Let’s see that Draisaitl goal though!

The Second Period

Zzzzzzzz… Kyle Palmieri scored on the power play for the Devils. Zzzzzzz…

Did anybody else think that Nilsson went down a tad… Check that. A shat load early? Palmieri had that whole corner to pick from the time he picked up the puck to the moment he shot it.

Just barely a minute later though… Draihalcell striked again! Leon with a deft little pass between the legs of the NJ defender, whilst being hit in the corner, to Teddy Purcell; who sucked Kinkaid in, leaving a pinching Oscar Klefbom WIDE open for Purcell to hit with a no-looker. K-bom tucks it home and Bob’s your uncle! Oilers led 2-1 at this point!

Anders Nilsson made a pretty crucial save not long after that goal. Brandon Davidson tried to skate the puck from his own zone through the neutral but got stopped at center ice by Jordan Tootoo who walked past him and proceeded to partake in a 2v1 with Josefson and Griffin Reinhart. To Davidson’s credit he hauled ass back and attempted a diving block from behind but ultimately failed, leaving Anders the Giant to save the day.

Click the pic and head over to the BLH Merch Shop to pick up a shirt or a hoodie!

At around the 10 min mark of the second it dawned on me that the Devils were doing to the Oilers what the Oilers had done to the Devils in the first period. They were suffocating them on the forecheck and not allowing the Oilers to get set or to move the puck efficiently. After a few more minutes of that Anton Lander takes another bad penalty…

What’s the over/under on Lander’s trade from the Oilers at this point? I mean he’s taking bad penalties on a nightly basis it seems and untimely ones to boot.

Edmonton ended the second frame with consecutive man advantages sans goals… Disappointing to say the least.

Earlier I noted that Yakupov wouldn’t get anymore shots on net but he had two glorious chances on the PP in the second stanza. He was set up for one-timers and both missed the net… Boo… At least he looks like he’s working his ass off out there.

The Third Period

The Devils started this period of by lulling the crowd to sleep and killing off the penalty they picked up at the end of the second. But they couldn’t help themselves and they took another penalty around the 3 minute mark for which they were punished accordingly.

SQUEEEEE!!!

Jordan Eberle scored what might be considered a Ryan Smyth Special meaning it was about as ugly as they come for #14 but a helluva bank shot off Stempniak’s skate. Check it out below!

The following shift Bobby Farnham got smoked by Griffin Reinhart and was a tad pissed and decided to take runs at whoever would stay in one place long enough. He was buzzing around all night and as much as it might annoy the hockey purists, I love players like him. The one problem with Farnham is that he’s lacking a moral compass. He’ll fight anybody anytime anywhere. He just doesn’t give a hoot. But as for his physical game. I dig it.

The game went back and forth for another 10 minutes or so until Mike Cammalleri decided to put a pass right on Mark Letestu’s stick in the slot of his own zone whilst attempting to break out. Letestu zipped it past the New Jersey netminder to make it 4-1. That was his first goal in the last 13 games and I’m sure a relief to everyone given Edmonton’s lack of depth scoring this year.

The Oilers scored one more, an empty netter from Taylor Hall to seal the deal.

So all-in-all a great effort from the boys in orange and blue. I think a lopsided victory in favor of the Oilers was really what the doctor ordered and it’s the kind of result that will carry with the boys going into Washington next week. Draisaitl and Hall continued their torrid scoring but Yakupov’s lack of is starting to get worrisome. Anders Nilsson’s performance was stellar and I’m really happy with the way the Oilers defence did given they were without Andrej Sekera. Lastly, when’s the last time the 4th line got over 7 minutes a night? Anton Lander had nearly the same amount of TOI as Leon Draisaitl but LD got 3 points and AL got a penalty.

Washington will be a different beast BUT we’ve seen that the Oilers can hang with the best of them this year and they will be looking to get revenge from the shellacking they took the last time the two teams got together. Is anybody else hoping Anders Nilsson gets the call again?

Have a good one folks!

BLH

Lots of big names on this list… Check out #33… 10 games played… #WheresSamBennett
Edmonton Oilers, Zach Laing

Oilers vs Devils Preview – Dancing with the Devil

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Game: Edmonton Oilers (6-12-1) vs New Jersey Devils (10-7-1)

Location: Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta

Time: 7:30 PM MT

Where to find it: TV: Sportsnet Oilers – Radio: 630 CHED

Edmonton Oilers Preview:

Coming off the heels of a heartbreaking loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Oilers will look to bounce back against a Devils team that has surprised many this season. They have jumped off to a 10-7-1 start, and show no signs of slowing down. Mike Cammalleri has led the charge offensively, scoring six goals and twelve assists in the team’s first eighteen games of the season

Not bad for a player the Flames didn’t want to pay. On top of that, the Oilers need look out for young center Adam Henrique, who has scored fourteen points in the teams first eighten games.

I was quite impressed with the fight the Oilers showed on Wednesday night. Slowly, the Oilers are gaining respect around this league for a team that shows no quit. Again, I understand the record doesn’t show what I personally see, but trust me when I say this team’s record will improve this season.

Todd McLellan has done a great job thus far with what he has in front of him. The defence is still hot garbage, so hopefully a trade can be facilitated to help improve that aspect. Goaltending has been sub-par at best this season, but with a bad defence how can you expect the goalies to play well?

One of the more impressive things this season is that the Oilers currently have eight players with over ten points which in and of itself has been quite impressive. Teddy Purcell has been one of the hottest Oilers of late, scoring six points in his last five games while Leon Draisaitl is currently on a four game, seven point scoring streak.

The Oilers hold a 4-2-4 record in their last 10 games against the Devils, earning points in seven of their last eight games against New Jersey. Four of the last six meetings between these two teams have been settled in overtime or a shootout.

Walter Foddis’ Pregame analytics:

The Otherside:

Forward Mike Cammalleri, who has one goal and four points in the past two games, didn’t practice Thursday because of illness, but coach John Hynes expects him to be available. Forward Patrik Elias, who has yet to make his season debut because of a knee injury, filled in for Cammalleri on a line with Henrique and Lee Stempniak, according to Northjersey.com. Elias is not expected to play. Goalie Keith Kinkaid will make his fourth start of the season. Kinkaid has never faced Edmonton. Forward Tyler Kennedy, who joined the Devils on Wednesday under a professional tryout contract, practiced for the second straight day. He skated as an extra along with forward Stefan Matteau and defenseman Eric Gelinas. Forward Bobby Farnham has goals in consecutive games after scoring in a 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. – nhl.com

Line Combos and Starting Goalies:

Oilers (Anders Nilsson):


Oilers lineup c/o Daily Faceoff

Devils (Keith Kinkaid):

 
Blackhawks lineup c/o Daily Faceoff

Any ideas on how to improve my game previews? Send me an email at zjlaing@gmail.com.