EDMONTON OILERS 1
VS.
LA KINGS 2
--------------------------
And so our sad journey comes to an effective end. I know many people will ask where it all went wrong this year; plain and simple it was because THIS happened way too many times. We had nights where every rebound was out of reach, we were always on our back foot when we needed to be on our front, everything just crummy.
Roloson letting in that first goal really stung; but to say we'd ever have gotten that second goal...I really don't know. We could have had about 10 good ones tonight and only got 1 lucky one. That's not acceptable. Not that it was really likely to matter as this is WAY too little WAY too late but we still want to see the team go down gunning.
How you lose 7 of the last 9 now...I really don't know.
You know who was great tonight? Theo Peckham. Man was he ever good. He may have made ONE bad decision tonight. Maybe. Every time the puck came to him he made a solid play. He was on the right side of every man, hit people, got in a fight. The guy was excellent. I hope he's given 20 and 20 against the Flames; he really deserves it. He also got shots through the appropriate lanes from the blue line. If he wasn't stuck with Strudwick I think he may have done some damage offensively. He also had at least 2 excellent pinches. Tonight he was our best defenceman with the season on the line. I don't know whether that says more about him or the other guys.
Gilbert was pretty solid, but Souray and Staios were pedestrian at best, Strudwick was invisible and poor Denis had him self a HORRIBLE first 2 periods. I don't know where that came from. Then he gets robbed by Quick on a beauty.
Our first line was pretty MIA. Sure Kotalik got some shots away, but that was about it. The other too weren't all that great. Especially Horcoff.
The second line was pretty solid but couldn't make anything happen. Third was iffy; Moreau was utterly putrid with the puck at times tonight. He blew 3 dead cold gimmes out there tonight. Cogliano was okay.
Fourth line might have been among the best again which is really sad. I'm not sure how Brodziak missed some of his chances I have no idea. He makes a really smart play and catches the puck in front in the second...then misses???? Penner was alright and didn't get enough ice time. Stortini did well for himself, though not as well as lately.
I have trouble formulating thoughts about this game...perhaps you guys have some more detailed thoughts. All that dominates my mind right now is the stacked up disappointment of a year that should have been a lot of fun and turned into the most frustrating year of my season ticket holding.
Friday versus Calgary could still be fun I suppose...booze may be required.
3 comments:
Enjoyed your report. Losing 7 of 9 in a playoff race says something about the entire Oilers organization. Heads should roll but Katz employees his buddies so the only losers here are the fans. Wish I was wrong.
As do I.
Looking at the conference standings it is painfully obvious why the Oilers missed the playoffs.
They allowed too many goals.
Only 3 teams in the west allowed more goals.If Roloson is as good as his on the board defenders think he is then the Oilers defensive strategy is clearly ineffective. Maybe the defensive strategy is poor or the players are incapable of playing the MacT responsible defense.
7 teams scored more goals than the Oilers in the west. Columbus scored less but also allowed 25 less against.
Scoring may be an issue but better defense and these guys make the playoffs.
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