Tomorrow's news today - Oilers take Game 1
I used to be a newspaper reporter and consulted my crystal ball and am filing this report on the game. Now feel free to skip the game and go bowling or something, now that you know the result.
Oilers win first battle against Mighty Ducks
By MoneyGuy
Special Report for Esksfans.com
The Edmonton Oilers chose to stick with a familiar script Friday in beating the Anaheim Mighty Ducks 3-2 to win the first battle of what promises to be a tough war.
The Oilers gave up an early goal on an error by goaltender Dwayne Roloson, who atoned for his miscue to turn in a spectacular performance for the last 58 minutes to backstop the Oilers’ win.
It was Edmonton native Joffrey Lupul who capitalized on Roloson’s mistake to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead just 1:47 into the game. Roloson had gone behind the Oiler net to play a puck that eluded the goalie and went to Teemu Selanne, who centred to Lupul. Roloson raced back into the net in time to get a piece of Lupul’s shot, but it wasn’t enough.
That was the only goal of the first period, an otherwise uneventful period in which the Oilers outshot the Ducks10-9. The Oilers seemed to capitalize on the rusty Ducks, who didn’t get off to a good start, perhaps due to a long layoff since sweeping Colorado over a week earlier.
“We knew we had to get on them right from the first faceoff,” said forward Ryan Smyth. “We wanted to take the crowd out of the game and get on the Ducks because we felt they would not be in top form. We felt we can play better, and know that we’ll have to play better if we’re to win this series.”
The Oilers turned the game in their favour over the course of the last two periods. They scored the first of three straight goals five minutes into the second period when Smyth cashed in on a rebound off of a Chris Pronger shot from the point on a two-man powerplay.
The Oilers had the advantage when a hooking penalty to Ryan Getzlaf on a speeding Michael Peca followed 57 seconds after a holding-the-stick penalty to defenceman Jason Marshall.
The Oilers took nine penalities during the game, compared to 11 for the Ducks. Smyth’s was the game’s only powerplay goal.
The Oilers took their first lead of the game at 12:19 of the second period on a spectacular play by Ales Hemsky, who took a breakout pass on a play started by defenceman Jason Smith. That play followed a two-on-one-break on which Roloson made a spectacular glove save off of the Ducks’ Andy McDonald.
“I cheated a bit as I thought the pass would go over to McDonald,” Roloson said after the game. “I made a bad play on the first goal to put us in a bit of a hole but the offence came around and won this game for us.”
The backchecking Oilers managed to stem a bit of pressure after that save, then saw an opportunity to isolate Hemsky on a lone defenceman. Smith picked up the puck in the corner, skated to the faceoff circle. His pass to Smyth just across the Oiler blueline was quickly sent up the boards to Hemsky, who turned defender Ruslan Salei around to get a partial breakaway.He beat Ducks’ Ilya Bryzgalov with a top-corner shot, just under the crossbar.
“The puck rolled a little on me,” Hemsky said, “but I managed to get it under control in time to get it past (Bryzgalov).”
The Oilers made the game 3-1 almost seven minutes into the third period when Raffi Torres intercepted a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone, then hit Jarrett Stoll with a pass as the two crossed the blueline. Stoll beat Bryzgalov with a shot that was obscured by defenceman Jason Marshall, who attempted to block the shot.
Edmonton managed to hold the lead until late in the third period when the Ducks pressured. With Bryzgalov off for an extra attacker, Anaheim capitalized when Corey Perry took a pass from Todd Marchant to beat Roloson from the right faceoff circle.
However, the frantic Ducks couldn’t get the tying goal, enabling the Oilers to take the series lead.
“I guess we felt the effects of the long layoff,” said Ducks’ forward Rob Neidermayer. “It’s no excuse. We have to play better. We will play better.”
The Oilers were full measure for their victory, outshooting the Ducks 28-24 and using their speed to generate more good scoring chances.
Coach Craig McTavish said the game went much the way he had hoped. “We wanted to come in here and split the first two games,” McTavish said. “Now, of course, our goal is to win both games, but we’re satisfied with the result of this one. We know the Ducks will come out flying on Sunday, so we have to be ready.”
The game saw several big bodychecks, particularly a crushing centre-ice hit on Teemu Selanne by Michael Peca. Salanne lay on the ice for several seconds while player shoved each other, although no fights resulted.
The game was as physical as had been expected, with Ducks forward Jeff Friesen and Oilers defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron each leaving the game with injuries. Both players finished the game.
The game’s three stars were Smyth, Bryzgalov and Peca, who had two assists and was a force all game long with his physical play.
Game 2 goes Sunday in Anaheim.
Disclaimer: MG doesn't really have a crystal ball. But I do hope you like the result.
Oilers win first battle against Mighty Ducks
By MoneyGuy
Special Report for Esksfans.com
The Edmonton Oilers chose to stick with a familiar script Friday in beating the Anaheim Mighty Ducks 3-2 to win the first battle of what promises to be a tough war.
The Oilers gave up an early goal on an error by goaltender Dwayne Roloson, who atoned for his miscue to turn in a spectacular performance for the last 58 minutes to backstop the Oilers’ win.
It was Edmonton native Joffrey Lupul who capitalized on Roloson’s mistake to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead just 1:47 into the game. Roloson had gone behind the Oiler net to play a puck that eluded the goalie and went to Teemu Selanne, who centred to Lupul. Roloson raced back into the net in time to get a piece of Lupul’s shot, but it wasn’t enough.
That was the only goal of the first period, an otherwise uneventful period in which the Oilers outshot the Ducks10-9. The Oilers seemed to capitalize on the rusty Ducks, who didn’t get off to a good start, perhaps due to a long layoff since sweeping Colorado over a week earlier.
“We knew we had to get on them right from the first faceoff,” said forward Ryan Smyth. “We wanted to take the crowd out of the game and get on the Ducks because we felt they would not be in top form. We felt we can play better, and know that we’ll have to play better if we’re to win this series.”
The Oilers turned the game in their favour over the course of the last two periods. They scored the first of three straight goals five minutes into the second period when Smyth cashed in on a rebound off of a Chris Pronger shot from the point on a two-man powerplay.
The Oilers had the advantage when a hooking penalty to Ryan Getzlaf on a speeding Michael Peca followed 57 seconds after a holding-the-stick penalty to defenceman Jason Marshall.
The Oilers took nine penalities during the game, compared to 11 for the Ducks. Smyth’s was the game’s only powerplay goal.
The Oilers took their first lead of the game at 12:19 of the second period on a spectacular play by Ales Hemsky, who took a breakout pass on a play started by defenceman Jason Smith. That play followed a two-on-one-break on which Roloson made a spectacular glove save off of the Ducks’ Andy McDonald.
“I cheated a bit as I thought the pass would go over to McDonald,” Roloson said after the game. “I made a bad play on the first goal to put us in a bit of a hole but the offence came around and won this game for us.”
The backchecking Oilers managed to stem a bit of pressure after that save, then saw an opportunity to isolate Hemsky on a lone defenceman. Smith picked up the puck in the corner, skated to the faceoff circle. His pass to Smyth just across the Oiler blueline was quickly sent up the boards to Hemsky, who turned defender Ruslan Salei around to get a partial breakaway.He beat Ducks’ Ilya Bryzgalov with a top-corner shot, just under the crossbar.
“The puck rolled a little on me,” Hemsky said, “but I managed to get it under control in time to get it past (Bryzgalov).”
The Oilers made the game 3-1 almost seven minutes into the third period when Raffi Torres intercepted a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone, then hit Jarrett Stoll with a pass as the two crossed the blueline. Stoll beat Bryzgalov with a shot that was obscured by defenceman Jason Marshall, who attempted to block the shot.
Edmonton managed to hold the lead until late in the third period when the Ducks pressured. With Bryzgalov off for an extra attacker, Anaheim capitalized when Corey Perry took a pass from Todd Marchant to beat Roloson from the right faceoff circle.
However, the frantic Ducks couldn’t get the tying goal, enabling the Oilers to take the series lead.
“I guess we felt the effects of the long layoff,” said Ducks’ forward Rob Neidermayer. “It’s no excuse. We have to play better. We will play better.”
The Oilers were full measure for their victory, outshooting the Ducks 28-24 and using their speed to generate more good scoring chances.
Coach Craig McTavish said the game went much the way he had hoped. “We wanted to come in here and split the first two games,” McTavish said. “Now, of course, our goal is to win both games, but we’re satisfied with the result of this one. We know the Ducks will come out flying on Sunday, so we have to be ready.”
The game saw several big bodychecks, particularly a crushing centre-ice hit on Teemu Selanne by Michael Peca. Salanne lay on the ice for several seconds while player shoved each other, although no fights resulted.
The game was as physical as had been expected, with Ducks forward Jeff Friesen and Oilers defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron each leaving the game with injuries. Both players finished the game.
The game’s three stars were Smyth, Bryzgalov and Peca, who had two assists and was a force all game long with his physical play.
Game 2 goes Sunday in Anaheim.
Disclaimer: MG doesn't really have a crystal ball. But I do hope you like the result.
Comment