Oilers Finally Take Victory From Saddledome, Rout Flames 6-1

This was a must-win game for the Oilers.

Oh, don’t bring me your Western Conference charts that say the Oilers are mired in 14th place. I’m done looking at those numbers at least until June. Every game is a one game series at this point, especially after the trade deadline.

I’m pleased to say that the Oilers emerged victorious in this one-game series with the Calgary Flames. They did it with style, they did it with moxie. And, they did it with panache. Delicious panache.

Let’s start with who didn’t play first.

Ryan Jones and Cam Barker both got the night off last night. Jones had a goal in the February 17th game against the Avalanche, but was put up in the popcorn booth along with Cam Barker, who was scratched for ___________________________. Hopefully, you can write whatever it is that you’d like to write in there. If you need more room, leave a comment and I’ll be more than willing to accommodate reasonable requests.

THE FOUR GOAL SECOND

How many more times are we going to be able to see this?

I’ve yet to meet an Oilers fan that didn’t like Taylor Hall. Hall dishes a sweet cake over to Hemsky, and Hemsky makes good on the deed. Barring an eleventh hour miracle, Hemsky’s out of Edmonton come this Monday. Contracts, injuries, and bluster aside, I’m going to miss that guy.

This game is even sweeter when you consider the fact that (in jest or not) the Fan960 in Calgary basically guaranteed a victory over the Oilers last night. Not sure why any radio guys would make comments on things that may have a better than 1% chance of occurring, but that’s what happened, and I’m totally OK with that.

Let’s give away some stars.

DARCY HORDICHUK PLAYED OVER SEVEN MINUTES LAST NIGHT. Those Mayans have it right. 2012 is the end of the world. Now, Hordichuk got himself a bit more ice time because the game was 5-1 in the third, but give the guy a little leash when things are going right. At least they didn’t play him for fifty-nine seconds and say it was because of the pace of the game. Hordichuk was on the ice for the Calgary goal, but his Corsi finished at -2. Things were certainly not catastrophic for the fourth line.

REDEMPTION SONG: Devan Dubnyk only had 22 shots to face, but was in the driver’s seat for 21 of them. Makes forgetting the Vancouver game a bit easier.

EBS! Oh, no biggie. On the ice for three goals, scored one of them and assisted on the other two. But that’s just what second year players do.

Ryan Smyth also got off the schnied with a goal and an assist of his own. I’m really beginning to worry about this year’s contract situation. Not just Ryan Smyth’s, mind you. I’m also worried about what the end of 2012-13 looks like even more. This is why I’m going into full-court press mode when it comes to playoff talk. At the end of this season, of course.

MISC: Hell, Eric Belagner had a goal. How many times have we been able to make mention of that? If you said ‘three’, (including this one), then you’d be correct. Three. Speaking of things you don’t often get to say or hear, the Oilers had 42 shots in last night’s contest while the Flames could only muster 22. Mikka Kiprusoff was chased from his blue paint at the end of the second period. It was a good day to follow the Oilers. Might have even been a good day to be an Oiler, too.

It’s a one game series, 22 more times this year. And then there’s that nasty trade deadline that’s going to be happening on Monday.

Grant will be in Winnipeg checking out the Oilers at the Jets, while I’ll be your resident keyboard warrior for the majority of the day. You should stop by, I’m pretty sure there’ll be some beer, and some girls later on. Yeah, Ian will be here. Depending on how the day goes, I bet you he writes something full of vigour.

Yeah, we got a hot tub at the cottage, it’s the Trade Deadline for cryin’ out loud. So stop by. I’ll be working the controls til the trades stop coming in.

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