And that’s the series. There’s absolutely no way that Edmonton can win with Ty Conklin or Jussi Markannen.
Ugh…I know this is supposed to be the sarcastic smilie but just for now let it represent the non-existent nauseous one. :rolleyes:
If Ty Conklin somehow manages to win this series, I don’t know…I can only hope.
I think it’ll be Jussi. However – let’s look at this game. The Oilers outplayed the Canes for 40 solid minutes. Ward had 4 brilliant Highlight-quality saves including two on Horcoff that I yelled “GOAL” before realizing he had them - and he still let in four goals. (one PS, yes, but still, that was due to hard work by the Oil). If we can somehow convince Marc-Andre Bergeron to preemptively go into witness protection for his own good and replace him with Tarnstrom (and convince Spacek to shoot the damn puck once in awhile), it can be done. The Canes are incredibly sloppy in their own zone, and Edmonton has the size advantage. Edmonton’s defensive zone work has been outstanding these whole playoffs, and if anyone can rally the troops, it’s Pronger, Smyth and co. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, and I’m not saying the Canes aren’t significant favourites now, but I’m rising up from the bowel tightening statement from McT and seeing that it can be done.
Roloson out is a huge blow to the team. However…
One of the reasons Roloson has such a great save percentage is not just because he’s an outstanding goalie, but because Edmonton generally doesn’t let the opposition get quality scoring chances. A lot of shots Roloson has faced are from the point, or otherwise from some distance away. The Oilers defense is very good at keeping the shooting lanes blocked and clearing the puck when it gets in front of the net.
Still… Conklin looked very shakey in the few minutes he was on the ice. And man, poor guy. He gets put in for the first time in the closing minutes of game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals with the score all tied up… And he mishandles the puck and gives away the winning goal. Not quite as bad as Steve Smith shooting the puck off his own goalie into the net, but pretty bad. He’ll never win it down, unless the Oilers win the cup.
This was my thought as well. One of the reasons that Detroit went down is that Edmonton kept all of the shots outside and kept the goalie from being screened, If they can keep Carolina from getting close and getting someone parked in front of the net, they can still win the series. They can still play the trap to cover the Carolina speed and have their forwards pounce when the hurricances press.
Anyone who says the Oilers can’t win the Cup without Roloson is forgetting that a few months ago people would have laughed at you if you said they could win the Cup WITH Roloson.
In six games, anything can happen.
People who are saying the Oilers can still win didn’t watch the 60 Oilers games prior to acquiring Roloson. Juice and Conks couldn’t do it, no reason to believe they’ll magically learn how now.
That said, Oil in 6.
Edmonton always plays best as the underdog. I cannot count the number of come-from-behind third periods I’ve seen the Oil pull out. Oilers got a huge heart, if that heart doesn’t die from disillusionment, OIL IN SIX.
Nah, after that misplay behind the net, I’m not sure the Oil can win one. The only thing that gives me hope for them is the fact that in that close game, 2 Canes’ goals were weak. (The last one and the shorthanded breakaway) That gives The edge to the Oil, but the drop in talent goes way down, and now they are playing every game from behind and you can’t win a Cup like that.
But they’ve played great in every series prior and it’s not as if they’ll forget that either. Roloson is a big reason why they’ve made it this far. There’s no questioning that, but he’s not the only reason. The defense has been huge. They’ve been getting clutch goals. They’re very well coached. Roloson wasn’t exactly stellar before he was traded to the Oilers. That’s why Minnesota moved him.
The big thing for Edmonton will be to pick one goalie and stick with him. Whoever is between the pipes is going to have enough pressure without having to worry about getting yanked for the series after a bad goal. Going back to the trap wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Keep the shots from as far out as possible and keep the goalies vision clear of obstacles. Offensively, they’re fast enough to take advantage of the Hurricanes rather unimpressive defensive corps.
Everyone seems to be looking at this from the Oilers perspective. You have to remember, there’s another team in the series–one that got this far by doing more than just waving their sticks in the air. I didn’t get to watch the game, but from all I heard, Carolina did not play a particularly good game. And they still won. And their pattern throughout the playoffs has been to start a series slow and get better as they went along. Carolina must be considered prohibitive favorites right now, until further evidence says otherwise.
Ugh, just heard the ratings numbers on PTI. Fucking NHL, why the hell would you lock out the players in a television contract year? That was the most short-sighted long-range vision I think I’ve ever witnessed.
600 thousand people watched game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals. It was outdrawn by women’s college softball. Ugh. OLN is burying the NHL.
And the fucked up part of it is that the action on the ice this year has been excellent, at least IMO. I’m not a very savvy fan, though, so I ask you guys: was the action on the ice this year good?
Anyway, let’s hear it for the Whale! Get out the brooms…
Damn. Edmonton got curb stomped. From what I saw, they were set on going run and gun against Carolina. Maybe they forgot that run and gun is what got them the eighth seed and trapping is what got them into the finals.
What a collapse.
It’s the best it’s been since in at least 10 years. I’ve only been a hockey fan since 1997 and I can tell and this is the best hockey I’ve ever watched.
I just noticed this thread. All I have to say is, hooray! We don’t suck at something! Although for having the 'Canes playing here just a few years back, and for them even visiting local schools multiple times, no one really seems to care. Some jerseys are out, or other gear, but it’s yet another tale of the expansion really not taking off.
Also, my real team has always been the Penguins, but I support the 'Canes for being so local. Or, was local, at some point.
The lockout was a blessing for some players who got the necessary surgeries, rehab and rest (unrushed) and extended their careers…Teemu Selanne for one, but as I recall, it was quite a handful of players. Others took time to sharpen their skills in the Euopean leagues, where the ice is larger which meant they had to skate harder and faster. Along with scrapping the two-line pass call which speeds up the game and makes the game more dramatic, I agree that the hockey has been excellent.
The hockey was noticably better this season than in previous years; best since at least '94. Lots of scoring, not so much clutch and grab play. And there has been an infusion of young talent into a league that had gotten a little old and slow.
I think you have to take what was said on PTI with a grain of salt. I watch the show and generally appreciate what the guys have to say (usually Wilbon more so than Kornheiser), but the comments about the NHL and OLN came across as representatives of ESPN bashing another network for the sake of bashing another network. (Perhaps on orders from their Mickey Mouse overlords, perhaps not.) I know the raw ratings numbers are low, but we knew they were going to be low. As far as the league and their TV partners are concerned, the question is whether it’s a growing concern, not whether or not it’s outdrawing anything right now. And lest we forget, it’s not like being on ESPN for 15 or so years did anything to “grow the game,” despite that network’s alleged “marketing genius.” The NHL knows it’s starting at the bottom, starting over really–ask them about it 3 or 4 years from now, and then you’ll know how things are going. They have to look at things long term. Remember, once upon a time Microsoft didn’t exist. Things change.
However, what’s not going to change is the fact that Edmonton got beat like a gong last night. I know they’ve overcome adversity before, but I really don’t see them doing much the rest of the series. Except this: if the Oilers get blown out again and start playing cheap shot games again like they did last night, I won’t be surprised if one of their guys winds up spending his summer eating through a straw.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Canes win!!!
And things get slightly more interesting. Edmonton manages to get back into the series on a shorty in OT.
I’m wondering how Weight and Aaron Ward will be next game. Both were injured tonight but managed to finish the game. Wonder if they’ll be back, and if so how good will they be.
Major :rolleyes: to the NBC crew for making Wards return to the ice into the second coming of Christ. Yup. Aaron Ward is the emotional center of the Carolina Hurricanes. They just can’t win without Aaron Ward on the bench. :rolleyes:
Wow. I thought the Oilers were going to lose, and they pull out a miracle in OT. Go Oilers!
That was a nerve wracking game, to say the least. Who would have thought Markkanen had this in him?
I have to think that one’s really going to sting Carolina, and it seems like that kind of thing would eat at Staal.