Oilers grease Hurricanes to stay alive
Cory, Cory, Cory. Buddy. My grandmother could have made a better pass than that, and the woman has been dead for 13 years. Cory Stillman's pass was picked off by Fernando Pisani just a few minutes into the overtime period, and he quickly skated in free on Cam Ward and roofed it into right corner to give the Edmonton Oilers the 4-3 win. The Oilers now trail the Hurricanes 3-2 in the series as the return home to Edmonton for game 6 (which is where I said the Canes would finish the series, sorry PM) on Saturday night.
This had to be the best game I've seen in the playoffs so far. The Oilers were playing with desperation, and the Hurricanes seemed like they were as well. The Hurricanes were able to convert 2 powerplay opportunities, Eric Staal was fantastic scoring two goals (how great is his post-goal dance? the kid looks like he loses all ability to skate), Mike Peca was brutal, hitting just about everyone (he still shouldn't have trimmed the playoff beard)
Carolina began to lose players, as Aaron Ward left in the second period and Doug Weight got crushed on a sandwich hit that was led by Raffi 'Snow Job' Torres early in the third which forced him to leave for part of the period. Both returned in the third, which seemed to spark the Hurricanes (I wonder if this was in an effort to close the series out, because this team appears to be battered and fear losing a long to attrition). If not for Stillman's turnover (granted he was being harassed by Snow Job Torres, but I think he still could have put a little more on that pass.....and another thing....how often did we get yelled at by our coaches about long passes over the middle in our own zone?) I think the Hurricanes would have won last night. Stillman's pass actually was the breakout before a powerplay that could have put the icing on the cake.....or the shaving cream on the chin. For more on the game click here.
When playoff beards collide:
Snow Job Torres and Mark Recchi were slamming into each other all night. There appeared to be some sort of grudge match going on between the two. These two guys shared such intimate contact last night that I think one of them owes the other a dinner this evening. Snow Job appeared to get the best of Recchi late in the game, as their last meeting, Recchi's gloves were knocked off (and I think he lost some playoff beard as well) as he was pancaked to the ice.
I'd like to thank Paul Newberry from the Associated Press for making mention of Playoff Beard .com. You can read his article by clicking here.
I'd like to welcome all of you newcomers to the land of the unshaven. Please feel free to join in the discussion. To help familiarize yourself with Playoff Beard .com, I'd like to refer you all to Our Playoff Beard . com's Guide to Grading the Beard. Thanks for dropping by and for all of the support!
Playoff Leaders:
Eric Staal 9 goals 18 assists 27 points
Cory Stillman 9 goals 16 assists 25 points 1 really bad turnover
Chris Pronger 5 goals 16 assists 21 points
Daniel Briere 8 goals 11 assists 19 points
Chris Drury 9 goals 9 assists 18 points
Rod Brind'Amour 12 goals 6 assists 18 points
Shawn Horcoff 6 goals 12 assists 18 points
Last night's score:
Edmonton 4 Carolina 3 F (OT)
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Comments
Actually, Bosh, the Canes were 3 for 7 on the power play. Which just makes the game-ending breakdown all the more jaw dropping. Stillman's got to take the blame, but I shook my head as soon as I saw Cam Ward play the puck to Staal when the Edmonton forechecker (Pisani? Torres? Can't remember) was so close on his heels. I would've liked to seen Ward cover and take the face off in the zone. Edmonton was roaring in overtime and Carolina could've used a second to swallow, breathe, and get their crap together. Instead, Staal had a man hot on his heels and had to force it to Stillman. Cory apparently decided then was a good time to forget everything he's ever learned playing hockey, seemed to have no idea the Edmonton guy was right behind him (Hello!?!?!), and then made that horrible, horrible pass. And I'm not really sure what Staal was thinking. He may be a forward on the point, but Edmonton still had the numbers while Stillman had the puck - Staal's responsibility should've been defensive at that moment, but he appeared to be gearing up to head down the ice ahead of Stillman. Not good.
It's hard for me not to attribute this to perhaps an over-confidence in their power play. Either that or nerves. The Oilers certainly owned overtime before the penalty and they didn't let up. At home, with the Cup in their grasp, the Canes should've been the ones to come out steaming. They'll have to make some adjustments in game six - I would expect Tevordovsky (sp.) to make a return as a 7th defenseman and Vasicek to be a healthy scratch. I just hope Weight and Ward are able to play.
And yeah, so my prediction of Canes in 5 didn't come true but my suspicion that Brind'Amour would need to be their best player to finish it sure did. Rod was a team worst -3 last night. Aside from that, he didn't really make himself noticable. Staal was amazing and I thought Recchi had a good game...but, again it's all about the Brind'Amour for me. That line with Justin Williams has to produce. Game six will make me nervous, but I can't wait.
Also, where's Destro when you need him? Somebody needs to take Snow Job out.
Posted by: Playoff Moustache | June 15, 2006 11:18 AM
Screw everything I just wrote. Here's why the Canes REALLY lost last night:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/photo?slug=getty-71104145ps036_edmonton_oile_11_52_22_pm&prov=getty
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!
Posted by: Playoff Moustache | June 15, 2006 11:23 AM
It was due for the Oilers to get that win, the refs were meatheads in the game, the game tieing goal shouldn't have been allowed, it was covered and out of sight. Carolina sure got some fast whistles when Ward had it covered. GO OILERS!!!!
Posted by: Nathan Kopec | June 15, 2006 12:23 PM
I'd comment on how awesome the game was, but I only saw the last 9 minutes of regulation and the overtime (was away from home, and the AM radio is sketchy at best). Still, I thought it was a great fifteen minutes of hockey to watch, even if SOME PEOPLE don't like the outcome.
Posted by: jeff | June 15, 2006 06:40 PM
Who's agitatin' my dots? You agitatin' my dots?
Posted by: Captain Bosh | June 15, 2006 07:23 PM
He totally agitated my dots.
Posted by: Playoff Moustache | June 15, 2006 09:17 PM
Jeff and Clay Aiken are officially On Notice.
Posted by: Playoff Moustache | June 15, 2006 09:18 PM
Dude, the fact that you would mention my name in the same sentence as *HIM* means I will REALLY agitate your dots with a kick to the nuts that is both swift and vengeful. Swift and vengeful, do you hear me?
Swift...and vengeful...
Posted by: jeff | June 15, 2006 10:10 PM
I'm going to have to recommend a vegetable medley for the both of you....no beef, no pork, no roast duck with the mango salsa.
Posted by: bosh | June 16, 2006 12:01 AM
Can I get just the salsa, then?
Posted by: jeff | June 16, 2006 06:26 AM
Pisani got the gamewinner (he has four this spring) and a great playoff beard.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/photo?slug=getty-71104145ps040_edmonton_oile_12_09_32_am&prov=getty
Posted by: Anonymous | June 16, 2006 12:14 PM
Pisani does have a decent beard. I also think he's the first pseudo-Italian to ever grow a full beard. Trust me, I've seen all three Godfather movies. No beards. It must be the Canadian lumberjack in him that helps his face folicles. Other than that, he can go to hell. No more game winners out of that dude, he's had enough.
Anybody else notice that they're running a version of the vegetable medley commercial WITHOUT the vegetable medley part??? Perhaps someone finally told them they suck. Thank God.
Jeff, I don't just casually lump someone onto an official On Notice with a poofy little fart like Clay Aiken. But your anti-Hurricanes (a.k.a. Anti-American) sentiments speak for themselves and left me with no choice. Sorry. But don't press your luck.
Posted by: Playoff Moustache | June 16, 2006 12:44 PM
I've noticed they do that with the Dodge Caliber commercial too. Sometimes the guy says 'Haha silly little fairy' and other times he just laughs. What's up with that?
Posted by: bosh | June 16, 2006 01:12 PM