Few Guys Surprise In Oilers Win / Beers and Jeers Game Recap

BEERS & JEERS GAME RECAP

Welcome to another fine Edmonton Oilers Beers & Jeers Game Recap.

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FINAL SCORE

EDMONTON OILERS - 4

PHOENIX COYOTES - 3  SO

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TONIGHT'S STARTING LINES

Magnus Paajarvi - Sam Gagner - Ales Hemsky
Dustin Penner - Andrew Cogliano - Gilbert Brule
Liam Reddox - Colin Fraser - Ryan Jones
Alex Giroux - Ryan O'Marra - Colin McDonald

Ladislav Smid - Alex Plante
Taylor Chorney - Tom Gilbert
Richard Petiot - Kurtis Foster

Jeff Deslauriers
Martin Gerber

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VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

*COMING SOON*

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BEERS & JEERS PLAYER GRADES

The Cult of Hockey Grading System:
10 perfect game,  9 extraordinary,  8 great,  7 good,  6 above average,
5 average,  4 below average,  3 poor,  2 terrible,  1 deserves to be in minors.

#2 JAMES VANDERMEER - (0) DNP

#4 TAYLOR HALL - (0) DNP

#5 LADISLAV SMID - (7) Smid had a real good game. He picked up an assist and had 4 blocked shots. With all this talk about players being ready to take the next step, that's Smid. He's ready.

#6 RYAN WHITNEY - (0) DNP

#10 SHAWN HORCOFF - (0) DNP

#12 ALEXANDRE GIROUX - (6) Giroux had a goal and it did look pretty. But I don't think even with a strong game like tonight, it's enough to stick with the Oilers.

#13 ANDREW COGLIANO - (6) While he did have some good flashes of goodness on the PK, I wasn't all that much of a fan of his tonight. He had 3 shots and that's about all. He did go 50% on faceoffs. That's an improvement.

#14 JORDAN EBERLE - (0) DNP

#16 COLIN FRASER - (6) Fraser played the same way he's played this pre-season. Gritty and hard nosed. He's a guy that will stick up for his linemates. I think I'm going to like Fraser.

#22 JF JACQUES - (0) Injured

#23 LINUS OMARK - (0) DNP

#25 BEN ONDRUS - (0) DNP

#26 KURTIS FOSTER - (7) Foster had himself a steady and productive game. He had a couple of shots and a few hits. There isn't much more to say about Foster other than he's a good guy to have. Very sound.

#27 DUSTIN PENNER - (6) I didn't like his game (Other than his overtime winning goal). He didn't stick out at all for me tonight. I kept waiting for him to make people take notice and he didn't. Can he succeed on the 3rd line this year? Hope so.

#28 RYAN JONES - (6) Jones, in my opinion had a pretty good first half. Even though he was a team worst -3, he did play well. He made some hits and worked his butt off and the minus ratings weren't directly a result of him. In the race for 13 (th spot) with Reddox, I think Jones beat him this game. Tamby must be happy with today's game.

#29 MARTIN GERBER - (7) Gerber came in after JDD went out at the halfway point and made JDD look bad. Gerber is a very capable NHL goalie and should almost stay with the Oilers. His positioning really helps him make a save and make it look easy. If he does go to the Barons, they are going to have solid goaltender this year.

#33 STEVE MACINTYRE - (0) DNP

#35 NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN - (0) DNP

#37 RICHARD PETIOT - (8) BEERS Wow! Petiot won the hearts of the Oiler fans tonight. He was a complete package. He had 6 bone jarring hits and 5 blocked shots. I am tiger, hear me roar! Petiot just made the decision a little easier for Tamby, he's at another level above the rest of the bubble guys. He should make the team. He's that good.

#38 JEFF DESLAURIERS - (6) All he had to do was play a good game to keep his head above the water. He did start out great. He even covered the top part of the net well. But after the first goal, he kind of unravelled. Was this the last time we see JDD in an Oilers uniform? Waivers or a trade seems likely here.

#40 DEVAN DUBNYK - (0) DNP

#41 TAYLOR CHORNEY - (7) You guys should have seen him play. He had a huge hit and then dropped the gloves with Vern Fiddler and actually did really good. He even blacked a few shots. This wasn't the normal Chorney. I liked this one!

#42 RYAN O'MARRA - (6) Nothing special from O'Marra. He did pick up an assist and played OK for the most part. Unless he was different in person (compared to my TV), he's going down to OKC.

#43 JASON STRUDWICK - (0) DNP

#45 SHAWN BELLE - (0) DNP

#46 ZACK STORTINI - (0) DNP

#48 ALEX PLANTE - (7) Plante had a heck of a game. He's also making it tough on Renney on who he's going to keep. Plante took some lessons from MacIntyre this morning and I was hoping for a fight. He didn't, but his game was very physical. Did I mention the assists? 2 of them actually.

#49 THEO PECKHAM - (0) DNP

#54 CHRIS VANDE VELDE - (0) DNP

#57 COLIN MACDONALD - (6) He drew a penalty with some hustle and hard work. I liked that he showed me he wasn't a waste like I said he was. He proved me wrong tonight. Heck, he even scored a goal. Colin's not going to make the Oilers, but he sure is working his ass off and trying.

#58 JEFF PETRY - (0) DNP

#67 GILBERT BRULE - (7) I liked Brule. Best guy on his line.  He tried hard and made some nice plays. 3 shots and 4 hits is a good night for Brule. Add an assist and and that gives him a 7.

#77 TOM GILBERT - (7) Normal Tom Gilbert game. Nothing much to complain about other than he's a shoe shopping softie.

#83 ALES HEMSKY - (8) BEERS Hemsky had fun tonight. He's a different player with Paajarvi and Gagner. This is going to be the #1 line. Hemsky's passing was on the money, but he does still need to shoot more. Maybe he's saving them for the shootout winners like tonight. Atta boy Hemsky! He's the thing that pushed him up to an 8. He blocked 2 shots. I don't recall the last time I seen him do that.

#85 LIAM REDDOX - (6) The Red Ox played well. Did he shine more than Jones? I don't know. I don't think he did. Stat wise he didn't do much. Overall playing, he was OK.

#89 SAM GAGNER - (8) The new 1st line center was fantastic. He needs to hit the net more and maybe he would score more. Hehe! He did score a beauty on a breakaway. He went 41% on the faceoff dot and that is still an area that needs improving, but that's about it. He can play the game with his smarts. Playing with those guys makes him look smarter. I hope they stay together.

#91 MAGNUS PAAJARVI - (8) BEERS Holy hell Paajarvi can fly. BOOM! Just like that he's off like a bat out of hell. He provides so much space for the skilled Hemsky and the shorter, Gagner. Paajarvi is the glue for any line, but this line needs him the most. No doubt in my mind Paajarvi has the best shot to win the Calder for rookie of the year. He's just THAT GOOD!

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EVENT SUMMARY

GAME SUMMARY

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BAD TIMING PENALTY (what is a Bad Timing Penalty?)

None -

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POST GAME VIDEO

*coming soon*

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Cult Of Hockey - Edmonton Journal

-Written by Smokin' Ray-