LIVE *TweetCast* (no signup) at Oilers Jambalaya - Oilers vs Capitals (12/19/09)

Once again, Oilers Jambalaya presents another LIVE interactive TweetCast (#3). It's as easy as typing what you want to say and hitting send. It's that easy. (NO SIGNUP REQUIRED)

So sit back and enjoy the TweetCast by Paq Twinn featuring Smokin' Ray. Feel free to participate.

Washington Capitals (21-8-6) at Edmonton Oilers (15-15-4)

Sat, Dec 19/09

8:00 pm MT

CBC

Beers & Jeers - Oilers Game Recap vs Nashville Predators (12/17/09)

Welcome to Oilers Jambalaya - An Edmonton Oilers Hockey Blog. Beers & Jeers is a dual collaboration between Smokin' Ray and Paq Twinn. We hope you enjoy our Edmonton Oilers full game recap.

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- Who's Out? Who's in? The lines don't change for this game.  Despite Quinn snapping after the last game, he's keeping things the same.

- This game is another PPV.  Yay! More money spent on lackluster quality. 

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Pre-Game Records

Edmonton Oilers (15-14-4) vs Nashville Predators (20-11-3)

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TONIGHT'S STARTING LINES

Penner-Gagner-Brule
Nilsson-Horcoff-Stone
Moreau-Potulny-Cogliano
Jacques-Stortini-O'Sullivan

Smid-Visnovsky
Souray-Gilbert
Grebeshkov-Staios

Deslauriers
Dubnyk

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**These are Re-Tweets of Paq Twinn's LIVE TweetCast© at www.Twitter.com/PaqTwinn **

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GAME SUMMARY

GAME HIGHLIGHTS



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FINAL SCORE

Nashville Predators - 6

Edmonton Oilers - 3

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BAD TIMING PENALTY

None -

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GAME STAT LEADERS

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BEERS

Robert Nilsson - He showed heart and a never give up attitude.  I know... it's strange for me too.  Bobby had two highlight reel goals and looked like a force all night.  If it wasn't for him, this game would have been boring.  Good game Bobby.  How about a frosty Bud?  Cheers!

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JEERS

The Entire Team - Well, except for Bobby Nilsson.  You guys sucked.  And sucked bad.  That was a terrible game and you all deserved to be bag skated after that.  What a waste of my/our money.  Boooooo!

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OUR GAME SUMMARIES

Smokin' Ray - Who cares... they lost. 

Paq Twinn - The Oilers came out flying, taking everything that Quinn had said and applied it to their game. Six minutes in and the Oilers were up 2-0.  I was thinking wow, they've turned the corner and are becoming a good team. WRONG. After the Preds pull Pekka Rinne in favor of Dan Ellis, the Preds took complete control of the game. It seemed as though the Oilers just quit playing, with the exception of the 1st line, Nillson, Lubo and Souray, Smid was alright too. Everyone else was rather dissapointing. More bad line changes and stupid decisions with the puck led the Oilers losing another winable game. Game Grade: C-

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POST GAME REACTIONS



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GAME STATS

- Game Summary

- Event Summary

- Scoring Chances (MC79)

- David Staples/Player Grades (Cult of Hockey)

- Full NHL Play By Play

- Oilers Time On The Ice

- Opponents Time On The Ice

- Faceoff Report

- Shots Report

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NEXT GAME

Washington Capitals (21-8-6) at Edmonton Oilers (15-15-4)

Sat, Dec 19/09

8:00 pm MT

CBC

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Thanks for stopping by and reading the Edmonton Oilers Full Game Recap. Don't forget that you can agree or disagree with us on Facebook and Twitter. Just look for Smokin' Ray Burnt and Paq Twinn. We will see you all next game. GOILERS!

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You can comment below without signing up! Pick Name/Url or Anonymous

*LIVE TweetCast #2* w/ Paq Twinn - Oilers vs Predators (12/17/09)

Once again Oilers Jambalaya presents another LIVE interactive TweetCast.  It's as easy as typing what you want to say and hitting send.  It's that easy. (NO SIGNUP REQUIRED)

So sit back and enjoy the TweetCast by Paq Twinn featuring Smokin' Ray.  Feel free to participate.

Edmonton Oilers (15-14-4) vs Nashville Predators (20-11-3)

Thursday, Dec 17/09

7:30 pm MT

PPV

B&J #96 Edmonton Oilers vs LA Kings Recap (12/15/09)

Welcome to Oilers Jambalaya - An Edmonton Oilers Hockey Blog. Beers & Jeers is a dual collaboration between Smokin' Ray and Paq Twinn. We hope you enjoy our Edmonton Oilers full game recap.

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- Who's Out? Who's in? Grebeshkov is drawing back in after missing quite a few games.  So it look like Strudwick is going to sit out.  Here is the injury report.

- Tonight we held our 1st ever LIVE TweetCast right here at Oilers Jambalaya.  Thanks to a tip by Jay from Low On Oil we now have a top notch application for all to enjoy.  If you ever need to read a game preview, the Low on Oil is the place to go.

- One of our "Friends of the Ememy" interviewed Ethan Moreau.  Here is the interview by The Mayors Manor (an LA Kings site) PART 1  PART 2  It's a good read.

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Pre-Game Records

Los Angeles Kings (21-11-3) at Edmonton Oilers (15-13-4)

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TONIGHT'S STARTING LINES

Penner-Gagner-Brule
Nilsson-Horcoff-Stone
Moreau-Potulny-Cogliano
Jacques-Stortini-O'Sullivan

Smid-Visnovsky
Souray-Gilbert
Grebeshkov-Staios

Deslauriers
Pitton

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The LIVE Interactive *TweetCast*

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GAME HIGHLIGHTS



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FINAL SCORE

Los Angeles Kings - 3

Edmonton Oilers - 2

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BAD TIMING PENALTY

None - It could have been Horcoff, but that was a non-call even though the ref's thought different.

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BEERS

Sheldon Souray - Big sexy had a goal and an assist tonight.  He played pretty good and seemed ready to play hockey.  Not only did he have 4 good shots on net, he played a whopping 21:38.  He was once again the leader for this Oiler squad.  Is there anything he can't do?  Great game Shelly.  How about a frosty Bud?  Cheers!

Ryan Potulny - He also played pretty good for a guy that had somewhat sub par linemates.  He scores a goal and picks up an assist on the Souray goal.  It's easy to get points when you win the faceoff and get it to Shelly.  But all in all... Ryan played a pretty good game.  How about a ice cold Canadian?  Cheers!

Nilsson/Horcoff/Stone line - I'll be honest.  I didn't think this line would do anything together.  I guess I was wrong.  They were great.  They created some real good chances but couldn't finish them off.  But I suspect that Quinn will keep these guys together for a bit.  It's funny because who would have thought that Nilsson and Stone would be a dynamic duo?  I didn't.  Good game for a good line.  Split a six pack? Cheers!

Penner/Gagner/Brule line - Also, another great line tonight.  They were pretty dominant but couldn't beat Quick.  Penner and Brule are also quite the duo.  They just seem to find each other.  Maybe next game they dominate on the score sheet?  Penner just keeps playing well.  You guys can also split a six pack.  Cheers!

HONORABLE MENTION(S): Ladislav Smid (He played a pretty solid game.), Steve Staios (He also wasn't bad at all. No it's not a misprint.), Tom Gilbert (He made little mistakes and when you play a game and not get noticed... that's good thing for a defenceman.)

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JEERS

Patrick O'Sullivan - The guy was benched for a lot of this game.  He had 3 giveaways and Quinn had enough and pulled the plug on him.  He only played 8:41.  What's going on Sully?  At least you tried at the beginning of the season.  Boooooo!

Pat Quinn - I get the fact that O'Sullivan sucks right now and was benched.  But why sit Stortini?  He was a force and is riding high on confidence. And he gets punished for being on O'Sullivan's line?  What gives?  Nevermind the fact that Stone and Nilsson get promoted and Storts is stuck on the bench.  Ummm.... Mr Quinn sir.  Stortini was the one with the Gordie Howe hat trick. So why not play the guy?  This just may be the only time I do this. Booooooo!

Denis Grebeshkov - Wow was he rusty tonight.  He was brutal bad.  I kind of felt sorry for him out there.  I couldn't believe that he played that bad, but he did miss quite a few games with an injury. He was the main cause of the Kings first goal and really looked out of place all night.  I'm sure he'll get better by next game. Booooooo!

Lubomir Visnovsky - How is it possible to go from hero to zero in one game?  I don't know but he did it. The worst Oiler tonight by far. Ugh! Booooooo!

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OUR GAME SUMMARIES

Smokin' Ray - I hate that.  But we all knew it was coming.  The Oilers always seem to find a way to blow a lead.  I should look and see how many games the Oilers were winning or tied in the last 5 minutes and lost.  I bet it's a high number.  I did however enjoy the LIVE interactive TweetCast.  Paq and I had fun it's it nice to offer something new to the fans of Oilers Jambalaya.  So there you have it.  Oilers sucked... TweetCast awesome.

Paq Twinn - Games like this really leave a bad taste in my mouth. I really felt like the Oilers were going to pull this one out. They skated hard , hit regularly and had the Kings running around in their own zone most of the night. A couple stupid mistakes end up in the back of the net. ouch. Patty-O is really struggling, so bad that Quinn benched him in the 3rd. I think Potsy is ahead of Patty on the depth chart noe, he had a great goal to tie the game at 2 a piece. Pens couldn't buy a goal tonight , he had many marvelous chances but couldn't beat J.Quick. Maybe he should have gone through Quick once or twice, too bad he doesn't have a mean streak. Horc's line played well, but I'd have to give the BTP to him. He killed a PP in the final minutes of the 3rd. Which brings me to this. Can anyone remember, not looking it up but remember, the last Oilers PP goal? I can't but if I had to guess, Hemmer got an assist on it. Tonights Game Grade: B+

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POST GAME REACTIONS



Los Angeles Kings Post Game



-------------------

GAME STATS

- Game Summary

- Event Summary

- Scoring Chances (MC79)

- David Staples/Player Grades (Cult of Hockey)

- Full NHL Play By Play

- Oilers Time On The Ice

- Opponents Time On The Ice

- Faceoff Report

- Shots Report

-------------------

NEXT GAME

Edmonton Oilers (15-14-4) vs Nashville Predators (20-11-3)

Thursday, Dec 17/09

7:30 pm MT

PPV

-------------------

Thanks for stopping by and reading the Edmonton Oilers Full Game Recap. Don't forget that you can agree or disagree with us on Facebook and Twitter. Just look for Smokin' Ray Burnt and Paq Twinn. We will see you all next game. GOILERS!

-------------------

You can comment below without signing up! Pick Name/Url or Anonymous

**LIVE BLOG** Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings (12/15/09)

Welcome everyone to Oilers Jambalaya - the blog that just keeps getting better (this time thanks to Jay at Low On Oil who provided the tip.)  CHECK OUT Low On Oil's Game Preview

At 7:00 pm you will see in that box below, the Tweets of Smokin' Ray (@OilersJambalaya), Paq Twinn (@PaqTwinn) and the Edmonton Oilers (@NHL_Oilers) without signing up to Twitter.   I know... about time.

You can follow the game LIVE and it's easy to do.  You will be able to ask questions or just simply state a comment by writting in the box at the bottom of the application (THE BOX LOOKS DIFFERENT AT 7:00).  So feel free to talk to us (NO SIGNUP REQUIRED) and tell us what you think of the game and the new *TweetCast*.  Heck, you don't even need to include a name.

It's a new process for us so it may not run smoothly this first go around. *fingers crossed*  But once we figure this out...  LOOK OUT WORLD!

Either way it's going to be epic (probably only for us) evening. Let's just hope not epic failure.  Thanks for coming and enjoy your stay at Oilers Jambalaya.  GOILERS!

EDMONTON OILERS (15-13-4)
vs
LOS ANGELES KINGS (21-10-3)

Tuesday, Dec 15/09

7:30 pm MT

Dustin Penner - I Like The Cut Of Your Jib #6

The 6th installment of "I like the cut of your Jib", belongs to Mr. Dustin Penner, born on September 28 1982 in Winkler, Manitoba. Here is a guy that took the road less traveled to the NHL. He refused to take "NO" for an answer.

Minor Days

His hockey career started in Winkler playing for his high school team, the Garden Valley Zodiacs. After high school Penner was cut by several teams, including 3 times by his local Jr. team. Penner took the only opportunity available and went to play for Minot State University-Bottineau for 2 years. It was either that or get a "real" job. He broke his femur the 1st year and won "Most Determined Player" award in his 2nd season, scoring 20 goals and 33 points in 23 games, in 2001-2002. Penner then went to an evaluation camp in Saskatoon, averaging 3 points per game, he was noticed by U of Maine asst. coach Grant Stanbrook. He helped take the U of M Black Bears to the NCAA championship game, where they eventually lost 1-0 to Denver.

Anaheim Days

On May 12 2004, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim signed the undrafted free agent. He recorded 28 points his 1st year in Cincinnati, and in the 2nd, he amassed 39 goals and 84 points in only 57 games for Portland. In 2006-2007 Penner found himself with a full time spot on the Anaheim Ducks roster, where he set a team record for rookie scoring with 29 goals and 45 points, good for 2nd in team scoring and helped Anaheim win their first Stanley Cup. That was all Kevin Lowe needed to see and sent out a 5 year, 21.25 million dollar offer sheet for the 6'4" 240+ lbs left winger. When Anaheim elected not to match the contract, Penner was off to Edmonton.

Edmonton Days (MacTavish)

In Penner's 1st season with the Oilers, he scored a team high 23 goals and improved his point total to 47 on the season. Penner's 2nd season as an Oiler is where his character was truly put to the test. After showing up to training camp out of shape and starting the season slowly, then head coach Craig MacTavish, publicly called out his big power forward numerous times. It must have bothered Penner, but he always showed class and took the high road. Penner's family was hurt by the actions of MacTavish. Frank Penner the manager of Norpine Auto Supply in High Level, a former customer of mine and Dustin's uncle, conveyed these thoughts to me. The expectations and pressure that were placed upon a 4th year pro were simply unrealistic. In hindsight he (Frank) was absolutely right. It's not as though Dustin was drafted with a high pedigree, he was never drafted at all.

Edmonton Days (Quinn)

It's amazing what can happen in one year. After being leaked as part of a package offered to Ottawa for Dany Heatley, which was rebuked by Heatley (NTC), Penner took his game to the next level. Today with the wily old Pat Quinn behind the bench, Penner is a man transformed. It can be argued that he has never played better. I don't know what sweet nothings Quinn and Asst.Tom Renney whispered in his ear, but it worked. Quinn has gotten everything MacT wanted and more out of the farm boy from Manitoba. He has been far and away the most consistent performer for the Oilers this season. He has already surpassed his goal totals for last year and only needs 2 more points to pass his point totals for last year as well. Penner is currently on pace for 92 points and 46 goals, which is almost double his most productive 47 point season, which was his first as an Oiler.

So for all the hard work, determination and perseverance, as well as a healthy appetite for "wheat and barley based beverages", I like the Cut of your Jib. Go get'em big guy.

-PaqTwinn-

B&J #95 Edmonton Oilers Recap vs St. Louis Blues (12/11/09)

Welcome to Oilers Jambalaya - An Edmonton Oilers Hockey Blog. Beers & Jeers is a dual collaboration between Smokin' Ray and Paq Twinn. We hope you enjoy our Edmonton Oilers full game recap. We thank you for come here to read this recap.

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- Who's Out? Who's in? Grebeshkov was rumored to be coming back in after being out for 13 games with a knee injury.  It was also rumored that both Sheldon Souray and Tom Gilbert are suffering from some sort of injuries.  However, nothing changed and the lines stayed the same.  Here is the link to the injury report.

- The Oilers continue their crazy run of road wins.  They have never won 5 straight road games all in one trip.  Does this make this current squad great?  And they did it without Hemsky?  WHAT!?!

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Pre-Game Records

Edmonton Oilers (14-13-4) at St. Louis Blues (13-11-5)

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TONIGHT'S STARTING LINES

Penner-Gagner-Brule
Jacques-Horcoff-O'Sullivan
Moreau-Potulny-Cogliano
Nilsson-Stortini-Stone

Smid-Visnovsky
Souray-Gilbert
Strudwick-Staios

Deslauriers
Dubnyk

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**These are Re-Tweets of Paq Twinn's LIVE TweetCast© at http://twitter.com/OilersJambalaya/edmontonoilerstweetcast **

1st PERIOD

- Getting set for the #Oilers vs #Blues / Puck drop at 6:08pm MT. / Let's see if the Oilers can continue the roll. GOILERS!!!
- Deslauriers vs Conklin / GAME ON!!!
- Lines stay the same for the #Oilers / Grebeshkov is still out and Souray and Gilbert are playing. 17:30 left in the 1st period.
- Oiler Lines: 27 89 67 - 22 10 19 - 18 16 13 - 32 46 12 - 44 77 - 5 71 - 34 24 - 38
- Jackman goes off for 2. Oilers PP14:06 1st
- Oilers didn't get much done on that PP.
- Storts and Souray both want a piece of Winchester. Refs break it up.
- Souray and Winchester go off for coincedental minors. halfway through the 1st
- Backes scores, banging in his own rebound after a rap-around. 1-0 Blues
- @OilersJambalaya says What's going on Oilers? Let's get it going. GOILERS!!!
- @dantencer says Looks like Brule and Jacques are banged up...both missing shifts in this 1st period.
- Oilers have taken a step back since the Blues scored. #pickupthepace
- Horc gets hit with Berlunds stick. Oilers PP for the next 4 min. 2:07 1st
- Pens rings one off the post. nice plays by Gags and Gilbert to set it up.
- JDD is having some difficulties after making an awkward save. The play was reviewed and NO GOAL.
- After 20 mins, the Blues lead the Oilers 1-0.
- The Oilers need some better efforts tonight, they don't look hungry out there.
- Kypreos makes a good point. Hopefully JDD's leg doesn't stiffin up during intermission.

2nd PERIOD

- 2nd period is under way. Oilers PP for 1:53 to start period.
- JDD with a massive save on Backes as he was on a PK breakaway.
- Oilers PP is awful tonight. Didn't get any good chances at all.
- Oilers aren't hitting enough in this game and as say that, Souray levels Steen. Souray will get a penalty for that though.
- No penalty for Souray, but Stone goes off for 2. Oilers PK 13:18 2nd
- Oshie wires a one timer past JDD on the PP. 2-0 Blues 12:06 2nd
- FIGHT!!! JFJ vs Crombeen, JFJ hangs in there after taking early shots. Great fight, fairly even.
- @dantencer says Great tilt. Give Crombeen the decision over Jacques, though JF came back late in the scrap.
- Halfway through the 2nd and Oilers look to be still feeling thier way into this game. Get more aggressive/assertive NOW!
- Souray with a nice backhand deke, then just misses the rebound into the bottom corner. The puck stopped right on the goal line. #soooclose
- Conklin makes his best save so far, on Patty-O.
- Backes with a shot, Winchester crashes the crease, JDD falls, Winchester tips it in. 3-0 Blues.
- The goal is under review for a highstick tip.
- @OilersJambalaya Smid knocked that one in. 3-0 Blues
- The goal stands. 3-0 Blues. Winchester never touched it. Backes gets credit.
- Oilers have a lot of work to do now. Not sure if they're up to it.
- Oilers have looked like they did 2 weeks ago, horribly inconsistant.
- Souray got called for penalty, didn't like it, told off McCreary. McCreary kicks him out of the game. Oilers down to 5 D now.
- Oilers on the PK. 3 min and change to go in the 2nd
- Oilers manage to kill off the minor to Souray.
- Bru SCORES! He wacks it in after a good shift by him Gags and Pens. :10 left in the 2nd. 3-1 Blues.
- After 40 min, the Blues lead the Oilers 3-1.
- Oilers may have a chance here, after scoring a late goal they should gain some momentum for the 3rd.
- They'll need to play waaay better if they are going to come back in this one though. Blues have pretty much dominated so far.

3rd PERIOD

- 3rd period is underway. Lets see if the Oilers have some more fight after Bru's goal to end the 2nd.
- Oilers are playing better this period. More time in Blues zone.
- After the first 5 mins the Blues are starting to push back.
- Quirky Fact. Gordie Howe only had 1 Gordie Howe Hat Trick. Howe did it get named after him?
- Bru SCORES! Pens with great puck control, Gags with a super drop pass. Bru one times his 2nd into the net. 3-2 Blues 11:29 3rd
- Murray calls a timeout for the Blues after that goal. Oilers have life
- Gags SCORES! another great shift by the 1st line. 3-3 Tie Game. 8:41 3rd. GOILERS!
- Gags, Bru, and Pens are out again and giving the Blues fits.
- Horc SCORES! after 2nd line dominates down low. 4-3 Oilers 6:08 3rd
- Oilers are flying out there, Blues don't have any steam left after 4 unanswered goals by the Oil.
- @OilersJambalaya says @PaqTwinn HAHAHAHAHA!!! Conklin still sucks. #thevoodooworked
- Pens, Bru and Gags has combined for 8 points tonight.....so far.
- @OilersJambalaya says Oilers Dustin Penner is a Game Breaker. / Penner 4 Team Canada!!! #youhearditherefirst
- Pens SCORES! after JDD makes a big save, Pens takes it and drives straight to the net, backhand and in. 5-3 Oilers 2:57 3rd.
- @OilersJambalaya says Conklin should have pulled himself RT @PaqTwinn Blues pull Conklin, 1:38 3rd
- Game Over. Oilers Win 5-3 @ Blues.
- Oilers manage to come back after being down 3-0 late in the 2nd. Bru sparks the comeback with 10 sec left in 2nd.
- Pens (1), Bru (2), Gags(3) get the stars tonight.
- Great road trip, no other Oiler team has won 5 consecutive road games in one trip.
- Thanks for following this Live *TweetCast* Next up the Kings come to town on Tues. game time is 7:30.
- @NHL_Oilers says To clarify, the record set tonight is 5 straight road wins on the same trip. Oilers franchise record is 8 straight road wins in 86-87.
- @NHL_Oilers says Nilsson's assist on Horcoff's winner was the 100th point of his career. He has picked up a point in all 5 games since returning from injury.
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GAME HIGHLIGHTS



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FINAL SCORE

Edmonton Oilers - 5

St. Louis Blues - 3

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Game Summary

(Click to Enlarge)

(Click to Enlarge)

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BAD TIMING PENALTY

None -

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GAME STAT LEADERS

Edmonton Oilers Summary

(Click to Enlarge)

St. Louis Blues Summary

(Click to Enlarge)

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BEERS

Dustin Penner - The flying fridge was on fire tonight.  He rattles off a 1 goal and 3 assists night.  Wow!  He made the puck look like it was metal and he was the magnet.  It was crazy.  With the Oilers trailing 3-0, Penner and his mates picked up the pace and started knocking in the puck.  Team Canada announces that he's on the short list.  Well no kidding.  All you have to do is watch him.  He can change a game much like he did tonight.  For a solid game, it's beer bong time. Cheers!

Gilbert Brule - This guy gets a wow as well.  WOW!  His uncanny chemistry with Penner continues and for the second time this year he has a two goal game.  2 goals and 1 assist to go along with a +4.  If that doesn't equal a good game then I must be a fLames fan.  Outstanding effort was shown by Brule tonight.  His first goal is what started the whole comeback.  Great game. It's Miller time. Cheers!

Sam Gagner - People are starting to wonder why he is playing on that 1st line.  I think tonight he showed why he can play there.  His vision is sick.  He sees stuff that most common NHL players can't.  He found Brule for his second goal in the high slot with a beauty pass.  The only thing cheesy about Gagner tonight was his goal. But who cares?  Take as you get them.  Good night tonight for Gags.  Frosty Budweiser? Cheers!

HONORABLE MENTION(S): Jeff Deslauriers (He buckled down after a near leg injury.  He finished the game in top form.), Shawn Horcoff (He scores the winning goal and has a awesome night on faceoffs.  He was 20W-8L=73%  His shoulder was either very numb or he's feeling better.), Lubomir Visnovsky (He played pretty good tonight.  He involved in some great chances for the Oilers.), Tom Gilbert (He played well despite losing his defence partner.)

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JEERS

Patrick O'Sullivan - Ok.  Enough is enough.  If I was Pat Quinn I would be grey.  Ok, so he is grey.  Well then I'd go bald because he's not playing hard and it looks like he doesn't give a crap.  Sure at times he wows us for a quick second or two.  But if Bobby Nilsson is making you look bad, then something is wrong.  If his play doesn't change soon, we can all expect his name to be caught up in rumors.  Bad game tonight. Boooooooo!

HONORABLE MENTION(S): Ethan Moreau, Andrew Cogliano, Ryan Potulny (This line was -1 and they didn't create many chances. The worst Oiler line of the night.)

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GOAT WATCH

(Smokin' Ray) Ethan Moreau - He didn't play well.  He was Baaaad.

(Paq Twinn) Robert Nilsson - Also Baaaad.  But better than Moreau.

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OUR GAME SUMMARIES

Smokin' Ray - I'm a typical Oiler fan.  Up until the last 11 seconds of the 2nd period I was losing it.  I was snapping.  This team SUCKS!  But then Brule scores.  Ok, life's looking better I think to myself. Then the 3rd period the team gets rolling.  Not Stortini this time.  Nope.  It's the Penner show.  The Penner/Gagner/Brule line were the Oilers tonight.  Their never give up attitude won them this game.  That was a thing of beauty to watch. This team not only screws with your mind and heart, but they can also bring ecstasy.  I love this team. GOILERS!

Paq Twinn - WOW! The Oilers looked dead in the water tonight, losing 3-0 late in the 2nd. Then the 1st line took over. Brule scored with 10 sec left in the 2nd and teamed up with Pens and Gags to take over the game in the 3rd. All together the 1st line combined for 9 points as the Oilers scored 5 unanswered goals. Horc got the game winner for the 3rd time this road trip. That's how to earn that 7 mil and shut up your critics. As much as I love the win and a record 5 consecutive road game win streak, the Oilers left something to be desired during the first 40 mins. They looked like the slumping team of 2 weeks ago, in the 3rd they were the team that won 4 in a row. This team still struggles to find consistently, but they are getting better. The power play still needs work, they were brutal tonight, though Hemmer's absence may have something to do with it. Perhaps the most impressive part of the come back tonight, was that Souray got himself ejected for filling McCreary's ear with obscenities, and left the Oil with only 5 D for the 3rd period. Maybe that is what gave this team some life cause they had none before the misconduct to Souray. I have to break up this game grade.  Game Grade: 1st/2nd D, 3rd A

-------------------

POST GAME REACTIONS



-------------------

GAME STATS

- Game Summary

- Event Summary

- Scoring Chances (MC79)

- David Staples/Player Grades (Cult of Hockey)

- Full NHL Play By Play

- Oilers Time On The Ice

- Opponents Time On The Ice

- Faceoff Report

- Shots Report

-------------------

NEXT GAME

Edmonton Oilers

vs.

Los Angeles Kings

Tuesday, Dec 15/09

7:30 pm MT

Sportsnet West

-------------------

Thanks for stopping by and reading the Edmonton Oilers Full Game Recap. Don't forget that you can agree or disagree with us on Facebook and Twitter. Just look for Smokin' Ray Burnt and Paq Twinn. We will see you all next game. GOILERS!

-------------------

You can comment below without signing up!

**Pick Name/Url or Anonymous**

(Edmonton Journal) Cult of Hockey Player Grades - Oilers vs Lightning (12/09/09)

Once again David Staples of the Edmonton Journal's Cult of Hockey has allowed me to do the player grades for this game. You can read it here at Oilers Jambalaya or you can read it HERE.



Now I hope you understand how hard it is to grade a game that's choppy.  It was cool that we were able to see the game, but it was so choppy at times I missed little sequences.  But here is what I saw.

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.

 #27 Dustin Penner (7) - I didn't find too many faults in his game tonight.  He played pretty good and scored a typical Penner in front of the net goal. Heck, he even led the team in faceoffs.  He sure plays a complete game this year. I hope he gets more than a nod for Team Canada.

#89 Sam Gagner (6) - He played well but was still over matched in the Oilers end at times. He has been better in these last two games and he needs to find that "next level" if he's to do well as a #1 center.  He had 3 shots and his pass/shot gave him an assist on the Penner goal.  Overall, not a bad game.

#10 Shawn Horcoff (5) - He was near invisible.  He played 22:12 and although most of those minutes were decent minutes (1:46 of PP time and 2:36 in PK time) he needs to be more effective.  This was not the same Horcoff as we seen the last two games.

#13 Andrew Cogliano (5) - Cogliano had some good moments in this game.  Nothing that was over the top or anything.  He has this way of looking like he does a lot out there, while really all he is doing is skating fast.  He reminds me of Todd Marchant, only he can't win faceoffs.

#19 Patrick O'Sullivan (4) - He was not good at all.  He brought down the 2nd line with his sub par play.  Hedman scored that goal and that was O'Sullivan's guy and he didn't take him. He just seems lost out there right now.  He only had 3 shots and if he is going to earn his money he needs goals.  And how do you get goals? You shoot.

#67 Gilbert Brule (6) - He was pretty good.  He kept trying to make nice plays to Penner and instead maybe should have taken more shots himself.  But all in all I don't have much to complain about.  He's way better than I ever thought that he could be.  And this is just the beginning for him.

#18 Ethan Moreau (4) - The Captain didn't do much tonight.  I don't know about you guys, but he's not really contributing much.  It's almost like he's just taking up minutes when someone else could eat hose minutes.  Don't get me wrong, he's not terrible right now, but he also isn't a contributor.

#22 JF Jacques (6) - He was the best player on his line.  He had 5 hits and it seems like if he is doing that, then he's doing his job. 

#16 Ryan Potulny (5) - He was another one of those looked average type of players tonight.  He did what he could and it definitely wasn't fantastic.  He was just plain jane average.

#46 Zack Stortini (9) - The man had a Gordie Howe hat trick and still added another fight to his resume near the end of the game.  This was the best that I have ever seen him.  He had 3 hits and I didn't notice a single error (other than 0 for 6 on the faceoffs) on his part tonight.  So that's why I'm giving him a 9. All this and he only played 6:22.  Should this game earn him a 10?

#32 Ryan Stone (8) - The other bash brother was also good tonight.  His fight was a good one and it impressed me that he could chuck them like that.  He was hitting everyone (I don't know how the NHL doesn't count more hits) he could and even created some scoring chances.  He also played just over six minutes tonight, but he made the most of it.

#12 Robert Nilsson (7) - He was pretty good tonight and picked up another assist.  I maybe should have given him a 6 but he plays so well with Stone and Stortini and it's helping him shine.  I'm sure that he's thankful to get back into the lineup.  He seems to be trying to not make those little mental mistakes that have plagued him in the past.

#44 Sheldon Souray (7) - He was left alone on a wicked 2 on 1 for the Lightning's first goal.  Not totally his fault, but he made a decision to take the passer and that left St Louis all alone with JDD.  He and Gilbert were on for three Oiler goals and the on for the first Tampa goal.  Although he wasn't all out aggressive, he played pretty darn good.

#71 Lubomir Visnovsky (5) - All the defence were pretty average tonight including Visnovsky.  I've seen him be better.  He played 21:00 minutes and had 1 shot and 2 blocked shots.  Not really a night to remember.

#77 Tom Gilbert (6) - It was his error (pinch) that caused the 2 on 1 and essentially, the first goal of the game.  He did however score ten minutes later to even up the score.  So does that balence things out?  He actualy was decent tonight.  It appears to me that he's been getting better as this road trip goes on.

#24 Steve Staios (5) - Quite an average game.  Not much to say here.

#5 Ladislav Smid (5) - He had a fairly decent game.  He blew a spaz and knocked some guys down.  I kept waiting for him to score another goal tonight but it never happened.

#43 Jason Strudwick (5) - Also an average game.  Oddly enough, no goals were directly his fault.

#38 Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers (7) - His willingness to battle for 60 minutes helped the Oilers win this game.  He made some good saves all throughout the game.  But once again the Lightning went up high on him and scored.  How is that possible when the guy is that tall?  He's playing better than anyone expected.

#40 Devan Dubnyk (N/A) -  He did not play.

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**Normal Beers and Jeers-Edmonton Oilers Recap to follow.**

Edmonton Oilers - What To Do With The Free Agents?

The Edmonton Oilers have too many Free Agents at the end of this year.  What does Steve Tambellini do about this mess?  Does he just ride it out and try and re-sign as many as he can at the end of the year?  Does he trade them away for equal or better value (or in some cases, no value)?  What to do???

Here is a place to go to see the what the Edmonton Oilers Players are making. (Cap Numbers)

Unrestricted Free Agents

Fernando Pisani UFA ($2.5 million cap hit) I would not keep him.  Sorry, but his time is up here.

Mike Comrie UFA ($1.25 million cap hit) I would not keep him.  His coming home was nice.  But he's not a fit here.

Ryan Stone UFAVI ($600,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him for $1 million a year for two years.  He somehow makes the team better, so we best keep him.

Jason Strudwick UFA ($700,000 cap hit) I would not keep him.  He's slow and he's not able to keep up with most of the plays.  He's a funny guy though.

Dean Arsene UFA ($386,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him to a two way deal for $600,000 a year for two years.  I liked what I saw in his brief stint with the Oilers.

Restricted Free Agents

Sam Gagner RFA ($1.625 million cap hit) I would resign him for no more than $3.5 million a year for 5 years. He just might be the "future" of the Oilers.  Sign him long and cheap.

Andrew Cogliano RFA ($1.133 million cap hit) I would re-sign him for no more than $2 million a year for 3 years. He's a keeper even though I hear he's been shopped around.

Marc Pouliot RFA ($825,000 cap hit)  I don't think I'd keep him either.  Maybe try and include him in a deal this season.

Gilbert Brule RFA ($800,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him to $1 million a year for two years.  He has emerged this year and should have to play well for the next two years and then get rewarded.

JF Jacques RFA ($525,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him for $750,000 a year or under. Great hitter and is a physical player.  As long as his injuries don't keep coming back, he's a keeper.

Ryan Potulny RFA ($595,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him for $750,000 for two years.  I like his style of play.

Liam Reddox RFA ($515,000 cap hit) I would only re-sign him on a two way for under $600,000.  With the rise of Stone and Potulny, he's now expendable. Can he be included in a deal?

Colin MacDonald RFA ($550,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him to a two way for under $600,000 for two years. Good player for the Falcons.

Ryan O'Marra RFA ($1.22 million cap hit inc. bonus) I would re-sign him to a two way for $750,000. Anything more than that and I'd let him walk.  He needs two more years in the minors, at least. And let's be real... $1.22 million a year?  That sounds like a Kevin Lowe contract.

Denis Grebeshkov RFA ($3.15 million cap hit) I would re-sign him for the same amount, $3,150,000 to two year deal.  I like his play, but I think the Oilers would trade him if given a chance. The guys like Chorney are making decisions harder.

Theo Peckham RFA ($600,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him for $750,000 a year over three years.  I like what he brings to the table, but he has lots of room to improve to warrant big money. 

Jeff Deslauriers RFA ($625,000 cap hit) I would try and trade him.  If not, then try and re-sign him to a two year deal for $750,000.  He's good, but I like Dubnyk better.  Maybe I'm wrong.

Devan Dubnyk RFA ($700,000 cap hit) I would re-sign him to a three year deal worth $750,000.  I think that in time, he will be better than JDD.  Either way the Oilers will have to decide which of the two they will keep.  Signing Khabibulin to a four year deal makes no sense.  Why lose a good prospect for a set of old balls?


Before anyone freaks out about what I just wrote, there is a lot of work to do with this hockey club.  Trades are sure to happen and no one can predict who's around at the start of next season.  These are just my opinions and I have no idea what the Oilers cap numbers will look like next year.  Granted, if the Oilers were to sign all the people to the deals I have just said, then other people will have to go. I can tell you right now all these deals, plus the existing one's, would put the Oilers over the cap.  I just haven't got that far yet.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

B&J #93 Edmonton Oilers Recap vs Florida Panthers (12/7/09)

Welcome to Oilers Jambalaya - An Edmonton Oilers Hockey Blog. Beers & Jeers is a dual collaboration between Smokin' Ray and Paq Twinn. We hope you enjoy our Edmonton Oilers full game recap.

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- Who's Out? Who's in? Same lines as last game.  Chorney and O'Marra have been sent back down to Springfield as they are not being used here with the Oilers.

- As I tweeted earlier, Springfield Falcon Kip Brennan is the AHL leader in penalty minutes.  After 27 games he has 137 pim.  I guess this is why the Oilers didn't re-claim Steve MacIntyre a few days ago.

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Pre-Game Records

Edmonton Oilers (12-13-4) at Florida Panthers (11-13-5)

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TONIGHT'S STARTING LINES

Penner-Gagner-Brule
Jacques-Horcoff-O'Sullivan
Moreau-Potulny-Cogliano
Nilsson-Stortini-Stone

Smid-Visnovsky
Souray-Gilbert
Strudwick-Staios

Deslauriers
Dubnyk

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**These are Re-Tweets of Paq Twinn's LIVE TweetCast© at http://twitter.com/OilersJambalaya/edmontonoilerstweetcast**

1st PERIOD

- Getting set for #Oilers vs #Panthers Are you ready?
- Mean Gene, Kevin Quinn and Louie Debrusk are saying their "funny" puns. Let's hope the puck drops quickly. #canttakeit
- GAME ON!
- Man is the #Florida arena empty. But yeah... Let's keep hockey in places it shouldn't be. #stupiddecisions
- Good start to the game. #Oilers are looking good. Vokoun doesn't need stitches yet. #lamejoke
- Weiss rings one off the post. 12:30 left in the 1st period.
- Oilers are just looking for a spark. Who's it going to be?
- Brule nails Ballard. PP for the #Panthers. #wasvokounlaughing
- Oilers kill off the 1st penalty of the game. They looked lousy but killed it off.
- 8:30 left in the 1st period.
- Oilers will get a go at the PP. The shots are 9 for the Panthers and 4 for the Oilers before the PP starts.
- No dice for the #Oilers . They only had one shot on that PP.
- 5:00 minutes left and it's still a 0-0 Tie Game / Quinn is sure rolling out the #1 line often
- There is 4:20 left... umm...  I forgot what I was going to say. #hightimes
- One Minute Left iin the 1st Period #Oilers vs #Panthers / 0-0 Tie Game
- That's it for the 1st Period / The #Oilers better come out flying in the 2nd. This game is their's for the taking.

2nd PERIOD

- 2nd period is underway.
- Horc SCORES on a nice cross crease pass from Lubo. PP goal. 1-0 Oilers  / 16:25 2nd
- Moore scores for the cats, on a flukey bounce. 1-1 Tie Game / 13:51 2nd
- McCabe throws an elbow to Nilsson's head. He'll go off for 2. Oilers PP 12:39 2nd
- The cats kill it off
- Oilers outshooting Panthers 9-3 in the 2nd. 9:45 2nd
- JFJ with a big hit on Allen.
- Gags gets a phantom penalty on a innocent looking play. oh and the panthers had possesion. #whatsupwiththat
- Oilers PK. 5:18 2nd
- Pens and Patty-O get a great shorthanded chance.
- Smid gets called for holding. Oilers PK 2:41 2nd
- Oilers doing a good job on PK. #aggressivePK
- JDD with a big glove save as the penalty expires.
- Campbell tries to throw a big hit on Nilsson. Nilsson side steps and Campbell hits teamate Allen. Both cats are out for the count. #ouch
- Stretcher is coming out for Campbell. #hopehesOK
- Campbell limps off to dressing room. #toughkid
- After 2nd it's tied at 1 a piece.
- Better period for the Oil. Now lets finish this one.

3rd PERIOD

- 3rd period is underway. Shots are 25-16 for the cats.
- Patty-O shoots the puck over the glass. Oilers PK 19:33 3rd
- Moore scores his 2nd of the night on the PP. 2-1 Panthers
- Moore's 1st went off Gilbert, his 2nd went off Staios. #badluckforJDD
- OilersJambalaya says YEAH!!! Visnovsky scores! *breathes a sigh of relief* / 2-2 Tie Game
- Lubo SCORES! as he onetimed a shot past Vokoun, assist to Smid. 2-2 Tie Game 15:00 3rd
- OilersJambalaya says The Dreaded Visnovsmid™ Strikes Again...
- Halfway trough the 3rd and the game is gettin good. #backandforthaction
- Brule wants a piece of Ballard. #watchoutforstick Bru will go off for roughing. Oilers PK 8:27 3rd
- Oilers kill off Bru's penalty.
- 5 min remaing in 3rd. 2-2
- JDD gets lucky tring to play puck.
- 2 min warning
- OilersJambalaya says Why is Staios and Strudwick out there at this point of the game? #Quinnmustbedrinking
- Why are the Oilers so lazy in last few mins of periods. Haven't they learned YET?
- After 3 periods it's tied at 2. #Oilers @ #Panthers Overtime here we come.

OVERTIME

- Oilers are 3-4 when tied after 3, all going to the shootout.
- Is it just me or is Lub the Oilers best player period. #heseverywheretonight
- Oilers get 4 on 3 OT PP halfway through OT
- Horc, Pens, Gags and Souray are out on PP.
- dantencer says Overtime power play that yielded 0 shots on goal for the Oilers. Total blown opportunity.
- Oilers get a great chance with Pens driving the net and taking out Vokoun. Puck goes in but after the buzzer. Oilers going to shootout again

SHOOTOUT

- Cats shoot 1st. Rienprect goes in and shoots, misses the net
- Patty-O tries a deke, Vokoun poke checks him.
- Wiess goes in and JDD poke checks him.
- Nilsson goes in and shoots it off the post and in. 1-0 Oilers
- Olesz goes in dekes to the backhand scores. 1-1 each
- Horc goes in dekes and SCORES! Oilers win shootout 2-1.
- Oilers beat #Panthers 3-2 in the shootout.
- Lubo(1), Moore(2), and Horc(3) get the stars.
- Another solid road game for the Oil tonight. 3 wins in a row, on the road no less. Who saw this coming?
- JDD with 33 saves for the win. Both goals against were flukry redirections off his D
- Thanks for following this *Live* Tweetcast. Next up the #Oilers travel to Tampa to take on #Lightning on Wed. at 5:30. No TV
- dantencer says Oilers 2nd goal has been changed from Visnovsky to Penner. His 16th on the year.

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GAME HIGHLIGHTS




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FINAL SCORE

Edmonton Oilers - 3

Florida Panthers - 2  so

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BAD TIMING PENALTY

None - This honor goes to Bryan McCabe.  What a bonehead taking a penalty in overtime.  He is kind of like our captain.  A BTP specialist.

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GAME STATS

Edmonton Oilers Summary

(CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENARGE)

Florida Panthers Summary

(CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENARGE)

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BEERS

Lubomir Visnovsky - He is crazy good this guy.  He picks up both assists on the Oilers only two goal in regulation time.  He can do anything.  He has clearly been our best player since day 1 of the season.  His great play just rubs off on Smid.  If there is anything to complain about, he needs to shoot more.  He has a great shot and it's evident as he is one of the best defencemen in the league in goals.  Super good game!  Feel like a tall glass of Heineken? Cheers!

Ladislav Smid - He just keeps rolling along.  He now has two points in two games.  The streak is alive!!!  He played really good again tonight.  He had an assist and 3 hits.  The guy just keeps on impressing me.  What's next?  Maybe he should get a shot at the shootout?  For another solid game, enjoy a Black Label. Mmmm... thick. Cheers!

Jeff Deslauriers - A winner of three games in a row.  Since his poop in the bed game, he's been on fire.  He's playing like he thinks he can.  He's damn good.  Do I sound surprised?  It's because I am.  He's exceeded everything that I have expected from him.  It just goes to show that he needs to play more than once every two weeks.  He needs games to stay sharp.  He made big saves and kept the Oilers in this game.  Great job Jeff.  Frosty Budweiser?  Cheers!

HONORABLE MENTION(S): Shawn Horcoff (He scores his second shootout game winner in a row.  He played well tonight. He played like a leader.), Ethan Moreau (Played a pretty flawless game. 4 shots, 3 hits and 2 blocked shots.), Gilbert Brule (He played with passion tonight and had 4 good hits. He's bustin' his hump and deserves the shot on the 1st line.), Dustin Penner (The big guy had a pretty good game.  He screened well, and picked up a goal from a Visnovsky shot.  He continues to get points.),  Sheldon Souray (He was a mean beast tonight.  He had some great hits and played a pretty responsible game.  He needs to shoot more.), Robert Nilsson (He continues to impress me since his return.  He picked up an assist tonight.)

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JEERS

Jason Strudwick & Steve Staios - This pairing sucks.  I can not wait until Grebeshkov comes back (he started skating with the team today).  Strudwick is a terrible player.  I know... I've said it before, but it's true.  He's terrible.  The only stat he had was 2 blocked shots.  *throws arms up in the air* And Staios... he's just starting to become Strudwick II.  How they were given that much ice time is beyond me.  Especially late in the 3rd and those two are out there.  Scary stuff.  Please Quinn... let these guys go. Boooooo!

HONORABLE MENTION(S): None

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GOAT WATCH

(Smokin' Ray) Ethan Moreau - You guys are supposed to suck.  It's hard to hate a guy who's good.

(Paq Twinn) Robert Nilsson - Same with Bobby.  I need to boo people.  Your not helping the situation.

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OUR GAME SUMMARIES

Smokin' Ray - I though that it was a boring game to watch at times.  It's never fun to watch a game that's dry. There was times that had me on edge but they didn't last long.  I liked that the Oilers didn't make a whole lot of mistakes.  I really dislike the Staios/Strudwick pairing.  Grebs can't come back fast enough.  I liked that the 1st line actually put in a solid effort tonight and that they didn't just rely on everyone else to pick up the slack.  I also liked how JDD is still looking sharp.  Take you time Habbi, no need to rush back.  All in all I'm a happy guy now that the Oilers have 3 game winning streak on the go.  No more avoiding the fLame fans at work.  Good Job Boys!

Paq Twinn - Well if you said the Oilers would win 3 games on this road trip, I would have said you're CRAZY. *Wipes pie off of face* Guess I was wrong. Another good game tonight from the Oilers. Lubo was awesome tonight, and even my goat pick, Nilsson, looked good. I don't know what to think about this team, one day they suck real
ly bad and the next thing you know, they roll off 3 wins on the road with solid efforts. Will the real Oilers please stand up. I am still of the belief this team needs some personnel changes but I'll take the win, I guess. *waves bye bye to Taylor Hall*

This team still needs to learn how to play for 20 min periods, they're still giving fans and myself heart attacks in the finals seconds of periods. JDD played solid, made some big saves tonight. The goals that got by him were pure fluke, one off Gilbert's skate, the other off Staios' leg. Pretty much everyone did thier job tonight and the Oil need that to win on a consistant basis. Game Grade: B

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POST GAME REACTIONS

**Check Back Later**

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GAME STATS

- Game Summary

- Event Summary

- Scoring Chances (MC79)

- David Staples/Player Grades (Cult of Hockey)

- Full NHL Play By Play

- Oilers Time On The Ice

- Opponents Time On The Ice

- Faceoff Report

- Shots Report

- Shootout Details

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NEXT GAME

Edmonton Oilers (13-13-4) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (11-10-8)

Wed, Dec 9/09
5:30 pm MT
NOT ON TV / WEB CAST ONLY.  Watch it here at OilersJambalaya

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Thanks for stopping by and reading the Edmonton Oilers Full Game Recap. Don't forget that you can agree or disagree with us on Facebook and Twitter. Just look for Smokin' Ray Burnt and Paq Twinn. We will see you all next game. GOILERS!

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In Katz's Shoes - An Oiler Fan's Thoughts

Hello, my name is Paq Twinn and I'm the "other" guy here at Oilers Jambalaya. I've known Smokin' Ray for 10 years now and it's been fun helping out with the TweetCasts for the Beers & Jeers and whatever else he's wanted me to do. Now it's time to ramp it up a bit and you'll find me writing on here a lot more often. Do I have a different point of view compared to Smokin' Ray? You bet I do. Here's one example...

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Here's what I would do if I were in Katz's shoes.

If you build it they will come?

I'd worry less about the new building and more about the on ice product. Don't get me wrong, I do think that the Oilers need a new building in the future. It's just that the team is so inconsistent, that fans don't know what to expect when they show up to Rexall place for a game. Is it the team that works their collective asses off that shows up, or the one that stinks the joint out? The product should be the focus at the moment.

On a side note, if Mayor Mandel wants the "city" to own the new arena then he should pony up some money. Otherwise, be happy someone wants to better your city and build a new attraction, and keep your mouth shut.

The Scouts

When looking at the Oilers draft history over the last 30 years, an involuntary urge to puke swells in my gut. Other than some great drafts in the first few years (Messier-3rd rd, Anderson-4th rd, Kurri-4th rd, Moog-5th rd) and some decent prospects from recent drafts, the Oilers have been horrible.

From 1984-1992 there wasn't one 1st rd pick that played more than 60 games. That's not even a whole season. When Kevin Lowe took over from Slats back in 2000, most of the scouting staff retired, probably cause they would have been fired after drafting the likes of Rita, Riessen, Bonsignore etc. Kevin Lowe appointed Prendergast as head of scouting, while Lowe himself scouted AHL and NHL talent. Neither era has a great draft record. Slats got some good ones in the Oilers infant years, and Lowe has been better in the last few years himself(minus Robbie Schremp).

If I were in Katz's shoes I would do everything possible to get a scout or 2 that has a proven track record. Someone from Detroit and maybe New Jersey, these teams draft consistently well every year and it doesn't seem like a fluke.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly and the Unknown

Finally I'd do something about the contracts on this team. Here's what moves I would want done with this roster.

The Good ones are obvious, and I'm not that concerned about them. Gags, Pens, Hemmer, Lubo, Smid, Brule, Storts, Stoner and Potsy.

The Bad ones haven't played bad, but some have. I would give Tambo the power to trade these guys. Gilbert, Grebs, Horc(I know, I know, the contract), Cogs, Patty-O, Comrie and Souray. I would also deal one of the 3 goalies. JDD and DD are RFA's at season's end and we have to choose one to keep and deal one or keep both and trade Khabbi.

The Ugly players have to go, no matter what. whether it's through trades, buy-outs or waiving to the minors. They are as follows, Moreau, Nilsson, Staios, Strudwick, and I don't like to do this to him but Pisani as well.

The Unknown players haven't been around long enough to really know how effective they will become or ineffective for that matter. The jury is out on Chorney, Peckham, Reddox, McDonald and O'Marra. These guys still have potential and I wouldn't give up on any of them....yet.

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Well there you have it, a little look into Paq's brain. Hope it wasn't too scary. One more thing, I would also bring back the blue shoulder patches on the white jersey's, or maybe orange. But there would be shoulder patches on the whites for sure. But that's a whole other subject for some other time.

Have a great day and see you next time.