Game 24 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Phoenix Coyotes - Rexall Place - November 23, 2009.   PPV 7:00 PM

The Film, Coyote Ugly, was released in 2000. It certainly didn’t feature an ensemble cast, but the lead actor, Piper Perabo, was sure easy on the eyes. The story itself was not particularly memorable though I do recall it being based on an actual Coyote Ugly Saloon in New York City. I also vaguely recall that the film itself featured a series of musical montages with attractive women dancing on bars in the backdrop.

Essentially, the plot of this movie was based on a struggling musician trying to find her way in the big city. Tonight, the struggling Edmonton Oilers will continue to try to find their game in the big leagues. Each are stories about persistence.

Doug Weight is unequivocally my personal all-time favorite Oiler. No, he didn’t have the pure skill of many former Oilers, but like Piper Perabo, he made watching a less than stellar cast (the 1995-2000 Oilers) easier on the eyes. The ever cash-strapped Oilers team of those years had many flaws. On paper, they really didn’t look like much, but on the ice, they were a team worth watching.

On Sunday morning, practice was much more than just practice for the Edmonton Oilers. In fact only two players, Taylor Chorney and Robert Nilsson, got in a whole lot of skating time. The rest of the team was sent home to comtemplate their play of late with the exception of seven players who were forced to contemplate with the coaching staff.

Sam Gagner vs. Patrick Kane - Dueling (former London) Knights!

Sam Gagner and Patrick Kane do have a lot in common.  For starters, both played for the same team, the London Knights, during the 2006-7 OHL hockey season.  Further, both players were drafted in the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.  By today's NHL standards, both players would simply be considered 'below average' in terms of their listed size.  Patrick Kane himself is listed as just 5'10' and just 178 pounds while Sam Gagner is an inch taller and 13 pounds heavier. In addition, both players' numbers relfect the year in which they were born--1988 and 1989 respectively.

When the Oilers first played the Blackhawks in Chicago this season, Sam Gagner and Patrick Kane reportedly caught a Chicago Bulls game together the night prior.  If I had to guess, I would wager that Sam Gagner picked up the cab fare.

By the numbers, how have these two players stacked up during their respective past two and current NHL seasons?

NHL Combined Special Teams Rankings in League - November 22, 2009

We're just over a quarter of a way through this NHL hockey season.  Already, the NHL juggernauts like the Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, and Chicago Black Hawks have started their ascent towards the top of the  league standings.  In today's NHL, the importance of having effective combined special teams is of paramount importance in terms of having a chance to see the playoffs.  With the prevailing attitude among officiating to even up powerplays, the importance of these special teams becomes even more important.

From The Pens Blog:

How many times have you heard a coach or GM complain that one team received more penalties than the other?
The NHL has established the fact that both teams will have a similar number of chances on the power play and, when they don't, the referees will do their best to even things up.
It's ridiculous and it's essentially an NHL standard now.

Oilers schooled by Blackhawks - Score 5 - 2

2

5

Tonight, the Edmonton Oilers got schooled by the Chicago Blackhawks.  Nikolai Khabibulin was a late scratch from the game due to a back injury.  Jeff Deslauriers drew in for the game start with Edmonton Oil Kings tender, Torrie Jung, as the backup.  When I first heard news of that goaltending tandem over at Lowetide, I actually thought it was a joke.  This game was eerily similar to the previous tilt between the two teams minus the solid goaltending of Nikolai Khabibulin.  Though Deslauriers let 3 goals in during just the first seven minutes of game play, the Oilers were simply out-classed during this game.  To his credit, big Dustin Penner kept the Oilers on the scoreboard with an assist and a goal.

Pat Quinn:

It happened to a better hockey club (Calgary Flames) two nights ago.

There is some intelligence, IQ, to this game and we're not showing much IQ.