As a fan of the Edmonton Oilers one has to ponder how bad this season would be if Anders Nilsson wasn’t here. Instead of being 9-15-2, would the team be sitting at 5-20-2? Or worse? I’m not sure if it was the Oilers that were playing good or the Bruins that were playing poorly? I suppose it doesn’t matter at this point does it? The boys in orange and blue got the 2 points and are now in a tie for last place in the NHL. It’s nice to share, isn’t it?
Flash. That. Leather. #BOSvsEDM pic.twitter.com/WumCCI1Gdc
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 3, 2015
According to the game summary over at Oilers Nerd Alert, which you can find here, the Oilers were second best in the fancies. I can believe that. The Oilers never really dominated the Bruins for any stretch of time. I want to say they got pretty lucky but I also believe that you create your luck and Matty Hendricks and Mark Letestu did just that on their short-handed goal half-way through the second frame.
When the Oilers top guns aren’t firing on all cylinders it really is nice to see the veterans pick up the slack. Hendricks and Letestu are far from skilled and Mark Letestu has been a less than stellar signing so far but tonight they stood out in a good way. Hendricks was the game’s 1st star as he racked up a goal and an assist along with 4 hits. Letestu might’ve been the 4th star if that were allowed. The native of Elk Point, AB equaled his linemates stat line sans the hits but was 62% on the faceoff dot.
Boston did find a way to tie the game at one with ninety seconds left but the two veterans combined again in the third to put the Oilers up by one. A nifty little pass off the wing, nutmegging the Bruins defender found its way to Sir Hendricks’ stick and whilst being tied up by Colin Miller, tappity tip and it was in with a zip!
The go-ahead goal! 🙌 #BOSvsEDM pic.twitter.com/RUJmp1b0cv
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 3, 2015
But as the third period wore on I got the feeling that the Bruins were going to get one to tie it up. They had the Oilers hemmed in their own zone for a good 3 or 4 minutes in the latter parts of the period and low and behold they managed to find a way. Somehow Teddy Purcell and Iiro Pakarinen lost Zdeno Chara. Don’t ask me how you lose someone as big as the sasquatch from Harry and the Hendersons but they did it and Big Z found himself wide open in the slot and with a deft little pass the puck was behind Anders Nilsson.
The game would stay tied and 3v3 OT was played to no avail. A shootout was required and luckily for us we have some of the game’s best shootout players and also a netminder who is performing very well.
The game in total wasn’t anything amazing. Anders Nilsson had an outstanding game and every time he puts up these kind of performances you have to wonder how long until Cam Talbot realizes he could be a free agent next season. Although when you think about it, if the Oilers could get him signed on the cheap it would be worth it. You might not think he’s any different from that of Scrivens, Fasth, or the final days of Dubnyk but he’s mentally much better. Not quite as fragile as those others.
The Oilers did extremely well on faceoffs and Patrice Bergeron didn’t. It was an off night for one of the NHL’s best draw takers. All that much better for the Oilers I say.
How about that little skirmish between Hall and Chara? Hallsy sure knew when to get out of there eh? It made me chuckle a bit.
Tag, you're it… No, YOU'RE it. 👊👊 #BOSvsEDM pic.twitter.com/YTzoJYnlJy
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 3, 2015
I think Eric Gryba will be sitting down for a few games after he popped Jimmy Hayes’ head like an over ripe zit. You can check the hit out below. When I seen the hit I was like, “Oh shit… Goodnight Jimmy and enjoy your vacation Eric.”
So Dallas is coming to town eh… Yikes! That’s a scary proposition. They’re the sexiest team in the league right now and it’s only a matter of time until the media start praising the Dallas Stars model of rebuilding… Trade trade trade! lol.
Anyways, I can’t see the Oilers pulling this one out but we seen what happened in the Oilers second game versus the Washington Capitals right? The first one, a blowout. The second one, tighter than a nun’s cootchie. I’d love to see a win here to take the team out of the NHL’s basement. It’d be a huge step for the team for sure!
Let me know your thoughts on the game versus the Bruins or the game coming up against the Stars in the comment section below!
Until then, take care!
BLH
