Oilers v. Kings - Psalm 102:1-7

O Yahweh, hear our prayers for help;
let our cries of anguish be heard.
Do not hide from your pummeled children;
hear their cries even as Kings take what little pride they have left.

See Also:
Oilers v. Kings - Psalm 102:8-10
Oilers v. Kings - Psalm 102:11-14
Oilers v. Kings - Psalm 102:15-17
Oilers v. Kings - Psalm 102:18-20

Oilers v. Ducks - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Now all of you who suffer with me do not need to be reminded that we cannot be distracted by individual games or seasons. The day of the Lord's deliverance may seem to tarry but ou know as well as I do that its coming is certain.

Avalanche v. Wild - Scoring Chances #33

Tm	P	Time	Note	COL						Opponent
MIN	1	19:11		4	5	16	31	37	55	5	12	22	27	32	34	5v5
MIN	1	18:00		9	23	31	39	44	52	3	6	11	25	32	51	5v5
MIN	1	16:48		4	5	15	31	40	43	3	6	9	15	20	32	5v5
COL	1	15:50		16	31	37	44	52	55	12	22	27	32	34	36	5v5
COL	1	15:22		9	15	31	44	52	55	12	22	27	32	34	36	5v5
MIN	1	14:06		8	22	25	26	27	31	5	9	15	20	32	55	5v5
MIN	1	14:05		8	22	25	26	27	31	5	9	15	20	32	55	5v5
MIN	1	14:04	Goal	8	22	25	26	27	31	5	9	15	20	32	55	5v5
MIN	1	9:40		9	22	23	27	31	39	11	25	32	34	36	51	5v5
COL	1	7:40		4	5	15	31	40	43	21	22	32	34	48		5v4
COL	2	18:20		8	22	25	26	27	31	5	6	14	21	32	48	5v5
MIN	2	18:02		9	23	31	39	44	52	3	11	25	32	51	55	5v5
COL	2	14:41		4	5	9	23	31	39	5	14	21	32	48	55	5v5
COL	2	1:28		4	5	8	25	26	31	3	6	12	22	27	32	5v5
MIN	3	17:04		4	5	15	31	39	43	14	21	32	34	36	48	5v5
COL	3	14:04		4	5	9	23	31	40	14	21	32	34	36	48	5v5
COL	3	12:24		4	5	9	16	31	40	5	9	32	51	55		5v4
COL	3	9:05		9	23	31	40	44	52	3	6	11	25	32	51	5v5
COL	3	8:21		8	23	25	26	27	31	3	6	21	22	32		5v4
COL	3	7:20		4	5	9	16	31	40	3	6	12	25	32		5v4
MIN	3	5:35		22	25	31	37	39	52	3	6	11	25	32	51	5v5
COL	3	0:25		5	8	9	23	25	44	3	6	9	12	22	32	5v5

#	Player	EV			PP			SH
4	J. LILES	16:57	3	3	4:05	3	0	0:11	0	0
5	B. CLARK	15:15	4	3	2:53	3	0	1:35	0	0
8	W. WOLSKI	11:50	3	3	5:49	1	0	0:42	0	0
9	M. DUCHENE	12:04	5	3	4:24	2	0	0:33	0	0
15	M. HENDRICKS	8:22	1	2	0:10	1	0	0:28	0	0
16	D. TUCKER	10:12	1	1	3:13	2	0	0:00	0	0
22	S. HANNAN	15:18	1	5	1:06	0	0	2:54	0	0
23	M. HEJDUK	9:47	4	3	5:32	1	0	0:41	0	0
25	C. STEWART	10:57	3	4	5:11	1	0	0:00	0	0
26	P. STASTNY	10:38	2	3	5:32	1	0	1:40	0	0
27	K. QUINCEY	13:23	1	4	5:42	1	0	2:06	0	0
31	P. BUDAJ	44:14	7	10	10:23	4	0	4:40	0	0
37	R. O'REILLY	14:39	1	2	0:15	0	0	1:45	0	0
39	T. GALIARDI	9:32	1	5	1:08	0	0	2:23	0	0
40	M. SVATOS	13:00	2	1	4:09	3	0	0:18	0	0
43	J. MERCIER	7:22	0	2	0:32	1	0	0:00	0	0
44	R. WILSON	15:14	4	2	0:00	0	0	0:18	0	0
52	A. FOOTE	14:38	3	3	1:11	0	0	2:16	0	0
55	C. MCLEOD	15:00	2	1	1:03	0	0	0:50	0	0

Period	Totals		EV		PP		5v3 PP		SH		5v3 SH
1	3	7	2	7	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	3	1	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	6	2	3	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	12	10	8	10	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The Wild certainly didn't do anything to help their reputation as a boring team in this game. Minnesota took the lead with about 54 minutes left in the game and from that point on there was a total of 12 chances. The Wild only had four of them and at one point went over twenty consecutive minutes without a scoring chance. Both teams were playing good defence and neither team was taking what the defence was giving them. Both teams tried to shoot the puck from poor angles in an attempt to generate rebounds but couldn't get people to the net to pick up the puck. Both teams tried to make passes to players in scoring areas but couldn't navigate through the sticks of their opponents. Both teams blocked quite a few shots. Both teams were poor on the power play, but the Avalanche especially so. 4 chances in 10 minutes is pretty poor and they just looked bad while doing it. The Wild were bad too, but two of their power play minutes involved Greg Zanon on the point as they were killing the clock in the last five minutes of the game. Their goals were a little different than usual. Not a very exciting game.

Except for Justin Mercier. It was his first NHL game, so I'm sure he was pretty excited. I was excited to see him in the lineup too because it meant David Koci was out! But, he didn't generate anything in his seven minutes of ice time and managed to be outchanced along with the rest of the fourth line. Not a particularly encouraging debut and his NCAA career doesn't exactly leave me pining for more. They'd likely be better off with Durno or Hensick.

The big officiating miss in the game was Martin Havlat lifting the net off its moorings and causing a stoppage in the second period just before the puck crossed into the Minnesota goal. I recall the Avalanche doing the exact same thing to Columbus a couple of games ago with the same result (tying goal disallowed). It seems like there's one of these kinds of things every game and must get frustrating for the players. I wonder how much these kinds of calls impact a team's record. It's probably significant.

But do you know what isn't significant? The first game back after a long road trip. This early in the season there isn't enough fatigue to cause a substantial change in performance and the psychological effect seems to be nil. The announcers were peddling this tripe throughout the first period much to my chagrin, even saying "It's been that way forever." Kids, when you hear a phrase like that about something that seems like it could be made-up it's probably worthwhile to check.

Oilers v. Coyotes - Hosea 6:4-6

"What can I do with you Mr. Manager?
And what about you Mr. Dithers?
Your savvy is like a morning mist,
present in the early hours and then quickly gone forever!"

See Also:
Oilers v. Coyotes, Sharks - Hosea 6:1-3

Avalanche v. Blues - Scoring Chances #32

Tm	P	Time	Note	COL						Opponent
COL	1	17:59		15	16	22	27	31	55	18	20	28	43	50	57	5v5
STL	1	16:31		8	25	26	31	44	52	5	9	42	46	50	74	5v5
STL	1	16:27		4	5	9	23	31	39	10	15	22	28	43	50	5v5
COL	1	16:12		4	5	9	23	31	39	10	15	22	28	43	50	5v5
COL	1	14:32		8	25	26	31	44	52	5	18	20	26	46	50	5v5
COL	1	14:31		8	25	26	31	44	52	5	18	20	26	46	50	5v5
STL	1	13:49		4	9	23	27	31	39	6	15	22	42	44	50	5v5
STL	1	13:15		16	22	27	31	37	55	10	15	22	43	44	50	5v5
STL	1	10:52		9	23	31	39	44	52	9	28	42	43	50	74	5v5
STL	1	6:40		16	22	27	31	37	55	5	10	15	22	46	50	5v5
STL	1	6:25		4	5	8	25	26	31	5	18	20	26	46	50	5v5
STL	1	2:09		9	22	23	27	31	55	5	10	15	22	46	50	5v5
COL	1	1:53		4	5	8	25	26	31	5	10	15	46	50	57	5v5
COL	1	0:17		4	5	9	16	31	40	18	26	43	44	50		5v4
COL	1	0:12		4	23	25	26	27	31	10	42	43	46	50		5v4
STL	2	17:05		8	16	22	26	27	31	5	6	9	42	50	74	5v5
STL	2	14:04		8	22	25	26	27	31	5	9	42	46	50	57	5v5
COL	2	13:54		8	22	25	26	27	31	5	7	42	46	50	57	5v5
COL	2	13:53	Goal	8	22	25	26	27	31	5	7	42	46	50	57	5v5
STL	2	13:35		9	23	31	39	44	52	6	7	21	44	50	57	5v5
STL	2	13:05		23	31	37	39	44	52	6	10	15	44	50	57	5v5
STL	2	10:53		4	5	8	25	26	31	5	9	42	46	50	74	5v5
COL	2	9:07		16	22	27	31	37	55	6	10	15	22	44	50	5v5
STL	2	7:14		15	22	26	27	31	40	6	7	21	28	50	74	5v5
COL	2	6:22		4	5	8	25	26	31	5	10	15	22	46	50	5v5
COL	2	6:08	Goal	4	5	8	25	26	31	5	18	20	26	46	50	5v5
COL	2	4:12		4	5	8	25	26	31	9	28	42	43	50	74	5v5
COL	2	4:09		4	5	8	25	26	31	9	28	42	43	50	74	5v5
STL	2	3:02		9	23	31	39	44	52	5	6	10	15	22	50	5v5
STL	2	2:28		16	22	27	31	37	55	6	18	20	26	28	50	5v5
STL	3	18:43		9	23	31	39	44	52	6	10	15	22	44	50	5v5
STL	3	14:08		4	16	31	37	44	55	9	10	22	28	43	50	5v5
COL	3	11:55		9	15	22	23	27	31	5	21	46	50	57	74	5v5
STL	3	9:38		9	23	31	39	44	52	21	28	43	50	57	74	5v5
STL	3	7:51		4	5	8	25	31	55	6	7	20	42	44	50	5v5
COL	3	7:18	Goal	4	5	8	9	25	31	20	28	42	43	50	57	5v5

#	Player	EV			PP			SH
4	J. LILES	18:46	7	6	0:40	2	0	0:00	0	0
5	B. CLARK	16:00	7	4	0:35	1	0	0:00	0	0
8	W. WOLSKI	19:36	10	6	1:01	0	0	0:24	0	0
9	M. DUCHENE	15:47	3	8	0:35	1	0	0:00	0	0
15	M. HENDRICKS	9:02	2	1	0:00	0	0	0:44	0	0
16	D. TUCKER	15:27	2	5	0:35	1	0	0:00	0	0
22	S. HANNAN	20:38	5	7	0:00	0	0	1:16	0	0
23	M. HEJDUK	16:13	2	9	1:06	1	0	0:00	0	0
25	C. STEWART	16:57	10	5	1:06	1	0	0:00	0	0
26	P. STASTNY	18:26	9	6	1:06	1	0	0:37	0	0
27	K. QUINCEY	22:02	5	8	1:06	1	0	1:16	0	0
28	D. KOCI	2:35	0	0	0:00	0	0	0:00	0	0
31	P. BUDAJ	56:19	14	20	1:41	2	0	2:00	0	0
37	R. O'REILLY	15:27	1	5	0:00	0	0	0:52	0	0
39	T. GALIARDI	17:03	1	8	0:00	0	0	0:39	0	0
40	M. SVATOS	7:32	0	1	0:35	1	0	0:00	0	0
44	R. WILSON	17:41	2	8	0:00	0	0	0:44	0	0
52	A. FOOTE	18:28	2	7	0:00	0	0	0:44	0	0
55	C. MCLEOD	13:55	2	6	0:00	0	0	0:44	0	0

Period	Totals		EV		PP		5v3 PP		SH		5v3 SH
1	7	8	5	8	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	7	8	7	8	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	2	4	2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	16	20	14	20	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

The Avalanche were again outchanced in this one despite the 4-0 victory. Peter Budaj played very well to earn the shut-out in his third consecutive start since the injury to Craig Anderson. Budaj didn't have a strong season last year, got H1N1 this season and didn't start a game this season until November 4th. At some point you start to wonder if a guy's career is in doubt and with Budaj coming up for unrestricted free agency this summer his little run of strong play could not have come at a better time. When Anderson gets back it's likely that Budaj won't get many starts so it's pretty important he puts up good numbers when he gets the chance.

The game itself was really exciting, especially in the first period. The game was played largely at 5-on-5 and both teams were skating hard and creating chances - a fun game to watch. The Avalanche generally had control of the play when the Wolski-Stastny-Stewart combination was on the ice and the Blues generally had control the rest of the game. The Galiardi-Duchene-Hejduk line was really struggling to create offence. I've just expected Hejduk to turn things around this whole time but it doesn't look like it's happening. The guy still has fantastic hands (he was the team's leading goal-scorer coming into this game despite missing several) but the rest of his game seems to be falling behind.

Ryan Wilson delivered two absolutely huge hits, one in the first on Roman Polak and one in the second on T.J. Oshie. Both of the hits came at the defensive zone blueline, which is a spot that he's delivered big hits in the past. If I was an opposing coach, I'd make sure that my players knew that Wilson has a tendency to step up at the blueline, both so that my players don't get hammered, but also to potentially take advantage of an ill-advised pinch. If the player in question manages to get around Wilson in that situation he'll have a very good scoring opportunity. In terms of scoring chances, Wilson has been quite good for most of the year but has really struggled in the last three games being outchanced 20-6 in that span. I guess it's to be expected that young players will have times that they struggle but Colorado is now relying on Wilson (with Adam Foote) in a second pairing role and will need him to turn things back around.

Finally, I thought I should make some comment on the play of Chris Stewart. He made an absolutely fantastic play in this one against Barrett Jackman. He used one arm to protect the puck, controlled the puck with the other hand on his stick while doing a spin-move to make a play on the St. Louis net. Wow! He also has 13 points over his last 9 games with 9 coming at even strength and a +/- rating of +4. Yet over that same period he's been outchanced at EV 50-44 and his best AHL season does not suggest he'll be an impressive scorer in the NHL: 25-19-44 in 77 GP with a -24 (the team was -69) as a 20-year-old. Stewart is also a very big player who plays physically, consistently jumps in to defend teammates and he's a good fighter. He's also a restricted free agent at the end of this year and could be demanding some pretty big coin if he's able to roll along at his current pace. If the underlying numbers don't improve I would certainly be prepared to let another team's GM come to me with an offer. Depending on what the rest of his season looks like, there's a pretty good chance Stewart will get Lucic-esque overpay this summer and it might instead be wise to cash in the asset if you can get something really good in return.

Oilers v. Avalanche - Psalm 107:10-16

The Oilogosphere is left to sit in darkness and unending sadness;
the Oilers suffer defeat even to weak teams like the Avalanche.
Why? Because of rebellion against the words of God
and ignorance toward true wisdom.

See Also:
Oilers v. Avalanche - Psalm 107:1-9