G3
Random Comments after game 3:
- A spectator had one of those "CBC" signs that read: "Crappy Bob Cole."
- Early on, the Oilers have once again brought their physical game. When Edmonton did this in game 1 the 'Canes responded nicely, but I don't think that was wise on their part. They may be able to match the Oilers physically, but doing so takes them away from their game. They didn't take over until the serious physical play disappeared in the 3rd. All season long this Carolina team has done well, like good Southern Baptists, by turning the other cheek then ringing up the score.
- Edmonton's 5-on-3 in the 1st: Throughout the playoffs, the Oilers were one team that, early on, grasped the fact that an elevated proportion of playoff goals are scored on shots from the point and the subsequent chaos (rebounds, screens, deflections). Why have they abandoned this tactic now? The 'Canes appear to understand it well, and they kill penalties accordingly.
- If Doug Weight and Mark Recchi are the 'weak links' of the Carolina offense, you have a damned good group of forwards.
- I wrote a note saying that the 'Canes PK is incredibly aggressive. As an example, I noted that there were three Hurricane penalty killers below the goal line. Seconds later, Harry Neale said the very same thing (only he inaccurately called it the "icing" line).
- Mark Messier was occupying one of the expensive boxes tonight. I briefly wondered why Mess isn't blogging like Ronnie Francis is. Then I logically concluded that Mess could never make a PG-13 rating in written composition.
- Carolina continues to have more "legs" than their opponent in the 3rd period. One might attribute this to their team composition. This is the advantage of having 1A, 1B, and 1C lines. The only other team I can think of that was composed similarly: the Sabres.
- Where was Mess going in such a hurry with only two minutes left in the game? Was section 14 out of Salt & Vinegar Lays?
- The NBC broadcast is hockey impaired. Fortunately for NBC, John Davidson will be taking his hockey-impaired POV with him to St. Louis this Fall.
- More of an overall playoff comment: Laviolette gets a feather in his cap for this - The 'Canes get a lot of chances off pinches. They are very tough along the boards. Clearing attempts have to get past 1) the deep forechecker, 2) the forward at the "half boards" (I use the Bowen term, for want of a better descriptor) and 3) the d-man at the point, who pinches way, WAY more often than you would expect given the 'Canes' blueline corps. One has to wonder how they get away with it. After several moments of contemplation, I concluded that it is due to the puck-over-glass rule. Clearing attempts are less frequently over the heads of the men at the point. Therefore, they are easier to intercept, which improves the cost/benefit of pinching. I have no supporting evidence whatsoever - the statement it is strictly anecdotal.
- The game ends, appropriately, to the sounds of Blur's "Whew! Whew!" as the Oilers' faithful wipe sweat from their furrowed brows.
~~~
Other stuff:
- #$*!ing Oiloggers. You have to appreciate them in the same way you ‘appreciate’ Ken Linesman. Yeah, there is some sh*t disturbing, but that's some of the best sh*t disturbing I've ever seen. You can't help but chortle.
- Ammo for said Oiloggers: The rafters of the rink in Raleigh are full of... basketball jerseys???
- Ya know, an Oiler win would promote the greater good. Post game 2, Aaron Ward says on CBC: "I'm Canadian. If I was in Canada, I'd be going for Edmonton too."
- "In the four game winning streak vs. the Habs, Ward got help from the posts and crossbar 5 times, Huet only once."
Those were four one-goal games, and two ended in OT. I didn't need to hear that. Sigh.
- CBC has been playing Oilers' Cup-winning games after hours. It's fun to compare the differences between then and now. The biggest difference? The goalie skills. And lax security. Tonight, in the 3rd period of game 5 in 1988... is that a f'ing BEACH BALL lying on the ice for a minute or two in the 3rd???
- A spectator had one of those "CBC" signs that read: "Crappy Bob Cole."
- Early on, the Oilers have once again brought their physical game. When Edmonton did this in game 1 the 'Canes responded nicely, but I don't think that was wise on their part. They may be able to match the Oilers physically, but doing so takes them away from their game. They didn't take over until the serious physical play disappeared in the 3rd. All season long this Carolina team has done well, like good Southern Baptists, by turning the other cheek then ringing up the score.
- Edmonton's 5-on-3 in the 1st: Throughout the playoffs, the Oilers were one team that, early on, grasped the fact that an elevated proportion of playoff goals are scored on shots from the point and the subsequent chaos (rebounds, screens, deflections). Why have they abandoned this tactic now? The 'Canes appear to understand it well, and they kill penalties accordingly.
- If Doug Weight and Mark Recchi are the 'weak links' of the Carolina offense, you have a damned good group of forwards.
- I wrote a note saying that the 'Canes PK is incredibly aggressive. As an example, I noted that there were three Hurricane penalty killers below the goal line. Seconds later, Harry Neale said the very same thing (only he inaccurately called it the "icing" line).
- Mark Messier was occupying one of the expensive boxes tonight. I briefly wondered why Mess isn't blogging like Ronnie Francis is. Then I logically concluded that Mess could never make a PG-13 rating in written composition.
- Carolina continues to have more "legs" than their opponent in the 3rd period. One might attribute this to their team composition. This is the advantage of having 1A, 1B, and 1C lines. The only other team I can think of that was composed similarly: the Sabres.
- Where was Mess going in such a hurry with only two minutes left in the game? Was section 14 out of Salt & Vinegar Lays?
- The NBC broadcast is hockey impaired. Fortunately for NBC, John Davidson will be taking his hockey-impaired POV with him to St. Louis this Fall.
- More of an overall playoff comment: Laviolette gets a feather in his cap for this - The 'Canes get a lot of chances off pinches. They are very tough along the boards. Clearing attempts have to get past 1) the deep forechecker, 2) the forward at the "half boards" (I use the Bowen term, for want of a better descriptor) and 3) the d-man at the point, who pinches way, WAY more often than you would expect given the 'Canes' blueline corps. One has to wonder how they get away with it. After several moments of contemplation, I concluded that it is due to the puck-over-glass rule. Clearing attempts are less frequently over the heads of the men at the point. Therefore, they are easier to intercept, which improves the cost/benefit of pinching. I have no supporting evidence whatsoever - the statement it is strictly anecdotal.
- The game ends, appropriately, to the sounds of Blur's "Whew! Whew!" as the Oilers' faithful wipe sweat from their furrowed brows.
~~~
Other stuff:
- #$*!ing Oiloggers. You have to appreciate them in the same way you ‘appreciate’ Ken Linesman. Yeah, there is some sh*t disturbing, but that's some of the best sh*t disturbing I've ever seen. You can't help but chortle.
- Ammo for said Oiloggers: The rafters of the rink in Raleigh are full of... basketball jerseys???
- Ya know, an Oiler win would promote the greater good. Post game 2, Aaron Ward says on CBC: "I'm Canadian. If I was in Canada, I'd be going for Edmonton too."
- "In the four game winning streak vs. the Habs, Ward got help from the posts and crossbar 5 times, Huet only once."
Those were four one-goal games, and two ended in OT. I didn't need to hear that. Sigh.
- CBC has been playing Oilers' Cup-winning games after hours. It's fun to compare the differences between then and now. The biggest difference? The goalie skills. And lax security. Tonight, in the 3rd period of game 5 in 1988... is that a f'ing BEACH BALL lying on the ice for a minute or two in the 3rd???
posted by Jeff J at 3:19 a.m.
3 Comments:
Son, if you think Southern Baptists turn the other cheek, then there's a large proportion of the U.S. military I'd like to introduce you to.
And yes, some pretty fair basketball players were also honored in the rafters of the Boston Garden, thereby proving that nothing of hockey significance ever happened there, or in the city of Boston, for that matter. Lay off Raleigh, already. Judge them in a generation or so -- only then will we be able to say, as we can of New Jersey, that the fan base stinks.
Son, if you think Southern Baptists turn the other cheek, then there's a large proportion of the U.S. military I'd like to introduce you to.
Yup, that's marginally related to what he wrote. But point taken, I guess.
"And yes, some pretty fair basketball players were also honored in the rafters of the Boston Garden..."
Yeah, guys like Larry Bird and Robert Parish. Those are two I can think of right off the bat, and basketball ranks somewhere below Competitive Duck Duck Goose in my personal sports give-a-crap index.
I'm sure there have been some fantastic college ball players who could dribble the ball fast and throw the ball into the basket. Care to name a few of those players whose numbers are hanging up there with #99?
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