Pre-Game Talk: Edm v StL Thursday 7 PM

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5 Mins 4 Ftg

Life is better with no expectations.
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Apr 3, 2016
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Maybe a tad early for some to start a pre-game talk but its never to early to talk about an upcoming game in my books.

We get StL on a B2B as they play the heathen Flames tonight, and here's hoping they lay an ass-kicking of epic proportions on them as we all enjoy seeing the Flames lose almost as much as an Oiler win, and StL is a playoff bound team in the WC now anyway.

While we have recently broken the curses of the backup goalie, the afternoon game, the road loss v Minnesota and more recently the W-L-W-L cycle and the 2 regulation wins in a row, we still have another curse to break tomorrow. That is the winning in regulation on a team playing in a B2B this year.

Our record v teams playing a B2B is 0-3-0 in regulation with 1 overtime win coming on the road v Chicago way back near the season beginning. We have StL and Montreal this week who will play the hated Flames the night before us.

For those of you asking for specific Night Witch curses on the Blues, here you go:

May a scourge of rats infest the hotel rooms of the St Louis Blues keeping them awake all night after an early morning arrival from Calgary, standing on chairs cowering in fear.

May an affliction of the trembling hands be a bane on Vladimir Tarasenko causing his shots to miss horribly.

May a plague of poor passing affect Brayden Schenn creating transition opportunities for McJesus and his loyal followers.

May the goaltender of the Blues who will face our mighty Oilers fall victim to double vision and not see clearly allowing for their net to be filled with our pucks.

Just. Win.
 

Lacaar

Registered User
Jan 25, 2012
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Edmonton
Just want to see the same effort from the last 6 games. This team can't afford to take their foot off the pedal.
Play like they have been and we have a good chance to win every night.

Go into apathy mode and we're f***ed. Don't let the Blue's sleep us into the outside game. Don't for the love of pete try to force zone entries.
 

shoop

Registered User
Jul 6, 2008
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If Sekera really is back this is as close to healthy as the team has been all season.

A couple days of rest for McDavid. Hope Talbot continues on strong.

St. Louis is a team the Oilers team that can make a run at the playoffs will beat.
 

Drivesaitl

Finding Hyman
Oct 8, 2017
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I'll add that its a crucial win and that the Blues have to play tonight, while the Oilers will be well rested. Really have to take advantage of that and a Blues club that is basically bettman .500 through the last 10 games.

Teams seem to be playing games pretty casual going into the Christmas break so this is really time to make up ground. Oilers should be .500 by Xmas.
 

oobga

Tier 2 Fan
Aug 1, 2003
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Sekera is back but sadly...he has to play with Benning lol.

Too much at ask for anything that was good last year to be good this year :)

At the least they should be out as a 3rd pair and "should" be able to handle the competition.
 

shoop

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Jul 6, 2008
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Too much at ask for anything that was good last year to be good this year :)

At the least they should be out as a 3rd pair and "should" be able to handle the competition.

5.5M for a guy playing on the third pairing. That's some good cap management. :eek:
 

NeverForget06

Here we go again !
Jan 7, 2013
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Have to start taking advantage of tired teams playing on their second of the back to back.

This would be a huge win for this team. Schwartz is out so their top line won't be the same as it was for the previous two games, when they controlled the pace completely.

Nuge always dominates against the Blues and I'm sure he will keep the pace up tonight.

Need another strong start from Cam.
 

shoop

Registered User
Jul 6, 2008
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This is the internet. You need to work on your emoji game haha.

Perhaps I do.

Of course I don't expect Sekera to play top four minutes tonight. Hopefully, he never again plays top pairing minutes but that's a discussion for another thread.

But isn't the whole idea of not rushing a guy back so he can play at his natural level pretty quickly upon his return? In Sekera's case I would hope that means being in the second pairing by the New Year's Eve game at the latest.
 

oobga

Tier 2 Fan
Aug 1, 2003
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Expect him to just jump into 20+ minutes a night after not playing since last spring? Man some guys love reaching.

Didn't Eakins play Nuge like 27 minutes his first game back after shoulder surgery? :)
 

McBigYak

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Nov 4, 2015
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Perhaps I do.

Of course I don't expect Sekera to play top four minutes tonight. Hopefully, he never again plays top pairing minutes but that's a discussion for another thread.

But isn't the whole idea of not rushing a guy back so he can play at his natural level pretty quickly upon his return? In Sekera's case I would hope that means being in the second pairing by the New Year's Eve game at the latest.

I honestly think it will take until mid Jan to early Feb before we see last years Sekera again, if we do at all. He hasn't played in a long time.
 

shoop

Registered User
Jul 6, 2008
8,333
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Edmonton
I honestly think it will take until mid Jan to early Feb before we see last years Sekera again, if we do at all. He hasn't played in a long time.

We all get that point.

You could be right about mid Jan to early February, but that would be the end of last season's Sekera. Early last season Sekera would be a second pairing guy with this team.

Hopefully a couple weeks off for Klefbom and he could return to form.

Healthy Klefbom/Larsson/Sekera plus new and improved Nurse, plus Russell/Davidson/Benning playing 5~7 is the best top D this team has had in over a decade.

Top three forward lines beasting and Talbot looking solid in goal.

It's a long hill to climb to make the playoffs, but the Oilers have a real shot to do it. Next step is to beat the Blues.
 

LaGu

Registered User
Jan 4, 2011
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Not really a must win, 1 L 2W starting from NSH game would take us to the playoffs.

But it sure as hell would be pleasant to get there ahead of schedule! So go Oilers!
 
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Digger12

Gold Fever
Feb 27, 2002
18,313
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Back o' beyond
McLellan just said that Sekera is going to be ready to go for tomorrow's game.

At last!

EDIT: It sounds more like McLellan phrased it as a "good chance" that he will play tomorrow, Sekera himself is saying he's 100% ready to go.

Whatever was said, all signs point to Sekera playing his first game of the year tomorrow.
 
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