Post-Game Talk: Oilers Win 4-2: Started from the bottom now we're here

[SoftDumps]

I understand what people like about Larsen, but I don't like him on the powerplay and haven't been overly impressed with him as a whole.

THIS! Larsen is mediocre at his absolute best. He really kills our power play. I have never seen a guy bury so many pucks into shin pads with only ONE shot blocker in the shooting lane. Your only responsibility as a dman is to get the puck by the first shot blocker, regardless of whether or not the shot hits the net. Seriously drives me wild. This team misses JS on the power play big time.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Next we'll hear how he slew footed him or something.

hmmm ... now that you mention it...

 

[Section337]

I don't think the hit by Stempniak was dirty, I do think it was illegal (interference do to possession definition).

 

[Rancourt Fist Pump]

Kill it with fire.

Further justification for punching the Flames players in the face.

 

[SoftDumps]

I think the hit by Stempniak wasn't too dirty, but reminiscent of "cheap" hits laid by dmen who spring backwards as they get to the puck to get space from the forecheckers. Have never been a fan of these, and clearly Ference isn't either (when it's not him dishing them out).

Definitely not a penalty by Stempniak, but something he should expect a little bit of retribution for handing out. Loved the response by Ference. He had a tough shift there and finally showed a little push back.

 

[Replacement*]

Ference mans up in a game where the Flames were taking liberties and controlling the game physically in every exchange with the Oilers looking like limp noodles. Ference gets angry, takes issue to an overzealous hit (and the flames were being overzealous, talking trash, etc) and Regehr messes up Stempniak pretty good with the collective faithful in Calgary looking at the bloodied flame face and noting that the atmosphere and tone of the game had changed right there. introduce intensity, ill will, and its suddenly game on.

This fight was a player sending a message to both benches. A real player, not a prizefighter or a staged clownfighter. This was a real player, real captain saying thats ****ing enough.

Team responded in kind by replacing confusion and doubt with anger and passion.

This is Ference's Win.

 

[The Bored Man]

There should be no issue with Ference's fight. Zero. Nil. Nada. How many times have the Oilers been on the receiving end of the other team's physical dominance? How many times have the Oilers wilted under that dominance and not shown an ounce of push-back? Haven't we been pining for a captain who can show some backbone and on-ice leadership?

In any case, Stempniak didn't even attempt to play the puck, which Ference didn't even have control of. Before the fight, I was yelling at the TV for the missed interference call.

This was hardly some sort of Emery-Holtby mismatch, either. Ference is giving up 2 inches and 5 pounds according to hockeyfights.com. This supposed goon also has a grand total of 3 fights in the last 3 regular seasons, compared to Stempniak's 2.

Additionally, the refs correctly handled the situation anyway. Ference instigated the fight and got the instigator penalty for it. What else do you want?

 

[SeriousBusiness]

People actually have an issue with Ference fighting Stempniak? It's the BOA. There are going to be fights, not all of the justified. If you don't like it, go watch figure skating.

 

[mactforcoach]

Ference mans up in a game where the Flames were taking liberties and controlling the game physically in every exchange with the Oilers looking like limp noodles. Ference gets angry, takes issue to an overzealous hit (and the flames were being overzealous, talking trash, etc) and Regehr messes up Stempniak pretty good with the collective faithful in Calgary looking at the bloodied flame face and noting that the atmosphere and tone of the game had changed right there. introduce intensity, ill will, and its suddenly game on.

This fight was a player sending a message to both benches. A real player, not a prizefighter or a staged clownfighter. This was a real player, real captain saying thats ****ing enough.

Team responded in kind by replacing confusion and doubt with anger and passion.

This is Ference's Win.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Finally Ference showed us that he can lead this team by example. I can't believe all the apologies on here from Oiler fans because Stempniak can't fight. That move by Ference took the wind out of the Flames fans, their players, and their coaches. Hell even the HNIC crew were quiet for a bit. Nice to see a true warrior in an Oilers uniform again.

 

[iCanada]

Ference mans up in a game where the Flames were taking liberties and controlling the game physically in every exchange with the Oilers looking like limp noodles. Ference gets angry, takes issue to an overzealous hit (and the flames were being overzealous, talking trash, etc) and Regehr messes up Stempniak pretty good with the collective faithful in Calgary looking at the bloodied flame face and noting that the atmosphere and tone of the game had changed right there. introduce intensity, ill will, and its suddenly game on.

This fight was a player sending a message to both benches. A real player, not a prizefighter or a staged clownfighter. This was a real player, real captain saying thats ****ing enough.

Team responded in kind by replacing confusion and doubt with anger and passion.

This is Ference's Win.

I agree 100%.

Ference did something we;ve wanted from him for a long long time.

 

[Jepprey]

Ference mans up in a game where the Flames were taking liberties and controlling the game physically in every exchange with the Oilers looking like limp noodles. Ference gets angry, takes issue to an overzealous hit (and the flames were being overzealous, talking trash, etc) and Regehr messes up Stempniak pretty good with the collective faithful in Calgary looking at the bloodied flame face and noting that the atmosphere and tone of the game had changed right there. introduce intensity, ill will, and its suddenly game on.

This fight was a player sending a message to both benches. A real player, not a prizefighter or a staged clownfighter. This was a real player, real captain saying thats ****ing enough.

Team responded in kind by replacing confusion and doubt with anger and passion.

This is Ference's Win.

retweet.

 

[OneMoreAstronaut]

Ference mans up in a game where the Flames were taking liberties and controlling the game physically in every exchange with the Oilers looking like limp noodles. Ference gets angry, takes issue to an overzealous hit (and the flames were being overzealous, talking trash, etc) and Regehr messes up Stempniak pretty good with the collective faithful in Calgary looking at the bloodied flame face and noting that the atmosphere and tone of the game had changed right there. introduce intensity, ill will, and its suddenly game on.

This fight was a player sending a message to both benches. A real player, not a prizefighter or a staged clownfighter. This was a real player, real captain saying thats ****ing enough.

Team responded in kind by replacing confusion and doubt with anger and passion.

This is Ference's Win.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.

 

[NAF]

Lol. Lot of tough guys in this thread. I know it's a pretty hard mental exercise, but imagine the roles are reversed. Perron goes in on the forecheck, lays a clean hit on Brodie. Brodie gets up and starts feeding Perron shots. Perron ends up with a busted nose, missing teeth and probably back on the LTIR with another concussion. You guys would all be cool with that, right? That's just the good old hockey game, eh? Now imagine that happened every single time anyone made a hit! Boy, what a great game that would be. Not at all a fringe, sideshow spectacle!

No other sport in the world puts up with that kind of nonsense. People like to talk about what macho men hockey players are, but if a football player gets levelled with a clean hit, he picks himself up and gets back in the game. He doesn't throw a tantrum and start throwing fists. Take the hit like a man, take down the guy's number, and get back in the game.

I know that writing a post like this is going to mean I get my manhood mocked and my love and knowledge of the game questioned for a page or two, but I'm comfortable with that. Steve Yzerman was my favorite player growing up and he's come out in favor of getting rid of fighting from the game. I guess we'll just see who ends up on the right side of history here.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Lol. Lot of tough guys in this thread. I know it's a pretty hard mental exercise, but imagine the roles are reversed. Perron goes in on the forecheck, lays a clean hit on Brodie. Brodie gets up and starts feeding Perron shots. Perron ends up with a busted nose, missing teeth and probably back on the LTIR with another concussion. You guys would all be cool with that, right? That's just the good old hockey game, eh? Now imagine that happened every single time anyone made a hit! Boy, what a great game that would be. Not at all a fringe, sideshow spectacle!

No other sport in the world puts up with that kind of nonsense. People like to talk about what macho men hockey players are, but if a football player gets levelled with a clean hit, he picks himself up and gets back in the game. He doesn't throw a tantrum and start throwing fists. Take the hit like a man, take down the guy's number, and get back in the game.

I know that writing a post like this is going to mean I get my manhood mocked and my love and knowledge of the game questioned for a page or two, but I'm comfortable with that. Steve Yzerman was my favorite player growing up and he's come out in favor of getting rid of fighting from the game. I guess well just see who ends up on the right side of history here.

We're not a bunch of tough guys in here. We're just sick and tired of being run. It was a clean hit, sure, but does that matter? Not in the slightest.

Tough teams do this regularly. This isn't the first instance of a fight after a clean hit. I hope it's a sign of us taking a step up on protecting ourselves, dirty or not.

I'm not going to call your manhood or love of the game into question, as it's completely redundant on a hockey board. You're on a hockey board. You love hockey, the end. All I'll say, is that there are generally two types of people when it comes hockey. Those who stick up for others or themselves, and those who don't see the need to. It's hard to be a real"team", when there's too many individuals who fall in the latter category.

Along with that, the tilting of the ice is a big enough reason why this fight was important to the game. Confidence was gained while the other team was intimidated and we took control of that game. This win epitomizes the importance of fighting in this league. It's not a sideshow, (outside of staged fights for absolutely no reason) as much as it is a tool or strategy. Then again, this is just my opinion.

 

[mactforcoach]

Lol. Lot of tough guys in this thread. I know it's a pretty hard mental exercise, but imagine the roles are reversed. Perron goes in on the forecheck, lays a clean hit on Brodie. Brodie gets up and starts feeding Perron shots. Perron ends up with a busted nose, missing teeth and probably back on the LTIR with another concussion. You guys would all be cool with that, right? That's just the good old hockey game, eh? Now imagine that happened every single time anyone made a hit! Boy, what a great game that would be. Not at all a fringe, sideshow spectacle!

No other sport in the world puts up with that kind of nonsense. People like to talk about what macho men hockey players are, but if a football player gets levelled with a clean hit, he picks himself up and gets back in the game. He doesn't throw a tantrum and start throwing fists. Take the hit like a man, take down the guy's number, and get back in the game.

I know that writing a post like this is going to mean I get my manhood mocked and my love and knowledge of the game questioned for a page or two, but I'm comfortable with that. Steve Yzerman was my favorite player growing up and he's come out in favor of getting rid of fighting from the game. I guess we'll just see who ends up on the right side of history here.

First of all this doesn't happen every single time anyone makes a hit. Ference is not known for this sort of thing. I agree that there is no place in hockey for staged fights etc. but once in a while a player has had enough and this is what happens. Lets not forget that 15 seconds prior to the Stempniak hit another Flames player broke his stick across Ference's back. Is that ok? You take reactive fights like this out of the game and just watch all the cheap shots start.

 

[Senor Catface]

Lol. Lot of tough guys in this thread. I know it's a pretty hard mental exercise, but imagine the roles are reversed. Perron goes in on the forecheck, lays a clean hit on Brodie. Brodie gets up and starts feeding Perron shots. Perron ends up with a busted nose, missing teeth and probably back on the LTIR with another concussion. You guys would all be cool with that, right? That's just the good old hockey game, eh? Now imagine that happened every single time anyone made a hit! Boy, what a great game that would be. Not at all a fringe, sideshow spectacle!

No other sport in the world puts up with that kind of nonsense. People like to talk about what macho men hockey players are, but if a football player gets levelled with a clean hit, he picks himself up and gets back in the game. He doesn't throw a tantrum and start throwing fists. Take the hit like a man, take down the guy's number, and get back in the game.

I know that writing a post like this is going to mean I get my manhood mocked and my love and knowledge of the game questioned for a page or two, but I'm comfortable with that. Steve Yzerman was my favorite player growing up and he's come out in favor of getting rid of fighting from the game. I guess we'll just see who ends up on the right side of history here.

I think your point will be lost with such an unnecessary condescending start.

 

[harpoon]

imagine the roles are reversed. Perron goes in on the forecheck, lays a clean hit on Brodie. Brodie gets up and starts feeding Perron shots. Perron ends up with a busted nose, missing teeth and probably back on the LTIR with another concussion.

I don't need to "imagine" it NAF. I've watched that movie for years now.
Seems like its always the Oiler player heading down the tunnel for repairs ... or to the LTIR.

I think Ference might be a bit guilty of choosing his spot (and his opponent).
But the problem in this incident was that Stempniak was either unwilling to defend himself, or he's really really bad at fighting.

I'm certainly not upset that Stempniak got tuned, but I'll give Ference more props if he picks someone a little tougher next time.
Is there really any glory to be had in beating the **** out of Lee Stempniak?

 

[ohheyhemsky]

THIS! Larsen is mediocre at his absolute best. He really kills our power play. I have never seen a guy bury so many pucks into shin pads with only ONE shot blocker in the shooting lane. Your only responsibility as a dman is to get the puck by the first shot blocker, regardless of whether or not the shot hits the net. Seriously drives me wild. This team misses JS on the power play big time.

I actually disagree on the PP point. He moves the puck much better and has much lower risk shots, that get through on average than either J.Schultz or Belov. Belov has a shot, but he almost always makes a completely terrible rushed pass, or looks off the open man to shoot it a million miles wide or right into a player in front of him.

J. Schultz can't maintain the pressure from the point, and it is almost always lost at the blue line.


IMO, Larsen is much better at QBing it from the point.

 

[NAF]

We're not a bunch of tough guys in here. We're just sick and tired of being run. It was a clean hit, sure, but does that matter? Not in the slightest.

Tough teams do this regularly. This isn't the first instance of a fight after a clean hit. I hope it's a sign of us taking a step up on protecting ourselves, dirty or not.

I'm not going to call your manhood or love of the game into question, as it's completely redundant on a hockey board. You're on a hockey board. You love hockey, the end. All I'll say, is that there are generally two types of people when it comes hockey. Those who stick up for others or themselves, and those who don't see the need to. It's hard to be a real"team", when there's too many individuals who fall in the latter category.

Along with that, the tilting of the ice is a big enough reason why this fight was important to the game. Confidence was gained while the other team was intimidated and we took control of that game. This win epitomizes the importance of fighting in this league. It's not a sideshow, (outside of staged fights for absolutely no reason) as much as it is a tool or strategy. Then again, this is just my opinion.

But Ference wasn't sticking up for his teammates. He was lashing out because he didn't like being hit hard. That was literally his explanation post game.

Also, this narrative that the win was somehow all down to Ference jumping Stempniak is ... odd. True, the Oilers came out and had a better second period, but didn't have anything to show for it, and then Wideman blew one by Dubnyk and the wind went out of their sails. They went into the second intermission down by two and came out a fractured group of individuals trying to make things happen with one-and-done displays of skill in the third. 10 seconds before Eberle scored on just such an effort, the broadcasters were saying just this, remarking that the team didn't look anything like they did in the second, were reverting back to old habits and .... Oh, how about that, it worked.

You can say the win is Ference's if you like, but to me that sounds like butterfly wings flapping in China eventually causing a hurricane. To me, the team was giving up and playing like crap in the third until Eberle scored a goal and reinvigorated the whole group. The win is a heck of a lot more Eberle's than Ference's.

 

[NAF]

I don't need to "imagine" it NAF. I've watched that movie for years now.
Seems like its always the Oiler player heading down the tunnel for repairs ... or to the LTIR.

I think Ference might be a bit guilty of choosing his spot (and his opponent).
But the problem in this incident was that Stempniak was either unwilling to defend himself, or he's really really bad at fighting.

I'm certainly not upset that Stempniak got tuned, but I'll give Ference more props if he picks someone a little tougher next time.
Is there really any glory to be had in beating the **** out of Lee Stempniak?

With the exception of Kassian's idiocy, I can't think of a single Oiler injured in the last 4 years by a dirty play; they always get knocked out and around because they're butter soft or stupid reckless. I certainly can't think of a single example of one of our players getting jumped the way Stempniak was. Oiler fans have this persecution complex that other teams are taking liberties with and runs at our players, but honestly it's just not true. Other teams just play hockey. Heck, most teams don't even bother playing us particularly hard. They don't need to. Even a modestly physical game is usually enough to put us on our *****.

 

[McIce Whole]

With the exception of Kassian's idiocy, I can't think of a single Oiler injured in the last 4 years by a dirty play; they always get knocked out and around because they're butter soft or stupid reckless. I certainly can't think of a single example of one of our players getting jumped the way Stempniak was. Oiler fans have this persecution complex that other teams are taking liberties with and runs at our players, but honestly it's just not true. Other teams just play hockey. Heck, most teams don't even bother playing us particularly hard. They don't need to. Even a modestly physical game is usually enough to put us on our *****.

Yeah, no dirty plays

 

[NAF]

Yeah, no dirty plays

Haha, well, fair enough. I did say I couldn't think of a single Oiler injured, though. Eberle was fine after the Torres hit, Hall didn't miss a shift after Weise's headshot, RNH bounced right back. I have no recollection of the Hemsky hit, but that guy gets put through the boards so often, they all kind of blur together.

 

[harpoon]

I certainly can't think of a single example of one of our players getting jumped the way Stempniak was.

How about Smid getting suckered by Avery?

Ice Whole has kindly provided you with other examples.

Haha, well, fair enough. I did say I couldn't think of a single Oiler injured, though.

Why are you setting that arbitrary threshold when it doesn't even apply to the Stempniak incident.
Did he not finish the game? Did he not score the "clinching" goal?

 

[NAF]

How about Smid getting suckered by Avery?

Ice Whole has kindly provided you with other examples.

Yeah, but guys like Avery and Torres pull their shtick with everyone in the league. It's not like they're circling the Oilers on the calendar. They're just always dirty ****ers. If Ference did what he did to either of those guys after their typical garbage, I'd be a lot more understanding. But Lee friggin' Stempniak after a clean hit? I dunno. I mean, like I said, I laughed my ass off watching it, but I'm trying real hard not to be a hypocrite. I just can't see myself being cool with it if the shoe were on the other foot.

 

[NAF]

Why are you setting that arbitrary threshold when it doesn't even apply to the Stempniak incident.
Did he not finish the game? Did he not score the "clinching" goal?

Hahaha. Fair enough. Good point. I'll leave it alone now.