Last Night

I'm going to make this short. I have a real job, two kids and I just got back from the game. It's now 11pm. In parent world, that's the equivalent of being 21, partying at some co-workers friends cousins house until 4 am and then getting up for work at ten for your opening day shift in the morning tired. Plus, the beer I drank at the game tonight is working its way to my shrinking middle-aged bladder causing me to pee endlessly....I have to go now.

Tonight was amazing. It was like the first snow leading into the long cold winter season that is NHL hockey; the first day the tree goes up for Christmas; the first tulip blooms in March (I live in the Okanagan)... Like the first girl that let you within three feet of her to kiss for the first time, it was the start of a beautiful thing. The Jr. Oilers beat the Jr. Canucks. It was the kind of evening that makes you want to believe in unicorns, magic and future Stanley Cups...I guess what I'm saying is: I love beating the Canucks!

Probably one of the best turn-outs since the tournament began four years ago, the crowd enjoyed a close battle between big, young, strong, fast, skilled men and the Canucks prospects...I'll provide you with a few quick hits and an over-view from the game. I'll write a longer, more in depth, individual player analysis after the tournament is over (and I have more time).

Game Synopsis in a Few Words:

The Oilers dominated the first period with their speed, out-shooting the Canucks 18 - 2 with the help of 4 power plays. Unfortunately it took until the 17th shot near the final seconds of the first period to score: Moroz unassisted. The Canucks, playing with out the puck for the majority of the period, turn to laying on the body and line-up of few of the young Oilers with thunderous hits.

The Oil score quickly in the start of the second: a beauty, top shelf by Yakimov and Tkachev the assist, but it's followed up by two quick goals by the Canucks - the second one caught Brossoit napping a bit. Probably due to the lack of action to this point. However, the second frame was much more balanced and shots end up 25-12 after two.

In the third, the teams trade goals and a few fists. Connor Boland laid a clean lick on a Canuck and then further punished Vancouvers' Klarc Wilson by slamming the bridge of his nose into his fist. Boland went to the dressing room after wowing the crowd with a peek of what his insides look like...Gernat got the third Oiler goal on another sweet dish from Tkachev. Vancouver tied the game up with some sustained pressure with only a couple of minutes to go.

In overtime, The Oilers have a 4 on 3 to start the frame. After a few close calls, the penalty ends and the man who started off the scoring tonight, finishes it with another goal from in front of the net. The Oil win! An unfamiliar emotion washes over me and it takes me a minute to realize it`s a mixture of happiness and pride....

Game/Player Highlights:

•  A near sell-out crowd, I was incredibly pleased with the turn-out. The crowd was in an ornery mood too. This was the first year the tournament organizers decided to charge $5.00 for parking and the locals were having none of it. I guess the majority of these folks haven't been to an NHL arena that charges you $15-$20 to park in a concrete deep-freeze that's a 10 minute walk from the building in the middle of February. Just sayin'. Better yet, at least a third of the folks were donned in copper and blue and more than one 'Let's Go Oilers' chant ripped through the arena air...

• Best Player on the ice was easily Vladimir Tkachev. The 5'8" super kid was impossible to miss. He was all over the ice, smart with the puck and displayed some sweet hands, earning himself a couple of assists. Funny, he looked like my daughter two Christmas' ago when she got her first Oilers jersey a few sizes too big so she could grow into it. Just like her, I'm pretty sure it went past his knees and he had the sleeves rolled up. It was even more ridiculous when he stood next to Bogdan Yakimov. They looked like the cartoon dogs Spike and Chester. He's fearless too. He went after the puck in the corner in the first and got absolutely tattooed for his effort, but popped back up and never changed his game for a second.

Meet Vladimir Tkachev....ooops! Er, that's my daughter Rowyn, but if you squint a little they look exactly the same (minus the pom poms)

• Other noteables: Bogdan Yakimov looked like Yao Ming playing amongst children. He just towered over everybody. He's got some nice skill too - his goal in the second was a wicked snipe in the upper corner... Darnell Nurse was the best d-man on the ice. Skating like a gazelle, he was calm and smooth in his own end, made great passes, and got in on more than one offensive rush. He made a good pinch in the second where he out battled two Canucks to get the puck over to Greg Chase. It came back to Nurse, who sauced a pass over to Draisaitl, who missed an open-net with his one timer... The line of Chase, Moroz and Draisaitl was very effective for most of the night. They were constantly buzzing around the net, created a number of opportunities and break-aways, and hit a few people along the way. Actually, Draisaitl was the least impressive of the trio. Most likely due to leg cramps that kept him out of over half of the third period. It's not that he played poorly, he just didn't stand out to me, looked tired at times (again, maybe the cramps) and there was that open-net miss...the Jones Brothers, Connor and Kellen, played like a couple of white pinballs. They were all over the ice and preformed well on the PK...Martin Gernat looked big and rangy, displaying his offensive acumen with strong performances on the power play and contributing a tap in goal driving to the net.

• Dissappointments: The biggest disappointment of the night goes to Jujhar Khaira. Although he wasn't afraid to stand in front of the oppositions net, he didn't exactly impose his will there, or any other part of the ice. For a player who's calling card is size and intense physical play, he looked more like a guy who just got up from an afternoon nap on the couch. In fact, it was Khaira who was bombarded by hits and checks throughout the night and unfortunately, none of them seemed to wake him up...Dillon Simpson (who wore the C) and Jordan Oesterle didn't impress me much either. Although they seemed to settle down as the came went on, they were both really shaky in the first. Both players were guilty of turning over the puck more than once and were out muscled/hustled on a couple of plays...Laurent Brossoit had a below .900 save % for the night and let in a goal or two he'd love to have back in the second. That being said, he was very square and solid for the rest of the night and made some serious saves on the PK, especially during a late 5 on 3. He gets a pass...

Final Thoughts: It was a sublime pleasure to watch an Oilers squad (even if was just the hope-fulls) that was both large and skilled. So many of the players out there were just gigantic but still had the ability to play the game. I think I need to sit down, I feel dizzy...It must have made Tkachev feel like he was skating around human Red Wood trees...

That's the game in a nut shell. Saturday night has the Flames and Oilers at 7:30 pm Pacific and I'll make that report on Sunday. The only thing I feel sad about is that we don't get to beat the 'Nuckle-heads again...