Not so Slick

Yeah, I know, I should have done this last night but I was a little too disgusted. I couldn't disappoint the couple people who linked over here in expectation that I would, though (all....two of them, yep).

Final score Kings beat Oilers 7-4, for anyone who doesn't know. So what went wrong? Two things (well, okay, two major things, anyway):

#1. We just could not put the puck in the net. Around the first period we hit that 4-2 mark that was my prediction (and not in reverse for once!) and it all went downhill from there. Ales had some beautiful set-ups (that rewarded him with two points) and half the team had opportunities--nice to see a San Fernando goal finally--but even the return of Ryan Smyth (who nabbed a goal already, just to prove to us how much we missed him) could only help us so much. The good guys had about a thousand chances--I lost track of how many times during the third period I was on the edge of my seat (laptop balanced precariously on my lap as the internet was my only means to that game) ready to jump up and yell as Smytty banged another one into the net and got us back into the game, only to see shot after shot blocked and followed up with Kings goals because.......

#2. Once again, Oilers shoddy defense spoils the game for us. We looked so unorganized and scrambling in our own zone that it was no wonder even our savior Dwayne Roloson couldn't fix this mess for us--not that he played a very spectacular game tonight, defensive issues or not, though you have to give him some credit for that volleyball-esque block. And boy was he pissed about it. But this is nothing new, for him or us. The Oilers need to fix something--and the solution is not Ladislav Smid playing 20 minutes per game (he only saw just shy of 15 yesterday, but clearly this didn't fix much either). Even MacT acknowledged the issue after the game, and it's clearly something they've been struggling with all season--so now the question is, what are they going to do about it?

The answer had better come to them fast if they expect to break out of this four way tie keeping them just barely in the playoffs right now.



You gotta love that 7 minute PP though. Just look at Jason Smith's smug little zen-like face there. "Fight back? Nahhh...." And rewarded they were.

And hey guys, Ryan Smyth's back!

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Leafs/Pens game tonight--my friend and Elly's sworn enemy Chapel will be there, the lucky bastard (he said something about pictures, but I'm skeptical), and I will be here, missing SkaFest 07 to watch what had better be a damn good game. Will Mats Sunding continue his point streak? Will Andrew Raycroft start playing the sort of hockey that makes me like him for more than just his fidgeting and good looks? Will Darcy Tucker will remember the point of hockey is to get points? Who knows. Look for a joint-recap of some sort between Adam of Pensblog and I. Go Leafs Go!