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Oilers vs Canucks Reaction |
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Ek's note:
We are pleased to add Matt Henderson to the HockeyBuzz team. He will complement Ryan Garner to provide Oilers news and insight for HockeyBuzz. He is a lifelong Edmontonian and avid Oilers fan with a passion for writing. He has written for his own blog and others in the past.
The Oilers did exactly what they should have last night and kicked the snot out of overwhelmed an inexperienced Canucks lineup. The Oilers peppered Vancouver with shots early and often, eventually wearing down the goalie Lack to the tune of a 5-2victory.
It is important to note that the two clubs seem to be in very different places in their pre-seasons. The Oil were playing their 5th game and have already whittled the roster down to one in which they are relatively close to icing mostly NHLers. The Canucks, on the other hand, left most of their NHL calibre talent behind and were icing a team that still had to hold Tortorella's hand when they crossed the road.
Standing Out For The Defense
Darnell Nurse – Nurse played fantastically, again. Early on it was obvious he had confidence with the puck. He made two tape to tape passes in his first shift, one right up the middle to Eberle to create an offensive opportunity. I was a little worried about the hit he took later when he got up and skated to the bench holding his arms like a T-Rex (I don't know how else to describe it), but he came back afterwards. If you aren't excited about his potential then you are dead inside.
Brad Hunt – I gave ZERO thought to Brad Hunt at the beginning of training camp and I bet a lot of you are in the same boat. Well that gross underestimation is over. He looked really good on the PP and very capable of getting the puck out of his own zone. I doubt he makes the NHL squad because of the contract situations, but he will be a call-up option for sure.
Anton Belov – I wasn't blown away by his play in the game, but I also didn't see any major mistakes. Overall it was a good way to get his feet wet. He was playing his first game against substandard opposition forwards. I will be more interested in seeing him against tougher competition to see if he can handle it.
Standing Out For The Forwards
Jujhar Khaira – The big kid has an NHL body for sure. He was finishing his checks out there very well and didn't get too far out of position doing it. He looks very calm out there and could very well be playing pro hockey this Fall. I actually hope he doesn't. It is my hope that he is returned to Everett and takes on a very offensive role in Major Junior, something that is unlikely at the AHL level.
Jordan Eberle – He had a goal called off early because of a quick whistle and was absolutely creamed by Alberts but was otherwise it top form. His stick handling ability is amazing. Lots of NHL players can do what he does to pylons in practice, not many can do it in games with 5 guys trying to take the puck from you.
Taylor Hall – He did not look bad at C but I still want to see him back at LW. He fanned on a couple passes last night but is so dangerous with the puck that he made up for those missed chances in short order.
Nail Yakupov – He looked like he was trying to find his one-timer throughout the game. His first few shots sailed wide, but like the sniper he is he adjusted quickly and started firing on target. One blast took out Vancouver's Schroeder for the game with what might be a broken foot. Yak later scored after a nice pass from Khaira. Even in slow motion replay it was impossible to see the puck. Some might not care for his celebration afterwards, but you will never see me complain. The Oilers need a little swagger.
David Perron – Scored a shorthanded goal and had another assist on the power play. He showed exactly why you want to play skilled forwards of the PK. Being a danger to score 4v5 will only help to keep the other team honest out there. I liked what I saw.
Standing Out For Goal
Ty Rimmer – LaBarbera played competently but Rimmer made some great stops. He didn't quit when he was down and looked unable to make the play. He showed a lot of fight in his game and I wonder if he will be extended a contract. He is on a PTO right now and hasn't looked bad at all.
Any game in which the Oil trounce the Canucks is a good game, but we have to take that match with a grain of salt. These two clubs were in very different places with their lineups. Edmonton should have dominated with the forward group they deployed. The take away for me was that the Defense is making it supremely difficult for Eakins to solidify his depth chart. That is a great thing.
Who else stood out for you? I left a lot of names off the list.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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