That large rumbling and earth-shaking you heard last night apparently originated in Edmonton, Alberta. Scientists are currently investigating the cause and should get back to us in a few months.
I know one thing. If I'm running the Oilers I am doing all I can to get Shania to sing the national anthem before game six in Edmonton. After her pre-game concert in game four and listening to the raucous hometown crowd sing along with and even after her songs that were played during the game were spine-tingling. Just O Canada though. A recording of the U.S. anthem will suffice. When she finishes O Canada the roof may actually lift from its mooring.
Think who is singing the national anthem is not a huge home team boost? Then you never saw or experienced Kate Smith singing God Bless America before Flyer games. (Either live or recorded.) When she stepped onto the ice for game six of the Stanley Cup final versus Boston in 1974, the Flyers’ record when she sang was 36-3-1. The Flyers would go on to win their first of back-to-back Stanley Cups that night. Just sayin' man.
McDavid's run is truly inspirational. While the big dog is out front leading the pack he has also dragged everybody with him to grind out two impressive wins to close the gap to 3-2 in the series. If Draisaitl could just get going a little bit more game six and seven wins are not impossible.
Florida may be acting all cool and stuff and talking about how they are playing well enough to win … but … that's not what they're showing the last two games. They have fed off their relentless forecheck and aggressiveness. It may have taken a little bit longer, but right now the Oilers have made the right adjustments and have got their own forecheck rolling to go along with their speed kills neutral and offensive zone penetration.
Both teams will continue to make adjustments and game six should be a classic.
Just a thought here. I have played, coached and watched an awful lot of hockey in my time. But on what planet or solar system can a guy be 50 feet from any player with the puck in the corner no less, and run over the goalie with no penalty?
My only plausible answer is that both officials experienced so much shock they lost their composure just long enough that it was too late to blow down the play while they recovered. Pretty sure on the next stoppage someone quipped, “Sorry about that guys. I could not believe what happened there was real. Nobody could be that dumb to do something like that in the finals. Could they?”
After a win or even a loss, I really enjoy watching the Oilers post-game interviews. Whether it's the coaches or players they are humble, thoughtful and accountable. There is never a tinge of arrogance or superiority nor “I'm the smartest and best person in the room mentality.” They are a pleasure to listen to.
What is not a pleasure to listen to is the reporters who are constantly asking the guys they are interviewing questions about #97. It is so repetitive and constant it is an embarrassment.
“So Darnell how did it feel to get your first playoff goal in thre years?”
“It was awesome man — I was overdue, but I just want to do my part to help us win.”
“OK. Thanks Darnell. So what did you think when Connor beat three guys to score?”
Do you think you can concentrate on asking the poor guy you are interviewing questions about him or the team? Ask the coach or McDavid about McDavid things. It's getting old and tired and I'm sure McDavid, the most, is tired of it.
If it was me as an Oiler and I got this question, “So what did you think about Connor's highlight reel goal in the second period?” “Oh geez I didn't see it. I've had this huge booger lodged way up my nose all game and I was trying to get it out. Was it nice? That's surprising cause you don't expect the world's greatest player and record-breaker to do things like that. Good for him. It's about time.”
And you know who would laugh the hardest? McDavid. Pretty sure on that one.
As excited as some people are about Edmonton's second game charge don't forget a couple of things. Tkachuk has been getting more effective each and every game. He has turned it up a notch and is going to keep doing so. Goalie Bob is likely to regain his form soon. The Panthers are not happy they let two chances at the Cup slip away. And they seem to play their best when they are not happy. Florida can still lose Friday and win the Stanley Cup. The Oilers have no such recourse. They will have to be even better than they have been.
Myself and some old teammates were talking about how much the game of hockey has evolved. And aside from some of the obvious things like size and skills, two subjects seemed to rise to the top. Equipment and the proliferance of shot-blocking. And that is not a coincidence. They go hand in hand. As a hockey shop owner, I watched as the mid ‘90s brought a rapid rise to improved protective equipment. It started with pants as new lightweight and durable plastics and better soft padding were introduced. Levels of protection once reserved for goalies became a mainstay for skaters. And more importantly, gone were the days of loose and ill-fitting pants. Multiple belt systems, and stretch fabric gave players a snug fit that kept the padding protecting the body parts they were designed to protect. With a higher waist, more coverage of the lower torso was a revolution. Combined with shoulder pads having padding farther down the back and a bib design to protect the torso down to the pant padding, very little was left to be exposed.
Shin pads saw a rise in better plastics and foams while maintaining flexibility. Higher protection above the knee that made its way to the inner part of the pant leg gave previously unheard of levels of forward-facing protection. Add to that the introduction of attached calf padding and the legs were far less susceptible to pucks, skates or sticks.
Skates bolstered by carbon kevlar and moldable liners made taking one off the foot a lot less painful and debilitating. Molded skate shields even more so.
Up until that time most teams had two or three guys that were shot blockers. It was an art that few could master or even cared to. Today almost everyone is pretty much expected to shot-block. And the equipment evolution has made that possible.
Guys still get hurt blocking shots once in a while, but based on history there should have been more with the number of shots blocked in a game now. You had to be really brave a few years back to block shots. Nowadays a much smaller dose of bravery is required.
But I still cringe when I see guys contorted to block a shot and am amazed they get away with it. I mean of course they practice it but it sure seems like a lot of players are just throwing themselves in front of frozen rubber missiles. Better them than me.
It took until my early 30s for the scar tissue to finally dissolve from my orbital socket after blocking a shot at 16 that smacked me in the cheek. Shot blocking with your face was not something we routinely practised!
Later Skater
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