The Oilers Pull Things Together

EDMONTON --- Overcoming another stellar performance from St. Louis netminder Jaroslav Halak, a Taylor Hall breakaway snipe 23 seconds into overtime boosted the Oilers to a 2-1 victory last night in Edmonton at Rexall Place.  The OT winner, Hall’s 3^rd goal of the week, ran the Oiler winning streak to a season-high 4 games, including three this week alone. The finisher can be seen here:

But the story of the week went far deeper than the exploits of the NHL’s newest phenom and his club’s winning ways – it was about their battle together against adversity. 

If someone hasn’t been watching the Oilers regularly this year, they’d probably have a look at the Oiler’s 10-12-4 record, see that 4 wins came in the last week and think to themselves just one word – fluke. They may even take a glance at Taylor Hall’s 9-6-15 line and think another word – bust. But they’d all be wrong. Very, very wrong.

See, folks, this is how a team is built. We may have forgotten what one of those is these days, given the media focus on individuals from Hall himself all the way up to LeBron James, but the 2010-11 Oilers are doing their best to remind us.

The season started out terribly for the young club and Coach Tom Renney, going 4-14 to start the season. Everyone was wondering if the kids Kevin Lowe drafted deserved all the hype they were getting. From Jordan Eberle to Sam Gagner and especially Taylor, we just weren’t seeing the “magic” we’d been sold on. After all, we fans are a fickle bunch.

Since then though, things have changed gears a bit. Rather than folding like a cheap suit, the kids dug deeper. They fought harder for pucks, took each shift a bit more seriously and learned the 60 minutes – not 57, 58, or 59 – was the length of an NHL hockey game.  Rather than bemoaning their youth, the franchise has embraced it. And in the long run, we will love them for it.

Plain and simple, what the Oilers are doing is giving us a reason to be proud. In the era of big name free agents and stars being shipped to the highest bidder, the Oilers have decided to do it the old school way. They draft and they develop their players as one. They teach them to lean on each other, not compete with each other. And maybe that’s why so many of these patchwork superstar teams never work out – they never get the chance to really know each other.

Home Cooking Not Very Tasty to Hall, Oilers

To most NHL teams, the road is not a very kind place. Hostile crowds, unfamiliar ice surfaces and extensive travels almost always take their toll. The 2010 Edmonton Oilers, however, are apparently the exception to this rule.  After dropping back to back home games, the Oilers, led by the rookie phenom Hall, picked up their lone win of the week last night in Anaheim, clipping the Ducks by a score of 4-2.

Wednesday night at Rexall Place, the Oilers took on the resurgent Chicago Blackhawks (yes, them again) and dropped their fifth in a row, getting shut out to the tune of 5-0. Edmonton highlights from this one are non-existent, as the young club simply was not ready to play when the puck dropped. A 47-shot effort from the Hawks only made matters worse, as they jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and never looked back. The only bright spot for Hall Monitors such as myself was the sight of Taylor on the 1^st Edmonton unit alongside veteran Shawn Horcoff and fellow rookie Jordan Eberle. With players around him who can dish the puck, Hall is sure to start finding the back of the net with a bit more regularity.

Friday night was time for the much anticipated “bounce back” game, or so Oiler fans everywhere hoped. And although the boys dropped their 6^th straight, the effort level was far more impressive than Wednesday’s, as they fell by a just 4-3 score after a 5 round shootout.

After staking themselves to a 3-0 lead midway through the 2^nd stanza, the Oilers coughed up 3 unanswered Phoenix goals to knot the game, with the equalizer coming just 35 seconds prior to the final buzzer. A tough break for sure, but an important lesson in persistence for the youthful team to learn. And though Hall himself picked up an assist and led all Edmonton forwards with 17:30 of even-strength ice time, perhaps the most vital lesson he learned was to never, ever take a professional game for granted. As one of many Oilers to ease up on the gas pedal and allow for the Coyote comeback, I’m willing to bet that Coach Renney had a few choice words for his prized possession in the postgame locker room. Not anything vindictive, but rather a teaching point for the future of the hometown club.

As the boys hit the road for a Sunday night tilt in Anaheim, Friday night’s collapse was clearly weighing heavy on the minds of all players, namely Taylor Hall. Hitting the ice with guns blazing, the Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 lead behind goals from Hall and fellow youngster Sam Gagner. Hall’s 2^nd period snipe, his 4^th of the year, offered an eye-popping glimpse of exactly why he was taken by the Oilers with their 1^st overall selection. After taking a nifty feed from defenseman Ryan Whitney inside the left circle, Hall wheeled and ripped a blistering snap shot into the upper left corner that left Duck netminder Jonas Hiller wondering what had just happened. Clearly feeding off the momentum of his beautiful goal, Hall pounded the net for the entire night, finishing with team-high 6 shots on goal and taking away 2^nd Star of the Game honors.

Though the Ducks were able to come back with a pair of their own goals to tie the game at 2, the Oilers’ ability to maintain their composure was the deciding factor. Ales Hemsky tallied the winner on a top corner rocket at 13:29 of the 3^rd period followed by one of the more bizarre plays you’ll ever see in an NHL arena to put them up 4-2 and ice the game. Video of the 4^th goal can be seen below, but before signing off I implore everyone to tune in this week as the Oilers embark on a tough 3 game stretch that takes them to Phoenix on Tuesday and back home for games on Thursday and Sunday against Colorado and San Jose, respectively. The way this team rolled on Sunday night, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a stretch of competitive, high-octane hockey. Until next week….

Have the Oilers Bottomed Out?

For their sake, I hope so. After an 0-4 USA road trip that saw them get outscored by a final tally of 25-8, the hometown club and their Boy Wonder, Taylor Hall, completed one of the most dismal stretches of professional hockey this writer has ever seen.

The Tuesday night tilt in Carolina saw the team bombarded by a 1st period, 4 goal Hurricane outburst from which they never recovered. Though there was plenty of blame to go around, the youngsters simply were not ready to play and it showed. Blame the coach, blame the veteran leadership, blame whoever you want - the bottom line is that the 7-1 final score makes the game sound much closer than it actually was.

Thursday in Detroit was more of the same, as the Oilers dropped a 6-2 blowout to the veteran-laden Red Wings. To add insult to injury, Taylor Hall finished the game with a -3 rating, good for worst on the team (he finished the week as a -3 as well). Needless to say, his minutes were scaled back a bit as Coach Renney seemed to be sending his franchise player a message - sit on the bench until you understand your defensive responsibilities. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were him...

Friday night in New Jersey, the Oilers jumped out to a 3-1 lead over the defensive-minded Devils, only to cough it up and lose the game in OT, 4-3. Despite the loss, the 5-shot, 1 assist night was the highlight of young Taylor's week. That in itself should tell Oiler followers all they need to know about this team's (and this player's) current level of play.

And while today's matinee vs. the Rangers in New York should have inspired the boys to wrap up their road trip with a little dignity, they failed miserably yet again en route to an 8-2 loss. After carrying the play early, a quick flurry of Ranger tallies and a crushing hit by Ranger enforcer Sean Avery caused the Oilers' frustrations to bubble over, leading to a good old fashioned brawl (seen in video below) . So even if they got shellacked in 4 straight games, at least we can say Edmonton went down "swinging"...




All in all, a truly depressing week for Oiler fans everywhere. I say we all just move on and forget this ever happened. The club has two home contests this week - Wednesday vs. Chicago (again) and Friday vs. Phoenix, so let's look on the bright side...it can't get any worse!

Slow week for Hall, Oilers

Much to the enjoyment of the 16,839 Oiler fans that packed Rexall Place, Taylor Hall picked up his first home goal of the season on Friday night in Edmonton, firing an early 2nd period rebound over the outstreched glove of Red Wing goaltender Jimmy Howard that knotted the game at one. Much to the fans' chagrin, however, the Oilers went on to drop the contest en route to another week of sub-.500 play and a 4-6-2 record through 12 games played, good for 2nd worst in the NHL. Though Hall has seen marked improvement in his play over the past few weeks, his 3-3-6 totals are a far cry from the type of production Edmonton will need to turn their season around.

In their first loss of the week, Hall and the Oilers dropped a 4-3 home contest to all-world netminder Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. After falling into a 3-goal first period deficit, Edmonton was unable to sneak one past Luongo until the 10 minute mark of the 2nd period, making any chance for a comeback all the more unlikely. As for Taylor, he managed a pair of shots on goal but made little impact in any other phase of the game.

Friday night at Rexall place saw more of the same from the struggling Oiler club. Though Hall was able to bury a power play goal and inject a little life into the arena, it just wasn't enough to overcome a 29-save effort from Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard. Honestly though, given the Wings' status as a veteran-laden, perennial Cup contender, this type of loss was to be expected for the young Oilers. Below are the highlights from the tilt, including Hall's nifty goal (beginning at the :16 second mark) and an absurd save from Oiler goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin (beginning at 1:25)




Tonight saw the Oilers avenge their previous two losses by knocking off the defending champion Blackhawks for the second time in a week, courtesy of a late 3rd period, two goal ouburst that gave them the 2-1 decision. Though the club salvaged what appeared to be another horrendous week, Hall was kept off the board yet again and limited to just 2 shots. A nice win for the team, but another frustrating night for Taylor.

The erratic performance from the rookie thus far is frustrating to say the least, but all too common in the modern NHL. Remember, this is a boy playing in a league full of men. Until he is able to adjust to the speed of the pro game, the tighter passing lanes and top-speed decision-making, his natural talents will only take him so far. We've seen glimpses of these abilities - his speed, his shot and his hockey IQ to name a few - but until he's able to bring it night in and night out, Taylor's output will continue to fluctuate...wildly.

This week the Oilers take off on a 4-game road trip that will find them in Carolina on Tuesday, Detroit on Thursday, New Jersey on Friday and New York on Sunday. Check back in late next week for updates on Taylor as well as the team.

Everything's Hall-right In Edmonton

Oiler fans everywhere can finally breathe a collective sigh of relief - Taylor Hall is off the schnide. After picking up his first NHL goal in Thursday's 3-2 shootout loss at Columbus, Hall continued his stellar play on Friday when his 2nd goal and and 2nd assist of the week propelled the Oilers to a 7-4 upset of defending Cup-champion Chicago.

As is the case with many snake-bitten snipers, Hall's first goal, potted just 24 hours ahead of his game-changing performance against the Blackhawks, seemed to ease his personal tensions and allowed fans to catch a glimpse of what they've been waiting for. Always known as a player unafraid to get his hands dirty, Hall's initial tally was just that - a fine screen set in front of Blue Jacket netminder Steve Mason followed up with a finesse tip by his velvet-soft hands. And while the odds are that we'll see a ton of these throughout the youngster's budding career, here's a video you might want to archive. Just to say you saw the 1st one...





Friday night in Chicago, Hall came back for more. In his impressive encore performance, he picked up his 2nd goal and 2nd assist in as many nights, earning himself the 1st Star of the Game and the Oilers a well-deserved win.

Coach Tom Renney seems to have finally found a home for his star winger alongside fellow youngsters Sam Gagner and Jordan Eberle, but it sounds as if this has been his plan all along.

Following the win at Chicago, he said "The bottom line is that my job is to play (the kids), give them opportunities and put them in situations that stretch them a little bit and forces them to reach.  So far, they're doing that."

Hall and the Oilers' will be put to the test this week as Western Conference powerhouses Vancouver and Detroit visit Rexall Place and the club makes a return trip to Chicago for a Sunday matinee. Check back in late next week to see the results.

Change In Linemates Has Hall Seeing Stars

If you're just looking at the Oilers' box scores these days, you're probably smarter than I am. With two more home losses this week (4-2 vs. Minnesota and a 6-1 drubbing by San Jose), that makes 4 in a row and an NHL-worst record of 2-4 - tough stuff on the eyes. However, the numbers don't tell the whole story when it comes to evaluating the play of certain individuals - namely, that of Taylor Hall.

After being dropped to the 3rd unit by head coach Tom Renney to free him from the pressures of the opposition's top 4 defensemen (and the expectations of a rabid, impatient fan base), Hall has flourished with new linemates Andrew Cogliano and Gilbert Brule, even earning the 2nd Star of the Game honors for his efforts against Minnesota on Thursday night. Despite the goose egg in the goal column, Taylor has been a pest on the forecheck and a force in his own end, often the two biggest holes in a rookie's game.

Said Coach Renney of his phenom after the Minnesota game, "He has proven to me from the get-go that he belongs in the National Hockey League. He just made another case for himself tonight."

Words like these from a guy like Renney should ease the concerns of Oiler fans everywhere (as much as GM speak possibly can). So step back from the ledge, folks - as long as Hall is playing his game and blocking out the naysayers, the goals will come. And then, hopefully, so will the wins...

The Oilers hit the road this week as they visit rival Calgary on Tuesday, Columbus on Wednesday and defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago on Friday. In the meantime, chew on this piece from Joe Haggerty of Comcast Sports Net New England, who works the beat for the Boston Bruins and their stud prospect Tyler Seguin. It discusses Seguin's perspective on Hall's early season pressures, given that he was chosen immediately after Hall in the 2010 draft and was thought by many to be the better overall player:

http://www.necn.com/10/21/10/Seguin-sympathizes-with-Hall-adjustment-/landing_sports.html?blockID=336039&feedID=3352

Hall held in check as Oilers drop to 2-2

Taylor Hall's early struggles continued last night as he was held pointless in a 5-3 Oiler loss at the hands of the Calgary Flames. As is typical with most rookies, Hall has looked lost in his own end at times - he was on the ice for 3 Flames goals last night alone - but should improve his awareness as the season progresses. It's not called a learning curve for nothing....

Here's one of the few Oiler highlights from the game, a Dustin Penner goal that trickled across the line after a ricochet off defenseman Ian White's face:





The Hall Monitor will be back on the clock this week as the Oilers are scheduled for 2 home games - Thursday vs. the Minnesota Wild (7:30 pm puck drop) and Saturday against the perennial Western Conference powerhouse San Jose Sharks (8 pm start time). Both games will be played at Rexall Place in Edmonton.