Game 2 review – The bounces go for the Oil this time

I’m not sure the reason – it could be karma, or cosmic balance, or even some sort of universal justice – but it seems to me that the sports world has adopted a policy of “what goes around comes around”. I know this might sound strange but stick with me for a minute.

In the Oilers home opener against the Flames, a game that they lost 4-3, the Oilers were the victims of a remarkably unlucky bounce at the end of the game when Khabibulin came out to play the puck that resulted in the games winning goal.

That bounce cost the Oilers a point but, like I said on Monday, bounces happen and we’ll get that point back. Sure didn’t have to wait long did we?

Last night against the Stars the Oil tied the game on a play where Grebeshkov’s shot was deflected over Turco, staying just out of his reach, and into the back of the net. No more goals were scored and the game went to overtime. Overtime decided nothing so it came down to the shootout.

In the shootout more luck went the Oilers way. After the first four shooter missed, Hemsky came in and took a shot high to the gloves side, funny thing is he fanned on the shot and it slid along the ice into the bottom corner. As if that wasn’t enough Neal – who by the way was the best Star in the shootout last season – ripped the Stars last chance off the post.

The Oilers could have easily won the Flames game and lost last night. They could have just as easily lost both after 60 minutes and been awarded a single point for their effort. Either way they probably deserve to have two points right now and that is exactly what they have.

See it all balances out.

Besides the work of higher powers looking to make sure that the world remains on an even keel there was also quite the hockey game played last night. If you’re an Oiler fan there is a lot to be excited about right now.

There is the type of game that they’re playing to be excited about. Saturday night the Oilers played a very physical style that could have been attributed to the energy of opening night. But they played the same game last night to show that it wasn’t a one time thing. Fast and physical, who doesn’t like that style of hockey? These two games have been very entertaining, something that I can’t say about many games last year. Even if the Oilers were to lose if the game was fun to watch I can at least go home with that.

There is the resiliency that the team is showing to be excited about. Last season if the Oilers had surrendered a short handed goal to fall down 2-1 like they did last night, they most likely would have folded their tents and headed home. Instead they came right back and scored on the same power play to tie it back up. They also came back from 3-2 and 4-3 deficits last night and 1-0 and 3-1 deficits on Saturday night.

There is Sam Gagner to be excited about. Gagner had a bad preseason and started the season on the fourth line between Moreau and Stortini, not exactly players of an equal skill level. To say the least he has looked a little bit irked by it. To show his displeasure he’s scored two goals, taken six shots, and gotten into a fight all while playing 11:27 a night. If he wasn’t playing so good with Stortini they’d have to move him up but I’m not sure breaking that combination up would be a good idea right now so he might have to stay on the fourth line a little longer.

There is Dustin Penner to be excited about. I’ve already gone on record as saying I think this will be his year. Last night was more of the same. He scored a goal coming out of the corner that was text book for how to use size and speed together. Penner is playing so good right now that Quinn switched him with Jacques to help get Horcoff and Hemsky going. I can’t believe I just wrote that but it’s true.

There are even faceoff wins to be excited about. Right now the Oilers are winning more faceoffs than they’re losing – 52.1% of their faceoffs to be exact. This was one of the Oilers biggest weaknesses last year and so far there have been far fewer reasons to complain this season.

Granted not everything is great. Allowing two power play goals against per game for example, isn’t great. But three of the four have been a little lucky going of bodies or being tipped from four feet wide of the net and the other was on a four-on-three which is always tough to kill. So the number might be bad but I don’t think the play has been as bad it might seem.

If you haven’t noticed I’m pretty excited right now. I can’t wait until Thursday for the next game.