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From: ref@myriasb.UUCP (Dick Foster)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: Edmonton "No Class" Oilers
Message-ID: <392@myriasb.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 8-May-85 11:01:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: myriasb.392
Posted: Wed May  8 11:01:21 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 9-May-85 02:08:07 EDT
References: <5201@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Distribution: na
Organization: Myrias Research, Edmonton
Lines: 63

> <<< yum yum >>>
> 
> I'm sure many people will call tonight's Oiler 11-2 victory over the
> Black Hawks an awesome display of firepower. I call it a classless
> act.  (oh oh, it is gonna get warm around here)  With a 3 or 4 goal
> lead you might expect a team to try protecting it. Not the Oilers, they
> aren't content to beat a team - they have to humiliate them. What this
> does is make the league look bad, and give other teams a reason to gun
> for them. To keep pressing as hard as possible with a 10 goal lead isn't
> good hockey, it is a sign of, well, immaturity. Who knows, maybe Chicago
> will get mad now.
> 
> ps - I feel *MUCH* better now!
> -- 
> 
> 			       Rick Gillespie
> 				  rick@ucla-cs
> 				  ...!{cepu|ihnp4|sdcrdcf|ucbvax}!ucla-cs!rick
> 
> 	"She turned me into a newt! . . . I got better."

Is this guy for real?? There are so many ways to repond...

1. The Oilers game is based on execution at high speed. Towards the end of
the regular (i.e. exhibition ) season, the Oilers really had nothing to play
for, and their playmaking fell off quite drastically. I think that now
they're back on track, they are a little afraid of lapses.

2. Chicago was playing terribly in the 11 - 2 game. The goaltending was
particularly bad. The Oilers actually did seem to let up quite a bit, but
it seemed anything they directed towards the net went in. The last four
goals were scored against Warren Skoragainstme, in one of the worst
goaltending displays I've ever seen.

3. One problem that the Oilers have had before in playoffs has been
protecting leads. Against L.A. in 1982 they were leading 5 - 0 in the
third game of the preliminary round ( with the teams tied 1 - 1 in games).
The (admittedly immature) Oilers were mocking the L.A. powerplay from
their bench. One of the Oilers received a 5 minute major penalty, and the
roof caved in. As a result, L.A. advanced, the Oilers had an early
exit from the playoffs. As a further result, a second rate Vancouver team
made it to the Stanley Cup final (the Norris division was weak as usual,
and the Oilers were the only real contender in the Smythe).

It's interesting to speculate that if the Oilers had advanced to the final,
the "drive-for-five" may have possibly been stopped at four or possibly
(although unlikely) even three. (i.e. the Oilers gain playoff maturity one
year earlier).

At any rate , the Oilers were determined not to let the same thing happen
again, and yet ...

4. Last year, against Calgary (Oilers strongest opponent in the playoffs, as
it turned out), the Oilers blew a 4 - 0 lead in the second game after
destroying Calgary in the 1st. The series went to 7 before the Oilers could
eliminate the Flames.

5. I guess that's exactly what the Black Hawks did against the North Stars
in one game of the Norris division final - protect their 5 - 1 lead.
(Minnesota won 6 - 5 in overtime).

				Dick Foster
				alberta!myrias!ref