Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Misery

A third period moment in last nights catastrophic Oilers 5-3 loss to the Ducks was all too appropriate and all too unfortunate. The Oilers fans still boo Chris Pronger and good on them for doing so. But when Dustin Penner booted a pass straight to Pronger, it would probably have been impossible to separate the booing directed at the Ducks' defensman or the Oilers sloppy, lazy, apathetic forward. It was a combination boo.

And to think that there are 3 years remaining in which Penner gets paid $4.25 Mil per season is almost criminal. I guess the bad call in signing Penner, in hindsight, highlights another one in last nights game when, 4-1 down, the Oilers scored twice in the last 5 minutes and with over two minutes left to play and all the momentum, MacTavish called for a stick measurement on Teemu Selanne. So, basically needing the win to keep pace in the playoff race and with no necessary need for a power play, this poor judgment call may have simultaneously killed the Oilers' playoff hopes and MacTavish's job. Dan Barne's article is appropriately titled Dumb Call. Needless to say, the stick was legal.

And so it is, optimism drains from various gaping pores in the manifestation of my hope.

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