Oilers Fail To Finish Off a Great Start

   The Oilers had this game and they let it slip away. Many believed the Oilers were the Washington Generals compared to the Great 8 and the Harlem Globe Trotters of hockey.

   Jeff Deslauriers clearly brought is A-game, making saves un-characteristic to a rookie goaltender. Covering up a dormant Oilers offense making 10 shots in the period as silent as possible. No score in the first but the Capitals looked how they always do, dominant but Deslauriers stood his ground and held them scoreless

  In the second the Oilers were starting to impress me and a sold out 16,839 at Rexall place. Kicking it off with a Steve Staios dropping the gloves with Washington tought guy Chris Clark. Shawn Horcoff opened the scoring with his 8th of the year by jamming the puck past Michal Neuvirth after a great scoring chance by Patrick O'Sullivan.

  Later in the period Andrew Cogliano snapped his 12 game goal-less streak rather inadvertently as it bounced off Karl Alzner's skate.

  Whatever Bruce Boudreau told his team in the second intermission obviously worked as the Capitals were on an absolute mission to get back into the game. Just over 30 seconds into the frame Ovechkin found a corner of the net and made no mistake as he shot a laser right past Deslauriers shoulder.

  After an Oilers powerplay Ovechkin struck again as the Oilers defense allowed Ovechkin numerous wacks at the puck eventually sneaking past Deslauriers pad and the post. At that point the Oilers were scrambling for air. Two minutes after the second Ovechkin goal, the Capitals were like pirahnas swarming the net to a chance at the lead. And they almost got it if i wasn't for a goal-line save by Ladislav Smid and a couple of shot blocks by Steve Staios almost guaranteed to become a nasty bruise.

  The Oilers completely shut down as a Tomas Fleischmann slapshot found mesh and in 3 minutes the Caps struck again in the form of a Nicklas Backstrom wrist shot. The Oilers then used 6 skaters in the tail end of the 3rd for a desperate attempt at a goal and perhaps a little pride though expectadly nothing came of it.

  In the end Washington managed 42 shots on goal compared to Edmonton's 28. Other than Steady Steve taking a few for the team the defense failed to accomplish much. With that loss the Oilers remain in last in the Northwest Division and 14th in the Western Conference