Author: Stephen Vani

Oilers fan in Toronto. Staying up past my bedtime for Western games since the mid 2000s.

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars | Round 3, Game 4 | 05/29/2024

A full 60, my kingdom for a full 60. You couldn’t have asked for a more ecstatic start to a game in your own rink while the third round is tied 1-1. 2-0 is not a big score, but it was a good start, and the fans at Rogers Place were loving it. Then, their […]

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars | Round 3, Game 3 | 05/27/2024

I remember during one of the intermissions for Game 1, the Hockey Night In Canada panel mentioned that Stuart Skinner usually plays his best games when he’s really busy in the net and facing a lot more shots. This can be both good and bad, depending on your view of each game. Skinner didn’t have […]

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars | Round 3, Game 2 | 05/25/2024

“That was Eventful.” It sure was, Connor. It sure was. A funny soundbite as his team was heading back to the locker room after Game 1 ended. When sitting through Overtime, whether you’re an Edmonton Oilers fan or a Dallas Stars fan, how many people would’ve imagined Connor McDavid failing to score on the chance […]

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars | Round 3, Game 1 | 05/23/2024

I often see a commercial on the Hockey Night In Canada broadcast for Truly Hard Seltzer drinks. In it, two women are at a bar watching a Playoff game. There is a close-up shot of one of the women wearing an Oilers jersey and screaming for joy. On Monday night, when Game 7 was over, […]

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks | Round 2, Game 7 | 05/20/2024

That was a good feeling for Stu, as he had to come back eventually. Stuart Skinner made his return to the net for the Edmonton Oilers. He hadn’t played since being pulled in Game 3 against the Vancouver Canucks. Kris Knoblauch had the cohones to start him in a Do-Or-Die elimination game after how he […]

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks | Round 2, Game 6 | 05/18/2024

Calvin Pickard deserved to win, the Edmonton Oilers deserved to lose. Our team actually came out strong in the first period. But then, in the last 40 minutes, the Vancouver Canucks wanted it more. They were clearly the better team on the ice. Edmonton looked better in the third period and was way more than […]

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks | Round 2, Game 5 | 05/16/2024

Playoff hockey can be defined by two words: intense and stupid. A series between two Canadian franchises, two very passionate fanbases, and some of the best players in the league turned into a battle of the AHL goalies overnight. Calvin Pickard, a 32-year-old NHL journeyman, finally got his first start in a postseason game on […]

NHL Playoff Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks | Round 2, Game 4 | 05/14/2024

After Game 3, Stuart Skinner now has the worst Playoff save percentage of any NHL goalie, with at least 20 games played since the 2005 lockout. A calculated .881 SV% on a Cup-contending team, .796 SV% in this series, is a challenge to defend. I don’t want to be too hard on Skinner, I really […]

NHL Playoffs: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks | Round 2, Game 3 | 05/12/2024

“Game Time Decision” Of course, Leon Draisaitl was going to play in Game 2. Hockey is a magical sport where athletes pretend that they’re not injured. He scored on the powerplay, added 3 assists, and even took a face-off on a penalty kill. Did any of that look like a hurting player to you? All […]

NHL Playoffs: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks | Round 2, Game 2 | 05/10/2024

They pulled a Dallas. On Wednesday night, the Edmonton Oilers did their best Dallas Stars impression and opened the second round by blowing a 3 goal lead in Game 1 against the Vancouver Canucks. It’s only the first game; you have to win four, and every series is long. But that loss still stings pretty […]