Throwdown Lowdown – Oilers @ Blues, 02-04-11
No more Storts in Edmonton. Sad face. Image via Copper Blue Dreams
Hey, remember that game that was played this past Tuesday between the Blues and the Colorado Avalanche? You don’t? Well, why not? It wasn’t PLAYED, you say? Well alright, if you say so . . . . In all seriousness, yes, that really happened – a game played on ice was postponed (to February 22nd – so mark your calendars, February 1st Ticket Holders!) due to . . . icy conditions. I am not by any means saying it was the wrong decision . . . I’m just saying that it’s QUITE ironic! But life – just like the Throwdown Lowdown report – rolls on. By some stroke of luck, though, the Blues remain tied atop the fight standings with the Anaheim Ducks, both having collected 49 fighting majors. Their fight record, obviously, still stands still at 19-17-12.
We have covered the Edmonton Oilers previously (December 4th in Edmonton, which, in a weird stroke of irony, was the last game Andy McDonald has played before his anticipated return tonight). I’d be willing to bet this Oilers team wishes it were in the Eastern Conference. Geography sometimes gets the better of teams, especially bad ones. But like most hockey teams that are rebuilding or are otherwise not playing up to the rest of their competition, the Oilers do not have any problems dropping the gloves when called upon. Now, compared to the Blues, it’s not that much, but compared to the rest of the league, they more than hold their own. Before tonight’s game, the Oilers were (in a tie for 13th in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings) with 31 fighting majors on the season. Too bad they can’t translate their truculence into more fight wins – their fight record is 7-13-11 on the season.
Zack Stortini (6’3”, 228lbs, 1-5-2) leads the Oilers with eight fights, but he was waived by the club on Tuesday, cleared waivers and is now with Oklahoma City of the AHL. So the active fight leader for the Oilers is actually Theo Peckham (6’2”, 223lbs, 1-1-3), who is one letter away from a “Bend It Like . . . “ joke, with five. Following Peckham is Steve MacIntyre (6’5”, 250lbs, 2-1-1) and former Blackhawk Colin Fraser (6’1”, 190lbs, 0-3-1 including a loss to Stefan Della Rovere) with four each. Every other Oilers fighter has only fought once each – Sam Gagner (5’11”, 191lbs, Win), Gilbert Brule (5’10”, 180lbs, Win, out with an ankle injury), Jim Vandermeer (6’1”, 210lbs, Win), Ryan Whitney (6’4”, 219lbs, Draw, out with an ankle injury), Dustin Penner (6’4”, 245lbs, Draw), Kurtis Foster (6’5”, 223lbs, Draw), Jean-Francois Jacques (6’4”, 217lbs, Draw), Ryan Jones (6’1”, 202lbs, Loss), Ladislav Smid (6’3”, 226lbs, Loss) and Jason Strudwick (6’4”, 225lbs, Loss). Golly Jeepers that’s a lot of names . . . no wonder Stortini was expendable!
There are just too many possible matchups tonight to narrow it down to just one, but if I had my druthers (then again, I don’t know how my druthers were missing in the first place), I’d bet on a fight between the two big boys – Winchester and MacIntyre. Let’s call it a hunch – Winchester SHOULD fight against the Oilers, his former team (he was even on the roster for their ’05-’06 Stanley Cup Finals run).
The Blues tend to do well when I attend their games, and I’ve got a ticket. Want to guess what that means? Yes, they’ve got a chance tonight!
LET’S GO BLUES!!!!!
Information obtained via the incomparable Fried Chicken’s Hockey Fights
