Couldn't We Just Dress Peter Ustinov?

I had the opportunity to attend the Oilers-Avalanche tilt at Rexall tonight, and it wasn't pretty. It was a birthday gift from my good buddy Aaron, though, so even the results couldn't sour the evening. My recollections of the experience, and the game.

The Experience

• It was f&#ing cold out tonight. Winter isn't coming, it is officially here. The weather seemed to affect attendence, as well as the ability to get a parking spot before the game actually started. We were in line for a good half hour before we got a parking spot.

• The crowd was tame tonight. Maybe it was the cold, or maybe it was the fact that game was on a Tuesday night. Either way, people seemed lethargic. I suppose getting down by two goals on four shots in the first didn't help, but people barely even cheered for the Eskimos in their multiple appearances.

• Edmonton still remains the richest blue collar town in the world. As Aaron noted, the money is in the blue jeans. That and the pick-up trucks.

• I don't understand why they would wheel the Eskimos out on the Fanboni in the first intermission without telling the fans in advance. There were hardly any people in the stands. Apparently $7 pisswater is a huge draw.

• The players seemed huge. I obviously haven't been to a game in a long time, because I felt positively Lilliputian.

• Leaving the game, I noticed a guy wearing a Jimmy Kemp Eskimos jersey. Now that is ballsy. Not wearing the jersey, mind you. Just buying the damn thing. Then again, if Kemp's Dad had become Vice President of the United States, its cool factor might have shot through the roof.

But I doubt it.


The Game

• Boring. ZZZZZZ. Not a lot of room on the ice, very little skating, and only a couple nice plays.

• Mike Peca scored a goal, which means that his goals are only worth two million a pop, instead of four. I am sure Matt will lay off of him now.

• The Island of Ethan Moreau was the best player on the rink. His penalty-killing was phenomenal, and he almost scored a couple single-handedly.

• When did Radek Dvorak become so fast?

• No sooner had I openly stated my dislike for the Human Turnover Reel Igor Ulanov than he lobbed a lazy shot/pass at the front of the Colorado net, resulting in a Avalanche 2-On-1 and goal. Fast forward to the third period, game tied and the Oilers dominating every aspect of the game, when instead of firing the puck down the boards, Igor decided to throw it up the middle. Right on to the stick of Joe Sakic. Wise move. Sakic wired it with one of his patented wrist-shots over the shoulder of Mike Morrison. Game over. Fuck.

• I don't know what the "New NHL" is, but it certainly isn't what I saw tonight. The game seemed exactly the same as the last time I attended, which was before the lockout. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the experience, but I wouldn't schill out $100 bucks for a few tickets. Unless it was the Canucks, of course. Those are great games. I would rather pay $100, get season tickets to the Bears hockey games, and watch the Oil at home.