Canucks decimate Oilers in game 2

Edmonton Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks 1-7 (0-2, 0-4, 1-1)

Edmonton found no reason to change the winning lineup from game 1 and kept the lines as they were. Vancouver also featured the same 20 players, but had shuffled their line combinations to re-boot their system.

Vancouver's changes worked. It took just three minutes for Samuelsson to put the visitors behind following a lapse of coverage by Gilbert and Smid in front of the net. Chris Gratton added another in quick succession and sent the fans into a frenzy. Head coach Constantine called a timeout and Edmonton stepped back into action with some intent - seeing Moreau, Falardeau and Yonkman take on three Canucks in fights within minutes off each other. The pugilistic approach had no offensive result in the first.

Clearly, Vancouver had a better response to the Oilers battle plan in this game. Edmonton were pushed back time and time again, though they did manage to limit the shots on Khabibulin. The defensive lock was picked again, however, by Kyle Wellwood who combined cleverly with Edler to gain space and beat Khabibulin. When the gate had first been opened, the enemy poured in. First Daniel Sedin added a gritty power play marker with a rebound goal, then Gratton, to everyone's surprise, added his second of the game. Head coach Constantine pulled Khabibulin and Hiller replaced him. Insult was followed by injury in this case, when Laich suffered a knock shortly thereafter. Edmonton were coming apart. Vancouver added yet another goal before the intermission.

The teams exchanged goals in the third, but the emotional gap between the respective teams was evident as Moore was given a game misconduct for a blatant charging on Kaberle mid-way through the final frame. Vancouver's players were enjoying their hockey immensly, moving the puck for fun, while Edmonton's dogged resistance was an epiphany of futility.

Post game: "I hope the boys take a moment to savour this feeling, because it is so much worse than the fatigue of a long PK, the pain of a blocked shot or the drain of a second or third overtime period" said GM Kowalski, appearing devastated by the performance of his team. It was clear from the start that Vancouver had prepared better for the second game than the first and were almost undeniable in their pursuit for goals. At least that is how it must have felt for the fleeing Oilers.


Scoreboard
1st Period:
VAN - Samuelsson (D. Sedin, Salo)
VAN - Gratton (Salo, Burrows)

2nd Period:
VAN - Wellwood (Edler, Hodgson)
VAN - D. Sedin (Schroeder, Kesler) PP
VAN - Gratton (Bernier, D. Sedin)
VAN - Kesler (Edler, Hannan) PP

3rd Period:
EDM - Hemsky (Tangradi, Gagner) PP
VAN - Kesler (D. Sedin, Schroeder) PP


Injuries/Misconducts/Etc.
MIS: Moore (EDM, charging, 3rd period)
INJ: Brooks Laich (EDM, shoulder contusion, 2nd period)

Lines:
Tangradi - Laich - O'Sullivan
Penner - Gagner - Hemsky
Axelsson - Cogliano - Moore
Moreau - Falardeau - Brule

Babchuk - Visnovsky
Smid - Gilbert
Grebeshkov - Yonkman

Khabibulin
(Hiller)