Oilers blow their fourth third period lead in 10 games and lose 4-3 in OT to visiting Canucks.

Lineup
Smyth	Horcoff	Pisani	Brewer	Smith
Torres	Nedved	Dvorak	Cross	Staios
Moreau	Stoll	Laraque	Bergeron	Ulanov
Chimera	Oates	Isbister
			Markkanen
			Conklin
Scratched: York reaggravated his finger, Hemsky, Ferguson, Semenov, Bishai

Postgame

The first cut is the deepest and I guess that's true because this one just won't heal.

Back on Feb 23rd the Oilers held a 1-0 lead after 40 minutes on the visiting Detriot Red Wings but entered into the 3rd period safe in the notion they had not blown a 3rd period lead all season. But the Oilers played passive the whole frame and Nik Lidstrom would eventually tie the game and the Oilers lost a point and a win.

Six days later the Oilers visited Dallas which we all know is a place where they haven't won in over 8 years. The Oilers roared out to a 4-1 lead midway through the 2nd period but would eventually lose in OT.

Two days later the Oilers entertained the sad sack Yotes and had a 3-1 lead only to eventually gas a 4-3 lead in the 3rd. But this time they were forunate enough to win it on a Smyth tally. As they were five days later in Chicago when Jarret Stoll saved their bacon.

So you know where this is headed as the Oilers entertained a Canucks team bolstered by the additions of Martin Rucinsky and Geoff Sanderson yet still wrapped in the knowledge that Big Surly won't be back anytime soon.

And early on the Canucks looked disinterested and frail and the Oilers put the boots to them. Shawn Horcoff collected a juicy rebound off a Staios point shot and it was 1-0 a little over two minutes into the game. But Jussi Markkanen looked shaky in this 3rd start since his re-aquisition and he totally flubbed a 55 unscreened footer from the noted concrete hands of Bryan Allen to knot the game after 20.

But the Oilers remained undaunted and struck with two powerplay goals, yes TWO, to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Petr Nedved marked both as he scored his first one on a rebound with the Oilers on a 4-on-3 junket and the second came when he beat Cloutier clean with a hard snapper off the right sideboards.

So the Oilers were crusing along and all seemed well but the Canucks had one chance to score in the second period and they connected when the aforementioned Rucinksy ripped a shot off Jason Smith's blade and over Jussi's shoulder.

And all the signs in the third pointed to the Oilers seventh straight trip to overtime. First off Cloutier made a sparkling save on Staios in tight early in the period and then Jussi almost allowed another long slapper off the suddenly golden blade of Allen.

But just as things were getting bad, they turned worse.

There was a five plus minute stretch of unwhistled play and in this stretch Eric Brewer skated himself out of two chances to clear the zone and Vancouver gained their legs.

And they came at the Oilers in waves.

Daniel Sedin would eventually glide the left wing and throw an odd angled shot on Markkanen. Jussi bobbled it into the slot and a present Herculean Brendan Morrison somehow outmuscled Jason Smith to jam home the rebound.

The overtime was a sight to behold, even for a team that played as sacred as the Oilers. Vancouver went less than 25 seconds without possession and Geoff Sanderson converted a two on one with Markus Naslund to finish the game.

Now the playoff elimination wolf that had been at the Oilers door was in their living room ordering a pizza and some PPV porn off their sattelite dish.

Three Stars

Petr Nedved - Two goals early on that looked to be the turning point. I knew the guy had some magic because he once made Radek Dvorak a set of hands but seeing Nedved make the Oilers PP palatable has convinced me he's made a Faustian pact

Martin Rucinsky - A goal, an assist, a post late in regulation with the score tied and over 22 minutes of icetime. Quite frankly, the Oilers had no awnser for his speed and quickness.

Bryan Allen - Give the sloth his due, he scored and finished +2 and did a decent job vs Laraque.

Out of Town Scoreboard

Mactavish most times succeeded in having his Smyth-Horcoff-Pisani line matchup against the new Canucks top line with Rucinsky replacing Bertuzzi. But that line was scored upon twice and Horcoff and Smyth were scored upon three times which has been a rare occasion this season. The biggest mismatch seemed to be Rucinsky vs Smith as the Oilers tough defenseman struggled all night with the silky and lightning quick Czech.......Ales Hemsky was eating popcorn again but he didn't have to share any with fellow pressbox inhabitant Mike York because the latter's finger was so swelled from coming back to the lineup too soon. Not that something like that has happened before in Oilerland....Really a good night for the other two defensive pairings and especially Staios who hammered the point shot on net that lead to the first goal and also had a great chance in the 3rd.

Oil Gauge

Tomorrow afternoon the Sharks host the Kings and they are still the Oilers best bets to be caught...until the Oilers blow a 3rd period lead against them of course. In the evening the Blues host the BJ's and the Preds host the Flames.

Next Game

Sun night at 6pm MST as the Sens visit. You can see the game on SN West.