Man I cheer for some BAD teams

Last night I watched the first half of the Renegades game - it was all I could take. After that Tracy and I watched the movie "The Interpreter", which was entertaining enough. I guess I just expected more out of a movie starring Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman. Don't get me wrong it was a pretty good movie, it just left me feeling "hmm" after it was over.

Renegades

You would think when you opponent turns the ball over 5 times in the first half you'd have quite a lead and be able to withstand your usual 3:00 to go to the half let down but not Ottawa. Good teams don't have to worry about giving up a bunch of points just before the half every game. Good team build up huge leads when their opponent turns the ball over 5 times in the first half. Ottawa is not a good team. Ottawa has given up a lot of points with 3 min to go in the first half this year, too many points. I did a bit of digging and found out the Renegades have been out scored in the last three minutes of the first half 64-41 this season. That's a lot of points to be giving up in a 3 min span of a game. The 64 points is 12% of the points they have given up this year. Three minutes of game time is only 5% of the game. I'm actually glad the Renegades are out of it now, maybe they can now get a head start on working things out for next year. They can start by getting rid of coach Poapoa. When a team constantly gives up a lot of points at one point in the game it usually indicates a problem on the coaching side of things. It's about keeping your players focused and Poapoa has demonstrated this year, last year and the year before that they he can't keep his players focused on the task at hand, which is not letting the other team score a bunch of points right before the half. It's like watching a bunch of kids in class right before recess, they can't wait to go out and play, only in Ottawa's case they can't wait to go inside and stop playing. It's not Poapoa fault entirely, it's the culture surrounding the team - they have always sucked in the last 3 min of the first half.

Oilers

I'm starting to think that just maybe, perhaps, that the Oilers should send Mr. Conklin down to the farm team and bring up well, anyone else. Last night, as far as I'm concerned, Ty Conklin just bought is one way ticket out of Edmonton. Not that Jusse Makkanen is much better, Conklin is just that bad right now. You can't trade him, who's gonna want a goalie that right now doesn't look like he could stop a beach ball that's half deflated. He played so bad last night in relief of Markkanen that MacTavish pulled him and put Markkanen back in the game, I don't remember the last time I've seen that.
Last night Markkanen started the game against Colorado by allowing 3 goals on only 13 shots before Conklin came in and allowed 4 goals on 14 shots, not surprisingly Markkanen started the third period and stopped all 5 shots he faced as the Oilers were pounded by Colorado 7-1. Let the trade watching begin.