Oil draw first blood.
16,839 screaming mullets at the Rexall Place was the seen for the opening of the Howe Conference First round match up between the Oil and the Canucks. Oil go up one game in the best of seven series with a 5 – 2 victory tonight.
The first line of Vinny, Iggy and Morozov set the pace for the Oil tonight. They stole the show, with a great effort in front of a home crowd. Vinny scored on the power play 1:45 into the first period to send a message to the Canucks. Morozov scored on a perfect feed from Vinny late in the period to give the Oil a two-goal lead. The crowd was then silenced only 25 seconds later as Nummenen with a rocket from the point seemed to fool Brodeur. And gave the Canucks life going into the first intermission.
The second period was in favor of the Canucks as the Oil were only able to muster six shots on Biron. While the Canucks cashed in on one of there own to tie the game at two going into the second intermission. Prucha was left all alone in front of the net, and Laaksonen feed him the perfect feed on the power play.
You could feel the anticipation during the intermission as the hometown Oil were in a fight with Canucks. Samsonov scored early in the third to get the building rocking and Iggy took over netting two late in the third for a 5 – 2 final.
Notes:
A big blow was delivered to the Canucks this afternoon as Radek Dvorak was taken from the ice. Dvorak and former linemate Karel Rachunek collided in the boards at 17:51 of the third period. Karel was handed a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct infraction. Early indication is Radek could miss 2 – 3 games.
Iggy continues to produce …… two goal night.
Brodeur was awesome earning his first win in this years play-offs.
Oil out shot the Canucks 34 – 22.
Next game: Game TWO Saturday in Mulletville.
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