A crisp $100 note was posted in the locker room as the Edmonton Oilers laced up to meet the Los Angeles Kings, the team atop the Howe Conference standings. For Oilers' GM icarus, it was his first match against the team he managed for three years. The bounty was offered to whoever could go out and retrieve the game's winning goal.
The Oilers' lackluster play the day before against the Leafs carried over into the first period of this game. To make matters worse, Vincent Lecavalier was ejected in the first minute of his first shift for cross-checking Alexander Frolov in the side. Despite the shaky start, the Oilers were spotted a 1-0 lead when Daniel Alfredsson scored after accepting a pass from mysterious starter Travis Green who had been dished the puck by recent AHL call-up Anton Babchuk.
At the beginning of period 2, the Kings stormed to a 2-1 lead on goals by icarus draftee Maxim Lapierre (dagger to the heart!) and Scott Hartnell (the goal was assisted by another icarus draftee, Dion Phaneuf--dagger again!). In anger, GM icarus called coach Carlyle and demanded a timeout to berate his charges. Whatever was said must have worked because the Oilers would pepper the LA goal with 24 shots in the period, yielding goals from the Killer Z's, Nikolai Zherdev and Henrik Zetterberg.
In period three the Oilers would continue to relentlessly pepper the Kings goal, outshooting their opponent 18-2. Only the heroics of Ty Conklin kept the Oilers ahead by only one at the sounding of the final buzzer.
Thus, GM icarus had his sweet satisfaction and Henrik Zetterberg had $100 to fritter away on Ikea furnishings and pickled sill.
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Shot down in Flames!
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Atta boy, Monty!
