Pre-game video that makes you question loyalties.

I LIED. BEARDS ALWAYS.

Did anyone know about this? I’m glad you didn’t warn me. #TeamEbs turning up in November looking like he might if the Oilers ever made the playoffs is a revolution. He missed the first 13 games with a shoulder injury sustained on September 29. He obviously spent this time very, very well.

Post-game, the beard was still there. Thank heaven, because if I were going to hallucinate something, it would definitely look like this. The Oilers locker room has really nice lighting, no?

Post-game video that needs a hug.

Bonus: Jordan Eberle Halloween commercial.

Oilers side note: The PUPPIES have a social media campaign about PUPPIES. Okay, other animals are eligible but they are clearly reading @alisonsykora‘s Tweets.

This is so meta.

Since it’s Monday, and Jordan Eberle & Mike Green train together in the off-season [What is this machine and how do I get a job making sure they use it properly?], I feel compelled to report that this is still amazing.

Post-game video that is now wash-and-go.

Ugh, Capitals. You will never be the same.

“I wonder what Piglet is doing,” thought Pooh. “I wish I were there to be doing it, too.”

Then yesterday I opened the WUYS Twitter and saw 17 notifications. Either Jonathan Toews did a ceremonial face off against his tiny dog, or…

Aaron Ekblad’s humbeTweet

Yup. Everyone is demanding Aaron Ekblad be carbon-dated to prove his age. Which is 19, I’m probably legally required to remind you. Thanks to @ErinMiHaley for this one.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t include Chris Higgins in the beard post. He is just back from a foot injury and, well, you can’t flash your abs on every play.

Post-game video that hates losing with :16 left.

Last, but not least, nothing has changed for our favorite Gingerbeard down in Nashville: still rocking the scruff, still getting into trouble.

“Details of your incompetence do not interest me.” – Miranda Priestly

On Thursday, James Neal took out Zach Parise. You could take Yahoo‘s headline opinion (quoted from Wild coach Suter), that hit was “dangerous, reckless”, or go with CBS Sports‘ feeling that the hit “doesn’t look dirty on Neal’s part.” You be the judge:

To me it’s clean enough, though awkward and ill-timed. From another player, I don’t know that this hit would be a conversation piece. At least Nashville seems to have had the sense not to let James speak to media post-game. Zach is week-to-week, after scoring 7 G in 12 games, so we hope he’s back on the ice soon.

With a beard.

Who else is sporting an excellent early-season pelt? Send them my way before they shave down to 1970’s cop-style Movember ‘staches.

UPDATE: Patrick Roy’s beard is perfect. For every time you just want to lose your $%&@ and scream at someone, think of this and feel zen.

Submitted by Henriikkax!

Did you make it all the way down here?  Does it make any sense the only Western Conference team we ever talk about is the Oilers?

Perhaps we are trying to make our Eastern Conference-selves feel better about topping out at #6 in the League – with a team that just lost a guy who figured in 35% of their offense last season.  (Tears for Stamkos.)  Looks like we’d better start paying more attention to after-hours hockey.

So, what do teams that never lose do when they’re not winning?

Winning Teams – They’re Just Like Us: Colorado Avalanche Edition

At the end of last season the Avalanche were the second worst (16-25-7, 39 points) team in the NHL.  Now things are topsy-turvy in Denver where the Avs, under new head coach Patrick Roy, are the second-best team in hockey.

We love nothing more than a dramatic makeover.

While the Avalanche blossom thanks to strict care and grooming, they continue to be the same dorky, genuine team on the inside.

They photo bomb.

They share shirts.

They get hurt and make me sad. [story]

#lobster

They take pictures of their toilet paper… wait, what?

They have impossibly attractive Swedish friends.  Do these guys even play hockey? Nope, don’t care.  Hockey is no longer a requirement for this blog.

They start shopping at the very top of your Christmas list.

They have choreographed dance sequences-slash-celebrations.

Oh, and they score goals.  Fast, nifty, foxy ones.

There is, of course, the issue of Semyon Varlamov’s arrest on allegations of domestic violence.  He was released and the Avs put him right back to work.  While innocent until proven guilty, this isn’t really a judgement call for the Avs.  Varly is their top goalie and has played 12 of 14 games this season, the final $3 million year of his contract.  No word yet if he will be formally charged with the crime and face a trial. Until then, we are doing our best not to judge (out loud).

Presumably with Varlamov in net, the Avs face two other top teams this week: St. Louis on Thursday and Chicago on Tuesday.  Either would be a great match-up to catch, but aim for the Blues – it starts at 8 PM.  Even I can stay up for that.

We promise to get to other Western Conference teams soon.  If you follow one and want to save me time on the Google, send any great pics, videos and Twitter chirping my way!

I've said it before, I'll say it again, THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE.

Hello? Yeah. It’s been while. Not much. How ’bout you?

I’m not sure why I called. I guess I really just wanted to talk to you.

I really DO miss your smile.

I was thinking maybe later on, we could get together for a while.

It’s been such a long time and I really do miss your smile.

a million watt smile!

I’m not talking about moving in. And I don’t want to change your life. But there’s a warm wind blowing and the stars are around and I’d really love to see you tonight.

the best of the best, hottest of the hot.

I won’t ask for promises. So you won’t have to lie. We’ve both played that game before. Say I love you and say good bye.

ok, maybe I will ...

We could walking through a windy park, take a drive along the beach.

baby you can drive my car ...

any one for skinny dipping?

Stay at home and watch TV, you see it really doesn’t matter much to me.

my favorite little devil

hell, making out in the snack isle will work! right seriously pissed?!

I’m not talking about moving in.

your place or mine?

And I don’t want to change your life. But there’s a warm wind blowing and the stars are around and I’d really love to see you tonight.

*sigh* really ... no, really. SRSLY. really.

I’d really love to see you tonight. I’d really love to see you tonight. NO, REALLY, I’D REALLY LOVE TO SEE YOU – TONIGHT. I KNOW YOU’RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.

I sent our intern Jeff Skinner to interview JR for some play off wisdom, since there is still a restraining order out against me!

Ah .. not that "D" ut JR is your reading...

OK. lost my train of thought, DISCIPLINE, yeah. That means not taking bad penalties, sticking to the game plan, not letting the other guy lure you into a fight (Drew – see another “D” that’s actually a two-fer) so the other team scores two goals while your fabulous ass is sitting in the penalty box or get into your head – oh say, Luongo, while you give snotty interviews after the game. I never had much respect for you in the first place, but I’m glad you showed the world what a class act you are when you give an interview telling everyone that your back-up is just as you good as you! SRSLY? Patrick Roy would NEVER had said that. In fact, when his team was down, he told them not another puck would get in, and it didn’t.

Capt. Come-Back!

WUYS play-off dance routine! Get ready girls. I feel a flash mob at Letang's house!

DD - double defensive threat but needs some 'discipline'! naughty boy!

MG52 - patron saint of sensible footwear - at least in public!

for once, i'm not looking at his face!

Lastly, making the DREAM come true. How many of these guys have dreamt of holding the cup over their head? From backyard ponds, streets, local rinks, with their friends, brothers. Making their sisters play goalie as they pretend to re-create iconic goals from past Stanley Cup play-offs as they dream of being Gretzsky or Orr or May making ‘the goal’ and then running around the neighborhood.

Booya YAY!

He’s won the Conn Smythe Trophy THREE TIMES!  He’s won that sweet thing he’s holding over those baby blues in THREE DIFFERENT DECADES! He’s THE ONLY HOCKEY PLAYER EVER, to have done that – TAKE THAT OH GREAT ONE! – He has 151 play off victories. No goalie will be catching up to that any time soon. Brodeur is next in line with 99.  Love ya mucho but see ya baby! The Hockey News listed him as the #2 best all-time Goalie – I call BS. He’s behind Terry Sawchuk. Potatoe/Potato.  He’s hotter anyway. He won four Stanley Cups, three of which with teams that weren’t even supposed to win which was why he got the Conn Smythe. Need I go on and on? Cause I could.

the perfect mullet - it even LOOKS GOOD!

He changed the way goalies play by PLAYING the puck and coming out of the goal. He was FEARED.

OK - this would give ME nightmares - the puck would rather DROP than go into the goal

He also knew when to QUIT. He went out at the top of his game. So although he isn’t playing, I still think he is FOXY and deserving of a post. I miss the fact that he also kicked some SERIOUS ASS when he played. You simply didn’t mess with him. If Ovi had tried what he did with MAF at the WC with Roy, it would be a completely different outcome. Roy would  man-slap Ovi back into the Cold War Era. And believe it or not, I would be rooting for Roy!  Or maybe Ovi would have enough respect to not lay a finger on him in the first place – we’ll never know. But that’s  just a fantasy as Aldo Nova would say and that’s how Foxy I think he is!

don't mess with the best!