GENE'S BLOG: Easy as Pi Day

Today is National Pi Day, the annual celebration of the mathematical constant Pi which is the equivalent to 3.14. Mathematicians, scientists and just plain math lovers embrace the mathematical sign.
The date, written numerically, match the first three digits of the never-ending number 3.14. Now this is not to be confused with National Pie Day, which is January 23. This is an actual American food holiday that began in the 1970s. Charlie Papazian was an American nuclear engineer who is credited (and I use the term loosely) with creating the day decades ago after he declared his birthday to be National Pie Day.
Whether it's March 14 Pi Day or January 23 Pie Day, if you're the Edmonton Oilers, the idea of winning it all is not an idea that is "pie in the sky" -- something that is pleasant to contemplate but is very unlikely to be realized. The last few days have proven that to be possible. On Wednesday, they put in some overtime to knock off perennial Stanley Cup contender Washington and then followed that up with what just might have been their most complete and satisfying game and win of the season on Saturday over two-time defending champions Tampa Bay.
It was really an on-ice clinic against the league's most obvious measuring stick and a team that isn't on the decline and will be again considered a favourite as the NHL's top squad.

I don't think there is any doubt who the NHL's best player is and he proved it again on Saturday night. If I were to use an equation to continue the math theme, what do you think about E=mc2? As in Entertainment equals McDavid squared or Entertainment equals M-McDavid, C-Connor squared.
I mean, his top-shelf shot on the power play was a thing of beauty, but his opening goal of the night and 31st of the season was electric. The only thing faster than the speed of light (300,000 km/sec) is the speed of Connor McDavid. If you don't believe me, ask Victor Hedman -- the best or at least one of the top three blueliners in the league.
The former Norris Trophy winner didn't have a chance once the former Hart, Ted Lindsay and Art Ross winner was headed in his direction. It wasn't even fair the way McDavid maneuvered around the Lightning defenceman and then deposited the opening goal of the game.

It was a statement game for the Oilers and I've got a filling (pie reference) that it's only going to get better for them. It's been quite clear Edmonton expects to be an elite team and such is the way they play when they are going up against the best the NHL has to offer. It is now imperative as they head through the final quarter of the season to make sure it's the kind of game they have available to them irrelevant of the strength of their opponent.
This week is a prime example of that as Edmonton gets sets to host Detroit, Buffalo and New Jersey, whose records are 24-28-7 plus 20-32-8 plus 22-32-5, respectively. I'll use my calculator to tabulate 66-92-20 as the combined results. If I've heard it once, I've heard a million times -- any team can beat anyone on any given night. Very true and a theme the Oilers will have to keep clear in their minds as they try to add more victories to a two-game winning streak.
The Oilers are in a place they want to be and that's nestled into the top three in their division, and as a backup plan within the top two for a wildcard spot. Nothing is safe and secure just yet but they are trending the right way going into the final six weeks of the season.
There is work to be done to get the math to add up to a playoff spot by the end of April. They like what they see on 3.14, but they also know the final 23 games of the season won't be easy as Pi.