COMMENTARY: FLAME OUT

(Listen daily for the RP Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

Wednesdays are for random thoughts and today we got a few. We’ll start with hockey, then mosey over to football:

#1 – It’s a sneaky story as the NHL approaches the Christmas break. The L.A. Kings are on the verge of setting an NHL record with the longest road winning streak to begin the season. Should they win at Montreal on Thursday, they’ll go to 11-0 on the road this season and that’s an NHL first.

We don’t generally think of the Kings as a frontrunner, but Melville’s Todd McLellan has them in the running and don’t forget about their NHL-best goal differential of plus-32.

#2 – Don’t look now but the Arizona Coyotes have caught fire too – the winners of five in a row, all against the last five Stanley Cup champs – and are knocking on the door of a playoff spot.

We didn’t expect much when the ‘Yotes hired former Canadian World Junior coach Andre Turigny, but he’s made chicken salad out of you-know-what in the desert.

#3 – The Coyotes are miles behind the Flames and Oilers when it comes to talent, but are looking down at both Alberta teams in the standings. The Flames lost 5-2 at home to the Wild last night and coach Ryan Huska said their most physical player in the first period was their goalie.

Honestly, who could put it any better than that?

The Oilers have won four in a row and finally play again tonight when they host Carolina. There’s optimism in Oil Country, but they got a lot of work to do because only San Jose and Chicago are behind them in the standings.

(Speaking of Chicago, check out Connor Bedard’s shootout goal from last night against Nashville!)

And #4 – I never thought I’d see the day when the hiring of Marc Mueller as offensive coordinator of the Saskatchewan Roughriders would be criticized. But here we are.

Somebody actually said Marc was only hired because Ron Lancaster’s his grandfather. That’s probably the same nincompoop who said the Riders only drafted Jaxon Ford because his grandpa is Rider great Alan Ford.

Let me remind you that you don’t need to pass an IQ test to get a Twitter or Facebook account.

I don’t know Jaxon but I know Marc and he’s just like me:

Go ahead and count him out. That makes it all the sweeter when he proves you wrong.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm & 5 pm ET on Game+TV, WQEE, YouTube Live & Podcast)