Post-Game Talk: 2 Down, 2 To Go

[guymez]

All time game from McDavid. That's the type of game that will be talked about 30 years from now, along with his setup on the Perry goal. Skinner was also outstanding - dials it up when it matters, just an adventure getting there.

We have this if, once again, we stop gift wrapping the other team momentum when we have the game fully in control and the other team is lifeless. It seems to be part of the process when we build a 3-0 lead.

There are currently two players that need adjustment:

Nurse - absolutely dreadful. That may have actually been his worst game of the playoffs despite not directly causing goals against in waves like he's done in the past. Since the media ripped him he's been on a cadence of 1/2 good games in a row followed by 1/2 horrid games. You could tell early he was in his dumb mode, and never got out of it. If he shows any signs of this whatsoever early in Game 6 he needs to be limited to o zone or neutral zone draws only. Pretty much any time he is in the D zone at all we get rolled on. We have 3 other LHD, we don't need Darnell to play if he can't do it.

Draisaitl - he's very likely hurt, but he has to stop throwing the puck around like he is if he isn't mobile. The only GA in Game 4 was off a dumb pass from him and the game changer last night was a dumb choice running up ice following an iffy pass. There were many more too. He needs the Darnell Nurse message - if you can't move, less is more. Just easy north-south plays and being on the right side of the puck is all that is required at the moment. We're getting enough scoring elsewhere, he needs to not turn into a liability erroneously trying to squeeze out offence. Just don't cause problems.

Strudwick nailed it on GYB. If you have a 3 goal lead, there is zero reason for basically the whole group to make the play they did on the 3-1 goal. Even before that, McDavid made an absolutely horrendous, high risk, low reward pass with about 40 second left in the first that nearly resulted in the game being tied heading into the break. Like a lot of teams, the Panthers don't score what we don't gift wrap them (the 4-3 goal was another one we just handed them). We'll need to push and take risks to get the lead, but for the love of god, if you have a three goal lead, just keep it simple stupid.

Excellent post.
Strongly agree with everything here and I am especially glad somebody posted about the first Florida goal.
All 5 players blowing the zone even though they didnt have full puck possession and there was a Florida player still in the fight for the puck. I mean Drai has to recognize that he is last one back and he MUST NOT exit the zone with a Florida player behind him until puck possession is established.
That was hard to watch because it was an example of a team going back to habits that caused them to be 2nd last in the NHL back in November.
That play is a perfect example of what makes me nervous about this team more than anything.

There is so much to like about this team but those types of absolutely brutal plays are seemingly always just below the surface...ready to pop out at any moment.

 

[Fishy McScales]

An underrated part of last night, is that the team didn't play that well at even strength. But Mcdavid, Skinner, and the PP were enough. There's so much room for improvement in games 6 and hopefully 7. What a run, what a series, what a team.

Yeah this game was a bit of a reverse of game 3 only this time we had the Panthers chasing the game instead of us.

But if McDavid keeps doing McDavid things and our PP now has a bit more confidence after getting goals in two straight games, the odds shift a bit in our favour.

 

[brentashton]

I imagine Boob stocked up on lots of snacks and pizza for the trip home.

Bob takes 2 pieces of luggage on every trip. One for clothing and work materials and the other for Royal Pizza and Cheetos. The food goes in the carry on obviously, in case his luggage goes astray.

 

[gretzkyoilers]

Yeah this game was a bit of a reverse of game 3 only this time we had the Panthers chasing the game instead of us.

But if McDavid keeps doing McDavid things and our PP now has a bit more confidence after getting goals in two straight games, the odds shift a bit in our favour.

The Oilers usually make adjustments after a game of mistakes. I expect things to be "neater" for the Oilers in game 6, especially in their own end.

 

[McOilers97]

I feel like Barkov gets the same kind of treatment Toews used to get when people compared him to Crosby etc.

Toews wasn't even the second best player on his own team (Kane and Keith were better), but that whole two-way centre team captain thing makes people go "he's underrated" when maybe what they're actually meaning to say is "he's unsung".

Eventually the praise goes into overdrive and the player is suddenly ridiculously overrated instead, even if they're a good player. And Barkov has plenty to prove yet just to be on Toews' level.

To be honest, as good as these types of players are, the majority of Selke winners become extremely overrated.

 

[Lannes]

Connor Brown PK'ing > the entire Florida PP

 

[LeonDraisaitl29]

That opening is way better than our current one

 

[guymez]

True. But when someone like Nurse or Desharnais are poor decision makers, it adds another dimension to the disasters of their awful breakout passes. A crappy pass in the middle of the ice increases the odds of a goal against. As sorry as it is, I think KISS (throw it up the boards-even blindly) is the best strategy for a player like Nurse.

I think I said "FU Nurse" about 5 times last night during the game due to piss poor dzone passes.

I agree.
I felt a lot better when Nurse was on the bench and apparently he made his best decision of the entire game while he was sitting there.

 

[Lannes]

True. But when someone like Nurse or Desharnais are poor decision makers, it adds another dimension to the disasters of their awful breakout passes. A crappy pass in the middle of the ice increases the odds of a goal against. As sorry as it is, I think KISS (throw it up the boards-even blindly) is the best strategy for a player like Nurse.

I think I said "FU Nurse" about 5 times last night during the game due to piss poor dzone passes.

I've reached a point with Nurse that I consider an unforced icing to be a net positive play for him.

 

[Zguy370]

On a side note, but Henrique was't very efficient on the faceoffs, especially in the last couple of minutes with the extra attacker

 

[Zguy370]

Two more games. We win the Cup if we can continue to mitigate defensive lapses. Nobody blowing the zone, Nurse on the bench, Draisaitl smartening up.

I'm sure he's giving it his all out there, under normal circumstances he would be on IR

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I've reached a point with Nurse that I consider an unforced icing to be a net positive play for him.

Against a good forechecking team like Florida, I agree. I'd rather have a 50/50 chance of losing possession on the faceoff after the icing, than some bang bang scoring opportunity after a boneheaded Nurse pass.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Against a good forechecking team like Florida, I agree. I'd rather have a 50/50 chance of losing possession on the faceoff after the icing, then some bang bang scoring opportunity after a boneheaded Nurse pass.

Put him out there when the net's empty. Maybe he ices it into the open net.

 

[cruisecity]

I'm sure he's giving it his all out there, under normal circumstances he would be on IR

I don't disagree he is hurt bad. He isn't concussed though and his decision making with the puck has been horrible. One of the worst on the club. Maybe the percocets are messing him up. Clearly injured bad but him and Nurse cleaning up their games would make the rest of this journey far more comfortable.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

An absolute leader.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

An absolute leader.

More Mario Kart for sure.

 

[McDrai]

Brings back good memories going with my Dad to see an Oilers playoff game in 06. Unfortunately I can’t afford to return the favor this time around as tickets are going for 2k+ per lol

 

[K1984]

I've reached a point with Nurse that I consider an unforced icing to be a net positive play for him.

It didn't draw much attention, but I believe two shifts after Henrique got burned sifting a soft backhand pass up the wall to nowhere, Darnell did the exact same thing despite having an easy reverse outlet to his D partner that was wide open. Resulted in about a minute in our end getting peppered. He simply does not get it.

When his feet aren't moving and he's not fully engaged physically he pretty much turns into the worst defensemen imaginable. Especially when he's in that mode, because his solution is to get cute with the puck instead of simplify most of the time.

 

[OfCorsiDid]

Has anyone here gone to the moss pit?

I’m here from Toronto and I wanna get in there for game 6.

How early do I need to line up?

 

[ManOfSteelI]

Has anyone here gone to the moss pit?

I’m here from Toronto and I wanna get in there for game 6.

How early do I need to line up?

Last time I tried against Dallas, it was a 1.5 hr wait and I barely got in before cutoff.

 

[Zguy370]

I don't disagree he is hurt bad. He isn't concussed though and his decision making with the puck has been horrible. One of the worst on the club. Maybe the percocets are messing him up. Clearly injured bad but him and Nurse cleaning up their games would make the rest of this journey far more comfortable.

It's evident that his mobility in particular is restricted, which is likely affecting his decision making, probably to compensate for his lack of mobility (bad back / ribs? ) by making some lackluster decisions which is something he's probably trying to work through and adapt. Guaranteed his injuries will be known, after they win the Cup

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Has anyone here gone to the moss pit?

I’m here from Toronto and I wanna get in there for game 6.

How early do I need to line up?

I came 2 hours early and there was a huge line already. Keep your head on a swivel in there though, kids were throwing full beer cans last time I was there.

 

[McDrai]

Has anyone here gone to the moss pit?

I’m here from Toronto and I wanna get in there for game 6.

How early do I need to line up?

You need to line up a few hours before. A lot of unemployed or part-time university students in the crowd so it’s tough to get in if you’re working a 9-5

 

[Frank the Tank]

Has anyone here gone to the moss pit?

I’m here from Toronto and I wanna get in there for game 6.

How early do I need to line up?

I would also add that one should take any historic times provided and add an hour or two. It will be Game 6 of the SCF on what's expected to be a warm Friday summer evening.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

An absolute leader.

Just goes to show the maturity between him and Tkachuk. No guaranteed victories, just simply saying we get to play another game.