Post-Game Talk: All Good Things…

[HockeyGuy1964]

A lot of terrible takes in this thread.
You'd think we were expected to go undefeated the rest of the way.

 

[guymez]

This is exactly it. When the team has an off night and stinks it up, that's one thing. When the team is on its A game and puts in a 60 minute effort, and still comes up just short, against the team that beat you in the playoffs last year on the way to winning a cup, and the team you will likely have to beat in the playoffs this year, that means something.

More than a few Oilers were not on their A game though.
Bouchard, Draisaitl, Kane, Ceci to name a few were not playing on their toes. They were playing on their heals. They were tentitive...over thinking and over handling the puck.

Still...the boys were in that game and had a chance to win. To be fair though Vegas was playing without one of their best dmen and without their best forward. It was a watered down Vegas lineup against the best lineup the Oilers can throw on the ice.
The Oiler still have work to do.

 

[Frank the Tank]

This is true. But both of these things are likely to continue into the playoffs when we face them again. So we do have to find a way to overcome strong goaltending from Hill and a low-penalty game from the refs.

As I posted later, if Vegas is going to defend hard against the Oilers cycle and clutter up the home plate area, then we saw the key to success appear numerous times last evening. The Oilers generated a bunch of opportunities where they have 2-3 guys open at the top of the offensive zone, but Perry and RNH need to hit the net and Bouchard and McDavid need to shoot the puck.

 

[bobbythebrain]

If one night defines a player then Draisaitl and Bouchard aren't very good ones. Ceci wasn't the only one looking hung over. His mistakes were just more costly. Bouchard needs to upgrade his processor or stop trying to pretend he is Jagr. Draisaitl is just Draisaitl. He got his point.

Ceci hasn't scored a goal in 100 games, and he is on the top defensive unit. He also regularly destroys offensive pressure

If you think it's about one game you are on cloud 9

 

[North Cole]

Its because its the team that beat us in the playoffs. The eventual SC champs. Its not just another game. This is one we were marking on calendars for a month, so was the Oilers team.

You think this game didn't mean much. Look at McDavid last minute on the bench. He's furious. Seldom seen him this angry. The Oilers wanted this game badly and didn't get it. Its not just the fans reacting. This game was not inconsequential. The magnitude of this game, at least for the Oilers was palpable throughout. The Oilers played hard, they played very well. The frustration could even be that the Oilers had most of their A game last night and lost.

Tbh that seems like a good thing. More angry is better. They'll want it even more the next time, and maybe they won't fall into a slump after this giant winning streak.

 

[guymez]

As I posted later, if Vegas is going to defend hard against the Oilers cycle and clutter up the home plate area, then we saw the key to success appear numerous times last evening. The Oilers generated a bunch of opportunities where they have 2-3 guys open at the top of the offensive zone, but Perry and RNH need to hit the net and Bouchard and McDavid need to shoot the puck.

Good phrasing...cluttering up home plate is exactly what Vegas does and they do it really really well. Very few open shots from high danger areas. Very frustrating to watch.
Kane, Perry and and Hyman have to channel their inner Ryan Smyth and get under the goalies skin.
Get him off his game. Get the Vegas players crowding home plate more concerned with a player getting in their goalies grill.

 

[Heavy Dee]

This is exactly it. When the team has an off night and stinks it up, that's one thing. When the team is on its A game and puts in a 60 minute effort, and still comes up just short, against the team that beat you in the playoffs last year on the way to winning a cup, and the team you will likely have to beat in the playoffs this year, that means something.

Jackson and Holland... er and Coffey won't overlook this.

 

[mcdingdong]

Because they didn’t play gritty against them last night, they played a perimeter game, passed up shots and turned the puck over.

I know people don’t like my opinion on this game, but it was an important game and they laid an egg. I’ve been around long enough to know how this story repeats itself.

Only part that gives me hope was how mad McDavid was, they have a lot of time to make a plan for Vegas if they play them in the playoffs. You know his anger wasn’t about the streak, it was losing to Vegas AGAIN.

The perimeter game stuff is absolute nonsense. We had about 3x the slot shots Vegas did.
Going so far as to say the Oilers laid an egg is bonkers. Starting to wonder how many posters in here were just checking boxscore hoping for a loss so they could log on to HF again finally to vent. If these opinions came from actually watching the game I would be even more worried about these posters though so there's that at least.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Perry might need to take one for the team and bang Hills mom.

 

[guymez]

The perimeter game stuff is absolute nonsense. We had about 3x the slot shots Vegas did.
Going so far as to say the Oilers laid an egg is bonkers. Starting to wonder how many posters in here were just checking boxscore hoping for a loss so they could log on to HF again finally to vent. If these opinions came from actually watching the game I would be even more worried about these posters though so there's that at least.

Actually there is some accuracy in the perimeter game comment. Vegas basically guards the net front area and lets the Oilers pass the puck around on the outside. Many of their shots on goal also came from the outside.
My solution to that would be to really muck it up with a Kane, Hyman or Perry at the top of the crease and try to pre-occupy 2 Vegas defenders. That way you have a higher likelihood of a mismatch in the high slot.
There were a few times when Hill guessed on a shot from the slot and got lucky. That happened when there was a lot of action directly in front of him and it partially obscured his sightline.
That should be the game plan in the O zone.
The Oilers made Hill look better than he was.

 

[Spawn]

A lot of terrible takes in this thread.
You'd think we were expected to go undefeated the rest of the way.

Or that the Oilers haven’t already beat Vegas this year.

 

[Soundwave]

Or that the Oilers haven’t already beat Vegas this year.

Not with Hill is net. We already know we can beat them here and there with Thompson or Brossoit in net. Hill is a different story.

We've played them 5 times with Hill, and they've won 4 out of 5 of those games, even last night without Eichel and Theodore.

One time, OK, lucky. Two times it happens, but when you're getting up to losing to one goalie 4/5 times, some reflection and looking at your roster is probably warranted.

Especially when this is the team and that is probably the goalie you're going to be looking at in round 1. It's not "just one game", it's 4/5 games of this same kind of result.

 

[Spawn]

Not with Hill is net. We already know we can beat them here and there with Thompson or Brossoit in net. Hill is a different story.

We've played them 5 times with Hill, and they've won 4 out of 5 of those games, even last night without Eichel and Theodore.

One time, OK, lucky. Two times it happens, but when you're getting up to losing to one goalie 4/5 times, some reflection and looking at your roster is probably warranted.

Especially when this is the team and that is probably the goalie you're going to be looking at in round 1. It's not "just one game", it's 4/5 games of this same kind of result.

Meh

We played and beat him in the regular season last year.

Go ahead and continue pretending like the team that is 7th in the league in GA (one ahead of us mind you) is some unimaginably good defensive juggernaut.

Skeet skeet away

 

[Stoneman89]

Mostly its people that don't completely get Drais game, how he changes tempo, how that often works to effect finding the trailer or confounding the D. he was in on the only goal scored tonight as well.

The curious thing is theres a dozen players on this club where critcism seldom lands on. Drai is a scapegoat here, and its laughable. I wonder if many fanbases would turn Drai into a scapegoat. Its not a good look.

Yeah, Nuge got muscled off the puck several times tonight, was back shooting popguns or shooting wide, and wasn't remarkable on PP misplaying puck as much as Booch did. Sure Drai didn't cash today. Thats more of a rarity for him career wise. Nuge is making a habit (again) of botching scoring chances. Kane sure isn't finishing anything either.

its not isolated either. Throughout this WHOLE Win streak forwards like Foegele or McLeod have been better than Nuge and Kane. Good for the former but that can't be happening for extended stretches like 20 games.

We have 3 players who have commendable production this season that should be above criticism in that regard. I wonder sometimes if posters know who they are.

Hey, you know I love Drai, but last night he had one of those games where it looked like he had the heavy boots. And when Drai has the heavy boots, he is much easier to defend. He will still make some premium passes and plays because of his elite skill, but when he isn't skating, the giveaways are much more prevelant. Can't be because he's injured or worn out at this point, but just one of those things that crops up from time to time. These guys aren't robots. Now, saying this, there were others who didn't have great games either. Ceci struggled at times, Foegele was a giveaway machine. However, Drai has the much higher expectations.

 

[Soundwave]

Meh

We played and beat him in the regular season last year.

Go ahead and continue pretending like the team that is 7th in the league in GA (one ahead of us mind you) is some unimaginably good defensive juggernaut.

Skeet skeet away

They are a juggernaut with Hill in net. Not sure what clicked in this dude's mind or if he is the prime example of someone taking a ball and running with it but it's becoming and less and less likely it's a fluke the longer this goes on.

With him I'd say they're as good as any Cup champion of the last 14-15 years if Hill is going at a like a .925++.

I honestly don't know if the 2022 Avalanche or 2021 Lightning would beat them for sure in a series. I wouldn't be putting any of my money on it.

 

[Spawn]

They are a juggernaut with Hill in net. Not sure what clicked in this dude's mind or if he is the prime example of someone taking a ball and running with it but it's becoming and less and less likely it's a fluke the longer this goes on.

With him I'd say they're as good as any Cup champion of the last 14-15 years if Hill is going at a like a .925++.

I honestly don't know if the 2022 Avalanche or 2021 Lightning would beat them for sure in a series. I wouldn't be putting any of my money on it.

Well you better put money on them to win it all again this year. They’re a sure bet

 

[Soundwave]

Well you better put money on them to win it all again this year. They’re a sure bet

No one is a sure bet, but I think they're as good as anyone to win a Cup in the last 15 years and that includes those dynasty Blackhawks teams. This Vegas team (healthy) would destroy that 2006 Carolina team.

We watch this forward group every other night for years now ... how many times have you seen them have this much trouble scoring against one team for multiple games? Hill has shut down Leon Draisaitl entirely, 0 goals in 5 games against him after 5 goals in 2 games against Broissoit (lol). Even Hyman can't seem to buy a greasy goal against this guy.

If that isn't a difference maker, I don't know what is.

 

[Duke74]

That slash changed everything for Vegas in that series and I also think that the slash has especially messed with Draisaitl. He was brutal in last nights game.
Its still in his head against Vegas.

I wonder if it's just a mental or also a physical thing because it seems to have really messed with his shot mechanics this year. It makes me even angrier that Peetrashelo only got one game. Someone needs to do the same to him next time they meet.

 

[Duke74]

If one night defines a player then Draisaitl and Bouchard aren't very good ones. Ceci wasn't the only one looking hung over. His mistakes were just more costly. Bouchard needs to upgrade his processor or stop trying to pretend he is Jagr. Draisaitl is just Draisaitl. He got his point.

Yet another poster that fails to appreciate a player of Draisaitl’s caliber. Enjoy another decade of darkness when he leaves.

 

[mcdingdong]

No one is a sure bet, but I think they're as good as anyone to win a Cup in the last 15 years and that includes those dynasty Blackhawks teams. This Vegas team (healthy) would destroy that 2006 Carolina team.

We watch this forward group every other night for years now ... how many times have you seen them have this much trouble scoring against one team for multiple games? Hill has shut down Leon Draisaitl entirely, 0 goals in 5 games against him after 5 goals in 2 games against Broissoit (lol). Even Hyman can't seem to buy a greasy goal against this guy.

If that isn't a difference maker, I don't know what is

2022 Avs absolutely bury this version of Vegas lmao, wild take. I don't know what this love affair with Hill is but without a couple of outrageous defensive plays (McLeod chance, Kane chance that drew a penalty) and 2 posts he didn't have a sniff on we are up 3-4 goals in a laugher without even counting pucks that hit him he didn't even see. Which is why I don't get all the sky is falling rhetoric re: Vegas being some unbeatable squad with Hill in net. Can't wait for him to "Binnington" in the next couple of months.

 

[mkatcherin00]

Ceci hasn't scored a goal in 100 games, and he is on the top defensive unit. He also regularly destroys offensive pressure

If you think it's about one game you are on cloud 9

Ya. If people think we talk about an upgrade from one night of ceci, then I got news.

Conna Brown is great, just had an off game last night

 

[Soundwave]

2022 Avs absolutely bury this version of Vegas lmao, wild take. I don't know what this love affair with Hill is but without a couple of outrageous defensive plays (McLeod chance, Kane chance that drew a penalty) and 2 posts he didn't have a sniff on we are up 3-4 goals in a laugher without even counting pucks that hit him he didn't even see. Which is why I don't get all the sky is falling rhetoric re: Vegas being some unbeatable squad with Hill in net. Can't wait for him to "Binnington" in the next couple of months.

Maybe they would. This Vegas team is better than them defensively though, Colorado had a lot of good fortune when they played us, Nurse had a torn hip flexor and was hot trash, Draisaitl was gassed playing on one leg, no Ekholm.

We could at least score on the Avs. With Hill in getting a 5 on 5 goal against Vegas feels like pulling teeth even in games where there is no Theodore or Piertangelo in.

 

[K1984]

Strudwick nailed the offensive issues in Got Yer Back today.

Basically said Vegas' defensive system isn't that complicated, they just play 5 on the die (2 wingers high, C in the middle, D in front of the net) and sit there in it. Meanwhile the Oilers are happy to cycle around them, but generate nothing other than possession time, a turnover, or a grade C toss on the net. Vegas' system is perfect for playing against us because it puts us in our comfort zone (pass happy from the perimeter) and makes us feel good (zone time!), but in reality we aren't much of a threat.

Rather than defaulting to trying to establish cycle on zone entry, I think we need to think more about shooting on zone entry. The way we break in allows whoever we're playing against to set up, throwing the puck on the goalie's pads disrupts that.

 

[WaitingForUser]

But Vancouver, Dallas, Tampa bay, and Winnipeg all did.

And only one of those teams you mentioned have a cup his decade

 

[BlackDogg]

Its because its the team that beat us in the playoffs. The eventual SC champs. Its not just another game. This is one we were marking on calendars for a month, so was the Oilers team.

You think this game didn't mean much. Look at McDavid last minute on the bench. He's furious. Seldom seen him this angry. The Oilers wanted this game badly and didn't get it. Its not just the fans reacting. This game was not inconsequential. The magnitude of this game, at least for the Oilers was palpable throughout. The Oilers played hard, they played very well. The frustration could even be that the Oilers had most of their A game last night and lost.

Agree on this. They were also thinking about this game for a week straight. The all star game gimmick f***ed up their rhythm and they also over thought a lot of stuff. I had the feeling when it was 1-1 that it was not going to turn out well, where before the break that was nothing, even being down a goal or two. You could feel something was different last night. The players would admit it was a failure, despite a good game. They would not feel comfortable, as we shouldn't either, that they could win a 7 game series against them.