Post-Game Talk: All Good Things…

[FlameChampion]

Now that the win streak is over we can talk about this teams problems. The concerning one for me is how anemic our offence has become. We’ve got a lot of forwards that can’t score right now. Not sure how that gets fixed but if we’re able to add something at the deadline that’s the area that needs to be addressed.

It’s not exactly doom and gloom but the offense hasn’t been clicking for awhile.

I am not sure what exactly it is.

First line isn’t really clicking.
Draisaitl and Kane don’t seem to be clicking. Foegele has been good but it’s hard to see him playing at a top 6 going forward.
I do like McLeods game. Too early to say on Holloway but you can see the potential. Too early on Perry but you can see the savyness.

I don’t mind Ryan, Janmark and Brown (I hate his overage). They are good on the PK. They don’t give up a ton. But none of these guys piss a drop of offense either. It probably wouldn’t be a big deal if the top 9 was producing better.

We are playing great defensively. Skinner has been great. But I don’t know what is going on with the offense.

Maybe with the streak being broken, they will relax a bit.

 

[McFlyingV]

and not even close. The local media and the broadcast are constantly trying to tell us Skinner is some kind of goalie superstar now, "best in league" and the reason for the 16G win streak. The articles by Tychkowski and others laughable. The Oilers have been playing stellar hockey and giving up very little. They got 10 better scoring chances than Vegas got and lost. The reason being the usual reason we come up short against Vegas.

Trouble is if the Oilers are serious about a SC win it needs to be a goalie add. Skinner ain't getting us there. Anybody catch his f*** up with the puck with 3mins left in a 2-1 game. Thats the kind of play that was ending up in his net in playoffs. His team mates are saving him.

We missed 2 wide open nets and beat Hill clean on two posts that he didn't even come close to making a save on. I'll easily concede that Hill played excellent in the 3rd period, but we bailed him out like crazy in the 2nd period. He's lucky he didn't let in 4 or 5 goals tonight despite playing behind an elite defence, which for large portions of this game the Oilers exploited.

Hate on Skinner if you want. He's probably not elite I agree, but he's been more than good enough behind an improved team defence. Oilers need to bear down better on their chances. Hard to be mad after winning 16 in a row though I'll cut them some slack tonight lol.

 

[Heavy Dee]

?

I'm right here.

Is there a point to your post?

I just read your review of Draisaitl's play. It's OK to admit he may have had one of his worst efforts of the season.

 

[North Cole]

Hill in our heads like we're in Markstroms. Missing things we shouldnt. Looks like we need to break another goalie mentally.

Good news is Vegas ain't it, good game by the Oilers. Glad to get the streak out of the way, broadcast wouldn't shut the f*** up about it. Get back to regular hockey games and see how they respond to a loss. That'll be important in the playoffs.

 

[McFlyingV]

They are great, but the Oilers got up on them in every single game and Gary's cronies changed the standard in game 5 to fellate them into that comeback

Our PK is elite right now, unlike limpcrofts

We still generate chances against Vegas and got goalied

Our defensive play is better than last year. Miles better

Team overall is better and will upgrade soon

It's not the mountain people are talking about

We blew that series last year

Two things scare me

They incompetent refs who ignore very blatant calls against our star player

Hill having a giant lucky coin stuck up his rear end

The bolded is very true. We were in the driver's seat in game 5 before the refs decided to hand them a 5 on 3 which changed the series and we didn't bounce back. The hyperbole is hilarious in here.

 

[Morpheus]

Just one game. Get a good practice in this week and kick some ducking Ducks on Friday.

 

[Messrules11]

Well, the streak had to end at some point. That was a close game against the defending champs so I’m not worried. I didn’t care for Bouchard’s game tonight and his effort on the empty netter was the cherry on top.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Vegas is very good at taking away time and space. It’s good to try and hold onto the puck and look to make a play but gotta be quicker. You gotta just keep pounding it at the net, especially early. Make them block shots make them fight you for loose pucks in the slot and most of all be deliberate with the puck, no soft plays or passes.

A couple adjustments, with that effort and battle level, we beat them more often then we lose.

One thing I’ve noticed is they pressure low very quickly on the back check working all the way back to the slot area before getting into their zone D. When they do this they leave a lot of space up top. There’s an opportunity to exploit this by driving then kicking it back to the D or the trailer coming with speed. We did it a few times but kept getting that “just a little closer” thiught instead of firing on net from distance. The other thing is that because Vegas tracks all the way back to the net with proper timing you can catch them going the wrong way as the wingers move out to cover their positions. It happened once with them dragging every low then kicking back to Bouchard, the Vegas winger was caught going the wrong way and scrambling to get out to block the shot and it was easy for Bouchard to walk around him but then he double clutches in a great shooting position.

They’re a very strong and structured team but there are areas to exploit in their game.

 

[mkatcherin00]

Yeah they really don't crash the net much. Clearly they need to attack the blue paint a little more, as much as I like the nifty set ups.

That is my biggest complaint about our team in general and especially against Vegas. We do not penetrate their box a lot. Too much screwing around the outside instead of oenetrating and taking shots

 

[syz]

I hope Holloway starts scoring at some point. Line is playing well but if I end up having to watch another "looks good but never finishes" player I'm going to lose it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

We missed 2 wide open nets and beat Hill clean on two posts that he didn't even come close to making a save on. I'll easily concede that Hill played excellent in the 3rd period, but we bailed him out like crazy in the 2nd period. He's lucky he didn't let in 4 or 5 goals tonight despite playing behind an elite defence, which for large portions of this game the Oilers exploited.

Hate on Skinner if you want. He's probably not elite I agree, but he's been more than good enough behind an improved team defence. Oilers need to bear down better on their chances. Hard to be mad after winning 16 in a row though I'll cut them some slack tonight lol.

Vegas had 2 posts as well. Thing is Vegas didn't get close to the chances Oilers were getting tonight and Vegas doesn't have premium finish guys like McDrai and Hyman giving goalies a lot of work.

Vegas had guys like Eichel and others out tonight. We're missing nobody, except a premium goalie and good luck with that because a lot of other goalies in league have peak games that are better than Skinner. Its just not enough. You can call it hate, to me its the reality. It was underlined again tonight in a game we had the huge edge in serious scoring chances.

 

[bobbythebrain]

It's a process and a mindset, yet fans can't understand that and think it's about talent and individuals and only think the grass is greener on the other side. Hill is not better than Skinner. Guy was a backup 2 years ago. Skinner improved exponentially too with structure. Drai missed an open net and shot it into Hill


Amadio skooled Drai on like 3 plays. . McD started rush all by himself.

They basically play rope a dope on us. .

It's not about talent. Amadio is NOT better than Foegle or whoever else we blame

The only glaring week point that game was Edm started to push and McD started to rush by himself...and Ceci is a play killer.

Oilers are a hair away from reading games and changing their style to win

That game showed their lack of patience

 

[soothsayer]

That Janmark - Ryan - Brown line was obviously an issue. That can't be the 4th line in the playoffs. That said, I fully expect the team to add a player or two who will help round out the forward group.

 

[rboomercat90]

Someone do a wellness check on @Drivesaitl

Edit: lol, read this post wrong. Thought it said Draisaitl.

 

[BudBundy]

What is there to come on man about? Dude might win the vezina this year and probably deserved the Conn Smythe last year.

He also has outplayed Skinner head to head in 7 straight games.

you make it sound like Skinner cost us the game and it’s tiresome.

 

[mkatcherin00]

The bolded is very true. We were in the driver's seat in game 5 before the refs decided to hand them a 5 on 3 which changed the series and we didn't bounce back. The hyperbole is hilarious in here.

Yes we were up and playing well

Chinsy garbage call on broberg and then I think somebody chucked one over the glass from that trash call

Vegas gets two quickies on our crappy pk

That was infuriating

Even if we lose, I bet we outplay Vegas in any upcoming series as a whole.

But my dream is catching those idiots in first and watching them play Vegas

We need one more streak

 

[Ibanez]

Fleury is our ace in the hole. I’m fairly certain he would go supernova against the Knights in the playoffs with the way they treated him.

Gitter done Holland!

Can I double like this post?

 

[iCanada]

and not even close. The local media and the broadcast are constantly trying to tell us Skinner is some kind of goalie superstar now, "best in league" and the reason for the 16G win streak. The articles by Tychkowski and others laughable. The Oilers have been playing stellar hockey and giving up very little. They got 10 better scoring chances than Vegas got and lost. The reason being the usual reason we come up short against Vegas.

Trouble is if the Oilers are serious about a SC win it needs to be a goalie add. Skinner ain't getting us there. Anybody catch his f*** up with the puck with 3mins left in a 2-1 game. Thats the kind of play that was ending up in his net in playoffs. His team mates are saving him.

Yeah. Idk. Hill seems to best Skinner every time they're on the ice together. Not sure if Skinner has what it takes to be that SC winner with the next / right save Hill always seems to have.

I hope I'm wrong on that - and I've been wrong about Skinner in the past. I still think he deserves some credit for his play lately.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I just read your review of Draisaitl's play. It's OK to admit he may have had one of his worst efforts of the season.

Its BS. Vegas are a solid defending team. They're even containing McD. Good opponents tend to be able to have ability to at least limit great players in games. Thats not a reflection on Drai, the accurate look is its more a reflection on SC Champions. Sometimes you're up against a stiffer challenge.

Adin Hill decided this game. Nobody else.

 

[McTonyBrar]

If we had scored on the chances in the 2nd period, this game would've been ours.


Have the Oiler complainers AKA haters come out yet?

 

[syz]

you make it sound like Skinner cost us the game and it’s tiresome.

GWG wasn't great and the other guy was a lot better, though I think the forwards deserve a lot of blame for not being able to elevate the puck all game. Lots of stuff along the ice for Hill to handle from what I saw. Other than Drai missing an empty net.

 

[McFlyingV]

Vegas had 2 posts as well. Thing is Vegas didn't get close to the chances Oilers were getting tonight and Vegas doesn't have premium finish guys like McDrai and Hyman giving goalies a lot of work.

Vegas had guys like Eichel and others out tonight. We're missing nobody, except a premium goalie and good luck with that because a lot of other goalies in league have peak games that are better than Skinner. Its just not enough. You can call it hate, to me its the reality. It was underlined again tonight in a game we had the huge edge in serious scoring chances.

Vegas posts were dramatically different than the Oilers posts, and their posts were debatable if they even hit iron. Bouchard's shot hit the inside of the post and came out the other side and Hill wasn't even close to touching it. Same for McDavid's when he left a good 8 inches open above his shoulder and didn't even move.

Regardless the Oilers didn't lose tonight on goaltending. They lost it by missing wide open nets and a game of inches. Obviously that happens sometimes in hockey so its whatever, but anyone claiming we got goalied tonight must have turned that game on in the 3rd period.

 

[Soundwave]

Its BS. Vegas are a solid defending team. They're even containing McD. Good opponents tend to be able to have ability to at least limit great players in games. Thats not a reflection on Drai, the accurate look is its more a reflection on SC Champions. Sometimes you're up against a stiffer challenge.

Adin Hill decided this game. Nobody else.

They're better than solid. I haven't seen a team better than them defensively in the last 5 years+ honestly.

With Hill in, they are a wagon.

Leon didn't play well tonight, he looked like he was drunk at times, just a bad night for him.

 

[iCanada]

you make it sound like Skinner cost us the game and it’s tiresome.

Where did I say that?

Skinner was absolutely totally fine. He certainly didn't lose us the game.

But, if we are getting out of the first round we're going to need him to not come several big saves short of Hill every time they go head to head. And that's not Skinner losing the game, that's Hill winning it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yeah. Idk. Hill seems to best Skinner every time they're on the ice together. Not sure if Skinner has what it takes to be that SC winner with the next / right save Hill always seems to have.

I hope I'm wrong on that - and I've been wrong about Skinner in the past. I still think he deserves some credit for his play lately.

Sure he deserves credit and I'd given him that several times over the stretch. But its a double edged sword. The streak, and how the media were manufacturing it to be about Skinner troubles me, if only because it may well dissuade the org from getting a premium goalie around TDL. We need somebody else to take us to the dance now. Skinner isn't that guy even if he might be the future guy. I could see Skinner being solved again in 7 game series.