Edmonton Oilers (P2) vs LA Kings (P3) | LAK lead 1-0

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

What’s it like in the land of make believe

Are you saying that there was malice? Or are you disputing the physics?

What specifically is make believe?

Again, I'm not even calling Anderson dirty or making a big deal out of the play (you might be inferring tone.)

 

[Osprey]

Scratch Durzi in away games and the Kings take this easily.

No. Scratch him for all of the games.

 

[VILARGOD]

Damn Anderson sounds scary, we must fear him, even tho multiple Oilers have reportedly asked him to dance only to be turned down this season. Maybe that's why he got ran face first into the boards.


Kings play physical? Oilers ran their show last 2 games and our defense is bigger and meaner than their smurfs

He's scary as f*** it's exactly why all the Oilers he asked to go with him told him no like pu**ys. Happened way too many times

 

[Fourier]

Facts with no evidence to back it up. Good luck with that one. RNH has won multiple NHL fights. Mikey Anderson hasn't fought in the NHL, AHL, and played NCAA where you can't fight.

He did fight Jamie Armstrong in 2016. At the time Armstrong was 5'10" and 154lbs. So perhaps Yamamoto would be a more appropriate opponent than Nuge.

 

[Johnny HFBOARDS]

With the 2 greatest players ever it's obvious this is over in 4 games,











Kings in 4

 

[Klimando Kostani]

I think Kings and Oilers fans will agree this is not the first round match up we wanted

Meh, LA is only behind the Kraken in my preferred matchups.

 

[K2MyEverest]

Its a tough one to predict. Oilers are superior in almost every aspect and they have the two best players in the NHL. In the recent years tho, it was never enough, they were not deep enough in their bottom six. Not deep enough on defence and they were mediocre in net. Skinner played good hockey this year for them but he's a rookie. We've seen rookies take over a series before and with the addition of Ekholm. I feel like they should take this but its going to be harder than we think. McDavid and Draisaitl are lethal but there's less power plays in playoffs. They'll need secondary scoring because again, it wasnt enough in their last few playoffs.

On the other Side, Kings are experienced but their best forward isnt getting any younger. Danault will have to come out strong like he did in 2021. Is he good enough to contain McDavid in a best of 7 series? I feel like he'll play a huge part and this is why it will go in 7 for the Oilers.

 

[crump]

Kings have been good down the stretch but the Oilers are looking even better. Oilers in 6.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Ya they aren't anything special lol. Go look at how badly they outproduced every single teams "Big 4". 468 points. Look at the goals too. All they did was become a top 5 Es team, have the 2nd most Reg wins in the NHL under Boston, have good depth, have a history making PP, most Sh goals int he league, Skinner could win a Calder.

Not that impressive. They did all of this with Campbell shittin the bed 75% of the year lol.

Saying all of that, playoffs are a new slate. It's going to be tough.

I just laugh at people who keep parroting that "they cannot rely on the PP, Kings are a better ES team (OIL +24 Kings +9), etc" when it is false. Hell, Kings have the 2nd best PP next to EDM since Jan 1. Can we call them PP merchants ladies and gents? Or is that narrative only for Edmonton?

Campbell sat on the bench 75% of the year get out of here with that crap.

And I've discussed this at length, Oilers have a generational talent and are let to run and gun and outscore teams who lack that talent. The system and historic PP along with McDavid's career year inflated every players offense. Pretty easy to spot look at Ekholm's production before and after for a hint.

 

[djbard99]

Imagine betting against the oilers. Imagine betting on koala’s coaching ability

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Imagine betting against the oilers. Imagine betting on koala’s coaching ability

A grumpy Koala is sometimes all you need...



But yeah Oils in 5

 

[The Management]

As much as I'd like to see a serving of humble pie, I will confess I do think the Oilers look different this year and I can't see Los Angeles shutting down McDavid. If they fall into the temptation of trap hockey it will probably be a short series. I think they probably need to focus on taking the puck the other way and getting to Skinner early, try to cycle the puck and stay disciplined.

I think it's probably Edmonton in five or six games. Not a slight to LA, but they need to find a way of either neutralizing McDavid (tall order) or hoping they can shake Edmonton's confidence in net and create a bit of a controversy there.

 

[The Moops]

Head says Oilers in 6-7, heart says Kings either sweep or win in triple OT in game 7

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Campbell sat on the bench 75% of the year get out of here with that crap.

And I've discussed this at length, Oilers have a generational talent and are let to run and gun and outscore teams who lack that talent. The system and historic PP along with McDavid's career year inflated every players offense. Pretty easy to spot look at Ekholm's production before and after for a hint.

Luckily, as I’ve discussed this at length, you’re more often wrong than right, so I feel alright with the Oilers chances.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Luckily, as I’ve discussed this at length, you’re more often wrong than right, so I feel alright with the Oilers chances.

My comment had nothing to do with their chances. All I said was their offensive totals are inflated. If Oilers fans watched other teams they would notice most don't think offense first they make the safe play and try to prevent giving up 2 on 1's and stuff.

Better hope Skinner didn't go to Mike Smith school of hot and cold

 

[AlanHUK]

there's less power plays in playoffs

3.2 per game in the playoffs compared to 3.0 in the regular season, there's more but it's not a massive difference

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

I think this series goes 7…. Can’t decide who will win.


But I think the winner of this series will end up in the Stanley cup

 

[mkatcherin00]

Kings have been good down the stretch but the Oilers are looking even better. Oilers in 6.

I don't consider 5-5 good. Maybe average down the stretch (with injuries)

 

[Satire]

I could see this going to 7. Korpi absolutely has it in him to steal a series too. I think the biggest question mark for me isn't who gets through, but what kind of condition they'll be in after. This was one of the match ups I didn't want for the Oilers. The Pacific Bracket is brutal this year in terms of teams that play a heavy and hard game. Whoever makes it out is going to have a time with whomever comes out of the other bracket.

Anyways, I'm sure we'll be at eachothers throats soon enough... But I generally have respect for the King's as a team and the hard nosed game they play. Best of luck - and please don't injure Drai this time!

 

[Klimando Kostani]

Kings in 7. One of the few upsets in round one.

Oilers are just not a complete enough team, and they rely too heavily on the PP. The playoff refs won't give out as many PP opportunities, and a vet team like LA knows how to limit their hooks and holds when it counts.

Powerplay have increased in post season versus regular season the last 4 years.

 

[Wheatking]

This series will come down to goaltending. It should be a low scoring one on paper.

 

[jackjohnson]

RNH would kick the shit out of grown-adult-who-calls-himself-Mikey lol.

That's cute

 

[snipes]

Oilers have been playing really fast and physical lately.

They are a fairly big team which gets somewhat overlooked. They are very skilled and fast obviously who run teams out of the barn that try to run and gun against them. However, they are actually quite a big team when you see them on the ice.

They’ve played a lot of tight checking physical games in the last couple months and have bullied teams around.

Kane, Kostin, Ekholm, Nurse, Draisaitl, Bjugstad, Desharnais, etc. are all big guys that can play a physical game.

Even guys like Ceci, Hyman, McDavid, Bouchard, Kulak, Foegele, McLeod, and Janmark are all 6’1 and taller.

Edit: Further to my theory, I went and looked it up. The Oilers do in fact have the tallest team in the league: Elite Prospects - Team Comparison in NHL

Not that height and weight is some sole determining factor, but you combine that with their overall team speed it’s a tough lineup to play especially post trade deadline.

 

[Fourier]

Its a tough one to predict. Oilers are superior in almost every aspect and they have the two best players in the NHL. In the recent years tho, it was never enough, they were not deep enough in their bottom six. Not deep enough on defence and they were mediocre in net. Skinner played good hockey this year for them but he's a rookie. We've seen rookies take over a series before and with the addition of Ekholm. I feel like they should take this but its going to be harder than we think. McDavid and Draisaitl are lethal but there's less power plays in playoffs. They'll need secondary scoring because again, it wasnt enough in their last few playoffs.

On the other Side, Kings are experienced but their best forward isnt getting any younger. Danault will have to come out strong like he did in 2021. Is he good enough to contain McDavid in a best of 7 series? I feel like he'll play a huge part and this is why it will go in 7 for the Oilers.

A few things need to be repeated.

1) PP's do not go down in the playoffs. In fact the opposite is true.

2) The Oilers scored 235 goals while not on the pp. That is 4th best in the NHL behind only Seattle 241, NJD 240, Boston 239. LA had 205.

3) If you take the top 4 scores on all 4 playoff teams and remove look at goals scored 5 vs 5 while they were not on the ice here is what you get.

Oilers 45GF 35GA
LA 49GF 54GA

If you look since March 1st after Ekholm came without the top 4 on the ice the Oilers score 15 goals and gave up 10 5 vs 5. That's 2.41 GF/60 and 1.61 GA/60.

In fact if you do this for every playoff team the Oilers group has the second best GF% behind only Boston. So it is not true that the Oilers have been a poor 5 vs 5 team or lack depth scoring.

4) The Kings have the two most experienced players in Doughty and Koptitar but most of their team has little playoff experience. In fact, across the board the Oilers are the more experienced team.

None of this means that this will be an easy series. But there are a lot of misconceptions about teh two teams that keep popping up over and over.

 

[Homesick]

Oilers have been playing really fast and physical lately.

They are a fairly big team which gets somewhat overlooked. They are very skilled and fast obviously who run teams out of the barn that try to run and gun against them. However, they are actually quite a big team when you see them on the ice.

They’ve played a lot of tight checking physical games in the last couple months and have bullied teams around.

Kane, Kostin, Ekholm, Nurse, Draisaitl, Bjugstad, Desharnais, etc. are all big guys that can play a physical game.

Even guys like Ceci, Hyman, McDavid, Bouchard, Kulak, Foegele, McLeod, and Janmark are all 6’1 and taller.

Edit: Further to my theory, I went and looked it up. The Oilers do in fact have the tallest team in the league: Elite Prospects - Team Comparison in NHL

Not that height and weight is some sole determining factor, but you combine that with their overall team speed it’s a tough lineup to play especially post trade deadline.

And that's with Yamamoto