Pre-Game Talk: Edmonton vs Vegas

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Oilers vs Vegas but mostly Oilers vs the dirty betting nhl reffing. They'll need to be better than best to beat the "odds"

Cant wait for the referee gambling scandals to hit. There is a zero chance some of the zebras are not actively gambling on games through 3rd parties or even on the take trying to tilt certain games a certain way.

Just see who retires to the Cayman Islands where there is no extradition treaties and sweet tax havens and you'll know who was fixing games.

 

[OilerTyler]

Cant wait for the referee gambling scandals to hit. There is a zero chance some of the zebras are not actively gambling on games through 3rd parties or even on the take trying to tilt certain games a certain way.

Just see who retires to the Cayman Islands where there is no extradition treaties and sweet tax havens and you'll know who was fixing games.

I think it’s more likely that the league actually instructs the refs to call games differently for different teams.

People forget that the NHL is a business. Some markets (like the Canadian ones) don’t have a lot of room to grow but most American ones (especially in the warmer climate areas) have huge growth potential. These teams are in large population centres that currently have very little interest in the teams. Winning teams generate interest and grow fan bases in the long term. The league has way more to gain from teams like LA, Anaheim, Vegas, Phoenix/Utah, Florida and Tampa winning than any Canadian team.

American fans will deny it until they die but I think Canadian fans of all 7 teams will agree on this. The bias in reffing/league decisions is blatant.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Pickard has a better GSAx and GSAx per 60 than Hill these playoffs. I just hope the team doesn't panic and put Stu back in if he has a bad game.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

It really feels the media is harder on Pickard than it ever was on Skinner, even though he's actually saving us games by making stops Skinner is literally incapable of making, and has been less of a liability than Skinner was for most of his playoff career. At least Bob loves him.

First real goalie criticism I heard from Edmonton media was about Pickard after game 3. (Which we won)

Skinner was way worse his 2 games but it was everyone else’s fault. They always throw in the classic “goaltending could be better” though as if that wasn’t the understatement of the year.

 

[MessierThanThou]

First real goalie criticism I heard from Edmonton media was about Pickard after game 3. (Which we won)

Skinner was way worse his 2 games but it was everyone else’s fault. They always throw in the classic “goaltending could be better” though as if that wasn’t the understatement of the year.

As if we needed any more proof that their opinions are not in good faith. Bob works for the f***ing team and he's pretty clearly in favor of Pickard now, so I have no clue why these idiots are still critical of one guy and blindly devoted to the other.

Pickard is outperforming Hill, Ullmark, Vasilevsky, and obviously Hellebuyck, in these playoffs. He's not standing on his head or anything, but he gives us a substantially better chance to win than Skinner.

 

[elmeroil]

Cant wait for the referee gambling scandals to hit. There is a zero chance some of the zebras are not actively gambling on games through 3rd parties or even on the take trying to tilt certain games a certain way.

Just see who retires to the Cayman Islands where there is no extradition treaties and sweet tax havens and you'll know who was fixing games.

I 100% believe it and as soon as the betting came in things got even worse. Reffing was always suspect but they aren't even hiding it anymore. I believe any team can still win but they do have to beat the reffing as well. Raptors did it in 2019 so it is possible, just a tougher mountain to climb.

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

Vegas doesn't scare me at all Oilers are the better team when both play their best games. The reffing however is making me dread this series. Watching this is going to be infuriating. How much holding/grabbing will stone and folk get a way with. That will be a big factor in the series, sad but true.

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

They were definitely better game 1's last year agreed. Heck they probably don't get to the final if they laid an egg game 1 against Dallas.

I'd say they would have beat Vegas 2 years ago if they didn't shit the bed so bad the first game. They were the better team overall but just gave out a freebie.

This team can take any team over a 7 game series imo. They can't beat the other elite teams in the league with the first 1's free culture though. Too hard to win 4 of 6 against them.

Our A game is tops in the league. Our B game can compete. Problem is we tend to play with consistency a C game in 1 or 2 of the first 3 in a series. And you just can't always have your A game.

Thats the thing with this team, they have a habit of giving up freebies. Goals and games. hard to win a cup that way, the margins are too thin. If they don't figure it out I don't think they win a cup.

 

[alphahelix]

Knobber saying Ekholm definitively not available this round, as was reported by other sources previously (Knob himself initially said he was “doubtful”), so safe to assume he is still looking at at least 2 more weeks of recovery, possibly more.

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

First real goalie criticism I heard from Edmonton media was about Pickard after game 3. (Which we won)

Skinner was way worse his 2 games but it was everyone else’s fault. They always throw in the classic “goaltending could be better” though as if that wasn’t the understatement of the year.

These guys talking on TV have to have something to talk about, not a lot of what they say has any substance at all. I ignore them to be honest. A lot better podcasts /you tube channels to watch for sports.

 

[soothsayer]

Knobber saying Ekholm definitively not available this round, as was reported by other sources previously (Knob himself initially said he was “doubtful”), so safe to assume he is still looking at at least 2 more weeks of recovery, possibly more.

But he also said there's a really good chance that he plays if the Oilers keep moving on, which is excellent news.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

As if we needed any more proof that their opinions are not in good faith. Bob works for the f***ing team and he's pretty clearly in favor of Pickard now, so I have no clue why these idiots are still critical of one guy and blindly devoted to the other.

Pickard is outperforming Hill, Ullmark, Vasilevsky, and obviously Hellebuyck, in these playoffs. He's not standing on his head or anything, but he gives us a substantially better chance to win than Skinner.

They pretty much all said a goaltending change wouldn’t make a difference. Now of coarse it’s all the team in front and nothing to do with our goalie not letting in 6 goals a game.

 

[foshizzle]

It really feels the media is harder on Pickard than it ever was on Skinner, even though he's actually saving us games by making stops Skinner is literally incapable of making, and has been less of a liability than Skinner was for most of his playoff career. At least Bob loves him.

Oh 100%. Tom Gazzola being the worst of the bunch. He can’t wait to get skinner back in. Rishaug has started to come around- he wouldn’t give Pickard the credit at first. Skinner’s career playoff stats are the same as Campbell’s first year year here. The guy the media called “unplayable”.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Oh 100%. Tom Gazzola being the worst of the bunch. He can’t wait to get skinner back in. Rishaug has started to come around- he wouldn’t give Pickard the credit at first. Skinner’s career playoff stats are the same as Campbell’s first year year here. The guy the media called “unplayable”.

Haha you can tell Rishaug is slowly shifting towards the Skinner was a part of the problem but his co hosts are super Skinner fans.

 

[McJadeddog]

But he also said there's a really good chance that he plays if the Oilers keep moving on, which is excellent news.

Did he actually say that? Very interesting if true.

 

[MikeS24]

Cassidy absolutely loves slot shots. When he was hired in Boston, the first thing he did was to change Boston from a high volume shot team to higher quality shot team.

This is what every team in the NHL should be doing. Shoot from in closer and get more chances for a goal. Seems logical. You have to have a team who wants to do it and a coach who instills it.

We have been a perimeter team a lot, but it looks to have changed much more against LA.

 

[MessierThanThou]

They pretty much all said a goaltending change wouldn’t make a difference. Now of coarse it’s all the team in front and nothing to do with our goalie not letting in 6 goals a game.

I have zero doubt that the goaltending change was the difference between us being swept and us winning the series.

 

[Duke74]

the worst part about playing Vegas is that they have no fan base on HF / Twitter so I can't read posts of a bunch of people crashing out

The Canucks series was fantastic for this

All of the Oiler haters will become bandwagon Vegas fans

 

[Soundwave]

Knobber saying Ekholm definitively not available this round, as was reported by other sources previously (Knob himself initially said he was “doubtful”), so safe to assume he is still looking at at least 2 more weeks of recovery, possibly more.

Really pisses me off that the Oilers medical staff cleared him to play in a nothing regular season game. Should have just rested him from the damn trade deadline onwards if they had done that he might be able to play by now.

 

[Oilhawks]

Hey it’s only a 1 game suspension. Two hand chop that f***er, he seems to think it’s acceptable so he probably won’t even complain

f*** Vegas

If you lumber jack chop his head, I wonder if it’ll grow back?

 

[Drivesaitl]

Just wanted to throw in this tabulation. With the 4W's in playoffs Pickard has now caught Skinner in Wins in reg season and playoffs combined. These are the Win/loss records including OTL as losses.

Pickard 26W 11L

Skinner 26W 24L


While playing on the same club, same season, same roster.

Skinner also did DNF 5 games and being pulled in 4. One of the Pickard registered losses is a shit game where Pickard came in, played great, still got tagged with a loss.

Pickard has been pulled only once all season and playoffs.

Pickard might be one of the hottest Winning records of goalies in NHL. I'm lazy and didn't check that one.


Any Questions?

I'm back outside gardening and enjoying the day. Put the plants and seeds in now people. Dont' wait till May long weekend. Its time.

 

[Heavy Dee]

Just wanted to throw in this tabulation. With the 4W's in playoffs Pickard has now caught Skinner in Wins in reg season and playoffs combined. These are the Win/loss records including OTL as losses.

Pickard 26W 11L

Skinner 26W 24L


While playing on the same club, same season, same roster.

Skinner also did DNF 5 games and being pulled in 4. One of the Pickard registered losses is a shit game where Pickard came in, played great, still got tagged with a loss.

Pickard has been pulled only once all season and playoffs.

Pickard might be one of the hottest Winning records of goalies in NHL. I'm lazy and didn't check that one.


Any Questions?

I'm back outside gardening and enjoying the day. Put the plants and seeds in now people. Dont' wait till May long weekend. Its time.

Pretty sure there is a typo there lol

 

[Drivesaitl]

Pretty sure there is a typo there lol

Wheres the typo? My imaginary proofreader doesn't exist. Spellcheck is on hand to screw up my posts.

 

[Heavy Dee]

Wheres the typo? My imaginary proofreader doesn't exist. Spellcheck is on hand to screw up my posts.

U had Skinner at 6W

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

Welcome to your gambling scripted NHL series coming to you from Vegas.

If this was 1979 and somebody told you this was going to be going on you would have just found different entertainment, a different hobby. Now I know the sanctity has been sold, but by now we're addicted to the stuff.

Myself without Drai and McD I probably would have turned this off by now. They keep me pulled in.

Winning the McDavid lottery saved me at the last second. I had just hit my limit after almost 10 years of failure at that point. Eakins was such a garbage coach and they seemed to support that clown no matter what. I watched basically every game and I was starting to dislike the team and the org, it was too much for too long.

Then we won that lotto.

Things could be WAY better after 10 years of McDavid but at least we make the playoffs and get some great highlights. This team needs to slay its demons though and that starts with Vegas.

I’m actually cheering for the Avs today because I want the revenge tour and a Cup win. Beating Vegas, Colorado and Florida would heal all the wounds I think