Pre-Game Talk: Final Game 3. Best of 5. 1 new Pole.

[29Beast97Mode]

Horrible reffing. You could argue the oilers didn't get it done, while that's true, not calling too many men nor the various stick infractions proves the league is corrupt and slanted. It should be a 2-0 series lead for the oil, they got robbed, and nobody involved in hockey seems to care. But not surprising in the slightest. If Florida wins an asterisk next to their cup win with help from the refs.

 

[MessierII]

Horrible reffing. You could argue the oilers didn't get it done, while that's true, not calling too many men nor the various stick infractions proves the league is corrupt and slanted. It should be a 2-0 series lead for the oil, they got robbed, and nobody involved in hockey seems to care. But not surprising in the slightest. If Florida wins an asterisk next to their cup win with help from the refs.

They had 6 PP’s to put the game away. The too many men was BS I agree but they still had 6 PP’s got a measly one goal and gave up a short handed go ahead goal that would have been the game winner if not for last minute heroics. Can’t sit here and say we needed more calls.

 

[Seth92]

I know Stecher is the Nurse whisperer, but I don't know that Kulak on the right side is the primary problem (he has struggled).

The problem is simply that the harder the opposition gets, the more Nurse falters. He is the problem whether he plays with Kulak or Stecher.

He doesn't process the game well enough to find small, smart solutions in tight situations under this ferocious forecheck. He ices it, rims it into the D-man on the blueline or throws a bad pass back into danger. Routinely he does this under zero pressure.

He's not getting scratched obviously, but he's the root cause. This level is just a touch too high for him to handle.

Plus Nurse has ZERO playoff beard. Anti clutch, wishes he could be as good as Seth Jones, and I hate him

 

[McJadeddog]

Horrible reffing. You could argue the oilers didn't get it done, while that's true, not calling too many men nor the various stick infractions proves the league is corrupt and slanted. It should be a 2-0 series lead for the oil, they got robbed, and nobody involved in hockey seems to care. But not surprising in the slightest. If Florida wins an asterisk next to their cup win with help from the refs.

The biggest non-call in the entire game (Bennett kicking loose stick) led directly to a goal 10 seconds later by the very player you made the infraction. If only the NHL refs knew to focus on Bennett due to his reputation for shit like this, but alas, how could they ever expect that he would do something like that? lol

The NHL is, and will remain to be, the worst professional league in major pro sports until they fix their reffing. This isn't me complaining as an Oilers fan either. Yes, in game 2 we were on the bad side of it, but we've been on the good side of it many times as well, and I complain then also. The NHL doesn't have a rule book, they have game management with a list of suggestions that have 150 caveats to them, full stop. The fact that announcers can say "the only penalty that is going to be called now is puck over the glass" and most people don't LOSE THEIR SHIT over this comment is beyond incomprehensible. Like, are you f***ing kidding me? So there is only 1 rule in OT and all the rules in the supposed "rule book" don't get called pretty much no matter what? Really? And I'm supposed to take this league seriously? It's a joke, and the worst part is that the league doesn't even think its a problem.

Could you imagine that the NFL came out and said, with a straight face mind you, that QB roughing was no longer going to be called in the last 5 mins of the 4th quarter? That is the equivalent. Stop and think about it for a minute, and if you don't see a problem here, I don't know what to tell you. You either have rules, or you don't - and the NHL most certainly doesn't have them. Fine, I guess, but then don't expect people to take your league seriously.

 

[foshizzle]

 

[McJadeddog]

Don't get too excited everybody it just means RNH has a day off and Skinner is subbing in for his practice time. Skinner isn't coming in unless RNH is out.

 

[MessierII]

Interesting shuffle of the D pairs. Don’t mind it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Double ot takes a ton out of you.

Its more than that. 100 min games are hard and McD ate over 35mins of that. Its that the Panthers were hammering us with hits in game 2 and smoking our D regularly on end boards. Klingberg particularly was getting stapled. Florida won the long game AND are pounding the hell out of us further to the long game. Old concensus being is throw enough punishing hits in a series and its starts really slowing down an opponent.

Losing the game and the hits battle is unfortunate.

One weird thing is the Panthers 4th line has a pretty clear wrecking ball role. Not on the ice a lot but the line through 17 hits and a lot of bone crushers.

We knew it would be tough.

 

[Oilhawks]

Nurse and Bouchard together is certainly a choice. But had to change up the D, so let’s see how it goes

 

[McJadeddog]

Interesting shuffle of the D pairs. Don’t mind it.

Nurse/Bouchard has NOT worked, like at all. So I can't imagine that it will be different this time.

 

[BlackDogg]

No rnh. Stauffer beats rissdog

 

[BlackDogg]

Broberg in.

 

[Drivesaitl]

They had 6 PP’s to put the game away. The too many men was BS I agree but they still had 6 PP’s got a measly one goal and gave up a shorty handed goal ahead goal that would have been the game winner if not for last minute heroics. Can’t sit here and say we needed more calls.

Exactly this. There was only one game all season going on memory where the Oilers got more PP"s in a game and we also had a 5 on 3 and failed to cash. Again on memory it was the most PP's we've had in a game in which both McD and Drai played.

Panthers got 2G in 4PP and we got 1G in 6 attempts and they got a goal too. So that we were only 1-1 on the 6 PP's we had.

In fairness having Hyman out, its a loss, and as admirable as Perry has been filling in its still difficult. I think Nuge has been quiet lately and we can expect more from him.

 

[McJadeddog]

Broberg in.

Yup, it really is that yearly recognition that nobody can play with Nurse really. Stecher is the only guy that can seemingly make Nurse any good, but they don't want to bring Stecher in because he isn't as good as the guy he would be replacing. In all honesty, the guy they should be sitting down is likely Nurse. It's not a coincidence that pretty much everybody gets worse when they play with him.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Henrique is getting it a lot lately in terms of criticism but he's one of the players that has tried to fill the Hyman hits role. He had 6 hits and 4 blks in game 2. As a forward thats some clear delineation of accepting a role. Kapanen has also thrown hits regularly in the series and playing a pretty solid 200ft game.

Henrique and Kapanen have probably been our two best bottom forwards in the Finals. Brown, Frederic and Podkolzin having a rough series

 

[Duke74]

The disaster of a Nurse and Bouchard pairing again? Is Knob trying to forfeit the series? Hope RNH is OK and ready to go Monday.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Corey Perry. 8G in playoffs at age 40

Also has notched 3G 2A in last 4 GP.

How is he doing it? What an elevation from him at a critical time. Hope he can sustain it. Filling Hyman is some huge boots. He's been doing it. He's been a huge part of the last 4 games particularly.

Nuge is zero boxcars and -3 in last 3 games Woof.

 

[PitkanensGitch]

Henrique is getting it a lot lately in terms of criticism but he's one of the players that has tried to fill the Hyman hits role. He had 6 hits and 4 blks in game 2. As a forward thats some clear delineation of accepting a role. Kapanen has also thrown hits regularly in the series and playing a pretty solid 200ft game.

Henrique and Kapanen have probably been our two best bottom forwards in the Finals. Brown, Frederic and Podkolzin having a rough series

Issue with Henrique is the hits he’s throwing are harming us more than them, putting our slowest player out of position in exchange for a hit that’s never going to do any damage to the opposition. Him and I throw our weight around equally. Trust me the Florida defence wouldn’t mind me bearing down on them much. Same goes for Henrique. We’re not talking Kane or Pod level hits here.

In reality none of our bottom 9 players have had much impact at all so far. 97, 29, 91. That’s all we got up front. They need to step it up big time.


I’d love to see Philp in there. Guy is big and moves fast.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Issue with Henrique is the hits he’s throwing are harming us more than them, putting our slowest player out of position in exchange for a hit that’s never going to do any damage to the opposition. Him and I throw our weight around equally. Trust me the Florida defence wouldn’t mind me bearing down on them much. Same goes for Henrique. We’re not talking Kane or Pod level hits here.

In reality none of our bottom 9 players have had much impact at all so far. 97, 29, 91. That’s all we got up front. They need to step it up big time.


I’d love to see Philp in there. Guy is big and moves fast.

Henrique is a strong physical player. Do you think he's weak or something? He's thrown some good hits too and has always been capable of it. He plays a harder game than given credit for.

 

[brentashton]

Nurse/Bouchard has NOT worked, like at all. So I can't imagine that it will be different this time.

It’s a real predicament.

Nurse and Stecher is about all that works but Stecher’s size works against him in busting into the line up against FLA. Stecher played well in his previous play off game appearance (and so did Nurse paired with him).

If they want to win, sometimes you have to do things that go against your instinct. They’re not going to sit Nurse (which realistically would solve the problem) so I’d insert Stecher with Nurse and sit Brown. Go 11/7 for this game.

As long as they don’t go to OT again, the forwards shouldn’t be burdened by the additional minutes they will get. That can easily be spread around.

Playing Nurse with Kulak is playing with fire.

 

[PitkanensGitch]

Henrique is a strong physical player. Do you think he's weak or something? He's thrown some good hits too and has always been capable of it. He plays a harder game than given credit for.

Doesn’t move fast enough into players to do damage. There’s no velocity there for notable impact.

 

[foshizzle]

Henrique is getting it a lot lately in terms of criticism but he's one of the players that has tried to fill the Hyman hits role. He had 6 hits and 4 blks in game 2. As a forward thats some clear delineation of accepting a role. Kapanen has also thrown hits regularly in the series and playing a pretty solid 200ft game.

Henrique and Kapanen have probably been our two best bottom forwards in the Finals. Brown, Frederic and Podkolzin having a rough series

Brown has turned back into a pumpkin

 

[FlameChampion]

D pairings make little sense. Least they know there’s a problem. Hopefully Nurse can pick it up and not be a liability.

 

[brentashton]

D pairings make little sense. Least they know there’s a problem. Hopefully Nurse can pick it up and not be a liability.

Beyond the Nurse issue, wonder what’s up with RNH. Hopefully nothing significant.

 

[MoneyGuy]

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