Pre-Game Talk: Final Game 4. Stu needs to come thru. Unlimited Pole responses.

[redgrant]

Yeah, not having Skinner in over Frederic at this point is comical incompetence really.

Frederic isn't the problem he's on a 3rd line shutdown role and has been fine with Henrique.

Skinner needs to be in there but he needs top 6 minutes. If nuge is injured he shouldn't be playing. He can't take draws he is invisible on the pp and was replaced by Walman.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Stauffer whining about Florida being deeper with Hopkins hurt on 880 and Friedman shuts him up. You have a perennial 30-40 goal scorer in the press box because of irrational hate. You have 40 year Perry on your first line with the fastest player on earth (Perry should be special teams and 4th line). You’re playing Kapanen on the second line with the best player in the NHL this year.

My take- move Kane to McDavid’s wing. I’d put Arvidsson there too. Arvidsson has scored in this league- had what 18 goals in the regular season?

I would put Nuge and J Skinner with Draisaitl

Henrique and Frederic have been good. The Frederic hate makes no sense. These two players were 80% in xGF. No other 2 forwards on the team were close. They are generating. If you want speed- you can throw Kap there.

4th line should be Podz, Janmark, Brown. They should be getting limited 5v5 mins.

The lines Knob has makes no sense. None of Drai’s wingers can get him the puck. Perry can’t forecheck- way to slow to turn pucks over so unless McDavid scores on the rush- it’s just going to be a turnover.

This x 1000%.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Frederic has been good. Last night him and Henrique had an 80% xGF. The 2 that need to come out are Janmark who was an AHL level 8%xGF and Connor Brown. Podkolzin as well.

What is comical incompetence is Ekholm coming and the decision to f*** all pairs instead of one. Leave Nurse and Stetcher. Leave Bouchard and Kulak (who were putting up elite number 1 d pair analytics) and then Ekholm and Walman.

This x 2000%.

For once my eye test is in complete alignment with the fancies.

Hell hath indeed frozen over!

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Campbell special request?

I don’t know but no one should be surprised anymore. The league has the equivalent of Keystone Cops for refs. Incompetence across the board except for a few.

 

[Oilhawks]

This x 1000%.

Yup, throw it onto the pile of mindboggling decisions the scarecrow makes when in panic mode

 

[M Ace]

This was nice to see. Wish the stick broke over his face.

There was a lot need of that. Would have loved to him axed that stick over his neck hoping Bennetts head would have gone off.

 

[Rafters]

Just watch the Oilers in the neutral zone next game and notice how many sticks are wrapped around their waist … then watch Florida coming through the neutral zone with full speed completely free… Oilers are afraid to slow down the panthers because of a perceived double standard… Florida also knows the refs are not gonna call everything and will just keep doing it….

 

[Oilhawks]

Just watch the Oilers in the neutral zone next game and notice how many sticks are wrapped around their waist … then watch Florida coming through the neutral zone with full speed completely free… Oilers are afraid to slow down the panthers because of a perceived double standard… Florida also knows the refs are not gonna call everything and will just keep doing it….

Yup, Bettman’s NHL. But they’re going to have to get around this. They can’t be afraid of getting calls, just don’t make any obvious and stupid infractions right off the bat unlike the last few games

 

[bellagiobob]

Frederic has been good. Last night him and Henrique had an 80% xGF. The 2 that need to come out are Janmark who was an AHL level 8%xGF and Connor Brown. Podkolzin as well.

What is comical incompetence is Ekholm coming and the decision to f*** all pairs instead of one. Leave Nurse and Stetcher. Leave Bouchard and Kulak (who were putting up elite number 1 d pair analytics) and then Ekholm and Walman.

Walman and Klingberg were playing very well, were a fantastic third pair going into this series. Love Stecher. but it would have been tough taking Klinger out over Stecher. I said it earlier, love Ecky, but his return (not his fault) buggered up our D mojo that we had going. Hopefully Bob is right and they are swapping Stecher for Klinger now, makes sense at this point.

 

[M Ace]

I don't know if McDavid is being stubborn, just doesn't know what to do against them, or a bit of both.

The power play is rancid because he simply refuses to make quick plays low and to the net, with shooting being a complete non starter. 5v5 he can't generate anything because he's still trying to carry it over the line on the wall whilst in the middle of at least 3 Panthers. Even if he does manage to walk it in, he stops up looking for the trailer and just will not go low or to the net. Instantly turned over almost every time when he's taken out or the pass is picked off.

He has to simplify. Has to. This doesn't work. He needs to start chipping pucks in at the red line and winning races to get their D turned and to open up space in the slot. He needs to start getting to the middle and throwing pucks on net on the power play. The blind passes have to go completely.

There is no way to play the methodical, cycle, set up style that he prefers against this team. He's got to go back to the 2016-2021 era of his game that was primarily predicated on generating as much speed as possible through the middle and going to the net. This is not and will not be effective.

And he needs to shoot the puck for god sake!!!!

 

[M Ace]

Florida isn’t even paying attention to nuge on the PP by the way. Need a guy who will make you pay there when a PK is this aggressive.

Need to put both Kane and Perry in there. And stop to always look for Drais one timer.....Bochard and McDavid needs to shoot the puck constantly not always look for the perfect pass!

 

[M Ace]

because when skinner is in net, he tends to plays badly at times causing his team to always play from behind. He lets in weak goals that are normally stopped by nearly all NHL goalies. His poor play has cost the team games. If you are a defenceman on the Oilers, imaging trying to play knowing that any mistake you make will end up in your net because Skinner probably won't save it. Only team he seems to beat is Dallas and nobody else. He is simply an inconsistent backup goalie at best. It appears florida has him figured out so why not go back to the undefeated guy who is not great, but at least consistent?

And we can't give Florida any breakaway what so ever because that is a freebie everytime on Skinner. He is really awful on one-on-ones!

 

[1981 Oilers]

not gonna dwell on last game but there are a couple of plays that really piss me off
Too many men call, and yes it was too many men, but they were very eager to call that this time. Should have been called in OT in GM 2. That was blatant
Missed holding call on Barkov on Klingberg in corner. Right in front of ref, then he gets in way and Florida scores. What a cluster-fuk

Glad I went to sleep in 3rd. I would have went thru TV watching that line brawl at end. What a pile of BS there. Lots of 3rd man in, refs holding down players allowing free shots by Florida "tough" guys

Lets stay outta box. No flow whatsoever to that 1st period. Call on Kane was terrible in front of net. They seem to be looking to hand out penalty to Kane.

 

[1981 Oilers]

There was a lot need of that. Would have loved to him axed that stick over his neck hoping Bennetts head would have gone off.

I like your way of thinking

 

[GMofOilers]

Pickard will start game 4, Knob has a set on him knows his goalie gets 2 bad games.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Pickard will start game 4, Knob has a set on him knows his goalie gets 2 bad games.

Skinners starting. You know that, everyone knows that.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I really believe in the Oilers to come out and play a completely different game Thursday night. I think we see a great performance. Will it be enough? IDK. No way we get walked again though.

It's hard to win when it's Bob vs Stu. That's on Stan and JJ

 

[CycloneSweep]

Stauffer whining about Florida being deeper with Hopkins hurt on 880 and Friedman shuts him up. You have a perennial 30-40 goal scorer in the press box because of irrational hate. You have 40 year Perry on your first line with the fastest player on earth (Perry should be special teams and 4th line). You’re playing Kapanen on the second line with the best player in the NHL this year.

My take- move Kane to McDavid’s wing. I’d put Arvidsson there too. Arvidsson has scored in this league- had what 18 goals in the regular season?

I would put Nuge and J Skinner with Draisaitl

Henrique and Frederic have been good. The Frederic hate makes no sense. These two players were 80% in xGF. No other 2 forwards on the team were close. They are generating. If you want speed- you can throw Kap there.

4th line should be Podz, Janmark, Brown. They should be getting limited 5v5 mins.

The lines Knob has makes no sense. None of Drai’s wingers can get him the puck. Perry can’t forecheck- way to slow to turn pucks over so unless McDavid scores on the rush- it’s just going to be a turnover.

Except Bob isn’t wrong?

Nuge,McDavid, Perry = 62points
Vs
Verhaege, Barkov, Reinhart = 58

Kane, Draisaitl, Kapanen = 46
Vs
Rodrigues, Bennet, Tkachuk = 53

Frederic, Henrique, Brown = 18
Vs
Luostorainen, Lundell, Marchand = 49

Podkolzin, Janmark, Arvidsson = 18
vs
Greer, Nosek, Gadjovich = 9

So our 1st and 4th line is better offensively by a combined 12 goals, but their middle 6 has 36 more points.

And if you look into the advanced numbers it’ll tell you something similar.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Inventive refs develop new way to help Panthers win beyond the favourable whistle

Sunrise, FL – In a landmark win for referee science, the team of Wes McCauley and Francis Charron have come up with a new way to help the Panthers win: physically blocking Oilers players in order to cause a turnover that led to a game swinging goal. “For the past three years we’ve basically...

thebeaverton.com

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Boys have an off day today. I hope they ain't going to the beach

 

[tardigrade81]

I'm scared

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Except Bob isn’t wrong?

Nuge,McDavid, Perry = 62points
Vs
Verhaege, Barkov, Reinhart = 58

Kane, Draisaitl, Kapanen = 46
Vs
Rodrigues, Bennet, Tkachuk = 53

Frederic, Henrique, Brown = 18
Vs
Luostorainen, Lundell, Marchand = 49

Podkolzin, Janmark, Arvidsson = 18
vs
Greer, Nosek, Gadjovich = 9

So our 1st and 4th line is better offensively by a combined 12 goals, but their middle 6 has 36 more points.

And if you look into the advanced numbers it’ll tell you something similar.

I think the only thing to draw from this is that their 3rd line is killing us.

Line combos for us change a lot so this is kinda moot IMO

 

[Canovin]

Bring in Pickard, Jeff Skinner and Stecher. 3 healthy bodies will help energize the Oilers.

Kostin would have been a better deadline pick up than Frederic. Not having him bully the Panthers is a missed opportunity

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Now put in Skinner and take out Kapanen whose not played well in this series or Brown whose been completely ineffective since returning from injury.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Picard probably not going in. Stu is money in Game 4.