Post-Game Talk: Kucherov’s “no move” move, meet Skinner’s “no save” save

[FlameChampion]

“This team looks slow” and “we’re old” might have been the most annoying pair of dueling narratives I can ever remember on this board.

I said before over analyzing the Oilers early is a waste of time. Just a bizarre team. Once they get rolling after January, they are a very hard time to beat when they are playing their A game.

I just hope they play the way they are capable of in Games 1/2 of the playoffs.

 

[Soundwave]

It was before the hit that he was playing well.

He's been playing well really since about that Columbus game where McDavid got hurt, so about the 10 game mark.

 

[slaman]

Nurse is playing some of his best hockey - as Oilers fans, this turnaround is something we can all be cheering for from our $9.25M dman.

Kulak has been such a fantastic player for us at a bargain price. He allows us to not overpay for a top4 D at the TDL, and instead find a replacement for Emberson or Stetcher (Dermott isn't it).

If Skinner can keep up this consistency, we'll have that position secured at a relatively low price-point - especially after seeing what the Rangers dropped on their goalie.

Let's go Oilers! The Wild game is going to be a massive test. That's a good team.

 

[Soundwave]

I said before over analyzing the Oilers early is a waste of time. Just a bizarre team. Once they get rolling after January, they are a very hard time to beat when they are playing their A game.

I just hope they play the way they are capable of in Games 1/2 of the playoffs.

Pretty much true also.

Believe it or not they are actually tied now for the best record the team has had at game 27 of a season for the last 3-4 years (tying the 21-22 start under Tippet).

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

“This team looks slow” and “we’re old” might have been the most annoying pair of dueling narratives I can ever remember on this board.

Every year the same posters think the season is a wash 10 games in.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Nurse is playing some of his best hockey - as Oilers fans, this turnaround is something we can all be cheering for from our $9.25M dman.

Kulak has been such a fantastic player for us at a bargain price. He allows us to not overpay for a top4 D at the TDL, and instead find a replacement for Emberson or Stetcher (Dermott isn't it).

If Skinner can keep up this consistency, we'll have that position secured at a relatively low price-point - especially after seeing what the Rangers dropped on their goalie.

Let's go Oilers! The Wild game is going to be a massive test. That's a good team.

Well said, and I think this might be the best all-around hockey that Darnell Nurse has ever played and it's making a big difference.

 

[K1984]

Every year the same posters think the season is a wash 10 games in.

This was particularly annoying because it came across to me as veiled passive aggressive moaning about losing Broberg and Holloway and waiving Lavoie to keep Perry.

"We can't win because we lost Broberg, Holloway and Lavoie" sounds stupid, so complaining about how old and slow the team is a way to say the same thing without actually saying it.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Every year the same posters think the season is a wash 10 games in.

I have to admit I thought they objectively looked slow from preseason even, and they are the oldest team in the league. They are playing far better defensively since Nurse has returned and Coffey moved Kulak up to play about half the 2RD minutes freeing up Emberson and Stetcher to take the less onerous 3rd pair minutes and now have a nice rotation going on D.

The goalscoring is coming up with the normalizing of shooting percentage and the Skinner we have is the good Skinner, with his evil twin bad Skinner in hiding.

Oilers will have to broaden the offense out as right now there is a statistical over reliance on the 2 big guns but its nice to see their game stabilized.

I am returning to the top of the pyramid.

 

[MessierII]

That goal coming back still really burns my ass. It was so close there’s no way you can overturn that. Maybe they have some crazy angle we don’t but it was 1cm offside like 37 seconds or whatever it was after the zone entry. God the nhl sucks.

 

[Slats432]

Every year the same posters think the season is a wash 10 games in.

I am an optimist, and I don't think I fall in that category, but I will say they certainly don't dispell the idea by their play in the first 10 games.

 

[guymez]

The Oilers have been playing good hockey most of the season, it's just that the goaltending/PK have stabilized, the PP is normalizing and McDavid is McDavid again. I kept saying when some panic set in earlier in the season that these guys will starting winning again, it was inevitable with all the bad luck insanely low shooting percentages that they started the season with, not to mention goaltending that couldn't be worse leading to the unsustainably bad PK.

I don't remember the last bad game the Oilers played, against Montreal I believe? This could have easily been a 6 game winning streak if it wasn't for that bad luck loss to Vegas. They're revving up the engine like they always do around the holidays. The Oilers might be the most predictable team in the NHL, it's been the same pattern over the last 4 years but at least the start to this season wasn't as bad.

I see you repeating this narrative but the defensive part of it just isnt true.
The Oilers were not good defensively ealry on but they have become good in the last 6-7 games.
They were also not playing with enough urgency early on in the season. It was evident in their play and it affected both their offensive and defenisve game.

Shut up.

Kucherov makes that half deke all the time, wasn’t a flub.

Dont you get it....it is a flub when Skinner is in net.

 

[guymez]

It’s amazing how a goaltenders confidence and proficiency improves when the team in front of him plays a better defensive game. No back door opportunities, lots of blocked shots and cross seam interceptions. Finally playing like a team of contenders

100%
When a goalie has no sense of predictability about what may unfold in front of him (due to missed assignments) it absolutely messes with how he processes the game.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I see you repeating this narrative but the defensive part of it just isnt true.
The Oilers were not good defensively ealry on but they have become good in the last 6-7 games.
They were also not playing with enough urgency early on in the season. It was evident in their play and it affected both their offensive and defenisve game.


Dont you get it....it is a flub when Skinner is in net.

Nothing backs up what you are saying.

 

[guymez]

Jack babbling about Glendenning being the only right hand shot … barely recovers before the puck is in the net. The situation with Oilers broadcasting is tragic.

Tragic is right.
If somehow Jack could stop filling game play with useless stories and had a better feel for the game (and when to actually call the play) he would be a good play by play man IMO.

Nothing backs up what you are saying.

Nothing...lol
Okay then.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Tragic is right.
If somehow Jack could stop filling game play with useless stories and had a better feel for the game (and when to actually call the play) he would be a good play by play man IMO.


Nothing...lol
Okay then.

I mean do you have something that does? I’m all ears.

 

[BlackDogg]

GG EZ. Nurse is elite again after being bonked on the head. Skinner is playing his best hockey as an Oiler the last 3 weeks. Once we get the rest of our fwds back, watch out.

I wouldn't doubt he can suddenly play the piano like the greats now as well after that bonk. Likely hidden talent unleashed. I heard a story about this once.

 

[unicornBLOOD]

great team game. hard fought, tight checking, big win.

 

[CupofOil]

I see you repeating this narrative but the defensive part of it just isnt true.
The Oilers were not good defensively ealry on but they have become good in the last 6-7 games.
They were also not playing with enough urgency early on in the season. It was evident in their play and it affected both their offensive and defenisve game.

The Oilers metrics most of the season was of a team that should have been elite but weren't because of near league worst goaltending (and I say this as a Skinner backer) and leagues worst PDO. The team was generally outshooting and outchancing their opponents nightly but were getting sunk by not finishing their chances and goaltending that just wasn't making enough saves. Those things have normalized, although the 2nd line needs to get going, so now the wins are starting to happen.

Granted, the defense is playing better now but they as a unit have been pretty solid most of the season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The Oilers were great all night defensively, but there's no way you're blaming Skinner for a Bouchard turnover on the TB goal and there's certainly no way you're trying to criticize him for making a point blank grade A save off Hagel because the puck went 3 feet over the net and got high sticked down.

There's nights to shit all over Skinner and tonight definitely isn't one of them.


He's hit a few crossbars on absolute rockets as well. Looks like a guy who can add some speed and chip in a bit of offence off the rush in the bottom 6 when Kane and Arvidsson are back.

Nah, on the whole Skinner was fine. Somethings are just post game reactions. Overall we have to be pretty pleased with how Skinner has looked the last several games. He's an odd one. When he's off hes not seeing pucks and he's getting beat standing still. When he's on he's being more than a block form goalie and suddenly he's making good glove and blocker saves. I'll be reasonable and credit him for being on.

Disagree with you on the puck getting behind goalie. You have to avoid that happening with 8 secs left. If its high over net let it go, or if you think danger of going in make sure you don't let puck drop in behind you. Its the thing with a goalie like Adin Hill, same size, is he would have dealt with that one better.

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

I see you repeating this narrative but the defensive part of it just isnt true.
The Oilers were not good defensively ealry on but they have become good in the last 6-7 games.
They were also not playing with enough urgency early on in the season. It was evident in their play and it affected both their offensive and defenisve game.


Dont you get it....it is a flub when Skinner is in net.

You are wrong. Outside of the first few games the oilers have been very good defensively and lately elite

 

[Soundwave]

100%
When a goalie has no sense of predictability about what may unfold in front of him (due to missed assignments) it absolutely messes with how he processes the game.

That's part of the game though. Unpredictable events happen all the time in hockey, it's a sport with a freaking piece of rubber bouncing all over the place on an ice surface for one, for second other teams have incredible, creative players too who are dying to score. As Mike Tyson says, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

You have to be prepared for the unexpected as an NHL goalie.

 

[MessierII]

You are wrong. Outside of the first few games the oilers have been very good defensively and lately elite

The kill was a disaster early. Skinners save % 5 on 5 has been top 15 all year.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The Oilers metrics most of the season was of a team that should have been elite but weren't because of near league worst goaltending (and I say this as a Skinner backer) and leagues worst PDO. The team was generally outshooting and outchancing their opponents nightly but were getting sunk by not finishing their chances and goaltending that just wasn't making enough saves. Those things have normalized, although the 2nd line needs to get going, so now the wins are starting to happen.

Granted, the defense is playing better now but they as a unit have been pretty solid most of the season.

Its kind of crept up on people but overall the team D is as good as its been since the Pronger year. They're back to doing things they were last season on the roll and everybody buying in. Levels of D, backpressure, Nurse has improved, Ekholm excellent. Booch for the most part good but Kulak and Emberson slotting right in and Stecher filling in as well. The trouble for opponents is we don't have any glaringly weak D pairing. There issn't a D pair we have where opponents are being able to lick their chops. Also as you mentioned yesterday we don't have any lines hurting us either. Maybe not all scoring but oftentimes you look and surprised the 3rd and 4th line are hemming other club in even in tough matchups. Opposing coaches are having a hard time finding our weakspots and the forwards are too. You could never tell me off last night that Point and Kucherov are dangerous. We just shut em down. Shut!

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

The kill was a disaster early. Skinners save % 5 on 5 has been top 15 all year.

Goaltending is a factor killing penalties. The stats show the oil have been good to excellent most of the season defensively

 

[MessierII]

Goaltending is a factor killing penalties. The stats show the oil have been good to excellent most of the season defensively

5 on 5 yes and the stats show skinner has also been good 5 on 5 all season. The penalty kill was a disaster and is now really good that’s the only difference. Part of that is on skinner sure but special teams is a systems thing as well.