Post-Game Talk: Oilers 3 Flames 0 - McDavid Hatty

[nightfighter]

Favourite part of the game for me was definitely the big heavy shift that the top line had right before goal #1, there were a few other heavy shifts like that in the 2nd, highlighted by the almost 90 seconds in the calgary zone where the oilers completed a full change. This team can play that heavy forecheck style now and really wear down a team's defense. They don't rely solely on transition or odd-man rushes, and that's going to be a big key to success down the road especially in the playoffs.

Also telling, Hamonic in a post game interview said "We had to weather the storm at the start, they get one and it's a 1-0 game going into the third period, so it certainly wasn't a terrible game on our part by any means." Sorry but if that's their definition of "wasn't a terrible game" after being completely spanked in shots, possession and zone time, well...it makes me happy but it's gonna be a loooong year for mike smith and calgary fans.

 

[Connor McFries]

Think about it, the oilers put 2 goals past Smith (3rd was an empty netter), who had a really good game by all counts.

What if we played a goalie having a bad game?

 

[Tobias Kahun]

The most complete and controlling game in the past 2 years against the flames

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Flames gonna start the year 3-7

 

[bombers15]

That Talbot save on Monahan when it was 1-0 was big. Most tendies don't stop that one.

 

[Mc5RingsAndABeer]

Usually when a player gets a hat trick they've had a fair bit of puck luck. I feel like yesterday, even accounting for the empty net, McDavid broke even on puck luck despite getting a hatty. What an absolute stud.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Double post,

That was weird.

Eitherway, team played well, I like Yamamoto's chances to see more icetime and opportunity Saturday.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Gryba improved his skating and handled the puck adequately. I am okay if this is who we have filling the hole, but I wanna see what Auvituu can bring to the table.

For sure, I suspect we see Auvitu Saturday, because the Nucks are a "different" opponent then the Flames.

I was checking out Staples and the Oilers out chanced the Flames something like 15-6 and out "high quality chanced them" 12-2.

 

[McBigYak]

Usually when a player gets a hat trick they've had a fair bit of puck luck. I feel like yesterday, even accounting for the empty net, McDavid broke even on puck luck despite getting a hatty. What an absolute stud.

It's absolutely insane how if he catches the puck even at mid-flight in the defensive zone he is going to have a breakaway. It almost makes me cringe every time he drives the net on those plays at that speed. Just have flash backs of Philly.

 

[CupofOil]

Fantastic night again for McDavid, feels awesome being a fan and watching that. I'm rather concerned, again, about the secondary scoring -- where the hell is it going to come from? Also rather telling that Yamamoto was essentially stapled to the bench midway through the 2nd and into the 3rd; I suspect he will get sent down before the 9 game trial is up. He will need to find how to play his game, and be another order of magnitude more efficient and effective than in junior, to become productive at his size in the NHL. 1st rookie game, I get it but he just doesn't seem ready yet to handle the rigours against real NHL squads and not the pre-season lineups he was up against.

It's a little early for this. He still made some nice defensive plays and was hounding the puck well in whatever little ice time he got. Almost impossible to get into any sort of rhythm with 6 minutes of ice time.
Also, he looked good against 2 NHL level squads in preseason although I use the term "NHL level" loosely considering who those opponents were.

With that said, they don't really need Yamamoto this year especially when Slepyshev is ready to go so best for all parties to send him down when Slepy is ready but he does deserve more than 6 minutes of ice time to prove that he belongs.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

It's absolutely insane how if he catches the puck even at mid-flight in the defensive zone he is going to have a breakaway. It almost makes me cringe every time he drives the net on those plays at that speed. Just have flash backs of Philly.

The thing that always stands out for me, is McDavid utter faith in his abilities and pure confidence to just go a do thing like that. No hesitation. Look at the first breakaway, just splits the Defense like it's a drawn up play. It's incredible way his mind processes the game.

 

[Kerricthebig]

Klefbom stuck out after his first shot on goal. It made me remember the high % of games we won last year when Klefbom got 4 or more shots on net. Klefbom had a number of good shots on net. That one that hit Smith in the head will be in Oilers clips for the rest of eternity!

 

[MoneyGuy]

Nice that Gaudreau gets a sweet new contract and goes into hibernation while McDavid and Drai get theirs and kick it up a notch.

 

[McBigYak]

The thing that always stands out for me, is McDavid utter faith in his abilities and pure confidence to just go a do thing like that. No hesitation. Look at the first breakaway, just splits the Defense like it's a drawn up play. It's incredible way his mind processes the game.

Thank god we won the lottery and have him until 2026. I couldn't handle him doing that to us if he landed somewhere else.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Nice that Gaudreau gets a sweet new contract and goes into hibernation while McDavid and Drai get theirs and kick it up a notch.

Well it was a road game so...

 

[Connor McFries]

That feeling when you beat the flames, not only on the ice, but also in their mind.

 

[FlameChampion]

Smith was good, he stopped a lot of quality chances from you guys
The defense wasn’t top notch, but they still got the job done for the most part (excluding McDavid wheeling around us a few times).

What our main problem was tonight was never getting any scoring chances in your end. It was a pretty easy game for Talbot, and I was impressed by the Oilers’ D even without Sekera.

It was definitely a frustrating game to watch, but I can at least say all of the Smith “sucks” talk should go away. He was solid tonight. But unfortunately, he had a Coyote-like team in front of him today offensively.

EDIT: and McDavid is McDavid.

I've said it before. I think coaching plays a part. McClellan is a far superior coach to Gulutzan. The Oilers were ready to play. Pretty much every Oiler was ready to play tonight, there were no passengers, and they played a system to a tee. Then when you add in special players, it makes it that much more lopsided.

You can see it in the Jets - Leafs game as well. Babcock makes Maurice look like an amateur.

 

[Paralyzer]

LOL CP is still trying to find reasons for the loss. "Edmonton has no depth! Without McDavid, they couldn't beat us!" "We have the top D in the league! They must have been poisoned before the game in Rogers smelly place" "Glass ripped Kassian to shreds! We should have won because of that!" "We have the best coach in the West! how could this be?!?!?!"

Maybe it's because Oilers>>>>>Flames. And not even close lol.

 

[FlameChampion]

Edit: wrong post.

 

[Paralyzer]

Watching the game with my mom and sister at that moment and my mom says "Where did Calgary get this guy? From the homeless shelter?" My sister responds "No mom! That's not nice! That's an insult to homeless people!" LOLOL

 

[FlameChampion]

We honestly might have to sign Patty and just let one of Strome or RNH go. He just does a lot of things right on that line.

If they have no RNH, I cant see how they play Draitsaitl on the first line. RNH gives them flexibility to play Draisaitl on the wing.

 

[MoneyGuy]

Well it was a road game so...

Shouldn't matter. Are you saying it's ok to take road games off?

Gaudreau was invisible last night, but he had lots of company.

 

[nexttothemoon]

It was also nice not seeing Eberle and Pouliout doing dumb things. Seems like a smarter team all around.

Decent point. Just from that one game it sure seems like Pouliot and Eberle being moved out and Jokinen and Strome being brought in is not going to make the team worse.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Shouldn't matter. Are you saying it's ok to take road games off?

Gaudreau was invisible last night, but he had lots of company.

Not that he take the off, it's just kind of the joke, if you look at Gaudreau's home pts v. away pts there's a large discrepancy.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Shouldn't matter. Are you saying it's ok to take road games off?

Gaudreau was invisible last night, but he had lots of company.

I think he's just eluding to the fact that Gaudreau is night and day in his home-away offensive splits. He is basically Casper in road games... fact.