Post-Game Talk: Oilers lose 3-1 : I ain't even mad

[Halibut]

Having a great coach, who coaches to there advantage doesn't hurt. Like I said Krueger needs to get us to play more conservative. 1-2-2 on the forecheck and box plus 1 on defense. Give the opposition the boards, because we can't win any battles on them anyway. I don't want to see any d men below the goal line unless we have full control of the puck.

It's not our defence that's killing us though it's lack of scoring. How does going more conservative fix that problem?

 

[Raab]

If somebody asked me I don't even know what type of system we play. We just look too disorganized and I watch 5-8 games a week of NHL CI minimum. I watch a lot of teams. Good and bad. They have plays they try to success over and over in the defensive and neutral zone. You can tell they practice it.

I think they play the 2-1-2 forecheck with the box +1 d. Although I think there's a lot of confusion with the closest player to the puck carrier pressures the puck carrier. Can get guys out of position and leaves lanes and players open.

 

[CupofOil]

Sure it works ... but I still think their playoff run was flukey. Watch all of those series again and tell me which teams they outplayed or what games they outplayed their opponents in?

So, do you want the Oilers to emulate that system? We aren't exactly set up for that and won't be unless we trade away three of RNH, Ebs, Hall and Yak. Chicago would be a more likely model (or even Detroit of seasons past) for Edmonton.

No, of course not. The Oilers don't have the personnel to play that type of system but they need to stick to some kind of system.
If they want to emulate the Detroit puck possession system then they need to stick to it.
The problem is that not one group, whether it be forward line or D pairing, is in sync with each other and as in years past, there's a disconnect between the D and the forwards.

The team should be able to execute better by now, they don't look any more organized than they looked last season with a group that has been together for a while now, that shouldn't be the case. I don't know if it's the revolving door of coaches or what it is but they need to get their act together. Hell, i would like to see just one solid 60 minute performance against a legit team, something to give us some hope. At least last season, they had a handful of dominating performances against good teams.

 

[Raab]

It's not our defence that's killing us though it's lack of scoring. How does going more conservative fix that problem?

We give up the 1st goal of the game way to often. Also I believe being more defensive will help with our scoring. It should increase the number of neutral zone turnovers, where we can counter attack and hopefully catch the other team on odd man rushes.

 

[joestevens29]

We give up the 1st goal of the game way to often. Also I believe being more defensive will help with our scoring. It should increase the number of neutral zone turnovers, where we can counter attack and hopefully catch the other team on odd man rushes.

Guys coming back will help with that, but like I said the other day with Yak you don't bench the kid he'll never learn. Applies to all the top 6. Bench a guy for a period and let him know why, maybe he'll learn. It's obvious that just saying the forwards aren't coming back hasn't helped

 

[Reimer]

Nope, not at all. It's a race and they're in the hunt. And did you fail to see that Dallas and Phoenix currently hold the last two playoff spots? If you think they're staying there, you're out of your mind.

As for the the teams below us, the only one worth remotely worrying about is LA.

And who cares who has more wins in their last 10? What matters is who has more wins in 48 games.

This is a shortened NHL season and momentum can change on a dime ... it can take one game, one period or one shift and the complexion of the game changes in an instant (see last night's game).

I'd be foolish to count the Oilers out of the playoffs at this point, just as I'd be foolish to predict they're a lock for playoffs. Bottom line is, they're in the mix.

Prior to the season, if you were told that our D and goaltending would perform quite well during the first quarter of the season, wouldn't it give you confidence in the Oilers? The fact that their offence is lagging is IMO reason for hope. That's a part of their game that can change and can change pretty quickly.

But, keep writing the epitaph, because that's the easy thing to do right now.

No it's annoying when they keep losing some easy points and it's hard to have hope when they haven't played amazing hockey at all. I'd love for someone to tell me how many leads the Oilers have had this season and for how long they have held them for.

I'll consider the Oilers "in the mix" if they remain in this position or better after the 9-game road trip. If they can't win at home how the hell do you expect them to go out and win semi-consistently on a long road trip? Especially one that sees two stops in Chicago, one in Dallas, Detroit and Minnisota where historically they have sucked something feirce.

The good thing is those games haven't happened and there are no results but with their current play I don't see anything promising that is going to change those historical results.

 

[Raab]

Guys coming back will help with that, but like I said the other day with Yak you don't bench the kid he'll never learn. Applies to all the top 6. Bench a guy for a period and let him know why, maybe he'll learn. It's obvious that just saying the forwards aren't coming back hasn't helped

I'm saying the forwards are in to deep to begin with. They only need to send one guy deep the two others shouldn't be below the circles unless we have control of the puck or there's a high percentage chance we get control.(ex: our LW is pressuring down the L side and the d throws it around the boards to no one. Our RW should pinch down and pick it up). We suck on the boards and need to start playing a system that gets away from them.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

As painful as it is to watch them not be hilight stars they're learning. Unfortunately they have no shelter. But going out against top lins and not getting blown out by players who have more NHL games then the 3 combined. Yes it is progressing. WOuld i like to see the kids score all the time yes. Will it happen no.

Im more concerned with the make up of the bottom 6 and the D.

Agreed. We needed a tougher bottom half of the line-up to play physical against the kings in the third and put them on their heels a bit to open up the ice.

Fistric was very effective tonight and demonstrates this need. Size in the top six is hard to acquire, we just need size period. When LA started to take the game over they were running our skill players which should have resulted in a response but it just put us on heels. Again.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

At this point I'm wondering if the road trip won't be a blessing because it makes the team stay simple.

oilers are definitely "in the mix," really everyone is but Columbus. It has to be seen as a positive that we have been playing well defensively and not giving up. Hasn't happened in a long time.

 

[ZJuice]

I only watched the highlights of the game since I was working.

But it looks like that would have been an easy win if it weren't for Quick and Doughty making stupendous saves, and the linesman didn't kick the puck back to a King.

******** game imo.

There isn't a goalie in the world that would save the 2-1 goal that was a perfect deflection by Carter.

 

[McDNicks17]

Good news on Peckham.

Edmonton Oilers ‏@EdmontonOilers
"He improved in every game. Craig MacTavish watched those games and he got high marks." - Coach Krueger on Peckham with the #OKCBarons

 

[OilCanada92]

Good news on Peckham.

Edmonton Oilers ‏@EdmontonOilers
"He improved in every game. Craig MacTavish watched those games and he got high marks." - Coach Krueger on Peckham with the #OKCBarons

Whitney must be ready to freak....

 

[Raab]

Good news on Peckham.

Edmonton Oilers ‏@EdmontonOilers
"He improved in every game. Craig MacTavish watched those games and he got high marks." - Coach Krueger on Peckham with the #OKCBarons

Good, now ship him out for a 4th. Fistric is better then Peckham ever will be.

 

[joestevens29]

Good news on Peckham.

Edmonton Oilers ‏@EdmontonOilers
"He improved in every game. Craig MacTavish watched those games and he got high marks." - Coach Krueger on Peckham with the #OKCBarons

Question is do you dress Peckham and Fistric on the same defense in one game. Because to be honest I don't think they can play together and I'm not sure if either can play top 4 minutes.

 

[Pennertration]

Good, now ship him out for a 4th. Fistric is better then Peckham ever will be.

Whitney and Potter should be higher priority in terms of shipping out of town. Why on Earth would we move Peckham for a 4th when our D is so weak?

 

[Raab]

Whitney and Potter should be higher priority in terms of shipping out of town. Why on Earth would we move Peckham for a 4th when our D is so weak?

We gotta move at least one of those 3, I don't care which one.

 

[joestevens29]

We gotta move at least one of those 3, I don't care which one.

Pretty much this. Wonder if they just bite the bullet and waiver Potter. In hopes that if someone does get injured you have Potter instead of whoever is below him in the depth charts.

 

[Pennertration]

We gotta move at least one of those 3, I don't care which one.

Whitney makes the most sense ... he's older, gimpy and a depreciating asset. But he's also the bigger name asset. His contract is also off the books right away.

Peckham is still young and has upside/potential and is probably the least of the three you want to move.

 

[OilCanada92]

Dress them both! Get some serious size on the back end. Not the fastest but potentially the meanest.

 

[joestevens29]

Dress them both! Get some serious size on the back end. Not the fastest but potentially the meanest.

I don't know that we have the defensive help to dress Schultz, Peckham and Fistric in the same game. Schultz needs a defensive guy because he pinches. Peckham and Fistric get caught out of position a lot going for a hit, so they need help too.

 

[OilCanada92]

I don't know that we have the defensive help to dress Schultz, Peckham and Fistric in the same game. Schultz needs a defensive guy because he pinches. Peckham and Fistric get caught out of position a lot going for a hit, so they need help too.

J.Schultz with Petry would make a solid somewhat offensive pairing but Petry's defensive mind can back up Schultz's offensive chances. Smid another smart minded defense to back up Peckham/Fistric open ice hitting and their out of position issue. Then N.Schultz could back anyone up in the Oilers zone.

 

[joestevens29]

J.Schultz with Petry would make a solid somewhat offensive pairing but Petry's defensive mind can back up Schultz's offensive chances. Smid another smart minded defense to back up Peckham/Fistric open ice hitting and their out of position issue. Then N.Schultz could back anyone up in the Oilers zone.

Then you have one pairing that can move the puck and 2 pairings that should play with ringette sticks. I just don't see the fit.

On a unrelated defensive note. Why aren't defensive d-men and the guys on the PK using wood sticks at all times? Seeing Whitney's stick blow up just made me glad it wasn't on the PK, but why even allow that to be a potential hazard.

Really does it matter what kind stick Fistric is going to play with? Should play with something that is the least likely to break.

 

[McDNicks17]

Smid-Justin
Fistric-Petry
Peckham-Nick

 

[joestevens29]

Smid-Justin
Fistric-Petry
Peckham-Nick

Don't mind those first two. I do have questions on them though. Like can Fistric play 2nd pairing minutes long-term and is Peckham-Nick going to have problems getting the puck out of the zone.

I would try that though.

 

[McDNicks17]

Don't mind those first two. I do have questions on them though. Like can Fistric play 2nd pairing minutes long-term and is Peckham-Nick going to have problems getting the puck out of the zone.

I would try that though.

Yeah, I think it'd be worth a shot.

Having some sandpaper back there on the ice at all times would probably work well.