Post-Game Talk: Oilers Win Game 1! Broken sticks and lucky deflections be damned!

[alanschu]

You have to wonder what the Kings do in net. I feel like Rittich in Game 2 is risky, because if we light him up too they don't have a lever to pull to change anything up going back to LA. On the other hand, I feel like starting Talbot is an auto loss so they might not really have a choice.

I can't believe people were trying to say that Talbot and Skinner were comparable goalies and it was a series of "two bad goalies." It's night and day, Skinner is miles better than Talbot and has been since about November 15.

Important thing for Kings to remember is a big loss is the same as a small loss in terms of the series score.

Sometimes shit just goes wrong. IMO you give the team you want going forward a chance to redeem themselves. I'd still start Talbot.

 

[gretzkyoilers]

Based on the quote from McDavid about having some more tricks up their sleeve in regards to the PP, I think the Oilers purposedly didn't evolve their PP for the regular season and kept some schemes for the playoffs.

THIS and it seems like McDavid has really turned it on in Game 1. No sense in burning yourself out in the regular season and or give teams time to figure you out.

 

[K1984]

LAs issue is that they don't have the personnel to run a 1-3-1 effectively anymore. Every year the structure has been harder and harder for them to use. Kopitar isn't good defenivsly anymore, the 1st year they were able to use danault to plug that hole but he's started to fall off a cliff himself. Then Blake went and traded their transition players, and it's like...You're not good enough to run a lockdown defense, and you don't have hardly anyone that can create offense effectively on the rush...and you're goaltending is weaker and weaker. Not sure what the guy is doing over there. PLD is a meme acquisition because on top of being generally ineffective, he's lazy on the back check and not suited to transition offense. A trap is basically the worst possible deployment for a player like PLD, not that he does himself any favours.

It's an organization with zero identity. Hiring coaches that implement systems for which the GM has no interest in finding suitable players.

I don't think their defense is any good personnel wise either.

Doughty still has game, but nobody else in that group gives me any pause at all. Anderson is ok, then after that it's a whole lot of mediocre, being generous.

 

[tiger_80]

At least we didn't have to hear anybody talk about whether or not McDrai were going to be able to go up against Danault and Kopitar this year like the last 2.

Still funny to me how Danault earned himself a reputation as some sort of elite shutdown wizard all because he got away with murder in the bubble on the Habs.

Singh: Danault and Kopitar will be kissing McDavid's ass all night.
Louie: You don't know how cold their lips are, son.

 

[oXo Cube]

The Kings can operate the 1-3-1 fine.

Problem for them here and why the Oilers are a nightmare matchup for them is that you can't stop McDavid with puck pressure in the neutral zone. The best way to stifle Edmonton's attack is to disrupt the breakout strategy with a strong forecheck against some vulnerable targets on the backend which the trap obviously just does not do at all.

 

[joestevens29]

LAs issue is that they don't have the personnel to run a 1-3-1 effectively anymore. Every year the structure has been harder and harder for them to use. Kopitar isn't good defenivsly anymore, the 1st year they were able to use danault to plug that hole but he's started to fall off a cliff himself. Then Blake went and traded their transition players, and it's like...You're not good enough to run a lockdown defense, and you don't have hardly anyone that can create offense effectively on the rush...and you're goaltending is weaker and weaker. Not sure what the guy is doing over there. PLD is a meme acquisition because on top of being generally ineffective, he's lazy on the back check and not suited to transition offense. A trap is basically the worst possible deployment for a player like PLD, not that he does himself any favours.

It's an organization with zero identity. Hiring coaches that implement systems for which the GM has no interest in finding suitable players.

They are lucky that their band-aid solution for net worked this year. Although it was failing pretty good for awhile too.

Whoever is GM next year will have a lot of work because you are right they don't have much for identity.

 

[bone]

Everybody hates him. Its kind of funny. The contract looks hurting right now but once Kopitar is done it'll work out Ok for price range. PLD will be getting the topline gig. he works fine with Kempe and Byfield as well.

I think it possible only JT is hated more than PLD. lol


Sure could be a suspension. I hope the Oilers send memo to look at that as well. No place for that kind of submarine in hockey. I mean its purposeful. Very dangerous play. Somebody took my knee out with that very play.

This was a suspension in the playoffs a few years ago. Don't see how yesterday's was different.

Archibald of Oilers suspended one game | NHL.com

Forward disciplined for clipping Jets defenseman Stanley

www.nhl.com

 

[CycloneSweep]

The Kings can operate the 1-3-1 fine.

Problem for them here and why the Oilers are a nightmare matchup for them is that you can't stop McDavid with puck pressure in the neutral zone. The best way to stifle Edmonton's attack is to disrupt the breakout strategy with a strong forecheck against some vulnerable targets on the backend which the trap obviously just does not do at all.

The issue is that 1st goal. If they score first they can run a 1-3-1 and have a good chance of winning. If they don't get that first goal, they have to play more open to get ahead and they kind of struggle with that.
So for the Oilers, game plan is score first and keep up the pressure cause its an entirely different game if we don't get that first goal

 

[The Nuge]

Klim being at the game makes me wonder just how many ex Oilers go. Laraque was also there, and I ran into Ladi back in the 17/18 playoff run.

 

[K1984]

This was a suspension in the playoffs a few years ago. Don't see how yesterday's was different.

Archibald of Oilers suspended one game | NHL.com

Forward disciplined for clipping Jets defenseman Stanley

www.nhl.com

One player had an Oilers sweater on and one player had a Kings sweater on.

In this version of the Department of Player Safety that is a major factor.

 

[The Nuge]

One player had an Oilers sweater on and one player had a Kings sweater on.

In this version of the Department of Player Safety that is a major factor.

There’s definitely a history of it

 

[joestevens29]

Klim being at the game makes me wonder just how many ex Oilers go. Laraque was also there, and I ran into Ladi back in the 17/18 playoff run.

Guys like Laraque who bleed Oil colours and is in Edmonton all the time I get.

Smid who works for Oil Kings and pretty much was an Edmontonian even while on LTIR with Calgary I get.

But a guy that kinda used the KHL as leverage against the team and wasn't even here a full season just seems odd.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

Is Dustin Schwartz still our goalie coach? Skinner made some really key stops yesterday

 

[Canovin]

Guys like Laraque who bleed Oil colours and is in Edmonton all the time I get.

Smid who works for Oil Kings and pretty much was an Edmontonian even while on LTIR with Calgary I get.

But a guy that kinda used the KHL as leverage against the team and wasn't even here a full season just seems odd.

Maybe Klim thought the grass was greener elsewhere and made a mistake? Klim at 1M is an ideal replacement for Foegele

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

Oh and I guess a 1st and a 5th for Henrique and Carrick doesn't seem so bad now. Didn't know that Henirque was one of those 'playoff performers'

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Maybe Klim thought the grass was greener elsewhere and made a mistake? Klim at 1M is an ideal replacement for Foegele

Too bad he makes two million next year and the Sharks can't retain.

 

[joestevens29]

Maybe Klim thought the grass was greener elsewhere and made a mistake? Klim at 1M is an ideal replacement for Foegele

I mean Klim at 1mil is good, but by no means is he a replacement for Foegele.

He's a #12/13 forward

 

[The Nuge]

Guys like Laraque who bleed Oil colours and is in Edmonton all the time I get.

Smid who works for Oil Kings and pretty much was an Edmontonian even while on LTIR with Calgary I get.

But a guy that kinda used the KHL as leverage against the team and wasn't even here a full season just seems odd.

He loved Edmonton enough to make it his home. As much as we want everyone to take a discount like Nuge, it’s hard to blame a guy with a career earnings of less than a million and a half for taking a guaranteed 4 million, and securing his finances for life

 

[The Nuge]

Too bad he makes two million next year and the Sharks can't retain.

We’d just have to find a third team who isn’t going to spend to the cap

 

[North Cole]

I don't think their defense is any good personnel wise either.

Doughty still has game, but nobody else in that group gives me any pause at all. Anderson is ok, then after that it's a whole lot of mediocre, being generous.

I agree it's not. Anderson looks like he got nuked multiple times alone, and it only gets worse further down the pairings.

The only reason I say they don't have the personnel, and maybe it's an edmonton thing, but I've never seen a 1-3-1 team give up so much room below the hashmarks and in the middle. You should never have that much free real estate, regardless of how good you cycle or how much speed you have coming in. Some of that is obviously on mcdavid winning 2 on 1 match ups and causing everyone to breakdown trying to cover gaps.

Idk, it seems like they are all headless chickens once the puck gets in their zone, puck watching, covering no one, sticks doing nothing. Talbot sucks, but I'm not sure what a better goalie is doing for them if they are going play like that.

Keeping in mind I'm just seeing the highlights Sadly.

 

[Sanchez]

The PP looked really good last night; they were changing it up and keeping Kings guessing. 3 different pp goal scorers and Kings PK is pretty good. Dominant performance and Kings got some lucky bounces otherwise they weren't in it. Keep up the same effort and intensity for game 2!!!!

 

[ohheyhemsky]

He loved Edmonton enough to make it his home. As much as we want everyone to take a discount like Nuge, it’s hard to blame a guy with a career earnings of less than a million and a half for taking a guaranteed 4 million, and securing his finances for life

I hold the exact same take. There aren't any guarantees to a professional athletes career. Get money when/where you can, set yourself up in what is a profession that has a shorter timeline and expiry date. The idea of hometown discounts and whatnot are easy when you're already established.

Love that he's coming to these games. Shows how impactful this dressing room/culture is right now, not to mention the city/fans.

 

[K1984]

I agree it's not. Anderson looks like he got nuked multiple times alone, and it only gets worse further down the pairings.

The only reason I say they don't have the personnel, and maybe it's an edmonton thing, but I've never seen a 1-3-1 team give up so much room below the hashmarks and in the middle. You should never have that much free real estate, regardless of how good you cycle or how much speed you have coming in. Some of that is obviously on mcdavid winning 2 on 1 match ups and causing everyone to breakdown trying to cover gaps.

Idk, it seems like they are all headless chickens once the puck gets in their zone, puck watching, covering no one, sticks doing nothing. Talbot sucks, but I'm not sure what a better goalie is doing for them if they are going play like that.

Keeping in mind I'm just seeing the highlights Sadly.

You pretty much summed it up. The Oilers were attacking their defense at both blue lines and they didn't have an answer for the forecheck either. Even Doughty got exposed on more than a few occasions.

When the Oilers have all 4 lines skating and pressing the opposition defense they are a major handful to handle even for the best defences.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

Oh and I guess a 1st and a 5th for Henrique and Carrick doesn't seem so bad now. Didn't know that Henirque was one of those 'playoff performers'

Pretty crazy that he has the record for the longest time between playoff goals. Not necessarily his fault, as he hasn't been on a lot of good teams. Only 29 playoff games (including last night) under his belt in a career spanning back to 2010.

Getting another chance to show his shit here.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I hold the exact same take. There isn't any guarantees to a professional athletes career. Get money when/where you can, set yourself up in what is a profession that has an shorter timeline and expiry date. The idea of hometown discounts and whatnot are easy when you're already established.

Love that he's coming to these games. Shows how impactful this dressing room/culture is right now, not to mention the city/fans.

I was thinking that as well. I don't blame either side. We couldn't afford to sign him for that much and Kostin wanted to more than double his career earnings. In the end, props to Holland for finding a team willing to pay him that.