Post-Game Talk: Skinner just had his Grant Fuhr moment

[9GWG9]

If the team isn't capable of playing and winning last night's game we won't be winning anything. I think it is very demonstrative of how much we have matured from last years run.

 

[MoneyGuy]

I didn’t watch the game. Were the Oilers as outplayed as the shot clock seemed to indicate?

 

[Pavel10]

I think the whole "they played a solid defensive game" is overblown. This wasn't a good game. You can't have 5 shots at the half way mark. They got lucky here and this could have ended badly in OT again.

Need to be much better.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

The "game management" through officiating that the league has embraced is really sleazy. And it's not just the "evening up" - I knew once the Oilers scored that goal, it would take a felony assault or undeniable procedural error (too many men, puck over glass) for the Oilers to get another power play, because the refs were afraid that would bury the Kings.

There is zero doubt in my mind the NHL fixes games via game management for the sake of “parity” and “competitive balance” always dragging the game down to the lowest common denominator benefitting the least skilled players and least skilled teams come playoff time.

 

[AM]

Literally every player was neutralized...McDavid had points on 100% of the goals...weird to point him out as a con...he focused on defence like everyone else.

Not neutralized enough for la.

 

[Sanchez]

Canuck fans alreadu gearing up...

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In their heads already lol. Remember when Leaf fans wanted Florida last year? LOL

 

[frag2]

The "game management" through officiating that the league has embraced is really sleazy. And it's not just the "evening up" - I knew once the Oilers scored that goal, it would take a felony assault or undeniable procedural error (too many men, puck over glass) for the Oilers to get another power play, because the refs were afraid that would bury the Kings.

The fact the media would rather “it is what it is” to the issue than to question the integrity of the game shows how chicken shit they are

 

[Section337]

I like to think that the Oilers were icing the puck in the last 10 minutes as a protest against the NHL starting the game so late; therefore, they made sure the last 2 television timeouts could not occur. Even the King's helped out, at least once.

 

[oobga]

I think the whole "they played a solid defensive game" is overblown. This wasn't a good game. You can't have 5 shots at the half way mark. They got lucky here and this could have ended badly in OT again.

Need to be much better.

You definitely put yourself at the mercy of bounces playing that way. The ice was total garbage and that really worked in our favor. LA bobbled pucks a lot trying to make simply plays. They could barely handle the puck on their PP.

We are no stranger to stupid bounces though, just in this series alone. Last night, all the bounces went wide or landed right where our D needed it to land for us to clear. Like the hockey gods felt bad about game 2 and paid us back. If we brought our game 2 luck to last nights game, would have gone very different.

Don't doubt the Oilers know that they have to play much better. Hope they can do it in game 5 and just finish this off. Would not like to see another game in the slush pond.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Just finished reading the Kings GDT.

Makes our loss-edition PGT's look celebratory by comparison.

Imagine throwing everything but the kitchen sink at a team that has owned you for 2 years and still losing 0-1. Has to be a what do we have to do to beat these guys feeling.

The locker room is probably just as dark.

 

[Salvaged Ship]

Just when you think the team can’t win a playoff game like this they go and do it. Hopefully a good sign and it boosts the confidence of Skinner and the entire team

 

[ManOfSteelI]

You definitely put yourself at the mercy of bounces playing that way. The ice was total garbage and that really worked in our favor. LA bobbled pucks a lot trying to make simply plays. They could barely handle the puck on their PP.

We are no stranger to stupid bounces though, just in this series alone. Last night, all the bounces went wide or landed right where our D needed it to land for us to clear. Like the hockey gods felt bad about game 2 and paid us back. If we brought our game 2 luck to last nights game, would have gone very different.

Don't doubt the Oilers know that they have to play much better. Hope they can do it in game 5 and just finish this off. Would not like to see another game in the slush pond.

This was my thought as well, if each game was decided based upon who controlled play.. this would still be a 3-1 series.

 

[Dynamic]

Today me thing I forgot to vent about last night. That blatant non call on Doughty has he interfered with McDavid was infuriating. If you look up interference in the dictionary that was it, but no, had to have some game management

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Today me thing I forgot to vent about last night. That blatant non call on Doughty has he interfered with McDavid was infuriating. If you look up interference in the dictionary that was it, but no, had to have some game management

To me there was clearly a call from the league about "too many calls" taking away from the "game on the ice"

That was as bad a "missed" call as we've seen. Even Louis knew it was bad, and he has no integrity with stuff like that.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Canuck fans alreadu gearing up...

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Why are these apes chanting this when the next round of the playoffs hasn't even been officially determined? In any case, you can only roll your eyes and laugh at them.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Today me thing I forgot to vent about last night. That blatant non call on Doughty has he interfered with McDavid was infuriating. If you look up interference in the dictionary that was it, but no, had to have some game management

They also played the puck with a broken stick with the official looking right at it. That’s like watching a player shoot the puck over the glass and not calling delay of game because you don’t want to.

Why are these apes chanting this when the next round of the playoffs hasn't even been officially determined? In any case, you can only roll your eyes and laugh at them.

Yep this has bad juju all over it.

 

[LTIR]

Why are these apes chanting this when the next round of the playoffs hasn't even been officially determined? In any case, you can only roll your eyes and laugh at them.

Next round is already determined. If we win vs LA we play the winner of VAN\NSH series.

 

[Drivesaitl]

They cannot even hsce a watch parry because of risk from rioting. This is what paying 2 million dollars to live in a 600sq ft shack does to a person.

You phrase it as a joke but its true. Pent up frustration all over the mainland is nothing new. The attitude in some of the burbs is to even go into DT and smash up and wreck the place. A frustrated population, particularly younger population that can't afford to live, that have to live in parental home indefinitely or couch surf. Tons of angst there. A powderkeg. Doesn't take much to set it off. Some of that, or even a lot of that is due to the obscene cost of living and stratification that exists there.

 

[Senor Catface]

Today me thing I forgot to vent about last night. That blatant non call on Doughty has he interfered with McDavid was infuriating. If you look up interference in the dictionary that was it, but no, had to have some game management

There was a super blatant interference by Lewis as well, though I can't remember who he hit.

 

[tiger_80]

I didn’t watch the game. Were the Oilers as outplayed as the shot clock seemed to indicate?

They were trapping much of the time. A lot of those LA shots were low percentage shots. But the OIlers got outhustled for sure and did not have many chances themselves.

 

[Draiskull]

I didn’t watch the game. Were the Oilers as outplayed as the shot clock seemed to indicate?

Not at all. It was a very even game in terms of chances. Defensively Oilers were as solid as solid could be. Last 5 mins were clinical.. LA despite all their push never came close to scoring.

 

[Ibanez]

I don’t know why but I just couldn’t bring myself to watch the whole game last night. So much anxiety around the results. Decided to score watch for the first two periods to see how we were doing. Tuned in for the third for the great finish.

What’s a shut down period. I’ve been hard on Vinny as of late, but that guy was elite last night. Love seeing him elevate his game.

Now let’s get this done on Wed and have some rest.

I’m curious what LA team we will see. I sort of wonder if the 1-0 loss is actually Harder to swallow than the higher scoring ones

 

[Drivesaitl]

The "game management" through officiating that the league has embraced is really sleazy. And it's not just the "evening up" - I knew once the Oilers scored that goal, it would take a felony assault or undeniable procedural error (too many men, puck over glass) for the Oilers to get another power play, because the refs were afraid that would bury the Kings.

The league has been doing this since the Philly Flyers bringing the brotherly love and the STL Blues having the Barclay bros trying to murder guys on ice.

Even before that in the 50's the riots were on the ice and in the stands. In the 60's nothing changed. You'd get slashed in the face every game. No player had all their teeth. Blood on ice was expected. The Broadstreet bullies would commit 5o infractions a game and get 5 penalties if that. Their opponents would get 4, mostly for retaliating at vicious indiscretions.

The League has always had a problem with this and always wanted this. DOPS is just a name thats designed as artifice. Maybe something they had to agree to for the NHLPA but with no intent ever on actually addressing player safety seriously. The blood sells too, even in 2024. Don't kid yourself. The buildings are full and paying 10X more than they used to to watch the circus.

We can complain about it I guess but the paying fans are asking for this.

Not at all. It was a very even game in terms of chances. Defensively Oilers were as solid as solid could be. Last 5 mins were clinical.. LA despite all their push never came close to scoring.

Hitting a post and multiple other shot deflections skimming just wide is "never came close to scoring". Actually they did come close. Skinner also made several good stops and so did Rittich.

 

[Kinibo]

A bit disappointing today to read so much about how badly outplayed we were and how the Kings deserved to win this. How anybody who watched the game could come away with the impression that we were on our heels all night is beyond me. Shots on goal has always been one of the most misleading stats in hockey and last night was a perfect example of that.

 

[Section337]

They were trapping much of the time. A lot of those LA shots were low percentage shots. But the OIlers got outhustled for sure and did not have many chances themselves.

I like your outhustled comment, that definitely felt true. But were they outworked, not overly. Were they outsmarted, not at all. Were they outplayed, probably. Did the better overall team win a game they maybe shouldn’t have won, likely. Is that unusual, not really.