Post-Game Talk: The biggest game of the McDrai era

[Drivesaitl]

That one was a whirlwind where we saw both the Jekyll and Hyde version of the team. When we have our feet moving and playing simple in the neutral zone they can't beat us. However for whatever reason we seem to take chunks of the game off in the skating department and try and pass our way through the neutral zone and then we get burned on it. I don't think it's for lack of trying, but it seems to be the bad habit they fall into when there are nerves.

A few things from this game and for the next IMO:

- You have to consider taking Nurse off of the PK unit and maybe even dial him back a bit 5v5. He's once again badly struggling to read pucks coming from the corner to the front of the net and is once again on his knees or trying to check the puck. Kulak was absolutely outstanding in Game 4 - bump up his minutes and take Nurse down. Darnell has been the direct cause of at least 4 pretty critical goals against in this series on fairly routine plays, has to stop.

- Have to go with Skinner again. Campbell is fun when he's hot, but the implosion is inevitable and too much of a gamble. Skinner has only given us about 6/10 goaltending at best so far, but he's not much of a risk of giving us 1/10 goaltending that Campbell is prone to do. Campbell had some great flashes in Game 4, but there was an element of luck to a few that didn't go in that maybe should have.

- Kozari and Lee proved me wrong and actually called close to a perfect game. Ticky tack or borderline infractions were ignored going both ways and they didn't make themselves the story. All you can ask for really.

- Keep 11/7, but dial Desharnais way back. Use Broberg 5v5 and use Desharnais primarily on special teams.

Well yeah it was Jekyll and Hyde but a concern should be why did it take a 3 goal deficit to get the team into gear in a game they had to win? Oilers once again felt their way into a game and allowed the opponent to take initiative.

Something in the way the Oilers handled this game and had to be dialed into it through being embarrassed in first period isn't sitting well with me a day later. The Oilers were on the edge, and this even happened. Then in 3rd period with game on line, and really the series, the Kings come out and outshoot us 12-1 in first 14mins and get the lead again. We didn't tie until 3mins left. Concerning with our season on the line that the Kings were right with us again all the way.

Campbell has to get the start. Ride the goalie that got a better result and held the fort. That was an impressive 2 periods and OT from Campbell. Real impressive. He made tons of great saves. Would be a shame, as well as a mistake to back to Skinner in game 5.

 

[K1984]

I wonder what happened to the steady, calm Nurse that we saw in the Winnipeg series that could play 30 mins in a controlled, reliable way?

His game was rounding into form right before the playoffs. Bad habits were gone and he was playing steady hockey. It seems like anxiety and panic have entered his game so the safety blanket habits like going down on his knees whenever the puck funnels up to the net are back. All mental IMO.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

 

[Drivesaitl]

Nice to see we pulled it off this morning, didn't watch, question; How was the officiating, Lee / Kozari?

Realistically LA got 2 penalties that were as weak as the type the board has been complaining about in the series. But on the other side people feeling like Kempe ought to have had a double minor instead of a minor on the board hit. Still, its OT (afairc) and not many majors or doubles are called there.

My take is the NHL responded somewhat with all the notices that the Oilers were getting jobbed in the series. I expect game 5 to be the same with Oilers getting some better treatment.

Kinda fits with my theory that the NHL would want the Oilers to advance, but that they were helping to try to make it a longer series as more games is more revenue.

Officiating was Even, I thought the Oilers got the edge from it, and the game evenly played.

 

[K1984]

Well yeah it was Jekyll and Hyde but a concern should be why did it take a 3 goal deficit to get the team into gear in a game they had to win? Oilers once again felt their way into a game and allowed the opponent to take initiative.

Something in the way the Oilers handled this game and had to be dialed into it through being embarrassed in first period isn't sitting well with me a day later. The Oilers were on the edge, and this even happened. Then in 3rd period with game on line, and really the series, the Kings come out and outshoot us 12-1 in first 14mins and get the lead again. We didn't tie until 3mins left. Concerning with our season on the line that the Kings were right with us again all the way.

Campbell has to get the start. Ride the goalie that got a better result and held the fort. That was an impressive 2 periods and OT from Campbell. Real impressive. He made tons of great saves. Would be a shame, as well as a mistake to back to Skinner in game 5.

I felt there were a few factors related to the momentum swings that were primarily coaching and matchup related.

The Fiala - Vilardi - Iafallo line was murdering their matchup against either McLeod or RNH. RNH shouldn't be playing centre, and he certainly shouldn't be doing it with Yamo or Hyman on his wings with how they have been playing. When Woodcroft split Connor and Leon in the second the Kings didn't burn us on this matchup as much. I still have no idea why he changed the lines going into the third back to what didn't work in the 1st.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I wonder what happened to the steady, calm Nurse that we saw in the Winnipeg series that could play 30 mins in a controlled, reliable way?

His game was rounding into form right before the playoffs. Bad habits were gone and he was playing steady hockey. It seems like anxiety and panic have entered his game so the safety blanket habits like going down on his knees whenever the puck funnels up to the net are back. All mental IMO.

I don't know what happened to his physical stature. He lost pounds and strength and can't one arm people or anything like that anymore. he used to be so much stronger in contain as he ws a physical beast to deal with. I don't know if he's had something medical happen to him. Strength wise he's not the same player he was. For an org too, theres no real way of knowing that sort of thing is going to happen.

 

[Zguy370]

A Tinsel town Hollywood acting team, DISGRACEFUL.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I felt there were a few factors related to the momentum swings that were primarily coaching and matchup related.

The Fiala - Vilardi - Iafallo line was murdering their matchup against either McLeod or RNH. RNH shouldn't be playing centre, and he certainly shouldn't be doing it with Yamo or Hyman on his wings with how they have been playing. When Woodcroft split Connor and Leon in the second the Kings didn't burn us on this matchup as much. I still have no idea why he changed the lines going into the third back to what didn't work in the 1st.

Agreed. Good thing the Oilers caved the Kopitar-Kempe line but that won't happen often. Kempe had a weak game, he's a reasonable 200ft player, and Kopitar suddenly looked old again. I had the feeling Kopitar and Doughty had just dialed it up and tried to force themslelve to give evey drop and to beat aging for a little while. The kind of thing the Hawks were doing to us a couple years ago. But both are tired. Doughty will rebound, Kopitar might take longer. The transition the Oilers didn't adjust to is that last night Fiala and Vilardi were going. The Oilers have only played Fiala twice in a Kings jersey so they are not too familiar with his Ozone play.

My take is both teams need to devise a top nine. The team that doesn't could pay for it. Kings will be running 3 lines now and barely a 4th. If Kings bring back Kaliyev that is trouble too. Its a mistake for them to sit him. Grundstrom doing nothing for them.

What a series though.

 

[Arpeggio]

I felt there were a few factors related to the momentum swings that were primarily coaching and matchup related.

The Fiala - Vilardi - Iafallo line was murdering their matchup against either McLeod or RNH. RNH shouldn't be playing centre, and he certainly shouldn't be doing it with Yamo or Hyman on his wings with how they have been playing. When Woodcroft split Connor and Leon in the second the Kings didn't burn us on this matchup as much. I still have no idea why he changed the lines going into the third back to what didn't work in the 1st.

Didn't Connor and Leon play together in the second? I thought it was the start of the third where he split them back up?

 

[K1984]

Didn't Connor and Leon play together in the second? I thought it was the start of the third where he split them back up?

It was all over the place. He had them separated to start the second at least, then slowly moved away again.

 

[FlameChampion]

Well yeah it was Jekyll and Hyde but a concern should be why did it take a 3 goal deficit to get the team into gear in a game they had to win? Oilers once again felt their way into a game and allowed the opponent to take initiative.

Something in the way the Oilers handled this game and had to be dialed into it through being embarrassed in first period isn't sitting well with me a day later. The Oilers were on the edge, and this even happened. Then in 3rd period with game on line, and really the series, the Kings come out and outshoot us 12-1 in first 14mins and get the lead again. We didn't tie until 3mins left. Concerning with our season on the line that the Kings were right with us again all the way.

Campbell has to get the start. Ride the goalie that got a better result and held the fort. That was an impressive 2 periods and OT from Campbell. Real impressive. He made tons of great saves. Would be a shame, as well as a mistake to back to Skinner in game 5.

Not to get too negative into the team. But this team hasnt started games well (it goes back through multiple coaches). And while the play 60 minutes is a cliche to some extent, the Oilers generally dont come close. They generally dont put their work boots for the majority of games. The last 20 games before the playoffs started, the Oilers cleaned this up. But I think we have seen lots of bad habits from the past creep up in these games.

If the Oilers combine work with skill, they are an extremely hard team to beat.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I was in a dark place in the first period and then again beginning of the third man.

Need Nuge, Hyman and Kane to really step it up and play to their potential. When they are chipping in goals, like tonight, its going to result in a win.

An explosive team with McDrai on it are never out of it. Highest scoring team in the league and LA know that. There really wasn't much they could do. But you could tell with the Kings determination in first period they were trying to get as much margin as possible. The Kopitar goal in particular stands out as an extra effort type goal. By no means was this over at 2-0 or 3-0 and that was what I said at the time.

Hockey is in waves. Kings spent a ton of energy in first. Then the Oilers completely claimed the 2nd. Then the Kings rebounded hard in the third. Whole game took place how I thought after first period. I knew the 3rd would be extremely tough.

 

[OilerTyler]

I actually really like Bieksa on the panel but it’s funny to see how much he hates embellishment when he was a fixture on those early 2010 Canucks teams. They were practically an Olympic diving team in those years.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I have to say something about Desharnais.
I dont know why but he isnt playing the game that makes him an effective NHL player.
Instead of playing the man like he usually does he has been playing the puck. The other thing is that he is holding on to the puck too long. I can only assume that he is in his head too much due to the intensity of the playoffs.
I think it was the right decision by Woody to bench him but I also think that its important for him to re-establish his game.

The thing that happens to a lot of players is that the longer they stay up with a team the more they are expected to work the specific schemes whether they work or not for them. Desharnais is slow, and he knows that, so it isn't natural for him to be standing the line like that on the Arviddson goal. His play early with Oilers would be to fall back and just contain. Probably not a goal if he does that. But he's quite clearly told to pinch to pucks to prevent entry, like the team is told. This particular aspect doesn't work for Desharnais.

But its not worked for Ceci either. Even Nurse has had considerable struggles with the instruction to go to the boards more. Myself I want D more in front of net and containing. But the Manson package has D be aggressive to puck. Whether or not the specific D can do that or not.

 

[Spawn]

Oilers with Draisaitl on the ice:
14GF 4GA (7GF 3GA at 5v5)

Oilers without Draisaitl on the ice:
0GF 9GA (0GF 4GA at 5v5)

What a stat. Incredible for Draisaitl. Embarrassing for the rest of the team.

 

[Zerotonine]

Roy elbowed Draisaitl in the face on the Kings 4th goal. It's what created the seperation he needed.

Leon went down pretty easy though.

It wasn't an elbow, i thought that at forst to but the guy reverse hit drai that caught him off guard

 

[Zguy370]

Realistically LA got 3 penalties that were as weak as the type the board has been complaining about in the series. But on the other side people feeling like Kempe ought to have had a double minor instead of a minor on the board hit. Still, its OT (afairc) and not many majors or doubles are called there.

My take is the NHL responded somewhat with all the notices that the Oilers were getting jobbed in the series. I expect game 5 to be the same with Oilers getting some better treatment.

Kinda fits with my theory that the NHL would want the Oilers to advance, but that they were helping to try to make it a longer series as more games is more revenue.

Officiating was Even, I thought the Oilers got the edge from it, and the game evenly played.

An encouraging take for sure from what I've heard about the officiating from last night for a change.
I can relate to your bolded part from a business aspect, sad as it may be, yep the sport has definitely changed from the 70' 80's or 90's where 4 game sweeps were more common, and less of managing a game like nowadays.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I felt there were a few factors related to the momentum swings that were primarily coaching and matchup related.

The Fiala - Vilardi - Iafallo line was murdering their matchup against either McLeod or RNH. RNH shouldn't be playing centre, and he certainly shouldn't be doing it with Yamo or Hyman on his wings with how they have been playing. When Woodcroft split Connor and Leon in the second the Kings didn't burn us on this matchup as much. I still have no idea why he changed the lines going into the third back to what didn't work in the 1st.

I proposed if the Oil ran with The Stack that they move up Bjugstad to centre line 2 with Nugent Hopkins and Hyman. Go with a big centreman who's killing it in the face-off dot to match up with Kopitar line. Move Yamamoto to line 3 with McLeod and Foegele which would be a good skating and checking line against Kings 3rd line with Vilardi. Roll line 4 wingers with rotation of McDavid or Draisaitl.

Think it was Woodcroft moving to The Stack in the 2nd that was a big part of tilting the ice.

 

[VintageBure]

I hope you guys use both Goalies. I cringed when Friedman said he was shocked that Campbell saved the day. He was a legit starter for the leafs last year and only lost to the GOAT in vasy last year. Teams that don't utilize both goalies are at a disadvantage in this era (this changes if you have a hellebuck, vasy, etc,.) Use the 1a1b method, start the guy that's playing well, if he struggles put skinner back in.

 

[Heavy Dee]

I felt there were a few factors related to the momentum swings that were primarily coaching and matchup related.

The Fiala - Vilardi - Iafallo line was murdering their matchup against either McLeod or RNH. RNH shouldn't be playing centre, and he certainly shouldn't be doing it with Yamo or Hyman on his wings with how they have been playing. When Woodcroft split Connor and Leon in the second the Kings didn't burn us on this matchup as much. I still have no idea why he changed the lines going into the third back to what didn't work in the 1st.

Bjugstad would be a better match-up against them. Too bad Janmark is hurt.

 

[guymez]

The thing that happens to a lot of players is that the longer they stay up with a team the more they are expected to work the specific schemes whether they work or not for them. Desharnais is slow, and he knows that, so it isn't natural for him to be standing the line like that on the Arviddson goal. His play early with Oilers would be to fall back and just contain. Probably not a goal if he does that. But he's quite clearly told to pinch to pucks to prevent entry, like the team is told. This particular aspect doesn't work for Desharnais.

But its not worked for Ceci either. Even Nurse has had considerable struggles with the instruction to go to the boards more. Myself I want D more in front of net and containing. But the Manson package has D be aggressive to puck. Whether or not the specific D can do that or not.

Actually he would have been just fine on the Arviddson play if he just took the man. Just staple the player to the boards...instead he tried to play the puck and got hung out to dry.

In terms of Ceci...the player in that pairing thats causing most of the issues is Nurse and his wacky decision making.

I dont think that this is a systems issue...I think what we are seeing is just individual players making poor decisions under pressure.
Desharnais I can understand. Nurse has no excuse.

 

[Slats432]

I just came on the boards to read the GDT thread. (Much comedy) People need to be less absolute. (Put VD in the AHL, Fire Woody, tradethemall)

Apparently we have some cool cats on our team. But I feel like even a loss yesterday the boys would still be in it. Nice to be even. Should be a helluva game 5.

And remember, it's just a game.

 

[Drivesaitl]

An encouraging take for sure from what I've heard about the officiating from last night for a change.
I can relate to your bolded part from a business aspect, sad as it may be, yep the sport has definitely changed from the 70' 80's or 90's where 4 game sweeps were more common, and less of managing a game like nowadays.

Yep. Its indisputable that first round series are going longer on average than historically and one has to understand that makes up a bulk of the playoff revenue. Being that there are the most series in play. So much are first rounds important for gate and add revenue as they make up more than half ot the entire playoff games. Which people probably don't realize off the bat. The NHL gets potentially 56 games in first round if series go distance. NHL is going to be getting over 50 games in first round the way its shaking out. Of course the minimum amount of first games would be 32 so its an enormous difference for the NHL influencing series to go longer.

Due to less teams advancing 2nd round involves anywhere between 16-28 games. Conference finals involve only 8-14 games.

So that prolonging first round is very important to NHL.

Its not just happening here. Dallas was down 2-1 in games and got the NHL management in game 4 to tie series. Any Wild fan would agree with that. The game was called suddenly one sided. Earlier in the series the Wild were getting favor. The NHL switched up.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I proposed if the Oil ran with The Stack that they move up Bjugstad to centre line 2 with Nugent Hopkins and Hyman. Go with a big centreman who's killing it in the face-off dot to match up with Kopitar line. Move Yamamoto to line 3 with McLeod and Foegele which would be a good skating and checking line against Kings 3rd line with Vilardi. Roll line 4 wingers with rotation of McDavid or Draisaitl.

Think it was Woodcroft moving to The Stack in the 2nd that was a big part of tilting the ice.

I noticed that and thought of your lines suggestion right away. Very good call, and they should stick with it. I honestly would sit Yamo as he is simply being pushed out of the series. Kostin, Shore or even Holloway in limited minutes would be more effective IMO. I am glad Woody finally loaded up Line 1 however why he went back to what clearly wasn't working for the start of the 3rd and which saw us get outplayed 12-1 in shots till the 10 minute mark is baffling.

 

[Gordian Knot]

Two words: Never in doubt!

It was masterpiece of hockey games!