Pre-Game Talk: There is no try - its do or die. Pregame Jitter Thread for Game 3

[iCanada]

Does anyone have any tips for the anxiety?

The gym or another source of hard physical exercise can really help. We've got fake psychological stress as fans - our body still reacts like we evolved to thousands of years ago. If you get the blood flowing, get your heart pumping, create the physiological response from actually surviving a stressor from back then - including all the rewards from it.

Creative outlets can help. Guitar. Work maybe?

Sex or a good wank? Got a lady friend you've been crushing on?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Thats simply not true lol.

It's not only true, it's true beyond doubt. Ceci has been the worst defender on the team the entire playoffs with his play actually dragging down the results of all of those around them.

You would have to be being willfully ignorant to think Ceci has been anything other than terrible.

Any word on whether Nurse will miss next game?
I imagine Ceci draws back in, and possibly going with 7 Dmen (if Nurse dresses)?

Nothing yet, but with today off and Nurse playing a bit in the 3rd, I suspect he'll be back next game at whatever % he's at, which is still better than Ceci.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You'd hope the zebras have some pride and actually scrutinize FLA more after their shenanigans but we all know the directive from above as to whom they 'prefer' to win the cup



There was a clip retweeted by Bruce from Cult of Hockey yesterday that looked like 37 didn't even clip him at all.

I swear Oilers culture is too soft. Need to play these stupid games just like everyone else. Always said in the past after we got dicked so many times. If others are diving and playing dirty, so should we. f*** integrity when clearly neither the other teams nor the league as a whole care about that shit

This is exactly why I supported the Drai dirty elbow on Barkov. Its sending a message that we can play in the gutter too, and also sending a message that some players on this team need to stiffen up and start getting involved in what is a physical and dirty series. Half the Oilers team still playing like its Dallas as an opponent. That series was much less dirty. In an odd way its taken the Oilers out of the mud, and now they have to dive back in and get dirty.

 

[OilersaretheMcBest]

It's not only true, it's true beyond doubt. Ceci has been the worst defender on the team the entire playoffs with his play actually dragging down the results of all of those around them.

You would have to be being willfully ignorant to think Ceci has been anything other than terrible.

Your bias is showing if you're saying its true beyond doubt...
Ceci -7 in 20 games with the tougher matchups playing 20 mins a night
Desharnais -9 in 16 games averaging 17 mins a night on the bottom pairing

I know plus/minus isn't the most telling stat but to say i'm willfully ignorant is a little unnecessary mate. The whole team didn't really show up last game but didn't love desharnais' game in general

 

[Drivesaitl]

Does anyone have any tips for the anxiety?

Deep breathing. Diaphragm breathing. While watching place your hand under ribcage just where a belly would be and learn to breath from there. lift hand up slowly with your breathing.

Progressive muscle relaxation is another tecnnique. Alternate tensing and relaxing of parts of body, muscle groups for 10secs tense 10secs relax. Do face, neck, arms going down. get to every part of body.

Physical exercise as others have mentioned. Drink lots of water. Be conscious of salt intake. Limit caffeine or other stimulant intake.

The last, and one I employ in a lot of things is be OK with whatever happens. Stop bracing, clenching, physically reacting as the game is on. Just relax as you're not the one playing it. Observe more passively.

Actually another is to tranfer mentally thinking of the anxiety as excitement instead of it being a negative connotation. For instance people don't talk about anxiety on a rollercoaster. Those that love it get an energy charge out of it. Excitement, pleasure and so that the same stimulation can be perceived differently. As excitement.

 

[McJadeddog]

I say this all the time, but I'd love to be a referee. I'd call all that shit both ways so consistently. But I'm sure there is some agenda. I've watched non oiler games and seen guys drove into the boards from behind and the ref is 10 feet away staring right at that play and no hand goes up.

The problem isn't the refs, its the league. The refs, like any employee that wants to stay employed, is just doing what their employer is telling them to do. The problem is with the NHL's refusal to call their own rulebook - full stop.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Your bias is showing if you're saying its true beyond doubt...
Ceci -7 in 20 games with the tougher matchups playing 20 mins a night
Desharnais -9 in 16 games averaging 17 mins a night on the bottom pairing

I know plus/minus isn't the most telling stat but to say i'm willfully ignorant is a little unnecessary mate. The whole team didn't really show up last game but didn't love desharnais' game in general

You aren't watching than, fair enough.

Cory Ceci has been, without question or equal, the worst defender the Oilers have used these playoffs.

To suggest otherwise just ignorance.

You say bias, like all the fancies don't also support this conclusion. He only stayed in the line up, Ceci, because Stetcher became out for the year and "because veteran"

Cody Ceci has made every single player he's played with worse the entire playoffs, he should not see the ice in an Oilers' uniform again.

 

[ZJuice]

I say this all the time, but I'd love to be a referee. I'd call all that shit both ways so consistently. But I'm sure there is some agenda. I've watched non oiler games and seen guys drove into the boards from behind and the ref is 10 feet away staring right at that play and no hand goes up.

I think it's funny when an infraction like the boarding you describes happens, then the players are looking at the ref like "what the f***?", then the ref yells"NO!" and does the no signal. It's like the ref is acknowledging that the penalty existed but he isn't calling it
Happens with every team

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Dont watch the games and stay off this board.

I check in about 10 minutes a day. I have all the games taped if the Oilers win. I can watch later if I want.

It feels better keeping a bit arms length from what is going on.

no way I’m missing this shit!

Deep breathing. Diaphragm breathing. While watching place your hand under ribcage just where a belly would be and learn to breath from there. lift hand up slowly with your breathing.

Progressive muscle relaxation is another tecnnique. Alternate tensing and relaxing of parts of body, muscle groups for 10secs tense 10secs relax. Do face, neck, arms going down. get to every part of body.

Physical exercise as others have mentioned. Drink lots of water. Be conscious of salt intake. Limit caffeine or other stimulant intake.

The last, and one I employ in a lot of things is be OK with whatever happens. Stop bracing, clenching, physically reacting as the game is on. Just relax as you're not the one playing it. Observe more passively.

Actually another is to tranfer mentally thinking of the anxiety as excitement instead of it being a negative connotation. For instance people don't talk about anxiety on a rollercoaster. Those that love it get and energy charge out of it. Excitement, pleasure.

Bring on game 4, coffee, adrenaline, everything.

It’s the cup finals! LFG

 

[gordonhught]

no way I’m missing this shit!

Bring on the game, coffee, adrenaline.

It’s the cup finals! LFG

 

[Drivesaitl]

no way I’m missing this shit!

Bring on game 4, coffee, adrenaline, everything.

It’s the cup finals! LFG

You've recovered. that was quick!

I think it's funny when an infraction like the boarding you describes happens, then the players are looking at the ref like "what the f***?", then the ref yells"NO!" and does the no signal. It's like the ref is acknowledging that the penalty existed but he isn't calling it
Happens with every team

Its like they're talking to a misbehaving dog. No fido no, takes out the rolled up newspaper, give it a swat. Some of these officials have such contempt. Its like they have Officials bars where before or after the game they get to together and spew on all the players.

At a past point in time there used to be a little respect between players/officials.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Yeah McLeod is never going to change. He is 100% a player I look at moving in either this or next offseason. He would hold a decent amount of value in the league as his cap hit isn't bad, his counting stats are decent, he is big/fast, and he can play center. However, I just don't know how you can win in the playoffs with players like him on the team. He very clearly isn't willing to do what it takes in the playoffs to win. It would be a little different if he was scoring or playing really solid defence, but he isn't. He has 1 point through 19 playoff games, and is -7. His fancies are at least not bad I will admit, with his HDCF at 49, and xGF is 53, but his PDO is really bad at .908, so I will at least admit that his low points and bad plus/minus might be attributed to luck.

I like the player well enough, but I would have him on a short string, and if he isn't able to produce next playoffs, would offload him in the summer of 2025 (when our really bad cap crunch is likely to happen).

You want to bring back McLeod next year, including another postseason? no no no no no

It isn't often that I 100% agree with a Staples article. The NHL reffing is so bad that its hard to watch the sport. Until they fix this, they will never have the "break through" that they are constantly chasing. They do a million things off the ice to try and grow the game, including keeping teams in markets they have no right existing in, and they don't bother looking at the actual product they are putting out in the market. The product is what matters most, this is business 101 here, but they consistently do almost everything in their power to make the product in the playoffs a laughable excuse.

This isn't sour grapes from last game either, I have been saying this for years and year and years. Playoff hockey is the worst form of hockey that exists. Game management means that the NHL can't be taken seriously from Vegas, which has huge implications for the game. The problems are anywhere you care to look, and the solution is as obvious as the nose on my face, but the brain-dead NHL leadership can't seem to see the obvious solution.

I hope you don't want to grow the game some more. That's a euphemism for screwing Canadian teams.

Not even screwing the teams because it's a revenue sharing league. It's screwing the fans. The past thirty plus years has been huge shit sandwich and what you taste now during this Stanley Cup Final is a mouthful of shit. The bread goes to the owners and the players.

I'm sure if Canadians weren't born into being fans they would have abandoned the shitshow decades ago.

Shrink the f***ing league and jettison the Bettman.

 

[McJadeddog]

You've recovered. that was quick!


Its like they're talking to a misbehaving dog. No fido no, takes out the rolled up newspaper, give it a swat. Some of these officials have such contempt. Its like they have Officials bars where before or after the game they get to together and spew on all the players.

At a past point in time there used to be a little respect between players/officials.

Its not the officials fault, its the leagues. If they league wanted certain calls being made, you can dam well expect that refs to start making those calls. This is a management problem, not an employee problem.

 

[McShogun99]

The gym or another source of hard physical exercise can really help. We've got fake psychological stress as fans - our body still reacts like we evolved to thousands of years ago. If you get the blood flowing, get your heart pumping, create the physiological response from actually surviving a stressor from back then - including all the rewards from it.

Creative outlets can help. Guitar. Work maybe?

Sex or a good wank? Got a lady friend you've been crushing on?

My Garmin watch sends me messages that my stress is abnormally high during playoff games.

 

[McJadeddog]

You want to bring back McLeod next year, including another postseason? no no no no no

I hope you don't want to grow the game some more. That's a euphemism for screwing Canadian teams.

Not even screwing the teams because it's a revenue sharing league. It's screwing the fans. The past thirty plus years has been huge shit sandwich and what you taste now during this Stanley Cup Final is a mouthful of shit. The bread goes to the owners and the players.

I'm sure if Canadians weren't born into being fans they would have abandoned the shitshow decades ago.

Shrink the f***ing league and jettison the Bettman.

No I want to grow the game actually as I think its good for the sport. But I just don't agree with how they are attempting to grow it. They are trying to grow it by forcing teams into markets that don't want them, rather than looking at their actual product and realizing its kinda terrible right now. They are putting a McDonalds on every corner of a city, instead of realizing that the hamburgers don't taste good. (if you love McD's I'm just using it as a market expansion example, settle down )

The problem with the lack of growth is that the league isn't considered serious by most sports fans and they incentivize the wrong things in the sport. In a time where every sport in the world is trying to increase skill and showmanship and scoring, and where most leagues are having great success doing so, the NHL is doubling down on a boring version of its product. To continue the analogy above, it would be like market research showing that people REALLY want cheese on the McD's hamburgers, and that doing so would allow them to sell more, but the CEO deciding to instruct all store managers to continue not putting cheese on the burgers.

 

[frag2]

This is exactly why I supported the Drai dirty elbow on Barkov. Its sending a message that we can play in the gutter too, and also sending a message that some players on this team need to stiffen up and start getting involved in what is a physical and dirty series. Half the Oilers team still playing like its Dallas as an opponent. That series was much less dirty. In an odd way its taken the Oilers out of the mud, and now they have to dive back in and get dirty.

Only 3 players I've seen actively take runs at opposition players, 2 being your best players. Actually I could argue 3 since the other seems to be Hyman
Everyone else should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

No Nurse isn't a surprise, but I wonder if Kane is coming out.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Only 3 players I've seen actively take runs at opposition players, 2 being your best players. Actually I could argue 3 since the other seems to be Hyman
Everyone else should be ashamed of themselves.

McD, Drai, Hyman, Nuge, Janmark have been the physically engaged forwards. The others need to be invited to the dance apparently. Even Foegele who got the major has been out there figure skating mostly.

Kane has been hitting but not nearly as much as should be. Jebus its SC final. Give him some painkillers and toss him out there.

My Garmin watch sends me messages that my stress is abnormally high durinoff gamg playes.

The watch doesn't understand NHL playoffs. heh

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

That's a lot more speed

 

[frag2]

McD, Drai, Hyman, Nuge, Janmark have been the physically engaged forwards. The others need to be invited to the dance apparently. Even Foegele who got the major has been out there figure skating mostly.

Kane has been hitting but not nearly as much as should be. Jebus its SC final. Give him some painkillers and toss him out there.

The watch doesn't understand NHL playoffs. heh

I mean players on our team that hit with malicious intent. Like to punish. Everyone that's not the best 3 just casually bump. I want our players to play like the 06 Oilers where if you didn't have the puck, youre gonna punish the opp until you get it back.

No Nurse isn't a surprise, but I wonder if Kane is coming out.

Hopefully Knob went to Nuge afterwards and told him he doens't need to dust off every shot as well...

 

[Shanahanigans]

No Nurse isn't a surprise, but I wonder if Kane is coming out.

He's ineffective right now. He can hit but can't pass, shoot or skate very well. He should've shut this down earlier in the season if he's been playing through it since November. He'd be much closer to 100% now if he did.

 

[oil Leaks]

That's a lot more speed

Gagner dream is collapsing

 

[Tobias Kahun]

My Garmin watch sends me messages that my stress is abnormally high during playoff games.

I take my Apple watch off during playoff games or it tells me my bpm is high. Don’t need that type of negativity in my life

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

They're expecting Nurse after a maintenance day I suspect

He's ineffective right now. He can hit but can't pass, shoot or skate very well. He should've shut this down earlier in the season if he's been playing through it since November. He'd be much closer to 100% now if he did.

That's my guess as to the tough conversation they just had. You have to give him some credit for how hard he's played these playoffs, but his tank looks like it's running dry

 

[Duke74]

That's a lot more speed

Nice lines. Expect another dogshit game from Draisaitl with zero support. Thanks Knob.