Pre-Game Talk: Turn the Page: Oilers at Kings Game 3 April 26th

[CantHaveTkachev]

game is over and its time to move on

positives:
- Holloway is a stud and has arrived
- almost won despite the top 6 deathly quiet
- Cam Talbot looks shaky too
- Special teams were good
- King are a mediocre home team

gonna need a better performance from Stu Skinner obviously...gonna need to steal a game in LA, why not tomorrow night

what else you got?

Click to read more...

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Playoff Kulak is back!

 

[Salvaged Ship]

Oilers regroup and win 4-2 in a tight one, empty netter seals it.

 

[K1984]

At the end of the day, that was maybe the high end of the Kings game combined with the low end of the Oiler's game and it still took them OT and some timely goaltending heroics to beat us.

The message to the group is pretty simple - you are in complete control of what happens in this series. If we play our best game they can't beat us. So just don't play like f***ing morons in the neutral zone and this shouldn't be a problem.

 

[CornKicker]

we need to start putting more pucks in talbots feet from bad angles.

also i dont like the loss but the reality is those games are great humblers and allow the oilers to focus one game at a time. im not worried at all i think we still win in 6

 

[K1984]

we need to start putting more pucks in talbots feet from bad angles.

also i dont like the loss but the reality is those games are great humblers and allow the oilers to focus one game at a time. im not worried at all i think we still win in 6

To add to this, when you hit him in the crest the puck pops out in front of him almost every time. He struggles with rebounds around his feet and generally has a hard time tracking the puck at his feet and always has.

 

[CornKicker]

To add to this, when you hit him in the crest the puck pops out in front of him almost every time. He struggles with rebounds around his feet and generally has a hard time tracking the puck at his feet and always has.

100% its not like we dont know talbot. pepper his ass and grime out the rebounds

 

[joestevens29]

100% its not like we dont know talbot. pepper his ass and grime out the rebounds

I think we know and have Talbot figured out. I mean 10 goals in 2 games suggests they know what to do against him.

Skinner needs to figure his shit out and we also need to tighten up and not give the Kings players space and time to shoot.

Scoring seems to be the least of the issues. Yes I'd like some more even strength scoring from the top 6, but scoring as a whole isn't really the issue to winning this series right now.

 

[Mcoilrok]

Hi all...…not sure where to post this but I have a couple (free) tickets for watch party tomorrow night that I am not able to use...…..Send me a message and I can send them your way

 

[Lacaar]

Connor McDavid CANNOT be an even player in the playoffs for us to have success.
Leon Draisitl CANNOT be a minus player in the playoffs for us to have success.

We're 2 games in only. They've played 1 good game.. and 1 poor game 5 on 5 for those two.
Need a lot more from those two 5 on 5. Can't just be pp specialist.

You cannot let Anze Kopitar take you to the cleaners 5 on 5, and last night he did. Took both those lines to the cleaners.

Third and Fourth lines are rocking so that's the good news.
But sorry shame on Leon's and McDavid's lines for their 5 on 5 play last night.

That's what I'll be watching intensely in this game. I haven't like Leon's 5 on 5 game for a long long time.

 

[Drivesaitl]

At the end of the day, that was maybe the high end of the Kings game combined with the low end of the Oiler's game and it still took them OT and some timely goaltending heroics to beat us.

The message to the group is pretty simple - you are in complete control of what happens in this series. If we play our best game they can't beat us. So just don't play like f***ing morons in the neutral zone and this shouldn't be a problem.

Both clubs haven't played their best game. Kings have been abhorrent on special teams thus far.

Oilers too haven't been their best 5 on 5.

I don't feel as if the Oilers played badly in game 2. One player had a questionable game without which we probably win.

That said Kings get last line change in next 2 games. This allows them to do different experimentation, load up for Ozone faceoffs, work their set plays etc. Games played in Edmonton they get less chances to do that. Conversely its harder for the Oilers to get matchups they want.

Still think it goes back to Edmonton tied 2-2. Can't see either team taking both. Its conceivable, not sure its probable.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Oilers should stick with same lineup save for putting Pickard in game 3 or 4(jmo)

Kings might want to park Spence and give Brandt Clarke or Movarare limited try in 11/7 configuration. Lizotte and Laferriere seem not up to task. Nothing lost in parking either.

I haven't minded the lines either for the Oilers. I would stick pretty much with the configs.

You never know what the psyche of teams is but its possible that both of these teams feel less pressure to perform on the road. Its also interesting that Kings are a better road team than home team. Oilers this season have been mostly unstoppable at home. Still have to win one on the road now.

 

[Pavel10]

Both clubs haven't played their best game. Kings have been abhorrent on special teams thus far.

Oilers too haven't been their best 5 on 5.

I don't feel as if the Oilers played badly in game 2. One player had a questionable game without which we probably win.

That said Kings get last line change in next 2 games. This allows them to do different experimentation, load up for Ozone faceoffs, work their set plays etc. Games played in Edmonton they get less chances to do that. Conversely its harder for the Oilers to get matchups they want.

Still think it goes back to Edmonton tied 2-2. Can't see either team taking both. Its conceivable, not sure its probable.

The one thing I'd like to see as an adjustment is skinner being told today he is on a very short leash. He do anything stupid like 3 goals in 8 shots he's done for the series.

And no i don't care how his defenders insist he had no chance on them... Tell that to talbot robbing Dry with impossible saves.

I think we know and have Talbot figured out. I mean 10 goals in 2 games suggests they know what to do against him.

Skinner needs to figure his shit out and we also need to tighten up and not give the Kings players space and time to shoot.

Scoring seems to be the least of the issues. Yes I'd like some more even strength scoring from the top 6, but scoring as a whole isn't really the issue to winning this series right now.

Agree the offense and, yes even the defense hasn't been an issue. It's letting in 5 a night for 2 years.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Connor McDavid CANNOT be an even player in the playoffs for us to have success.
Leon Draisitl CANNOT be a minus player in the playoffs for us to have success.

We're 2 games in only. They've played 1 good game.. and 1 poor game 5 on 5 for those two.
Need a lot more from those two 5 on 5. Can't just be pp specialist.

You cannot let Anze Kopitar take you to the cleaners 5 on 5, and last night he did. Took both those lines to the cleaners.

Third and Fourth lines are rocking so that's the good news.
But sorry shame on Leon's and McDavid's lines for their 5 on 5 play last night.

That's what I'll be watching intensely in this game. I haven't like Leon's 5 on 5 game for a long long time.

In fairness EV, Kings are arguably the best team in the league at shutting down. Even with their average if that goaltending. Thing is it is possible to win games and win the series on special teams. The Oilers have been the better team in PP and PK by miles in this series. Not even comparable. To put into perspective the Oilers have more HDSC in this series shorthanded than the Kings do on their PP.

Hockey included special teams and the Officials generally don't start putting whistles away until round 2.

Kopitar line wasn't good in game one. They made amends. Conversely McDrai lines were owning game 1.

This seems strange but in current configuration the Oilers are suddenly the deeper team at forward. We are not playing the Lizotte, Laferriere, Lewis type fills. All L's, thats a chuckle. ALL of the forwards we are dressing are better players than that. Kings have the 3 worst forwards in the series, with apology to old Lewis who is trying.

Kings have 9-10 usable forwards. They have fill. We have no fill in 2024 in our playoff lineup.

 

[Duke74]

I'm still waiting for Draisaitl to be that playoff beast.

Hopefully it starts tomorrow night, on the road, where he is much more effective.

 

[elmeroil]

Yes page turned I feel good about game 3!

 

[guymez]

Playoff Kulak is back!

He is a playoff bargain.

 

[Mr Kot]

Wouldn't mind trying Pikard. L.A is a beatable team and Skinner is shaky right now. Worth a shot. Please don't do what woodcroft did and ride a bad hand till the end.

 

[McJadeddog]

The outcome will be decided by goaltending. If Skinner plays well, we win. If he doesn't, we lose. Doesn't take a whole lot more investigation than that I don't think.

Wouldn't mind trying Pikard. L.A is a beatable team and Skinner is shaky right now. Worth a shot. Please don't do what woodcroft did and ride a bad hand till the end.

They are going to give Skinner another shot. If he sucks again tomorrow, then you play Pickard in the must win game 4.

 

[elmeroil]

The outcome will be decided by goaltending. If Skinner plays well, we win. If he doesn't, we lose. Doesn't take a whole lot more investigation than that I don't think.



They are going to give Skinner another shot. If he sucks again tomorrow, then you play Pickard in the must win game 4.

Is this confirmed or suspected?

 

[McJadeddog]

Is this confirmed or suspected?

Oh this is just my opinion. I don't think they have officially announced the starting goaltender for tomorrow.

 

[Spawn]

The outcome will be decided by goaltending. If Skinner plays well, we win. If he doesn't, we lose. Doesn't take a whole lot more investigation than that I don't think.

We don't even need Skinner to play well. Even a ~.900 sv%, which is below league average, would suffice.

 

[InTheBox]

More minutes for Holloway please

 

[94 Oil Drops]

As disappointing as yesterday's result was I'm really glad that Holloway got a couple goals. If that gives him the confidence to really start cooking, that's great news for us.

Just show up from puck drop and beat the s*** out of them. We can't afford to fall behind in this series.

 

[bone]

Oh this is just my opinion. I don't think they have officially announced the starting goaltender for tomorrow.

I can't see any world where a non-injured Skinner doesn't start Game 3 and Game 4 regardless of the result in Game 3. Right or wrong, he's their guy for this and if he continues to falter, they'll go down with him leading to a summer of turmoil.