Vegas Golden Knights defeat Edmonton Oilers 4-2 - Advance to WCF

[JaegerDice]

That series looked a lot closer on the score board than it did on the ice. Vegas gave Edmonton nothing 5v5. Edmonton’s PP was silly, but even the best PP isnt going to make up for getting caved at evens.

 

[Frank Drebin]

That series looked a lot closer on the score board than it did on the ice. Vegas gave Edmonton nothing 5v5. Edmonton’s PP was silly, but even the best PP isnt going to make up for getting caved at evens.

When you say caved 5vs5, what metrics are we using?

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

What’s funny is eichel is about to go further than mcdavids done. In his first playoff appearance.

that what happens when you bail on one team you can't make better and go to an established great team

Kevin Durant would be proud

 

[PuckG]

If the Avs were healthy this year they would have smashed the Oilers, again.

You got swept against Pavel Francouz. Let that sink in.

Your speculation is cute, but in reality you lost an entire second line and you’re not the cup contenders you were when you won.

Now you add MacKinnon getting his new contract soon and this supposed huge gap between the teams gets even narrower.

That’s not even mentioning whatever ends up going on with the Landy injury.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

If the Avs were healthy this year they would have smashed the Oilers, again.

You got swept against Pavel Francouz. Let that sink in.

you lost to an expansion team missing their top goal scorer in the first round. let that sink in

 

[Avs9296]

Your speculation is cute, but in reality you lost an entire second line and you’re not the cup contenders you were when you won.

Now you add MacKinnon getting his new contract soon and this supposed huge gap between the teams gets even narrower.

That’s not even mentioning whatever ends up going on with the Landy injury.

We'd still beat you guys without Kadri and Burakovsky if the rest of the Avs were healthy/not banging hookers on game days.

Also Georgie>>>>Francouz

you lost to an expansion team missing their top goal scorer in the first round. let that sink in

I'll have to console myself by watching back our 16-4 cup run last year including a sweep of your Oilers.

 

[WhataKnight]

that what happens when you bail on one team you can't make better and go to an established great team

Kevin Durant would be proud

Oh, come off it.

The failures of the Sabres were too much for one guy to fix.

You could blame Eichel for leaving. Or, you could blame Pegula and the ska band of execs he hired for shitting the bed, not being capable of making a cup of coffee, let alone a playoff team.

That’s just facts. The Sabres f***ed that scenario up three times before Eichel could. A GM bitching about the failed tank at the lottery shitting on the pick. Instability behind the bench. Then the surgery.

Just quit bitching about Eichel. If I had the foresight to recognize a Hinderberg early, I’d be running for parachutes too. So would anyone logical.

Also, if a few PPG+ seasons can’t improve a team in the standings, the GM needs to improve the damned team. The irony is that both Buffalo and Edmonton are on that ride to varying degrees, but you know what they say - defense wins championships. Apparently Eichel gets that.

 

[lionsDen]

And you guys made a solid push for 9th at the end of this season so keep up the good work. Hopefully Gary can change the playoff structure so you guys don't have to go through the oilers 3 years down the road once you're a playoff team again.


Yes Eichel has had a great playoffs after being traded to a good team. Who is debating that?

Happy to see flames and avs fans bond over their hate for a team that's better than them both.

Did you bump your head? You do realize the avs as bad as they were this year beat the oilers 2 out of the 3 times we played this year right? And let’s not ever forget the sweep last year in the conference funals

 

[TheWrongWay]

It's just too hard for the Oilers to win when literally everything is stacked against them!

1) The refs hate them!
2) Whoever they start in goal is a plug and there opponents is Hasek
3) Bettman and the NHL conspiring against them.

Congratulations VGK, y'all played alright I guess.

11 top 10 picks in 13 seasons, 6 of those in the top 5, and 4 of them being first overall picks... the best player drafted since probably Lemieux... and there's a league conspiracy against them?

 

[dukedukowski]

11 top 10 picks in 13 seasons, 6 of those in the top 5, and 4 of them being first overall picks... the best player drafted since probably Lemieux... and there's a league conspiracy against them?

It's got nothing to do with against them. It's the league decides who and when they succeed.
Edmonton had its Yankees/Packers/Lakers/Browns/Patriots/Eskimos, days when they had Gretzky.
Might be a while before they get the Prize again.

 

[TheWrongWay]

It's got nothing to do with against them. It's the league decides who and when they succeed.
Edmonton had its Yankees/Packers/Lakers/Browns/Patriots/Eskimos, days when they had Gretzky.
Might be a while before they get the Prize again.

The person I replied to literally used the words "conspiring against them."

Is it possible it's just bad management or crappy coaching? Or perhaps possible the league/other owners were fine with Vegas and Seattle instantly building good teams since those teams dropped over a billion dollars to buy into the league?

I don't honestly think it's any weird conspiracy or agenda. I'm saying this as a 5-decade NYR fan who has a blackbelt in what failed hockey teams look like.

Think about what I posted: 11 top 10 picks in 13 seasons, 6 of those in the top 5, and 4 of them being first overall picks... the best player drafted since probably Lemieux.

I feel like a chimpanzee with a magic 8 ball could draft a killer team with those picks.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Drai and McDavid are defensive liabilities for Edmonton.

FWIW, I think they spend the regular season hunting scoring records (which their fans enjoy), but then get to the playoffs without having played any consistent hard defense all season and that shows.

 

[Soundwave]

FWIW, I think they spend the regular season hunting scoring records (which their fans enjoy), but then get to the playoffs without having played any consistent hard defense all season and that shows.

Or y'know maybe it shows that the Oilers had 2 rookies on their blue line, 1 sophomore player, and a rookie in net.

I don't know why Holland thought that would work out well.

Also, I mean I love that the worst defensive team in the playoffs -- FLORIDA (yeah worst GA of any playoff team, got shit on all year for having an "AHL tier blue line" by experts on this board) shit kicks Boston (the no.1 defensive team in the league by a mile). And then does it again to Toronto.

Maybe a top level goalie getting hot in the post season is really all you need if you have the requisite scoring punch upfront.

 

[dukedukowski]

The person I replied to literally used the words "conspiring against them."

Is it possible it's just bad management or crappy coaching? Or perhaps possible the league/other owners were fine with Vegas and Seattle instantly building good teams since those teams dropped over a billion dollars to buy into the league?

I don't honestly think it's any weird conspiracy or agenda. I'm saying this as a 5-decade NYR fan who has a blackbelt in what failed hockey teams look like.

Think about what I posted: 11 top 10 picks in 13 seasons, 6 of those in the top 5, and 4 of them being first overall picks... the best player drafted since probably Lemieux.

I feel like a chimpanzee with a magic 8 ball could draft a killer team with those picks.

Or perhaps possible the league/other owners were fine with Vegas and Seattle instantly building good teams since those teams dropped over a billion dollars to buy into the league?

You're basically agreeing with me here.
No such thing as bad manager or bad coaching. People with billions of dollars don't make mistakes. And they don't hire bad coaches when only 32 spots exist.
Everything that happens was meant to.
Dominique Wilkins and Marino, Barkley, Stockton, among others, never won a championship. You need those stories to go with the other successes

 

[MrvJets]

FWIW, I think they spend the regular season hunting scoring records (which their fans enjoy), but then get to the playoffs without having played any consistent hard defense all season and that shows.

I certainly underestimated Vegas as I thought the Jets had a chance to at least knock off Vegas. I knew we were not even close to going to the Stanley Cup with our team. Oiler fans are so delusional thinking they had a Stanley Cup champion on their hands. LOL with a team with an AHL defense and goaltending they thought McJesus and Drai would lead them to victory. They never learn as they think offense alone is enough to win them a cup. Anyway good luck the rest of the way you have a heck of a hockey team.

 

[Soundwave]

I certainly underestimated Vegas as I thought the Jets had a chance to at least knock off Vegas. I knew we were not even close to going to the Stanley Cup with our team. Oiler fans are so delusional thinking they had a Stanley Cup champion on their hands. LOL with a team with an AHL defense and goaltending they thought McJesus and Drai would lead them to victory. They never learn as they think offense alone is enough to win them a cup. Anyway good luck the rest of the way you have a heck of a hockey team.

Yeah how dare a team that was in the final four the year prior think they have a shot at winning a Cup with better roster.

I'm sure Rangers fans thought the same and they were out in the 1st round. That's how it goes sometimes.

For all the "you must play DEEFEFEEENSSSSSSEEEE FIRST, DRAISAITL NEEDS TO PLAY LIKE 3rD LINE gRINDER!" shit too, like yeah ok defence is important, but this is also the second year in a row where the "worst defensive team in the playoffs" has made it clear to the Conference Finals (Edmonton in 2022, now Florida in 2023).

Whereas the bestest, ever, Boston Bruins with the lowest GA in like a decade in the NHL ... out in the first round. Maybe the head winds are changing and an offensive first team may well just win a Cup sooner than later.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

FWIW, I think they spend the regular season hunting scoring records (which their fans enjoy), but then get to the playoffs without having played any consistent hard defense all season and that shows.

Yeah, until Oilers and their leadership get away from that mentality of firewagon pond hockey, the playoffs will remain difficult for them and their fans.

 

[sabresfan65]

Did the Avs just eliminate the Oilers? Why is there all this Avs talk in the Vegas Edmonton thread. Take your cup back to your board and leave this thread to Vegas-Edmonton series talk.

 

[Leonardo87]

Did the Avs just eliminate the Oilers? Why is there all this Avs talk in the Vegas Edmonton thread.

I dunno, but it needs to stop. Derailing the thread discussion.

 

[Three On Zero]

FWIW, I think they spend the regular season hunting scoring records (which their fans enjoy), but then get to the playoffs without having played any consistent hard defense all season and that shows.

This is the biggest issue, you need the guys at the top to buy into a full 200' game

 

[Grantham]

I'm as far from an Oilers fan as you can get. At first I was rooting against them. But when they were the last remaining Canadian team, I started to hope they could win the cup and end the drought.

For those that watched this series (I watched all of it), it seemed like the Oilers were the better of the two teams, especially the last game where I thought Oilers dominated.

What happened? Was it just bad puck luck and bounces? I feel this series is really weird because it should have at least gone to 7. Props to Vegas though, they are a real story. But I thought Edmonton was the best team these playoffs and now they're out.

I hope they don't do anything drastic. Getting Ekholm was the best trade-deadline deal hands down IMO and I wish the Canucks had done that instead. I think Holland doesn't deserve the flak he gets. I think Oilers are on the verge of winning the Cup if they just stick with it.

Am I completely off base here?

 

[not a troll]

Only six more years of Darnell Nurse then maybe the Oilers will make some noise in the playoffs.

 

[Hank Plank]

Eichel in this series 9 points +9
McDavid 10 points, +/- of 0

Tell me again how McDavid plays a 200 foot game.

 

[Cup or Bust]

I'm as far from an Oilers fan as you can get. At first I was rooting against them. But when they were the last remaining Canadian team, I started to hope they could win the cup and end the drought.

For those that watched this series (I watched all of it), it seemed like the Oilers were the better of the two teams, especially the last game where I thought Oilers dominated.

What happened? Was it just bad puck luck and bounces? I feel this series is really weird because it should have at least gone to 7. Props to Vegas though, they are a real story. But I thought Edmonton was the best team these playoffs and now they're out.

I hope they don't do anything drastic. Getting Ekholm was the best trade-deadline deal hands down IMO and I wish the Canucks had done that instead. I think Holland doesn't deserve the flak he gets. I think Oilers are on the verge of winning the Cup if they just stick with it.

Am I completely off base here?

I agree. A lot of people have the sky falling and are bitter towards the coach, GM, or certain players but there were moments they were great in the playoffs and sometimes things do not go your way. Vegas is a strong team and deserved to win the series. I am sure there will be some tweaks to the lineup and they are needed. Even if you are a great team winning the cup is hard and a lot of things have to go right. Hopefully they can make a few moves this summer to improve in some areas and I am sure the players will be even more motivated next season.

 

[PuckG]

I'm as far from an Oilers fan as you can get. At first I was rooting against them. But when they were the last remaining Canadian team, I started to hope they could win the cup and end the drought.

For those that watched this series (I watched all of it), it seemed like the Oilers were the better of the two teams, especially the last game where I thought Oilers dominated.

What happened? Was it just bad puck luck and bounces? I feel this series is really weird because it should have at least gone to 7. Props to Vegas though, they are a real story. But I thought Edmonton was the best team these playoffs and now they're out.

I hope they don't do anything drastic. Getting Ekholm was the best trade-deadline deal hands down IMO and I wish the Canucks had done that instead. I think Holland doesn't deserve the flak he gets. I think Oilers are on the verge of winning the Cup if they just stick with it.

Am I completely off base here?

You’re not off base at all.

Following any notable team getting knocked out, people lead with hyperbole and dumb comments to detract from the discussion. The Oilers were playing good defensive hockey in the second half of the season but unfortunately had significant breakdowns in the playoffs. As we all know, the margins are too narrow in the post-season to allow for that. A learning lesson for sure, but they’re not far off by any means.

Some people here immediately allude to McDrai having to playing defence and put on goalie pads but it’s a completely tone deaf argument when we had no depth scoring from the same players that were a huge reason for the regular season success. The entire team had to improve their defensive play. Those same people criticizing fail to recognize hockey as a team sport where the best players are on the ice for less than half the game. Combined with goaltending mistakes and some serious miscues from our defencemen, Vegas did an excellent job to capitalize.