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

[Ghetty Green]

Between Brossoit and Hill, it looks like central Vancouver Island is the new goaltending hub for Canada, like Quebec used to be in the 90s.

All my north Islanders stand up! (North of Nanaimo)

 

[nturn06]

Yeah I don't see this core getting it done. Too much reliance on the backs of McDrai, and just like last year, they got burned out. At least Draisatl did.

Hyman, RNH, Kane were all disappointing. Nurse is what he is. Bouchard is an absolute offensive weapon but he's in line for a big raise.

Both goalies need to be fired into the sun. I bet there are probably 15 guys in the AHL that deserve a spot over these two

I think that the Oilers biggest issue was that Kane+Yamamoto+Foegele combined for 12 points in 12 games. That's 11 mils and 2 top 6 players.

I think this was the last Oilers game by Yamamoto, and probably Foegele.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Has he failed, or have his "bosses" failed him ?

While I agree he shouldn't be mentioned as an all time great at this point, it’s not all on him either. He should do his part and try to improve defensively, the Oiler's team defense isn't doing them any favors.

He needs to sit down management and tell them to get a goalie and another top-3 D.

Look at the team Crosby and Malkin won with in 2009. Look at the 2006 Canes. 2019 Blues. McDavid and Draisaitl care about points, not having their team ready to win and give their all.

 

[22Brad Park]

Never wanted Cassidy fired in Boston that man knows how to lock things down so not surprised he did it to Oilers

 

[HanSolo]

The original misfits of Vegas, Smith, Marchessault and Karlsson scored every goal in game 6.

Some VGK inaugural team evangelists are probably hitting nirvana finding this out.

 

[dukedukowski]

 

[The Duck Knight]

Knights are now 38-1 this year when scoring 4+ goals. Defense wins.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Bad goaltending and a good performance by an absolute nobody goalie (for VGK).

Try again next year I guess

Not a good look to pay a goalie a whole bunch to shovel him off for a goalie playing awful.

 

[HabzSauce]

What a terrible corner that Woodcroft has put them in with his goaltending decisions. I know I said it in the GDT, but I will expand on it here. How in the hell does Campbell continue with this team? Woodcroft CLEARLY showed Skinner is his #1 going forward. I get that Campbell was pretty bad most of the year, but he was much better down the stretch. He also had a SV% of over .950 and a GAA just over 1 when he did get to play in the playoffs. How the hell can he be the guy for every game, yet be relegated to backup to Campbell next year and beyond?

The only thing I can think of is that there is already some kind of agreement of a Erik Karlsson trade to Edmonton for a package including Campbell, and they are just going to run with Skinner as their #1 going forward period. Even THEN there is no excuse for the decisions made by Woodcroft. You go with the goalie that gives you the best chance to win. Skinner was that guy a lot of the year, but not in the playoffs.

Easy to say in hindsight.



Skinner is the better goalie as of today. Which isn't saying much because Campbell is brutal.

But I would have likely done the same. I have zero trust that Campbell can win me a series where as Skinner I have just an ounce more trust.



That signing was a mistake and I'm sure the Oilers have realized it as
well.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

At least Gary is happy, that's the important thing.

 

[Mike C]

What does this mean?

Means maybe Nichushkin comes back after his foray into the dark

 

[The Grim Reaper]

Gretzky couldn't propel teams on his own to a cup, why do you expect McDavid to?

Because Gretzky never had a Draisaitl after he left.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Wasn't rooting for either team. Wanted both to win for different reasons.

Watching the Oilers now countless years in the playoffs. Their D is a smidge better, personnel wise. Ekholm was exactly what they needed. They need another two-way defender. I'm not sure Woodcroft is the coach to get them over the hump. That's beyond personnel. Oh, and they need stable goaltending. They rode the highs and lows of Smith last year, and Skinner just wasn't good enough. They need a reliable goalie, at the very least. I wouldn't be worried about them scoring, they need to keep the puck out of their net. That's playoff hockey.

As for VGK, I've been rooting for them to avenge their SCF loss in 2018. I liked their narrative, still kinda do. They've bought the rest of their talent, so that undermines the whole expansion, underdog, 'misfits' thing. I'm rooting for them though. I am not confident in their goaltending; they have enough D to get by and can lock it down when they need to. They'd be my pick for the SC if they had better goaltending.

Good team but I think Carolina destroys them. Just as balanced but more talented.

 

[Dust]

Then you have a 9M garbage defensemen in Nurse along with shitty D and average goaltending. A team that 5 vs 5 is weak and if they get no power plays they are done.

Oh look at that, they're actually 5th in 5v5 goals scored. Who knew?

 

[nturn06]

Look at the team Crosby and Malkin won with in 2009. Look at the 2006 Canes. 2019 Blues. McDavid and Draisaitl care about points, not having their team ready to win and give their all.

Are you saying that the 2009 Pens and the 2006 Canes had .850% goaltending?

 

[Mikey71]

Easy to say in hindsight.



Skinner is the better goalie as of today. Which isn't saying much because Campbell is brutal.

But I would have likely done the same. I have zero trust that Campbell can win me a series where as Skinner I have just an ounce more trust.



That signing was a mistake and I'm sure the Oilers have realized it as
well.

Hindsight? It has been said all series and a LOT of the LA one too.

 

[hangman005]

The original misfits of Vegas, Smith, Marchessault and Karlsson scored every goal in game 6.

For Vegas, McDavid and Foegele also scored....

Also just a random thought, when was the last time a team bookended a playoff missing season with at least Conference Finals in both the season before and after.

 

[Cup or Bust]

The Oilers need another reliable top 6 forward. Goaltending still not good enough. Another d-man probably as well. Desharnais shouldn't be an every game d-man. Still need some tweaks.

 

[syz]

Yeah I don't see this core getting it done. Too much reliance on the backs of McDrai, and just like last year, they got burned out. At least Draisatl did.

Hyman, RNH, Kane were all disappointing. Nurse is what he is. Bouchard is an absolute offensive weapon but he's in line for a big raise.

Both goalies need to be fired into the sun. I bet there are probably 15 guys in the AHL that deserve a spot over these two

Hyman and Kane are injured and I'll be curious to see what condition they come back in next season. I'm surprised Kane played at all after his wrist injury; hasn't been able to shoot the puck since and if that doesn't heal back up the Oilers are basically stuck with Lucic 2. Hyman's at that stage of his career where these things could start adding up as well.

 

[Mike C]

What does this mean?

Means maybe Nichushkin comes back after his foray into the dark

 

[GreeningOil]

I think that the Oilers biggest issue was that Kane+Yamamoto+Foegele combined for 12 points in 12 games. That's 11 mils and 2 top 6 players.

I think this was the last Oilers game by Yamamoto, and probably Foegele.

Foegle was actually very good. Yamamoto sucked.

Some serious changes 5on5 need to happen

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Oilers need to f***ing fire Dustin Schwartz already.

This is the root of the tendy problem.

 

[Intangibos]

Have a good night!

 

[StevenF1919]

Oh look at that, they're actually 5th in 5v5 goals scored. Who knew?

Now do their 5v5 goals against.

 

[ijuka]

Easy to say in hindsight.



Skinner is the better goalie as of today. Which isn't saying much because Campbell is brutal.

But I would have likely done the same. I have zero trust that Campbell can win me a series where as Skinner I have just an ounce more trust.



That signing was a mistake and I'm sure the Oilers have realized it as
well.

Yeah, "easy to say in hindsight" UNLESS it was already being said by certain people BEFORE it became hindsight. In that case, it's foresight. Not hindsight.

Compare Oilers' treatment of goaltending in the playoffs to Panters'. Bob sucked in the regular season, Campbell sucked in the regular season. However, when Lyon started plaing poorly for Florida, Maurice immediately reacted and started playing Bob instead. Bob then carried Panthers to the conference finals on his back.

Oilers were in a similar situation. Campbell sucked all playoffs, however in playoffs Skinner started playing poorly. They just stuck with Skinner instead of switching to Campbell, Skinner continued sucking, and they got eliminated.

Is it possible that Campbell would have started sucking if they had started using him a lot more? Of course that's possible, but it's also possible he wouldn't have. In the little time he had in the playoffs, he was strong. Instead, they decided to trust on the guy who sucked, and shockingly enough, he kept sucking until he sucked the team into getting eliminated.