WCF: Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche ( Avs lead 3-0 )

[Chrysalis99]

This is looking like it’ll be an epic thread. 23 pages and the first game isn’t till Tuesday. LOL

Carry on

 

[Divine]

Who gives a shit about the last two seasons or what your team did against anybody.

It’s the Conference Finals and Oiler fans get to watch their team play the Avs while you spend your waking hours trying to stir the pot on an online hockey forum.

Keep it going though - your really rattling us talking about prior seasons.

Prior seasons? I'm literally talking about this season.

"Any team in the Pacific would crush your team."
"We swept you this season."
"Stop talking about prior seasons!"

 

[Muffin]

Anyways, who was that guy with the Guy Fiere looking giant skull guy in the suite with Sakic last night?

Think that’s the Avs goaltending coach.

 

[redandyellowcametobe]

As an Avs fan it should be a ton of fun. In my opinion a lot rides on how Smith and Kuemper play. They have had their struggles the post season with the latter being worse so far. Smith can steal a series if he’s on.

2019 Smith was the only reason the flames were won game one and then took game two to OT. Once Mack beat him in OT the floodgates opened and the Avs put up four goals in the fist 10mins or so in game three.

Either way, it should be awesome watching Mcdavid and Mack among other the stars. I have to imagine the NHL brass is pumped to have this a WCF

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Dude... Look I'm all for fans having biases for their teams, but lets live on planet earth a little bit here here.

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So you agree that Mike Smith is a much better goalie than Kuemper?

For the record, I do agree with Makar and Toews being much better than Nurse.

 

[LOFIN]

While you are very true, I think Nashville takes 1 game if they had their starting goalie. It's hard to compare that when one of their best players is out the entire series.

While Saros did not play a single game, Ingram had that one Saros-like performance in G2 where he took the Avs to OT. Nashville had no business hanging on in that game but he stood on his head. That was the one game to steal, and the Preds failed to do so.

 

[Killer Orcas]

Gonna be hell of an exciting series and high scoring for sure. Confidence is high as the sky for Oilers right now and if they win game one watch out. Avs are consensus favorite but I'm taking Oilers in 6.

 

[CupInSIX]

I really hope this series lives up to its billing, but it probably won't.

 

[zar]

Great answer, we are lucky to have him as a GM

Honestly, if the Leafs don’t sign Tavares, they are likely still in the playoffs and heavy favorites to win the Cup this year because they would still have those 2 guys. Kadri > Tavares this year and Hyman is a bonus… and their style of play is much more effective in the playoffs.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Oilers in 7. McDavid is willing this team to victory.

 

[AvalancheRy]

Avs carried the play for large stretch against St. Louis, and the scoring was really only mitigated by strong goaltending and solid defensive structure. Can the Oilers do the same? For whatever reason, the Avs bring out the best in opposing goalies, but I'm cautiously optimistic about the Colorado's ability to carry the play and finish on these changes that St. Louis stopped. We'll see though.

 

[OilWagon]

Hope this goes 6-7. Every Oil Avs game in regular season was close, hopefully that carries over.

Avs carried the play for large stretch against St. Louis, and the scoring was really only mitigated by strong goaltending and solid defensive structure. Can the Oilers do the same? For whatever reason, the Avs bring out the best in opposing goalies, but I'm cautiously optimistic about the Colorado's ability to carry the play and finish on these changes that St. Louis stopped. We'll see though.

STL is awful possession team, under Woodcroft the Oilers have been quite good. I'm not sure Avs will carry play to the same extent vs Oilers.

 

[Draicycle]

Byram has played at a top pairing level ever since Girard went down.

That's pretty awesome. Being in the same category as Zarley effin Zalapsky. Plan the parade now.

 

[Nihiliste]

Potential issues for the Avs:

- Kuemper was terrible against the Blues
- Rantanen looking completely out of sorts
- JT Compher as 3C always an issue
- Jack Johnson in for Girard
- Kane continuing to be hot against the Avs
- McDrai continuing to play like Gretzky

Meanwhile the Oilers are on fire. Edmonton in an easy 4. Avs might pack it in early in game 4 to speed up giving Edmonton the honors of being the next team blanked by Vasi

 

[AvsCOL]

That's pretty awesome. Being in the same category as Zarley effin Zalapsky. Plan the parade now.

Wait aren’t you the guy who said the defense of both teams was a wash? Lol

Don’t think your opinion matters anymore, sadly.

 

[GirardSpinorama]

While you are very true, I think Nashville takes 1 game if they had their starting goalie. It's hard to compare that when one of their best players is out the entire series.

Agreed. If doughty was in the LA series, who knows.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Byram has played at a top pairing level ever since Girard went down.

Not taking away from Byrams play, but these obscure records are silly.

Second most points, by a defenseman, under 20 years of age, in a series that didn't go to 7 games.

 

[rec28]

Byram has played at a top pairing level ever since Girard went down.

I get looking for obscure statistics to support an opinion but, “Second most playoff assists in a series of fewer than 7 games by a defenseman age 20 or younger”?

Edit: unexpected simul-post!

 

[redandyellowcametobe]

While Saros did not play a single game, Ingram had that one Saros-like performance in G2 where he took the Avs to OT. Nashville had no business hanging on in that game but he stood on his head. That was the one game to steal, and the Preds failed to do so.

Yeah and who knows how Saros would have played. In the regular season he started off strong early to middle of the year, but the Preds rode him a lot and he wore down the last 1/3rd. He was putting up very average numbers for many weeks before he got hurt.

We all saw a Vezina candidate goalie get lit up just last series.

We saw Kuemper who had top three save % the last 2/3rds of the season (after a rough start) play like crap against St Louis.

We saw Igor get pulled twice against the pens.

We saw Husso who was the blues savior all season and in game 1 against the wild melt come back to earth.

All this to say, we have no clue how any goalie will play series to series. Shit, even Vasy wasn’t playing great against the leafs early before locking it down 6 and 7.

 

[NOTENOUGHJTCGOALS]

Oilers dummy the Aves.

 

[Draicycle]

Wait aren’t you the guy who said the defense of both teams was a wash? Lol

Don’t think your opinion matters anymore, sadly.

Well they are, but Colorado has a definite advantage to the offence that their D can create. Defensively, not much difference. Oilers in 5, no answer for our superheroes.

 

[Muffin]

Not taking away from Byrams play, but these obscure records are silly.

Second most points, by a defenseman, under 20 years of age, in a series that didn't go to 7 games.

Or just look at 5 points in 3 games as a defenseman? That’s already impressive. He’s also behind Makar so he doesn’t get most of the offensive zone starts or PP1.

 

[snag]

lol raise your banner in October

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Along with the "Friendship Tour" in Calgary....

 

[Jumptheshark]

Oilers go as far as the goaltenders carry them

 

[AvsFanInMichigan]

Potential issues for the Avs:

- Kuemper was terrible against the Blues
- Rantanen looking completely out of sorts
- JT Compher as 3C always an issue
- Jack Johnson in for Girard
- Kane continuing to be hot against the Avs
- McDrai continuing to play like Gretzky

Meanwhile the Oilers are on fire. Edmonton in an easy 4. Avs might pack it in early in game 4 to speed up giving Edmonton the honors of being the next team blanked by Vasi

Kuemper had a really bad last two games we will see if he contributes but he wasn’t bad the whole series, Rantanen take is right, JT potted two goals yesterday and Jack Johnson isn’t that good.