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

[Draicycle]

We have at least 3 future HOF'ers on our team. 2 top 10 ppg NHL playoff history forwards. One of which is tied for 4th with Mario and the other will probably be top 5 before we're done this year. Oil in 5.

And if we eliminate the guys who played less than 10 games then Leon is tied for 2nd and Connor is 5th. Mackinnon is right behind Connor but about to be blown away.

 

[S E P H]

Agreed, but the fact that Edmonton’s top line have been setting records and one of the guys on Colorado’s top line is featured on milk cartons makes me concerned as an Avs fan.

Agreed, but they have issues as well. Oilers concern is that their star players are putting up unprecedented numbers that haven't been seen since the 1990s, how long will that last?

 

[Avsfan1921]

Until Kadri gets going. 3rd round. He's due for a suspension. That's what scares me: not his play, but him being a dumbass.

Indeed, hopefully he doesn't do something stupid like headbutt the opposition. That would be so on par with his silly dumbass antics.

 

[Bank Shot]

Agreed, but they have issues as well. Oilers concern is that their star players are putting up unprecedented numbers that haven't been seen since the 1990s, how long will that last?

Hopefully until the end of June.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Agreed, but they have issues as well. Oilers concern is that their star players are putting up unprecedented numbers that haven't been seen since the 1990s, how long will that last?

Until Tuesday @ 7pm (5pm Central)

 

[EdAVSfan]

Av's got past their hump and it's sort of a HUGE deal for Kuemper who had to carry big part of the weight. Obviously Av's will carry the favorite pressure against all teams apart of Tampa, but it makes a huge difference that Kuemper doesn't have to carry all of the pressure of getting Leafed on his shoulders.

Only thing the Av's are really missing is an elite shutdown line that would be really useful in this matchup, but I feel like goalie issue already solved itself when they got past the hump and their depth will carry this.

The Avs most assuredly can create an elite shut down line if they choose. They definitely have the players for it.

I’m extremely curious to see what Bednar decides to do. Does he match top lines. Does he create a defensive line for McDavid? Does Edmonton separate Draisaitl and McDavid?

It’ll be interesting to see how each coach decides to make their matchups.

 

[kwichang]

Until Tuesday @ 7pm (5pm Central)

Yea, yea, yea. . . we keep hearing about how awesome Avs D is - we'll find out if Makar, et.al. are overrated as defensive D-men. McDrai have a knack for making people look rather mediocre

 

[AMDZen]

Until Tuesday @ 7pm (5pm Central)

Uhhhh just in case you or someone sees this and tunes in at the wrong time. It's not this. It's 8pm est, 7pm cst, 6pm Mt or 5pm pacific

Just an FYI

 

[Hasbro]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time these two teams met in the playoffs, the Oilers upset a very good Colorado team. Now that was an upset.

Burke's spiteful suspension of Sakic was a nice assist.

 

[The Panther]

Everyone should wear pastels, hair spray and Swatches for this one since it will be a retro 80’s.

I had this poster on my wall in the mid-1980s:

McDavid needs to impersonate this mullet / chain / sleeveless combo for a photo-shoot...

 

[TheNumber4]

We need Stephen A. Smith on this hype

Imagine if the NHL still let teams crosscheck their way to the Cup like last years’ debacle.

 

[TheNumber4]

I can’t chirp a team like the Avs. They got talent up and down that lineup. And real top end talent unlike the Flames. Been saying all year they are the most dominant team in the League.

That being said, the Oilers are winning this series despite what everyone outside of Edmonton thinks. McDavid will not be denied. And we have a secret weapon.

 

[The Panther]

The oilers are volatile. They’re like the crackhead at the gas station. You could probably take them most days, but catch them on the wrong day and you’ll get your ass mauled. They’ve already proven they can string 4 of those maulings together in a 7 game series.

Really no clue what to expect out of this game. I have Avs in 7, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if either team swept.

This is so true. I've never seen a more unpredictable Oilers' team in 36 or more years or watching them...

In any given game, the Oilers can be the best team in the League or the worst -- regardless of the opponent. Same goes for the goaltending. Smith or Koskinen either resemble late-90s' Dominik Hasek or early 80s' John Garrett... sometimes within the same game.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Not really. I think Mike Smith is one of the worst starting goalies in the league.

Dom’s model has Smith at a 3.0 and Kuemper at a 4.2 GSVA. I wouldn’t call the goalies a wash either. Kuemper definitely has the ability to play under his capabilities though. I guess we’ll see how it goes.

Smith has still been way better than that injured sieve

Especially since you like goals saved above average

 

[The Panther]

The Avalanche are the clear favorites in this series, and are the better odds to win.

That said, my concern about the Avalanche would be the St. Louis series. While the Oilers had their trip-up against L.A. and had to recover to win, they got better against Calgary, a better team. By contrast, Colorado had a superior first-round series (against not-great Nashville) as you'd expect, but then got worse against St. Louis. Kuemper's .892 isn't terrible by 2022 standards, but it doesn't inspire confidence either. Also, the Avalanche very nearly needed seven games to shake St. Louis, which was playing its back-up goalie.

I feel like the Oilers are ready. They're well respected, hungry, and peaking (despite lingering injuries to Nurse). The question is: Did the Avalanche just have a stutter-step against St. Louis and now they're back to peak form, or were there real issues with the team? We will soon find out.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Oilers are going to win.

 

[Gordy Elbows]

Let's make a rule : First to score 8 goals automatically gets a win.

So…just cancel the 2nd and 3rd periods???

 

[JoeSakic13]

Uhhhh just in case you or someone sees this and tunes in at the wrong time. It's not this. It's 8pm est, 7pm cst, 6pm Mt or 5pm pacific

Just an FYI

They’re not gonna score in warmups either.

Just an FYI

 

[x Tame Impala]

This will be the last time I doubt McDavid. If he can come out and play like a phenom against the best/second best team in the league there’d be nothing else to critique. Him and Draisaitl just flat out embarrassed the Flames and McDavid willed his team to victory over the Kings.

The statline doesn’t lie and we haven’t seen McDavid produce like this in the playoffs. But the Flames and Kings aren’t the Avalanche. This will be McDavid’s toughest test. The Avs are completely better in every way and I think the Blues were the second best team in the West this year.

My head says Avs in 5, my heart says Oilers in 7. Either way we FINALLY get to see either MacKinnon and the Avs or McDavid and the Oilers in the Finals this year

 

[Avsfan1921]

Yea, yea, yea. . . we keep hearing about how awesome Avs D is - we'll find out if Makar, et.al. are overrated as defensive D-men. McDrai have a knack for making people look rather mediocre

Avs d is great and Mcdrai will still have highlight reel plays, that’s what great players do. The best players on the planet still have mistakes every game, including the Oilers stars.

Makar does not get overrated as a defensive defenceman…… because he isn’t one. He’s a two way defenceman that is usually solid in all three zones. I’m sure your sick of hearing how Mcdavid doesn’t backcheck when he does the majority of the time. We also get sick of hearing how Makar can’t defend because he’s elite offensively.

As for the rest of the d core, they are not so much amazing defensively rather they are usually great at puck retrieval and transition. Individually they will make mistakes, Makar included, but they more often than not retrieve pucks and get them to the forwards very quickly. They are not stalwarts at defending, rather they are stalwarts at minimizing time spent in their end and that is a big difference. If the Oilers get their cycle game going the Avs are completely average at defending.

 

[NoName]

Sorry Edmonton, I am rooting for you to prove me wrong and end Canada's drought, but I just don't see it happening. They made it out of a tissue-soft division with a first-round matchup against a team in a generation shift that was firmly in "just happy to be here" territory in LA and a Calgary team that hasn't been a real contender since 2004. Colorado is a different beast: they are a battle-tested, experienced juggernaut that has talent and depth across the roster. I don't see this one going past 6 games. Colorado and Tampa seem on a collision course for an epic Cup Finals.

 

[snag]

Indeed, hopefully he doesn't do something stupid like headbutt the opposition. That would be so on par with his silly dumbass antics.

Sorry, are you mistaking me some that condones that shit either?

 

[ManofSteel55]

Agreed, but they have issues as well. Oilers concern is that their star players are putting up unprecedented numbers that haven't been seen since the 1990s, how long will that last?

Why do we expect it to stop?

 

[VainGretzky]

Sorry Edmonton, I am rooting for you to prove me wrong and end Canada's drought, but I just don't see it happening. They made it out of a tissue-soft division with a first-round matchup against a team in a generation shift that was firmly in "just happy to be here" territory in LA and a Calgary team that hasn't been a real contender since 2004. Colorado is a different beast: they are a battle-tested, experienced juggernaut that has talent and depth across the roster. I don't see this one going past 6 games. Colorado and Tampa seem on a collision course for an epic Cup Finals.

yada yada yada

 

[S E P H]

Why do we expect it to stop?

The laws of probability dictate that something which is absurd and is breaking numbers/records tend to go back down to averageness. I don't mean McDavid is going back to an average player skill wise, but more normal numbers for star players.

However, you always have to take gambler's fallacy in the probability as well, which means that Oilers stars can also stay at this pace since people are betting against the longevity of 20 points in 10 games level of craziness to continue.