WCF | GM1 | Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars | 7:30PM CT | TNT

[PULSATING]

The bolded is every year though? Edmonton almost always wins the battle in top end forwards, hasn't stopped them from getting bounced by more well rounded teams.

Regarding special teams you are not wrong, but matchups impact that a lot. Colorado and Vegas (both teams that bounced the Oilers the last two years) have lethal rosters especially Colorado who had both a good PP/PK this season and was the highest scoring team in the league. Kings and Canucks don't have the same level of firepower or as well-rounded rosters. Stars themselves have a good PP.

As for the last paragraph that's just false. Bouchard has been excellent but I take Dallas defense over Edmonton's all day, and the forward lines 1-4 are better balanced than Edmonton's as well, though Hintz is missing game 1 which is an advantage for Edmonton. Silovs alone almost stole the series for the Canucks, and Oettinger is on another level.

Good thing stars are more pointed than round then. Check the logos.

 

[Bobieque]

Super excited to finally have a decent game time start. Nothing like a long day at work with puck drop being at "8:50 PM local time"

Looking forward to the generic-post game 1 analysis posts tomorrow:

"We always stink in Game 1"

"Our best players were not our best players"

"Goalie shit the bed"

"That was unexpected"

"That was totally expected"

"Everyone ragged on me for my opinion! But you all know I predicted this! Where are the doubters now!"

"I played to quite a high level of Hockey and I was always taught not to do what he did...absolute embarrassment"

"You could tell during that camera view on the bench he has a lower body injury. It's all over his face"

"I AM NOT negative. I'm a realist...much more of a pure fan"

Notice I did not say Oiler or Star posters...

Can't Wait!!

 

[HighLifeMan]

This idea that Dallas is significantly better or deeper than the Canucks on D or in depth is a bunch of poppycock.

Dallas had 8 50 + point forwards and then called up Stankoven who's a certified stud. Vancouver had 3. Edmonton had 4.

Dallas is an absolute nightmare to line match against up front.

I do agree that there defense is slightly overrated, but the Tanev acquisition was monstrous.

 

[Coffey]

"I AM NOT negative. I'm a realist...much more of a pure fan"

That's me for sure.

 

[Coffey]

You must be confusing Edmonton with Calgary.

I think a lot of people outside of Alberta don't realize that Edmonton is the liberal hipster city and Calgary is the conservative lasso town.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

The Oilers are going to need their best game every night.

You can take nights off and still win a series against a trash team like the Canucks but you can’t do that against a team like Dallas.

 

[bucks_oil]

Regarding special teams you are not wrong, but matchups impact that a lot. Colorado and Vegas (both teams that bounced the Oilers the last two years) have lethal rosters especially Colorado who had both a good PP/PK this season and was the highest scoring team in the league. Kings and Canucks don't have the same level of firepower or as well-rounded rosters. Stars themselves have a good PP.

Regular Season Goals For: Colorado 1st, Vancouver 6th, Vegas 13th, LA 17th.
Powerplay: Colorado 5th, Vancouver 11th, LA 12th, Vegas 20th.

There is no arguing that matchups matter, but they cannot account for the discrepancy in Dallas vs Edmonton's special team differential on their own. Vancouver was also one of the best offensive teams in the league... we know Edmonton didn't do it on goaltending, that's for sure... so how did we control their PP and 5v5 offense? PK and 5v5 shot suppression of Edmonton deserve some significant credit.

 

[winnipegger]

Narratives are about to get blown up, 6 - 0 Edmonton with Foegle hat trick.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Regular Season Goals For: Colorado 1st, Vancouver 6th, Vegas 13th, LA 17th.
Powerplay: Colorado 5th, Vancouver 11th, LA 12th, Vegas 20th.

There is no arguing that matchups matter, but they cannot account for the discrepancy in Dallas vs Edmonton's special team differential on their own. Vancouver was also one of the best offensive teams in the league... we know Edmonton didn't do it on goaltending, that's for sure... so how did we control their PP and 5v5 offense? PK and 5v5 shot suppression of Edmonton deserve some significant credit.

There's also the argument that 2021-22 Colorado probably sweeps 2023-24 Colorado and Vegas wasn't the same terror. No disrespect to Dallas who are a heck of a team but yeah.

 

[Coffey]

I'm not talking shit because I don't want to have receipts tee hee

 

[CornKicker]

Narratives are about to get blown up, 6 - 0 Edmonton with Foegle hat trick.

i was with you until the last part....

limiting foegle to 3 only is hater talk hes a 5 goal guy

 

[HighLifeMan]

Regular Season Goals For: Colorado 1st, Vancouver 6th, Vegas 13th, LA 17th.
Powerplay: Colorado 5th, Vancouver 11th, LA 12th, Vegas 20th.

There is no arguing that matchups matter, but they cannot account for the discrepancy in Dallas vs Edmonton's special team differential on their own. Vancouver was also one of the best offensive teams in the league... we know Edmonton didn't do it on goaltending, that's for sure... so how did we control their PP and 5v5 offense? PK and 5v5 shot suppression of Edmonton deserve some significant credit.

From game 41 onwards Vancouver ranked 26th in goals for, and 16th in PP goals. Dallas ranked 3rd, and 7th respectively.

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

I was only addressing the idiotic claim that the Canucks were no better than the Kings. If that was the case then the Oilers have really fallen off since round 1.

Difference between Canucks and Kings was Canucks had their goalie stand on his head. Kings played a much tougher game

 

[1specter]

Regular Season Goals For: Colorado 1st, Vancouver 6th, Vegas 13th, LA 17th.
Powerplay: Colorado 5th, Vancouver 11th, LA 12th, Vegas 20th.

There is no arguing that matchups matter, but they cannot account for the discrepancy in Dallas vs Edmonton's special team differential on their own. Vancouver was also one of the best offensive teams in the league... we know Edmonton didn't do it on goaltending, that's for sure... so how did we control their PP and 5v5 offense? PK and 5v5 shot suppression of Edmonton deserve some significant credit.

Dallas' PK has to be much better but their PP has been good. Regarding limiting Vancouver's offense, they were middle of the pack to bottom tier in pretty much all shot and scoring chance generating metrics in the regular season, and led the league in PDO + shooting %. Almost everyone had a career year, they likely don't do this again. Nashville as well limited their shots, a couple of the games the Canucks couldn't even muster 20 shots on goal. Even with that the Oilers-Nucks series still came down to one goal. Edmonton's PK has been great and they've controlled play so far but I think Dallas is simply a much bigger step above the last two opponents and have a style that is conducive to playoff success.

 

[TheOrangeDesk]

1-13 baby! 2-14 after tonight!

Math is hard for some people

 

[Dr Pepper]

Math is hard for some people

Well....he's not wrong, technically.

1-13 is the combined record, so regardless of who wins tonight it'll be 2-14 afterwards.

 

[Coffey]

"I'm shipping your ass out in the offseason for that giveaway and letting that hobbit score"

"Nice knowing you, loser"

This series is make or break for McLeod.

 

[sepHF]

View attachment 874895

"I'm shipping your ass out in the offseason for that giveaway and letting that hobbit score"

View attachment 874896

"Nice knowing you, loser"

This series is make or break for McLeod.

what is that from? Oilers +?

 

[Anemia]

People in Edmonton are sweating bullets after Hrudey commented on the local radio station that fans should be prepared to see Pickard more than once this series...

Thank god it doesn't affect us Oil fans living in another city.

 

[PuckG]

If (relax, I know it’ll be tough to get the W) the Oilers win this game, Stars fans need to be prepared for the team to be called frauds/paper tigers and everything else under the moon. It’s the natural course of playing the Oilers.

Your history of crushing the Knights and Avs will become mute and you immediately become a poverty franchise.

 

[TheNumber4]

Albertans are better at rodeo too

 

[Gordy Elbows]

Narratives are about to get blown up, 6 - 0 Edmonton with Foegle hat trick.

You’ve watched hockey before, right?

 

[NotASheep]

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

 

[Coffey]

If (relax, I know it’ll be tough to get the W) the Oilers win this game, Stars fans need to be prepared for the team to be called frauds/paper tigers and everything else under the moon. It’s the natural course of playing the Oilers.

Your history of crushing the Knights and Avs will become mute and you immediately become a poverty franchise.

This is truth.

But I won't be saying it, because I'm not a weirdo!

 

[robertocarlos]

Dallas should win this in 6 but maybe the Oilers will make it a game 7 battle.