Post-Game Talk: Welcome to the Skinner Circus

Stoneman89

Registered User
Feb 8, 2008
28,448
23,953
Yeah, you would like to atleast hear a "heads-up" from Skinner there. Ah well.

Definitely not anyone's fault but Reaves - all her had to do was not jump through and target the head. The shoulder was right there but he deliberately avoids it.
Was anyone there that actually saw the play and can verify whether he said anything or not? Because there seems to be lot of baseless criticism of that. Pile on for his shitty play (as his play deserves it), but some people just like to make shit up to feed a narrative.
 

Behind Enemy Lines

Registered User
Feb 19, 2003
16,916
18,728
Vancouver
Very entertaining game. To walk among the true elites, Oil have to eliminate big mistakes and improve ability to lock down leads in the third period.

Bouchard's game has had wobbles all season with defensive zone decisions but also in establishing consistency with his elite offensive zone game. Too many shots blocked, missing the net, and getting caught up ice with turnovers. The PP I think will start to hum again once Bouchard's game stabilizes a bit. Skinner is the other notable with poor decision making getting caught indecisive on the long breakaway goal. He's not giving this team anywhere good enough consistent goaltending or ability to bail this team out of their tendency for big mistakes Oil tilt the ice against opponents but the few quality high danger chances against are usually dooseys.

Oil coaching have talked about their PP being the response to physical penalties/intimidation against. The blatant Reaves cheap shot on Nurse offered up the scenario and the Oilers failed to produce on the five minute PP. A critical turning point in this game

PK looks to getting some kills finally. Emberson with a solid game including a non-available Nurse team high PK ice time of 4:41 toi. Draisaitl is playing great hockey. McDavid starting to heat up.

Big mistakes cost this team And goaltending isn't good enough to give them the stops to mitigate . Take the point and get out of dodge. Hope Nurse is okay Keep grinding to find greater consistency throughout the lineup and still largely in all facets
 

McDrai

Registered User
Mar 29, 2009
24,717
20,075
Reach out to Dubnyk to come on in a goalie coach capacity. Guy had his career rebound under the best in the business.

Wouldn’t it be nice to actually have a goalie coach who has played pro and also understands what it takes to mentally prepare for games as a starting goalie in this league? What a dream that would be.
 

CupofOil

Knob Flavored Coffey
Aug 20, 2009
48,631
45,543
NYC
Bouchard and Skinner both to blame for the choke job.

Bouch could have at least pretended to skate back after the abysmal turnover. Skinner could have at least attempted to move laterally with some effort.

If management pays Bouchard like he’s some two-way specimen, then we are ****ed…
Bouchard was vastly improved defensively last season and playoffs and by "vastly improved" I mean up to average which with his offensive prowess is near top 10 Dman in the league level so a bit of revisionist history here and too many people ready to throw him in the trash after a rough start to the season.

With that said, the pass to nowhere and the complete lack of effort on the backtrack on the go ahead goal are absolutely unacceptable. The coach needs to hold players accountable for the lack of effort especially, just not acceptable at any point in the game nevermind in such a pivotal moment in that case.
 

CupofOil

Knob Flavored Coffey
Aug 20, 2009
48,631
45,543
NYC
Of all goals on Skinner MAYBE the 2nd goal was stoppable...maybe.
Still Bouchard just cant be that stupid with the puck. He wears the goat horns on this night.

On to Montreal.
I'm a Skinner defender generally but that Marner goal in OT from that angle cannot go in on a serious goalie. His positioning was terrible, he didn't even move. I'd argue that the Knies goal was stoppable as well. When your team is giving up virtually nothing the entire game, you need to make at least one tough save to bail them out when the few breakdowns do occur.

You just can't defend a goalie when a team scored on literally half of their high danger chances, that must be really deflating for a team knowing that they can't afford to give up anything without worry of it ending up in the back of the net.
 

foshizzle

Registered User
Feb 1, 2007
5,661
5,095
Lmao now we are blaming Skinner for Nurse’s injury. Skinner is also responsible for inflation too.


You’re taught not to pass up the middle in junior. Anyone defending that play is a moron. Dubnyk won’t throw shade on the Oilers org of course, spineless pansy.
So anyone who doesn’t agree with you is a spineless pansy? Bouchard made a bad pass up the middle. It happens to the best of them. Relax
 
Apr 12, 2010
75,050
34,389
Calgary
So anyone who doesn’t agree with you is a spineless pansy? Bouchard made a bad pass up the middle. It happens to the best of them. Relax
It's a stupid play that most NHL defensemen would never even attempt.

As for Dubnyk, he should know how pitiful the org is at developing goalies. But he's not going to mention that.
 

McTedi

Registered User
Jul 16, 2008
13,223
6,814
Edmonton
Again. Not true. If you're gonna do a play evaluation atleast try to be honest.

Bouchard 100% skated to get back. He pumped the breaks when he saw Ekholm had the closer track.

Obviously ppl see what they want to see based on some of these responses to the play
I was honest in my appraisal of Bouchard, I like the offense he brings but he lacks defensive awareness/effort/skill. Bouchard's effort getting to a puck that was 100% closer to him at one point was laughable. And why exactly was it necessary to pump brakes lol.
 
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bobbythebrain

Registered User
Jul 30, 2016
14,104
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I was honest in my appraisal of Bouchard, I like the offense he brings but he lacks defensive awareness/effort/skill. Bouchard's effort getting to a puck that was 100% closer to him at one point was laughable. And why exactly was it necessary to pump brakes lol.

Not saying it was the right play, but it makes total sense why he let up. He saw Ek was on the guy, so he slowed down to cover the front of the net for a rebound. I fully get the thought process there.

I can 100% guarantee he doesn't stop hustling if Ek wasn't there. He would have lost the race no doubt, but he still would have skated.

He 100% hustled from before center to the blueline, then he stopped
 

McTedi

Registered User
Jul 16, 2008
13,223
6,814
Edmonton
I dunno. Booch and Ekholm had reasonable position on the breakaway that occurred. The reason it resulted in a breakaway is world class speed. Not like they weren't trying to get back, just that somebody that is fast as McD blew their doors off. It wasn't because they weren't trying. Its because Bobby McMann is a freaking rocket.

Bouchard stopped skating once McMann was already gone. The only thing he could've done there is try to haul him down and in that case would be pretty risky as probably only get a bit of McMann who would then conceivably have the breakaway and a penalty shot....

Now consider if this was a penalty shot. Would anybody be defending Skinners approach and form on the breakaway? Goalies are there to make saves. Not to let 3 scoring chances in a row all go in.
Definitely not excusing Skinner on any of those late goals, he needs to have a save there on any of those. The OT goal was seriously weak, just f***ing play the shooter.
 

McTedi

Registered User
Jul 16, 2008
13,223
6,814
Edmonton
Not saying it was the right play, but it makes total sense why he let up. He saw Ek was on the guy, so he slowed down to cover the front of the net for a rebound. I fully get the thought process there.

I can 100% guarantee he doesn't stop hustling if Ek wasn't there. He would have lost the race no doubt, but he still would have skated.

He 100% hustled from before center to the blueline, then he stopped
I question his hustle and his awareness. I don't disagree that he may not have caught him but bad optics considering he wore the goat horns on the goal previous. Just my take man, I want Bouchard to play better and have no disingenuous intent with my comments.
 

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