Post-Game Talk: Well we knew it would be a slog

[CycloneSweep]

Blaming Skinner for that loss is absolutely insane. That game should have and would have been over 3-4 times before that if it wasn’t for Skinner. So many awful giveaways in OT 1 and 2. We were incredibly lucky to even get into OT and blaming Skinner is insane.
Same with blaming the refs. If you include that shorty we were 0/6 on the PP last night. This is the cup finals refs just don’t call shit past the second period.

The team lost because they couldn’t stop giving up breakaways and our bottom 6 is full of guys with no offensive ability or hell both games this series you could argue they don’t have much defensive ability either.

Knoblauch going back to McDrai quick and leaving Nuge has our 2c just inhibits the team. Floridas3rd line is much better than a second line run by Nuge which gives Florida a strong advantage. If knob does that when Florida gets last change we won’t stand a chance in either game.

Bring Klingberg and Frederic out. Put in Skinner and Stetcher

Kane - McDavid - Perry
Skinner - Draisaitl - Kapanen
Podkolzin- Nuge - Arvidsson
Janmark - Henrique - Brown

 

[BobbytheBrain]

Oilers got outplayed pretty significantly for stretches. I'd give the overall grade to Fla that game.

Game went to double OT and Skinner made about 5 saves that they should have responded to.

Yet some ppl are back to shitting on him.

Pathetic

 

[9GWG9]

Nothing wrong with do what it takes to win but Bennett is going to far. Today’s was far more obvious, what a prick.

Anyhow, I think the League management is the difference. That’s where Florida is making hay.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I can't believe people still want Frederic out after tonight lol. That was the best game he's played for us and the coach skated him with McDrai because of it. When Florida was winning all the the battles, he was getting pucks out and tipping pucks in.

It was his best game he played for us and he still at best looked like an underwhelming 4th liner. He brings absolutely nothing in the offensive zone. You see him get a puck in a scoring spot and his brain goes “I’ve never seen hockey before? What do I do?” We don’t need one dimensional forwards that do less than one thing well.

 

[CycloneSweep]

This team needs a loss now and then to wake the f*** up. Skinner has also responded to his last 2 losses with shutouts so hopefully that continues. No reason we can't win both in Florida.

Lots of reasons we can’t take both in Florida. Florida gave us a ton of problems with their top guys being invisible in both games and us having last change so Knoblauch got the exact matchups he wanted. Flip that and Maurice getting what he wants it’s going to be a huge struggle. Zero chance we win both and a slim we get a split.

Our special teams were -1 last night. And we had 6 PPs and a 5 on 3. Our special teams are getting crushed like they have all playoffs and Florida can handle our 5v5 game for the most part.

It’s a best of 5 series now and Florida has the home ice advantage.

 

[MoontoScott]

I'm alright with what happened last night.

Its certainly no disgrace to lose to the champions in double overtime.

I still have a lot of faith in the team. I think they will split in Miami but if they don't then there's a simple way to look at it. Championship teams overcome any type of adversity. If they don't then they don't deserve to wear any Stanley Cup rings. As for the goaltending, Bobo is in the top 5 on the planet when he is on. Stu isn't the same caliber but the Oilers simply have to live with that reality.

Oilers will lock it down on Monday night and win the game.

 

[booyakasha]

The Oilers get to hoist the cup on home ice now.
Saturday, June 14, 2025 is going to be a banger

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Might be time for some lineup changes. Frederic has missed so many grade A's and isn't super physical. I'm also not liking Nurse and Kulak together.

Nurse and Kulak are dog shit together. I calkled this games ago. I'd rather have stetcher in for one of them

 

[Arty Spooners Bsmnt]

The Oilers have got to get their power play on track. It's a tire fire right now. Florida is a dirty, cheating team. If you can't be more effective on your power play they know that eventually the refs will stop making calls (like the blatant too many men, the interference on Bouchard before his penalties) in order to keep the calls close to even.

 

[CycloneSweep]

The Oilers get to hoist the cup on home ice now.
Saturday, June 14, 2025 is going to be a banger

Lol

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

As good as he played, Bouchard was responsible for two mental lapses that led to Florida goals - 1) Him not moving Tkachuk out in front of Skinner’s view and his crosscheck that led to a penalty.

This was the difference maker in the game.

Add in at the end of the game he should of pinched or backed up. Instead he hesitates and then does an ineffective pinch.

Bouchard has been great these playoffs, but that is two rougher games for him.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Just saw the replay where it shows how the puck went through Skinner on the GWG. Marchand's last second backhand swipe at the puck slides down the bottom of Skinner's blade and lifts his stick off the ice, which allows the puck to slide under it.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Really missed Hyman tonight. Lack of offensive depth. Time for Jeff Skinner.

I'm not a Jeff Skinner fan, but Brown and Skinner work together just like Pods and Arvy.

Scratch Frederic and put Skinner in.

 

[Anemia]

Anyone else hoping the 4 officials from last night learn what too many men is? Or GI? Refereeing ruining more playoff games. Penalties constantly missed against the other team. How much revenue does Edmonton make for the league compared to Florida? I'll never understand the league bias.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

The Refs though. I know it sounds like loser talk to blame the refs but how do you swallow the whistle on a too many men on the ice play.

Because we won the game 1 in overtime on the PP and they did not want it to happen again...

It's the NHL.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

I'd love to see us sit Nurse and bring in Stecher. Not going to happen because of his salary and that A, which is also one reason why we didn't win last year. He's allergic to puck possession and constantly ices the puck or makes weak shot attempts that are glorified giveaways. That said...Ekholm-Bouchard were on the ice for two goals against, so maybe it's time to reunite Kulak-Bouchard and see if Ekholm can babysit Darnell?

Nurse played WAY better than Kulak bud.

 

[oilers4life5]

I am so tired of the NHL officiating influencing/managing the game . I seen online someone said it has brought into question the integrity of the game and I could not agree more.

Disclaimer for the slow kids. Oilers playing poorly and goalies and specials teams or whatever can also be true, while the refs also being incompetent. These things are not mutually exclusive.

The officials just completely changing the standard of what is a penalty moment to moment in a game is infuriating. Ignoring obvious missed calls that led to multiple goals against is inexcusable.

I just want one game where the refs are not trying to make themselves the show. It was bad in game one but got even worse in game two. It’s extremely hard to beat a good team and the officials. We got lucky in game one to do it and almost in game two.

I am beyond frustrated and I can’t believe people in the NHL accept this level of officiating.

 

[Whoshattenkirkshoes]

Am I wrong? From an outside perspective those are the plays the media focuses on, not how amazing he has been these playoffs.

You are not wrong but Bouchard has immunity so we can't talk about his horrendous bone head blunders

 

[brentashton]

Friedman on his 32 Thoughts pod today says that Trent Frederic and the Oilers are closing in on a new contract for next season. Interesting.

 

[Heavy Dee]

Well, if my memory is not failing me, this team has been pretty lackluster in the first two games of the previous 3 rounds, specifically on the defensive side, killing themselves or nearly so with defensive gaffes. By game 3 they locked it down defensively in each series, hopefully that trend continues.

Knob needs 2-3 games to crack the code.

 

[foshizzle]

Lots of reasons we can’t take both in Florida. Florida gave us a ton of problems with their top guys being invisible in both games and us having last change so Knoblauch got the exact matchups he wanted. Flip that and Maurice getting what he wants it’s going to be a huge struggle. Zero chance we win both and a slim we get a split.

Our special teams were -1 last night. And we had 6 PPs and a 5 on 3. Our special teams are getting crushed like they have all playoffs and Florida can handle our 5v5 game for the most part.

It’s a best of 5 series now and Florida has the home ice advantage.

I’m going to counter your doomsday take.

Knob usually takes about 2 games to figure crap out. Bob, has no played 9 periods and is starting to tire. The panel discussed this last game- he was sweating buckets. Ekblad was also making bad plays and starting to tire. The Panthers threw everything at the Oilers tonight. This was their best game. They still couldn’t hang on to a lead and won on a peak goal by Marchand.

What I see for next game is the Oilers puck management be a lot better (they were horrid). Their D-zone coverage to improve (again, horrid). The Kane-Drai-Kap line has zero chemistry.

Panthers haven’t seen the Oilers best game yet.

 

[foshizzle]

Nurse and Kulak are dog shit together. I calkled this games ago. I'd rather have stetcher in for one of them

A team that forechecks like Florida does- you can’t have lefty-lefty on defence.

 

[foshizzle]

Friedman on his 32 Thoughts pod today says that Trent Frederic and the Oilers are closing in on a new contract for next season. Interesting.

Stauffer has been hinting at this for a week

 

[Pip]

Two very close games decided in overtime. I’d say Edmonton was the better team in game 1 and Florida in game 2 so the results ended as they probably should have.

The big thing is that home ice is not as big of a deal in this series. Florida has been awesome on the road and mediocre at home.

In terms of lineup changes I think the glaring issue is the backend. It’s very clear to me that Kulak playing his offside with Nurse is not working and was arguably worse in game 1. I think sitting Klingberg for Stecher and moving Kulak to play with Walman is likely the play (with Walman on the right). Even then it’s not ideal but I just don’t see them sitting a lefty to make things equal.

Up front I have been very critical of Frederic but thought he had a decent game. Brown on the other hand looks rough and I’m not sure he’s even operating at 80%. Maybe the extra day helps.

I still think Jeff Skinner could be a factor in this series and they should give him a shot before we reach elimination game territory. He was very good in his game against Dallas and I think he would be capitalizing on some of these chances the bottom 6 are flubbing.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Not overly impressed with the Oil at evens and wouldn't mind a re-jig of the lines.
Skinner's a tempting insert, but I'd give the current group one more shot.

Kane-McDavid-RV
RNH-Drai-Perry
Janmark-Henrique-Brown
Fred-Kapanen-Podz

.... Or if you don't like Kapanen at centre (even if he has two defensively responsible wingers)

Podz-Henrique-Kapanen
Fred-Janmark-Brown


Try and make sure their 3 slowest skaters (Fred, Henrique, and Perry) are all with 2 speedier guys. I'd also like the top 6 to focus on guys that can make good offensive reads under pressure, plus it's easy to swap RNH and McDavid when you want to go the nuclear option.