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

[MessierThanThou]

There is one player on our D that is failing to do what our entire game plan and roster was built around — efficient puck moving from our D to avoid forechecking pressure.

Nurse is sullying the entire system. The stats back this up btw. Kulak is such a smooth skating, smart D man. Away from Nurse he is a VERY good player. They can not play together any longer. There’s no way Coffey sends them back out there next game.

I wonder if behind closed doors they’re talking about Nurse coming out. Coffey spent most of his time talking about how damn good Stetcher is in the last interview I saw of him.

Stetcher is no world beater but he knows how to move the puck. It’s jarring watching our D almost always make the right play with the lone exception being Nurse almost always making the wrong play. That is not lost on our coaching staff.

At this point it’s politics and nothing more. If we’re talking accountability only, Nurse is in the press box. It’s demented that we’re in the SCF and forced to trot this fool out there on a regular shift when we have a capable defender waiting in the wings — doing so would also fix our left-right pairings and address the glaring issue on the back end entirely.

Funny how Kulak went from looking elite and like a first-pairing D-man to being "terrible." Wouldn't have anything to do with the partner he's Nursing, would it?

Stecher should win an award for being able to babysit Nurse. It's amazing that Nurse is making like $8.5 million more than him...

 

[Stammertime91]

I love this crocodile analogy. Both of these clubs are apex predators. Well done.

You don't have to be an outsider. We know you despise the Panthers and are cheering for the Oilers.

The McD pass on the Drai goal and preceding play is pure filth. Not only that he beat the best Panthers on the ice doing that. Its the way the Oilers can score that forces the utmost resolve in opponents. Every one of our opponents has failed at the task. In respective series Kings lost theres in game 3, Knights lost their resolve in lol game 1 and Stars blew up in game 2. These are the figurative moments where each team were psyche defeated.

We haven't seen any moment like that in this series. Both team in.

That flick up and bat down to get around Forsling was otherworldly. Was about to lose my mind if Drai cashed in on that. Crazy.

 

[FunkyChicken]

Nurse had more bad breakout passes then good breakout passes last night.
He never took the easy out. It was constantly ignore the easy out and reverse into danger. Or icing, like Ceci level icings. Kulak doesn't look right, but man he's put in a bad situation trying to cope with random Nurse plays.
Stetcher is a bit of a Nurse whisperer, but I'm not sure if it would be better to hope for more whispering or scratch Nurse and send a message.

 

[McShogun99]

Our bottom 6 is getting throttled. Podkolzin alone was on the ice for almost 35% of their quality chances against. Henrique line is awful. McDrai and Kane are playing well for forwards. The rest are invisible at best. Kapanen is getting chances but bleeding more and can’t finish.

Nurse and Kulak are getting shit on top. So we have 2 bad lines and an awful pairing. And our stars can barely overcome that playing the best they have played all year.

I'm hoping for next game they take out Kapanen and Klingberg for Skinner and Stecher and go back to some of the earlier lines. Frederic has been almost useless but he won't be switched because of his physicality. Florida really only plays 3 lines so we need to go with the best possible combinations for our top 3 lines.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I'm hoping for next game they take out Kapanen and Klingberg for Skinner and Stecher and go back to some of the earlier lines. Frederic has been almost useless but he won't be switched because of his physicality. Florida really only plays 3 lines so we need to go with the best possible combinations for our top 3 lines.

Kapanens more physical than Frederic.

 

[frag2]

Spec is such a bitch. Sulk?

 

[guymez]

It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff adjusts to what Florida did to disrupt the Oilers breakouts.
Also...keep playing all 4 lines. In a 7 game series it should make a difference.

 

[MessierThanThou]

It's astonishing that you claim to get paid to watch hockey and constantly getting absurdly wrong

Perhaps this poster meant some sort of slack job, like security, where there's nothing to do all shift but watch hockey?

I know we live in a buddy system world, but surely someone THAT out of their element has to be figured out, right?

Right?

Wait.

Is this person...

Peter Chiarelli?!

 

[CycloneSweep]

It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff adjusts to what Florida did to disrupt the Oilers breakouts.
Also...keep playing all 4 lines. In a 7 game series it should make a difference.

Not really. Our top guys are playing more. Their third line can handle the minutes, ours can’t.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

To be fair, if Skinner lets that in (Kane) he is getting absolutely lynched on this board for it.

no he wouldn’t… that goal was legit

 

[CupofOil]

They are the best Oilers team we will see but we still have some glaringly bad players and holes that are getting exposed now. Nurse is back to being a liability. Skinner isn’t bad but he is clearly the second best goalie and our bottom 6 is back to looking like the collection of 4th liners and tweeners it is.
They can still win but I think the magic of the last 2 series has dwindled.

What are you talking about? This is a series of two great teams clashing that's been as evenly played as it gets. Take a breather

 

[CycloneSweep]

What are you talking about? This is a series of two great teams clashing that's been as evenly played as it gets. Take a breather

I’m talking about the reality that we are back to being top heavy and our depth is back to being pumpkins. It can change but it’s not looking good.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

They are the best Oilers team we will see but we still have some glaringly bad players and holes that are getting exposed now. Nurse is back to being a liability. Skinner isn’t bad but he is clearly the second best goalie and our bottom 6 is back to looking like the collection of 4th liners and tweeners it is.
They can still win but I think the magic of the last 2 series has dwindled.

Haha one loss in double OT and I have to read this non sense.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Haha one loss in double OT and I have to read this non sense.

Is anything I say there wrong?

 

[guymez]

Not really. Our top guys are playing more. Their third line can handle the minutes, ours can’t.

Well...to be fair you are looking at this series through the lens of doom.

This team is actually playing pretty damn good. Some minor adjustments are all thats required.

I will say though that the playoff officiating has been very frustrating to watch but thats just the NHL's way.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Well...to be fair you are looking at this series through the lens of doom.

This team is actually playing pretty damn good. Some minor adjustments are all thats required.

The top guys are playing well. Kapanen had a good game 1. The bottom 6 were awful last night. That’s not even debatable, it’s just true. Same with Nurse and Kulak.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Phenomenal game to see live. The shorthanded goal against was a dagger. Can't give elite competition freebees. Oil need to figure out the long chance second periods which they have slipped on the banana. Yet the Oil resolve has been massive to own the third period's against a team that was undefeated in thirty+ games when leading in games.

Oil were the better team in overtime. Ekholm can't miss the net on that Draisaitl feed. Tailor made scenario for a chaos breakout the other way and game over. Skinner was solid but unfortunately rush chance breakaways he is mediocre. This is consistent with his shootout results. Nurse Kulak pairing struggling with pressure and unforced errors with too many icings.

This is a street fight and the Oil are going toe to toe. Hyman would have been a beast. Massive loss.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Well...to be fair you are looking at this series through the lens of doom.

This team is actually playing pretty damn good. Some minor adjustments are all thats required.

I mean I spent all season shitting on management and Skinner and even I can't fathom being this negative at this point in the series.

 

[CupofOil]

I’m talking about the reality that we are back to being top heavy and our depth is back to being pumpkins. It can change but it’s not looking good.

O...k so I guess that's that, magic over, it was a good season.

As I said before, it's an evenly played series between the two best teams in the league and all I've seen from you as I read over these threads is constant complaining.
Yeah some guys aren't playing well, same can be said for Florida. Great teams tend to make the opposition look bad at times, no reason to panic overanalyze how terrible this guy that guy or the other guy has been, it's going to be a long series between two evenly matched teams and hopefully the Oilers come out of it with a Cup. Try to enjoy the ride a bit instead of talking about how bad things are, just my opinion.

 

[guymez]

The top guys are playing well. Kapanen had a good game 1. The bottom 6 were awful last night. That’s not even debatable, it’s just true. Same with Nurse and Kulak.

I have already said that the team didnt play well in game 2.

The only potential outcome for you seems to be all about impending doom and it sure didnt take much for you to arrive at that place.
I am just trying to suggest that there is no impending doom.
Quite the contrary actually.
They just need some minor adjustments because they are still in a very good position to win what will be a very close series.

 

[CycloneSweep]

O...k so I guess that's that, magic over, it was a good season.

As I said before, it's an evenly played series between the two best teams in the league and all I've seen from you as I read over these threads is constant complaining.
Yeah some guys aren't playing well, same can be said for Florida. Great teams tend to make the opposition look bad at times, no reason to panic overanalyze how terrible this guy that guy or the other guy has been, it's going to be a long series between two evenly matched teams and hopefully the Oilers come out of it with a Cup. Try to enjoy the ride a bit instead of talking about how bad things are, just my opinion.

Fine I’ll give you a few positives.

McDavid and Draisaitl are healthy and playing well. Walman looks good. We have the ability to come back in games.
And, that’s what I got.

 

[CupofOil]

Fine I’ll give you a few positives.

McDavid and Draisaitl are healthy and playing well. Walman looks good. We have the ability to come back in games.
And, that’s what I got.

Right, only 3 guys are playing well. Have a good day

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Is anything I say there wrong?

The magic isn’t gone we’re just playing a better team. Two teams head and shoulders above the others clashing in the finals. It’s why both games have gone to OT.

Depth is gone yet Arvidson, Kapanen, Perry, Kane, Podz etc.. have all already had big moments in 2 games.

Skinner outplayed Bob game 1 and Bob outplayed Skinner last night.

 

[Nunymare]

O...k so I guess that's that, magic over, it was a good season.

As I said before, it's an evenly played series between the two best teams in the league and all I've seen from you as I read over these threads is constant complaining.
Yeah some guys aren't playing well, same can be said for Florida. Great teams tend to make the opposition look bad at times, no reason to panic overanalyze how terrible this guy that guy or the other guy has been, it's going to be a long series between two evenly matched teams and hopefully the Oilers come out of it with a Cup. Try to enjoy the ride a bit instead of talking about how bad things are, just my opinion.

No kidding. It’s the SCF, games are going to be and should be close. Teams don’t make it this far to roll over just because of one 2OT loss. You’d think we’re down 0-2 judging from some of the reactions in here.

 

[guymez]

The magic isn’t gone we’re just playing a better team. Two teams head and shoulders above the others clashing in the finals. It’s why both games have gone to OT.

Depth is gone yet Arvidson, Kapanen, Perry, Kane, Podz etc.. have all already had big moments in 2 games.

Skinner outplayed Bob game 1 and Bob outplayed Skinner last night.

Exactly.
Ebb and flow...back and forth. Thats what happens when 2 titans clash.
Over reacting to the downturns is a massive mistake.

Make the necessary adjustments as we move along. Keep winning the majority of the periods (like they have so far) and they will be in a very good position to win this series.