Wednesday in Edmonton began RocknRolla and ended with the usual online outrage from Oilers fans. I’ve reached the conclusion (mentioned this on the Lowdown yesterday) Oilers fans are morphing from “when is the draft lottery?” to “why did I pick these losers to win this series?” and will eventually settle down to “that happened” after an early loss in a long series. The time away from the postseason has given Oilers fans an itchy trigger temper. In Edmonton, it’s easy to be stricken by the fury. Let’s try again shall we?
THE ATHLETIC!
I’m proud to be writing for The Athletic, and pleased to be part of a great team with Daniel Nugent-Bowman and Jonathan Willis. Here’s the latest!
- New Lowetide: The seeds of Oilers’ 2015 orientation camp forms heart of current team
- New DNB: ‘We need to bear down’: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl can’t carry the Oilers, going scoreless in Game 1 loss
- New Jonathan Willis: Jesse Puljujarvi scores, Leon Draisaitl thrives and Edmonton falls in Game 1 vs. the Jets
- New DNB: Darnell Nurse is on ‘another level’
- Lowetide: Jesse Puljujarvi has arrived for the Oilers — again
- Jonathan Willis: What the Oilers need to do to beat the Jets
- Lowetide: Oilers final 2020-21 report card: A regular season to remember
- New DNB: ‘The biggest transformation I’ve ever seen in an elite player’: How Connor McDavid took the next step
- New DNB: Are the Oilers botching Evan Bouchard’s development?
- New DNB: What Leon Draisaitl learned in Bakersfield
- Lowetide: Adam Larsson contract talks give us a glimpse into Oilers’ offseason plans
- Lowetide: Ideal Edmonton Oilers lines and pairings for the 2021 NHL playoffs
- Jonathan Willis:Oilers’ Mike Smith is putting himself in the all-time old-guy goalie conversation with a stunning season at 38
- DNB:What are the Oilers’ pressing questions ahead of the Seattle Kraken expansion draft?
- DNB: A 2nd Hart Trophy is firmly in Connor McDavid’s grasp
- Lowetide: An early look at ideal Oilers’ free-agent targets for the offseason
SAIL ON, RED DEER REBEL?
Wayne Gretzky recorded his final point as an Edmonton Oiler in the second period of the final game of the 1988 playoffs. It was May 25, Wayne Gretzky 12 (Esa Tikkanen, Steve Smith) 9:44 PPG GWG. 99 would win the Conn Smythe, same evening.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is a famous Oilers player, he ranks No. 10 in franchise goals and points all-time. A moment of team history may occur in the coming days, it’s possible he is skating in his final games for Edmonton, scoring his final goals and points. Tonight will be just his nineteenth playoff game. It would be a shame to endure all those hard times without staying around for the good ones. I hope he stays.
STAN WEIR
Stan Weir was born in a log cabin that he built with his bare hands. Stan Weir can lick his elbow. Stan Weir puts the fun in funeral. Big Foot takes pictures of Stan Weir. Stan Weir once played 18 holes of golf using a 12 inch strip of rebar and a sun dried tomato. He shot a 54. Stan Weir can kill two stones with one bird. Cars look both ways before Stan Weir crosses the street. Stan Weir will bring us winning, riches untold and women who are terrible judges of character. Ladies and gentlemen, Stan Weir!
SUMMER 2021
These playoffs, and all of the playoffs that have gone before, do a brilliant job of exposing weakness. Even Stanley Cup winners need fixing over the summer; the glory Oilers tweaked every year.
Ken Holland will enter summer with a pile of money. Here’s the roster with no RFA’s or UFA’s signed. Holland has $23.6 million to fill seven spots. Assuming no buyouts, what does this roster need?
I’m going to ignore the rumours that Adam Larsson and Mike Smith are coming back, and pretend Holland hasn’t decided on Nuge either. RFA’s Kailer Yamamoto, Dominik Kahun, Jujhar Khaira and Tyler Benson are options to be decided on, the decisions are wide open. Oilers haven’t protected Klefbom but Seattle is going to take William Lagesson in this exercise.
What is your needs list, in order? Mine is:
- Big time scoring left-winger, top end. Assuming Landeskog and Hall sign before free agency, then Tatar, Hyman, Coleman. I like Brandon Saad, too.
- Nuge or replacement Nuge. Options include Nuge, Alex Wennberg, Mikael Granlund.
- RH top four D. Adam Larsson is my choice if Dougie Hamilton won’t return calls. You?
- Starting goalie. I like Chris Driedger and Linus Ullmark, it’s going to be Mike Smith.
- Skill right winger. Kailer Yamamoto. He’s good and can thrive in the top six F. Agree?
- 3-4 center. Jujhar Khaira is the incumbent, can’t hurt to shop a little (Tomas Nosek?)
- Second left winger, less expensive (Michael Bunting ideal) who could push for playing time and strengthen the depth chart with Holloway, Benson et al.
Holland would have $2.2 million left. If he bought out Neal or Koskinen, Edmonton could do some more work on the bottom two lines. As it is, left wing on the roster above has been improved, McLeod has shown some ability as a No. 3 center and Holland can tweak right wing in the summer of 2022.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, TSN1260. We’ll preview tonight’s Game 2 between the Jets and Oilers, Steve Lansky from Inside the Truck podcast will walk us through what the television production crew was faced with in real time. Matt Iwanyk will talk about what it’s like to be in Rogers for these playoff games, we’ll also talk Corey Conners, who is leading the PGA tournament. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!
Since MacT left the bench this team is like a wet paper bag with a lead. Utterly fragile and pathetic. They just don’t check, they just don’t win.
What a bunch of losers.
The other thing the Jets are doing very well in the defensive zone is spreading out their coverage. In the modern game, teams are taught to collapse hard to the net and “give up” ice behind the net and on the half-wall. McDavid and Drai especially love to rim it from one side to the other causing the defence to have to collapse and expand. Eventually they can slide a puck to the bumper person or the defence or extend the shift past a minute and get Connor wheeling the zone. There’s been none of that because, to my eye, the Jets are “staying home” on those two players even if they are in seemingly non-threatening place on the ice.
The counter probably is Connor to quickly spin off the pressure and attack (which I’ve see a couple times) or Leon to make a cheeky pass to close support right behind his defender (which I haven’t seen). Get inside…same as it ever was.
Zsolt Munoz
@OilFanInYYC
·
1m
The two things that the Oilers should be doing this off season is hiring Jeff Gorton and Gerard Gallant. Anything less is going to end the same way it has for the past 15 seasons.
More truth.
Who is Zsolt and is there a reason why his opinion should carry any more weight than any other Oilers fan?
He is a random person. Its a random tweet. Its a narrative.
I feel summer creepin in and I’m tired of this team again
As a lions fan it was great to see a New mgmt that gets it!
Dan Campbell: “We look for great football players who can (strong baseline), Not Athletes who “Might be able to” (high poor play volume)
A large win affect I identified in NFL:
You win 80+% of the time if Your the only team with a high volume Touch succes% RB or Tandem.
(Driven by 93+% touch (Carry/catch) low -ve or failed play outcomes RB)
Repetative 3 plays of 3.4+ yds success is important.
None or Both passing becomes a primary driver.
their were 20 RB top 15 yds & TD most in the 90+% range.
80+% are found in the first 75 picks of drafts yr to yr.
Pro Football Focus: who say find them in the latter rounds are speaking Bull Shit:
B. Forward collapse of 3D Arm throwing area by IDL and Blitzing (LB, S) cause substantial reduction in Drive continuation. Edge pressure has win rate has a much lower influence on.
C. True QB progression read time:
True read time = Avg Pressure time – AVG back to play time.
EX. LA Rams Gimick off sys:
Long route development time
QB back to play time
creates brutal read time with a sub top 10 OL.
3 yrs in teams schemed for high blitz rate pkgs ( short read times)
cause of extended time route development.
Same complex mutivariable human machine action outcomes in Space, NHL, NFL, Bio Evo Psychology, etc.
A. A strong Open shot def sys Head coach
Tipett
B. 1 – Top 10 + ve open shot Save% Goalie
Smith
C. 4+ Top 60 High danger Open SH reduction Def Dmen
Larsson:
D. one of deepest top 125 Fwd teams
E. Strong evg production depth thru top 9
F. Top Goal diff ST driven by low cap cost PK fwds & Dmen.
9 times harder than PP
PP production 3 times easier than Even
PK production 3 times harder than Even.
Lost in this was a Spectacular game by Mike Smith.
I mean this game should have been out of hand in the first, big time.
Phenomenal season from the older gentleman
This I agree with 100%…if not for Smith this was a blowout in the 1st period.
So true
Nice to see Rod Brind’Amour & Craig Berube rip the refs tonight, a complete overhaul of NHL officials is something desperately needed over the next 5 years. Maybe the leagues new Disney & Turner overlords can help speed up the process but i doubt it at least as long as Uncle Gary is in charge.
I’ve never seen an NHL coach as publicly pissed as Berube…bet he gets a sternly worded rebuke.
So Kadri got an 8 game suspension for his hit to the head.
Alex Newhook steps in at #2C and scores his first NHL goal.
Both MacKinnon and Makar had a slow night but Colorado wins 5-1 taking a 3-0 series lead over the Blues.
And, for the guy who was dunking on my boy Ryan Graves…he scored 1 goal and had 2 primary assists and ended the night +4.
Yeah…the dude is terrible. 🙂
How many pucks slid along the ice tonight instead of going upstairs?
Gripping the sticks….
Lack of skill is a thing.
True….Draisaitl’s PP shot comes immediately to mind
Sierra +:
Larsson has a built in Bio Evolutionary Pavlovian reaction to all the Dpartner abandonment From Nurse, Barrie, Bear, etc.
move central to cover for both sides.
Kulikov is less prone to that & result occured.
It is a clear function of My Belichek & Me theory.
Identify the players who “can play” low goal causing mistake rates per 30 (Dmen) & per 25 ( Fwds)
Methodolgy taught to me and used in my work before I stumped for (forgot sport reporters name) mistake identification over +/- in papers.
Blame goes to Holland most for dumping 2 top 10 Cup final def Dmen.
Then Tippett for subjecting Larsson to All the brutal Rovers.
Building a following from Lions fans who like my identification of large wins affect thru complex Multivariable human machine action 3D play area analysis. X, Y, Z. Taught to me by my father & friends.
My fathers rules:
Rule #1: “Might be able to” is a direct path to failure.
Rule #2: Only use systems/machine actions in relevant location standards (Space, NHL, NFL, Championship)
Rule #3: Human concern, Risk of death (100% success) makes you reject all silly low resolution ideas.
Later realized he knew:
A. Some people are Narsassistic Psychopaths motivated to use low resolution, Binary, single solutions driven by greed/fame!
B. Some are just people fearful of the wave of success around them that they have no clue how it happened and are concerned with being a fraud.
Both teams played well, both goalies play well. But it’s “playoff hockey”. Which I guess means clutching and grabbing are ok again.
The potential benefit of the back to back is possibly gaining some momentum in G3 and immediately getting to play G4. If they can come back in this series it’ll be fun to watch.
Win the next coin flip, Oilers. Playoff hockey baby!
After about the ten minute mark of the third, maybe a little later, there was scarcely a slash that wasn’t right at someone’s hands and not one was called. Both ways, though, they were consistent. I gulped a few times, wondering if the refs were going to pick on us, but they never did.
Need a little reckless abandon in front of Helly. A little snow shower here and there wouldn’t hurt.
The coaches and players need to find to way to get out of this gameplan. A tight, grindy, bounce here and there will certainly benefit the Jets. They need to figure out how to open up the game. I’m afraid the answer could end up being “we need to grind harder, battle harder, be more physical” but I’m not convinced it’s the correct one.
I get that you want to avoid mistakes and penalties in the playoffs but you can’t be playing afraid. I think the team is playing too conservative, starting with the breakouts, they’re imo playing it too safe rather going for the boards and out over moving the puck tape to tape and get some speed up ice. And offensively there’s a serious lack of creativity, the go to play has been the pass back to a D who blasts it which is fine when out of options but there needs to be more ideas if you want to create better looks. Most of the shots are either from the outside or those pseudo-HD chances super close to the goalie where there’s no room to elevate and the goalie pretty much alwayw will make the save if he’s playing tight, which Hellebuyck no doubt is doing. You want those shots from 6-12 feet out to get the real quality looks.
I get that the time and space is at a minimumin playoff game and the games are grindy by nature, interference is through the roof and the Jets are lining up a massive load of neutral zone manure which makes it rough to get through but sometimes to break down defensive structure you need to raise the level of difficulty you play with. I’d like the team to aggressively make skill plays with the puck all over the ice. Not playing stupid ofc but I don’t think the answer is trying to beat Winnipeg at their own game. There’s more risk to play like that and there will be more mistakes but they are down 0-2 and the series is playing straight into the Jets hands not a lot to lose.
I also would like to see a little more hits that are bordeline late, don’t play ugly or take dumb penalties but don’t skate around afraid to draw penalties. They need to mix shit up to open up the ice. The Jets PP isn’t very scary(nor has the Oilers PP been either so far during the post-season but we know tge quality of that group) so if there’s a few more penalties it likely benefits the Oil.
With that in mind I’d like to see some changes to the lineup, add guys who are a little more high risk, high reward, like Jones, Ennis, not loving either players season but they might change the dynamic, Nygård’s speed could be useful and might draw some penalties.
They need to change something up because they won’t take this series if the games look like this, the Jets have the elite goalie and the better depth forwards, they are more built for this style.
Yes. They need to find a way through the blanket game. Jets will be perfectly content with another 0-0 scoreboard going into overtime in game three.
The problem with playing against the trap game–geared to this low event, shit looks hockey–is it increases the “randomness” of the outcome. The poorer team is going to win more often than they normally would, because they brought the game closer to a coin flip. Bounces matter more.
I’m guessing that’s why Tipp loaded up the one line… to see if he could score first and creak open the game a little wider. But I whole-heartedly agree with you. They’re not playing loose and creating.
Maybe the Chicago series is in their heads a bit. A little luck would sure go a long way here, but the lady of fortune doesn’t visit the beds of men desperate for her attentions.
I agree. I think generating more speed behind the puck will be a big thing. So many times they are trying to plow through 3 jets players. If the jets are gonna lay back have players like McDavid and Draisaitl generate a ton of speed behind the play and give them the puck early. And hell even if they have to chip it in at least they will have the speed to get the puck back.
They tried that a couple of times, but maybe not enough.
I think Koekkoek has been pretty good. He has probably done the best job amongst Oiler D in jumping up to create chances. Not entirely sure Jones would be an upgrade there.
Ennis has to come in. He works well with McLeod, too.
I agree you’d like to see more break outs through the middle, but the Jets are sitting back. You’re not going to create odd man rush chances unless you can goad the Jets into abandoning their structure, which they have not done.
Jets are overloading the puck carrier a ton. I wonder if it might be smart to play a third man higher and get away from having a guy right in front of Hellebuyck. That way you might get more shots through.
Both Drai and JP can hammer one timers from unconventional spots; maybe they need to try for more of those.
Agree that the play to the point is tired and not working. Lots of plays dying on the sticks of dmen in today’s game.
Was thinking tonight that Kulikov has been exceptional.
Sometimes a player just finds the right fit.
Yep, Kulikov looked real good tonight. One of the more creative players, surprisingly, while being very solid defensively. Larsson on the other hand is playing tense, always looking for the safe play.
Yeah you’re probably correct on Koekkoek over Jones, my thinking was that Jones has that ability to rush the puck up ice but I agree that outside of a couple of positional errors Koekkoek has been playing well.
The benefit of coming up the middle of the ice when Jets are sitting back at their blue line is, if you can come through the neutral zone in numbers, you can move the puck to either wing and force their group to move laterally thus opening up. Or if you’re McDavid go full throttle through the middle…
It’s risky and somewhat frowned upon to overpass through the neutral zone but with four Jets usually sitting back on the blue they might have to make some east-west plays there if they want to break their defensive line. Could be an idea to delay and regain through the neutral zone at times to catch them flat footed. I’ve seen Pulju seemingly considering it on a few occasions but the rest of the team doesn’t seem to follow and it’s ended up as nothing plays.
There are two groups of people on here.
The first is convinced that the sky is falling and that McDavid and Draisaitl have forgotten how to play hockey.
The second says, sometimes you play well and lose. Sometimes you play well and lose two in a row!
I’d like to see 97 and 29 separated next game and Ennis back in to give that third line a small hope in hell of scoring.
I would like to see them show up.
They need to be separated. JP has been our best F so far and Nuge needs to show a pulse offensively at 5×5.
Very true.
But one side has seen US troops enter Baghdad.
How many 10 bell chances did you see from the Oilers?
I’ll wait.
Neither of those are the predominant narrative.
do you think the Oilers win this series?
The team that wins the first two games wins the series 87% of the time,so major uphill battle.
Yes.
Want to bet 🙂
I think we are being exposed for the second year in a row. What if are stars don’t show up for the third straight game. What’s are game plan then. I don’t ever remember Crosby being this quiet in the playoffs. Macdavid and Draisaitl have not showed up now for the second straight year. Agree we need more from our bottom 6 but it all starts a with your superstars. Hard to be mad at the third and fourth line play 12/13 minutes compared to 25 and don’t produce.
9 points in 4 games is not showing up?
6 points in 4 games is not showing up?
Yes I forgot how well they played when we beat Chicago last year…..
So in your opinion are you going to sit here and tell me they are playing good?
You’re making shit up saying McDavid and Draisaitl didn’t show up last year.
In 4 games they scored 5-4-9 and 3-3-6 and were both +1.
The team couldn’t stop Chicago from scoring on tips from the point, but that’s a different thing than stars not showing up.
Thanks for the reality check some need at this discouraging time.
Oh so they had a few points against a inferior opponent but were yet only plus 1 with all those points. I thought the objective was winning,guess I was wrong.
They posted large offense and were +1 despite .808 (Draisaitl) and .861 (McDavid) on ice SV percentages. They did their jobs and then some.
I mostly hang this loss on Tippett.
He made an attribution error after game 1 and changed his strategy.
In game 1, we outplayed the Jets and lost.
in game 2, we were outplayed by the Jets and lost.
yes exactly
It’s unfortunate. He should have just stuck to the lines that were working fine.
Tippett’s a stubborn coach. I’m interested to see if he doubles down on loading up the top line which is clearly an ineffective decision.
LOL. seriously? No, we have NOT outplayed the jets. And it’s over. See ya next year
The Oilers dominated the Jets in game 1. The Jets winning was an improbable win. That’s why the play the games type of win for the Jets.
Tippett didn’t realize that the process was working and unfortunately loaded up the top line as a misguided attempt to fix something that wasn’t broken.
Loading up the top line was a colossal mistake giving the Oilers three lines that have almost zero chance of scoring 5v5 and one line to shut down.
Funny you mention that…..that is exactly what some people were showing tonight on highlights.
Forget scoring, they were wondering why the bottom lines were not forechecking…….I think they were thinking it was a tactical decision even.
Nobody noticed how Tucker Poolman, Logan Stanley And Derek Forbort were not being pressured to make turnovers.
First period was bad but otherwise the Oilers played well.
Game 1 was a dominant effort, and by that metric they fell short in game 2. Then again, the only team to best that game 1 effort this playoffs was the Avs.
We barely out-chanced an injured Winnipeg team in game 1 .
11-1 in the first tonight for Winnipeg.
1goal in 6 plus periods of hockey.
Maybe we get better when Ehlers gets back?
He has no answers.
His only go to move is to play McDavid and Draisaitl together but that actually plays right into the Jets’ hand.
If they can shut them down, there isn’t anything else.
Beyond that, he’s playing the shit out of them and, in a short series, he’ll wear them out.
Draisaitl played over 30 minutes tonight more than anyone not named Nurse who was almost 33 minutes.
Scheifele was the top Jet forward at 22:58.
Oh, and Ehlers is expected to play in the next game so if the Oilers keep loading up the top line, the Jets second line should feast.
Truth.
That’s a good summation.
Unfortunately, loading the top line up only made things worse.
Yep Tippet is being outcoached and it will get worse as you say when Ehlers is back if they play them together again.
Larrson has been partially to blame for both game winning goals,not a good look for our best defensive dman.
Dmen who can be Top 60 HD area open shot reduction def Dmen in 21/22
Larsson
Russell
Lagesson
Jones
we will need a veteran top 60 def dman to make 5.
Retain current Top 10 +ve open sh Save% goalie Smith.
Which is what I expect will be needed to compete with the Kraken!
I am sure their is enough stupid GM in NHL that will let 9 top 60 def Dmen and a top 10 open shot save% goalie be available for expansion like VGK had.
Repeating the quick GA roster cup final History of FLD and VGK.
The only question is weather Kraken Mgmt is smart enough to select 100% of players available that match my champ roster proof like VGK did!
And yet Larsson has been involved in how many goals against in 2 games?
Regular season is meaningless. Gotta have a team that fights in the playoffs. No chicken shit players . Get rid of the small parasites that are riding on the real talent…
Don is that you?
We hoped for the best, but it turned out like always.
I really thought we were done saying this after McDavid arrived.
This franchise is fundamentally broken.
Team is playing well. McDavid and Drai will find a way. The important thing now is poise. Don’t get too rattled. Don’t get despondent.
These aren’t complete stinkers, they are not blowouts.
Stay positive!
When a team lays an egg the message is always that it is easier to bounce back from a stinker than an one-nothing loss. Will be interesting to see how the Oilers respond.
Some of y’all are pretty quick to throw McDavid under the bus.
And did I really read someone saying he doesn’t care?
Yeesh.
What would Scotty Bowman do?
Right now? Pray to Jesus and ask for a miracle.
A sweep is very possible here. Maybe next year they can make it out of the first round under Gallant.
Keep those minuses coming. Because if you don’t see Tip as the Denver boot for this team you are not paying very close attention.
The pressers are awful! McDavid’s take on this game: “Fun to be a part of”, because it was a close grind. “Fun”? Getting shut out is fun?
your best players have to be your best players. This has not happened.
McDavid is always curt with the media. He’s not going to make excuses. He’s not going to post bulletin board material.
More excuses.
Lagesson is our best drafted def dman prospect in 2 decades.
Ahead of Matt Greene in 2002 part of LAK 6 deep top 60 def dman teams. Best since 05-06 Oilers.
The is the same blanket game the Leafs threw over us. We couldn’t beat it then either. If we don’t learn to beat it, we don’t deserve to go on… where we’d simply face it again, regardless.
Yep. Coach needs to step up and get the solution drilled into their heads and quickly. Too easy for opposing teams to stifle us
Astute observation ?
Oops, that may be coming across as snide and that’s not how it was intended.
I didn’t take it that way… none of those are mine. Let me help.
You are correct. Not one odd man rush given up. No pinching, 3rd forward very high at any sign of loss of posession, stay out of penalty box. 3 jets defending danger zone. Pretty simple really. Need D to create some offense and that has been absent. Oilers D poor at getting shots through.
The only time I saw,–and I remarked on it during the game–was the very beginning of the 4 on 4 at the end of the 2nd. When the set passing and circling keyed a Barrie drive to the net (with Nurse even deeper), and he did get a good high backhand off.
Kind of scared me though… being late in the period, Scheifele on the ice, and 97 and 29 as the defensive pairing.
Remember:
Actual facts in Final 4 playoffs!
In some of the 4 wins in a series a .5 GAA is needed.
Off players steeping up in Final 4 ga standard playoffs series is uniformed bullshit!
We are seeing Champ Quality Play (2.00 GAA or less) by both teams.
Oilers 1.50 GAA in 2 GM
WPG .50 GAA in 2GM
Holland came in and
A. Bought out Sekera – 19/20 #1 High danger area (PT1 Goal diff analysis) Open shot (PT2) def dman
B. Releases #8 19/20 HD area open shot reduction Def dman Benning – Our best College def Free agent prospect in 2 decades.
C. I see Russell 20/21 top 20 HD area open shot reduction def dman not playing in first 2 gm’s.
D. Our best drafted HD Open SH reduction def dman prospect is sitting.
Holland a Draft expert J. Nill were in Detroit during their success.
Nill builds a championship core Proof roster in Dallas.
Holland dismantles critical diving forces of 16/17 GA success.
No fought who was driver of Success in Det!
This is good Jerry!
25, 29 & 97 logged huge minutes past 2 games after logging huge minutes all season. After carrying team on their shoulders all season they’re expected to do so in game 3 with no cavalry coming. Wish coach would’ve sat them last game or two of the season. Players wanted to play but coach has to do what’s best for the team. A more rested top 3 would have helped.
The rest of the team is small or slow this should be fixed for next year
How annoying is it that anyone still talks about Kassian’s 2017 playoff. I mean the guy scored 3 goals in 13 games, not exactly Fernando Pisani.
Yup.
Firm, but fair.
But better than 6 million dollar man RNH, No?
Ryan scored 0 goals in clutch time 2017. Minus 3 for all around value.
Ryan is on track for another clutch performance in 2021.
Oilers deserved to loose these games. This is the exact type of game Winnipeg wants. Low event and on the outside. Pretty clear lots of Oilers aren’t comfortable with the type of game it takes to overcome this. Very weak puck pursuit, very little puck support and not one player was willing to make a hard move to the net and take some punishment to make a play.
Very well said.
The Oilers have yet to lose the scoring chance battle or possession battle and are down 0-2.
The opposing goalie has .970+ save percentage.
I didn’t see weak puck pursuit or an unwillingness to go to hard areas. Quite the opposite. Guys are working very hard.
Natural stattrick has scoring chances 25-25. But it’s very clear Winnipeg it’s perfectly fine with losing the possession battle. Their goal is to eliminate odd man rushes, have 3+ players back and keep the Oilers on the outside in the offensive zone.
But that means they would lose to almost every team left in the playoffs.Wake up call for off-season.
There’s a reason I watch hockey all regular season and then switch to basketball come playoffs. Win or lose, this isn’t a fun product.
It’s only fun when Mct is your coach with 20 grinding players beating teams you should never beat.Playoff hockey is not fair.
Wow.
It is politically incorrect here but outside of the St. Louis series there is quality hockey being played in the US.
Outside of a bad first period (Smith bailed them out), the Oilers were quite good. Through two games, they certainly have done enough to score more than a single goal.
With Ehlers coming back, you gotta go back to the DYN line to get some depth.
Ennis has to be in the lineup as well for some scoring.
Fire the mall ! Boy had no reason to say this at all till now…..
not a chance this team wins 4/5 versus Hellebuyck
always next year boys
You’re right, after all Hellebuyck cruised to a 2-5 record and .867 save percentage against them in the regular season.
There is still time for him to go 2-4 in the playoffs 🙂
When the top guys arent on, barely a whisper from the rest. Great game by smitty but mental lapse on a tough shot.
Well, that’s a shame.
Credit again to the Jets – and to think most of us here wanted to play them vs the Habs
Oilers can beat this style of team with finesse but they have to execute to do it.
Too many missed and low percentage passes. Too many shots off sticks. Too many shots missing the net.
They better find the range soon. Jets will come out pumped Sunday.
Tippet Team Too Tight. That’s my headline from tonight.
I’m really looking forward to our top offensive players doing sweet fuck all again on Sunday.
Should be electric
Still too early to gnash the teeth?
This reminds me of the movie The Replacements….YOU GOTTA TO HAVE HEART!!!!!!
McDavid is now 9 points in 15 career playoff games.
Misleading. 18 points in 19 games played including 10 goals when you count the play-in last season.
Also, McDavid is a fierce competitor. It’s hockey, shit happens, probably no one is more pissed than him (maybe him and Drai both).
I don’t see that at all.Their play certainly isn’t.
Plus 9 points in 4 playoff games last season.
Where do you find stats that don’t include last year? Is there a site, or did you remove them yourself?
Hey, I’m the one who’s been repeatedly corrected after referring to the Oilers playoff games last season. 🙂
Probably not fair of me to read the body language of a player on the bench.
It’s a frustrating loss.
Corrected by who though?
And it was partly a genuine question since I’m not aware of any source that doesn’t count that as playoffs.
Several posters here, most notably GeorgeXS.
Fair enough.
I don’t think that’s a fare comment at all.
Agreed. I edited it out.
I agree, you didn’t say anything about giving up. Just mentioned that the odds are not in their favour.
I think the Stan Weir invocation might be broken
Maybe if we turn it off then on again it’ll work
I’m throwing my jersey on the ice (cubes)
Oilers panic-miss 5 grade A chances to finish.
Double own-screen horrid shot ends it.
Neither of these things happen to a team that isn’t gripping its sticks way too tight.
Absolutely brutal. They may very well lose this now – which is just sad for a series that shouldn’t have lasted more than 5 games the other way.
A big mountain to climb. Don’t think we can do it. 1 goal in 2 games isn’t gonna cut it. Playing your top line for over 1/2 the game ???
Larsson really had no business being where he was on that play.
Tough loss. The effort was there and again the chances were there.