2023-24 Game 33: Oilers at Kings

by Lowetide

I wrote the item above after one of Connor McDavid’s transcendent moments. He’s still that player, especially that player in recent times. He has scored 10-25-35 in his last 19 games. Los Angeles Kings are constructed to overcome as many as three quality scoring lines, and will be a strong test.

THE ATHLETIC!

WHAT TO EXPECT IN DECEMBER

  • At home to: CAR, MIN, NJD, CHI, TBAY, FLA (Expected 3-3-0) (Actual 4-2-0)
  • On the road to: NYI, NJD, NYR, SJS, LAK, ANA (Expected 3-3-0) (Actual 3-1-0)
  • Overall expected result: 6-6-0, 12 points in 12 games
  • Actual December results: 7-3-0, 14 points in 10 games
  • Oilers in 2023-24: 16-15-1, 33 points in 32 games

The Oilers are at a point in their season where they can see the playoffs from where they are, but top three in the Pacific Division may not come to pass. I never bet against McDavid, and things seems tight defensively, but I think facing VGK or the Avs most likely in the spring.

The Oilers will need to have quality efforts from 18 skaters and the goaltender. I assume it’s Stuart Skinner but one never knows. If Edmonton can sweep the weekend, we’ll be talking blue skies on my January 1 article.

LINEUP CHANGES TO COME

Sam Gagner is out, Dylan Holloway is too, at some point both men will return and I suspect that means Adam Erne and James Hamblin scoot back to Bakersfield. A team might choose this time, with Gagner out and Holloway not yet ready, to make a waiver claim and take some fringe player out for a spin. I don’t think Tyson Jost is that player (he was recently on waivers) but there should be a few available before the deadline worth pondering.

Edmonton has (as I see it) four areas of need: Goalie, second-pair RD defense, third line center and two-way winger. You’d love the center to be a righty.

On the farm, Olivier Rodrigue, Philip Broberg and Raphael Lavoie are the prominent young players I notice all the time. I suggested a recall for Rodrigue here, and it may come to pass.

I am fascinated by these Edmonton Oilers and the organization overall. I am willing to bet that the (already compromised) prospect pool will be flattened again around the deadline. Going all in is the thing to do, there’s no question. However, there’s a tipping point. Take what you need and leave the rest, you should never have taken the very best. Edmonton’s new general manager is going to swear at his predecessors and will absolutely kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight.

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striker

The Band and Bruce Cockburn. LT’s prose effortlessly incorporates lyrics that its often hard to detect.

Munny 2.0

Yesterday… Derek Ryan’s birthday. Today… first star.

striker

That Danault line got wrecked in the fancies
4th line up over 10 mins in the SJ game letting the big boys rest once that game was in hand.
Consequently, in this hard battle of a game v LA, the big boys are able to play more (and they did) and the 4th line down near 5-6 mins again

Ditto for the 3rd pair. Kulak Desharnais with big minutes in SJ and used much less in LA.

Like the in game “load management”

Win against the Quackers and the Oil are looking in the window at the 2 wild card spots held by Nashville and Arizona (by virtue of the fact that Oilers would hold games in hand over the Blues and Kraken).

Last edited 10 months ago by striker
Munny 2.0

KK referred to Kane’s injury as “nagging” so must have been an aggravation of something preexisting. He actually expressed hope he’s back in the line-up tomorrow.

Boil-in-the-Oil

That was simply wonderful. Skinner kept us in it early, then the 2nd period… Connor oh Connor! Ryan finished the game brilliantly, what a shot!
Gotta sweep Cali … GO OILERS GO!!!

striker

Pickard tomorrow?

Fuhr and Lowething in Vegreville

So much to like about tonight.

I feel like Drai hasn’t fully been himself lately, he looks like he’s close to being back. Connor Brown is showing life, and Knoblauch had to see Lavoie good tonight, hopefully he can get some momentum going forward and stick this time.

Sprinkle in Holloway coming back hopefully soon, and enter Kane coming back healthy and finding his late season/playoff beast mode and I’m starting to feel pretty damn good about our fwd corps.

Scungilli Slushy

Drai has been petty bland for his normal self

I hope it’s his December doldrums. He looks slow, low energy. He’s not moving his feet enough to be effective. Maybe he has an LBI

If Brown was normal, Kane healthy, and a rook chipping in they would be pretty dangerous

Diablo

I’m convinced Leon suffers from seasonal affective disorder. He looks lethargic every December, then gets better and better as the days get longer.

Munny 2.0

Gleason scored TWICE in his first game after sitting for nearly a month

OriginalPouzar

The game winner was an absolute snipe. The other was in to the empty net.

winchester

Hard luck Hrudey, too bad Singer, Oilers take it in overtime on HNIC

striker

Does Singer hate on the Oilers? I didn’t get that impression. I thought growing up in small town Alberta, he was an Oilers fan.

Yukon Jerk

He is, it’s in his book.
Or so I’m told

Mayan Oil

Will be happy to see if Lavoie builds on tonight, tomorrow.

Admiral Ackbar

Gotta love DR: Swiss league body with a way above average NHL brain. Guy is an energizer bunny!

Goilers99

Loved Brown’s game tonight. Starting to look a little like Hyman lite, just minus 20 goals is all.

winchester

Yes, I agree, he did look very good, multiple chances, good skating, good coverage.

Scungilli Slushy

He was making plays, or trying to. If he can build on this one he’ll get to nose above water

SKOilerFan

Puck was on his stick more often this game at least. Couple scoring chances, but man eventually something has to appear on the score sheet

OriginalPouzar

Minus the 20 goals, so Hyman Zero?

Goilers99

Well done good sir.

winchester

Lavoie’s penalty was the best thing that could have happened to him, excluding scoring of course.

He was innocent of the infraction, but drew attention to himself which continued with Kings trying to target him. He did well.

In my opinion, he needs to get moving faster, he will get into more plays.

jtblack

Reason he is in AHL. Needs to increae pace. But best way is to play in NHL …he played a good game. AND BIG BODY

Scungilli Slushy

He must be strong on his skates. He barely noticed that he flattened Goofball with hardly any contact

tapper

.

Last edited 10 months ago by tapper
Reja

Confidence is a thing pump his tires instead of always throwing shade on him and he may surprise.

Admiral Ackbar

Eat shit LA!

What bothers me isn’t that Doughty is dirty. A good Dman needs to play with an edge. It’s that he couldn’t possibly believe the bullshit complaining coming out of his gob. As though whining about calls when you’ve been a POS all game helps. Or maybe if you play for LA it does…

I guess I just despise blatant indifference to honesty.

Credit to Knob for that win. Amazing adjustments to their game. As our good host would say: music!

Last edited 10 months ago by Admiral Ackbar
SKOilerFan

He knows what he can get away with with the way their games seem to get called. Guy played over 30 min of physical hockey against the best players in the game.

tapper

Man beard, child behaviour.

striker

That oily mess ain’t a man beard

fishman

Well that was a sweet 2 points! Especially after that lousy first period.I thought we were a bit lucky to not get scored on in OT as LA had some good chances.

Admiral Ackbar

Leon got away with a hook on a scoring chance, that’s usually a no brainer call. Makes up a bit for all the bind-the-play stuff all game.

SKOilerFan

Agreed. He was not good defensively in OT

rich tm

Refs let the teams decide OT. No hooking on Leon, no call on some obvious picks by LA.

OriginalPouzar

Letting the teams decide by not calling infractions is poor referring, they impact the game with their decisions. That was a clear hook on Leon that should have been called. We would be some kinda pissed if was the other way around.

cowboy bill

I was worried Skinner wouldn’t make a save in the shootout. But it ended up Talbot couldn’t make a save. LOL.

Admiral Ackbar

That’s the Dadbot I remember!

Munny 2.0

So, according to Drew Dough Boy, the Kings were thinking aboutt heir playoff loss to the oil all summer long.

Sleep well tonight Drew… MWHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

nelson88

Ryan! Love that guy.

C Brown as #5 if it had gone that far.

striker

Da bears

hunter1909

Oilers in retrospect deserved the W.

hunter1909

Possibly best win of the Season.

Oilers forechecking was excellent, and Kings were completely backed up when Oilers blueline controlled the puck.

Ice Sage

Good deployment by da Knob. I’m beginning to like this guy

lenko

That one’s for Doughty!

Boil-in-the-Oil

Strongly dislike (*hate) that pr*ck. His whining tonight was almost comical… he gets away with tons of sh*t, when he gets busted he cries like a pre-teen. Nothing better (well…) than beating Doughty.

Reja

He seems a little eccentric it’s funny how easily Tkachuk bent him out of shape.

KnightRain

BOOM!!! Derrick Ryan!!! Our secret weapon!!!

Mayan Oil

Flyin Ryan!!! Wooot

winchester

Derrick Ryan for the winner. That was icing on the cake

Munny 2.0

DEREK F*CKING RYAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GB&Q

MF D. RYAN!!!

Reja

The Golden Bear connection what a gutsy call.

Munny 2.0

that was a gutsy call

OriginalPouzar

I wanted him to shoot 3rd over Drai – THAT would have been gutsy.

Pretendergast

Really

Diablo

Play La Bamba. Great game.

striker

Guess he was mad about all those sticks to the face

OriginalPouzar

I was yelling for D. Ryan to shoot – great call.

Great win, GREAT!

Gerta Rauss

A sweep of SoCal would be swell

jp

Derek Ryan!!!!!!

Happy customer here!

Big 2 points for the Oilers. And the salt in the LAK wound!

BornInAGretzkyJersey

The DR is in.

Last edited 10 months ago by BornInAGretzkyJersey
fishman

Ryan you got to love that guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gerta Rauss

Derek Ryan wins it in the shootout and he didn’t take a stick in the face to do it!!

Mayan Oil

What the heck? Both goalies were so strong before the shootout, but now they both struggle?

Munny 2.0

Nuge’s best move on a penalty shot yet

Diablo

The hockey equivalent of breaking a goalies ankles. That was a filthy deke.

BornInAGretzkyJersey

Nuge puts it on net… money.

BornInAGretzkyJersey

Connor McPhonebooth.

SKOilerFan

Unreal hand speed

BornInAGretzkyJersey

That.

— She.

Ice Sage

Kings lucky in the game. played for OT, they seem anemic compared to years past

Mayan Oil

How many shooters until it’s over?I’m guessing 7… What say you?

striker

3

BornInAGretzkyJersey

Just want to tip my hat to Nuge for doing his best Sawchuck impersonation to keep the play alive.

Munny 2.0

i think we really got to work on our OZone tactics in the OT

fishman

Talent show up next.

striker

I hate the swimsuit competition portion

striker

Doughty smart enough to be cautious with McDavid/Drai on the ice

striker

Kings OT strategy in a nutshell: pick and roll

rich tm

Yup. Very effective when the refs aren’t going to put a stop to it. But some good saves, massive play by Nuge to save a goal.

SKOilerFan

several oilers not sticking with their checks here in OT

striker

nuuuuuuuuge@!!