In just 1:01, the line of Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman scored twice at five-on-five against the Los Angeles Kings last night. The dogs were barking as the cars were parking and it never got easy for the left coast team. This edition of the Oilers are moving on, 16W is 25 percent complete and it looks like some rest is on the way. I’m not sure anyone could have asked for a cleaner series from Edmonton. As it is, the tumblers are falling in a most enjoyable way for Oilers fans.
THE NUMBERS
The individual numbers and the lines described here show one of the keys to the game. The McDavid line, with Draisaitl and Hyman, wrecked the Kings in 1:01 of playing time. The searing power play (9-0 goals) was the key in the series.
The PK (0-0 goals) and even-strength totals (13-13) showed a neutral series that would have gone longer if LAK could have done anything at all when Edmonton had the man advantage. It’ll be a long spring should Edmonton win it all, and the team won’t be scoring nine power-play goals every series. Still, it’s a nice thing to have all the same.
The five-on-five minutes show some interesting things. Edmonton had 13 men who posted some offense in the discipline, that’s quite a few for a short series. Among the notables: Hyman 3.97; Nuge 2.99; Janmark 2.80; Bouchard 2.83; Carrick 2.69; Holloway 2.64; Kulak 1.65. Interesting numbers.
Also at five-on-five, Bouchard led defenders with 7-4 goals while he was on the ice, no other blue exceeded 50 percent. All of Hyman (6-2), McDavid (6-3), Janmark (2-1) and Draisaitl (8-6) were better than 50 percent goal share.
Stuart Skinner had a .902 five-on-five save percentage during the series. Goalies with poorer SP’s so far: Saros (NSH), Rittich (LAK), Georgiev (COL), DeSmith (VCR), Talbot (LAK) and Hellebuyck (WPG).
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Oilers have a wonderful opportunity to get some much needed rest. It could end up being most of a week if things break right, but it’s more likely three or four days. The NHL works in mysterious ways, and sometimes the team that wins early does not benefit. I expect Edmonton will welcome any respite made available. Well earned. I think the Dallas-Vegas winner will offer the main challenger of the remaining western teams.
So much is breaking right for the Oilers currently. Colorado is through but their goalie issues remain, the VGK-DAL series is long and difficult for both sides, the Canucks are the Canucks and on it goes. Important not to overstate, there are 12 more victories required, but my goodness things are turning out nicely for the Oilers at this time.
Bagged Milk will be one of our guests on the Lowdown today. We’re on 12-2pm Sports 1440, and we’ll also talk about the other series, the Jays and more. You can reach me at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section or on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. Question: Would you like to see an updated 2024 Lowetide draft list later this week?
Summarizing!
Stefan was held soupless as Portland lost 6-1. Their series lead is 3-2 as it moves back to PG to close out the series.
Prospecting takes a break until Monday.
Cory Perry’s influence on this team continues with Ryan’s no stick shenanigans at the end of the last game.
Bonus: Watching McDavid getting influenced by the former hart winner Corey Perry. McDavid’s really started to show big boy snarl since Perry joined the team.
Plus occasional wandering spirit Evander Kane has someone to intimidate even his usually scariest dude on the team persona. That’s because Perry is even worse lol
Ryan McLeod continued a disappointing pattern in this series. He had some success as a puck transporter which resulted in decent on-ice shot shares. He was a part of the PK, we should give him credit where due.
But zero points, 4 shots, 4 hits, the guy is a non-factor in the playoffs. You get more jam from so many other forwards. It’s starting to get difficult to justify his position as 3C.
He’s back to a perimeter style game with zero offensive upside, which disappoints in the playoffs when the good teams are guarding the house. McLeod, Perry and Ryan were not on ice for an Oilers goal in the series. That’s a lot of goose eggs for McLeod over 73 minutes.
If you want to point a finger at a player who did not contribute to 5v5 goal share in a positive manner, start with McLeod.
That line will need to piss a few drops here and there but, for me, McLeod was, and is, a highly valuable 3C given his elite defensive abilities and he essentially completely neutralized the Fiala/PLD/Byfield trio. Fiala had over 70 points this season and was a complete non-factor (along with his linemates) due to the word of, mainly, McLeod.
If by elite defense, you mean a goal share of zero over 62 minutes, then I agree with you. But generally speaking you are looking for production from the third line, not just shut-down. Your 4th line can be shut-down PK guys. But not your third. McLeod produced nothing. And we know why. He’s a good puck transporter who doesn’t go to the dirty and dangerous places. It’s not good enough for the third line. There’s really no defence for his pathetic play.
You want to give players the benefit of the doubt once playoffs are underway. Otherwise you’re the Toronto Maple Leafs led by Austin Matthews and his fashionistas.
He’s been a non-physical perimeter player for the entirety of his NHL career, with the exception of brief periods where he’s gone against his instincts and found success. In this series he did not find success.
It’s hard to be a big point producer on the Oilers if you’re not on the PP right now. At least, in the Kings series. Your criticism applies to many players other than McLeod.
It applies to three: McLeod, Perry and Ryan. They are the only three players who were not on ice for a 5v5 or even strength goal.
Or it applieds to four players those who did not have an even strength point: Desharnais, McLeod, Perry and Ryan.
50% goal share for the third line is perfect.
The third line was not even. Perry and McLeod were on the ice for 42 minutes together and no pucks went in. One went the other was for a 0% goal share.
Ceci with the worst xGF% of d-men with more than 75 minutes played 5×5. Two VGK D with a lower %? Hanifan and Pietrangelo.
I thought Ceci had a very solid series and was full value for 2RD and PK2.
Leon had a 40% expected goal share in the series which I think is proof of how little value that stat has in a 5-game sample.
I would suggest that the Cult of Hockey’s scoring chance data, which I believe will show Ceci as making very few mistakes on scoring chances against, has more value.
The Leafs – still better without that plug from Arizona.
Keep Nylander who plays like he not only cares but as a Nordic isn’t pining for the Austin “Look at me, I’m wearing cool stuff” Matthews schtick.
Hey, Kneis has been good!
By chance I happened to be in LA on business and watched last night’s game in a downtown bar – The Tam O’Shanter I think – pumping up my English accent at every opportunity. Once game time emotions had died down I really had a great evening. Small samples et al but these fans hate the coach, the GM, and PLD; not too keen on Cam / Dave, but love Byfield; were apoplectic about the reffing – a bit like this blog most nights ho ho ho. Grudging admiration for the Oilers PP.
Got to say I am enjoying the blog again given the whole Harpers Hairarama thing seems to have died down.
English? Where from? I’m English, from Portsmouth.
From Sheffield originally. Moved to Dubai to seek my fortune; seconded to Edmonton for a year during that time; back in Bahrain found a (Filipina) wife (best thing that ever happened to me); now based in The Philippines. A charmed life!
I married a Canadian while on detachment in Wainwright and she was at college in Vermillion. Live in Hinton now. I have Filipino neighbors, the BBQs are amazing.
Portsmouth! I have been to the prison there. Long story, but it was nice as far as prisons go (closed since, I think).
I haven’t been back in 20yrs. My mum and dad live in the Yorkshire Dales now. Still have family there. I believe Kingston prison is being converted to condos.
You liar. You’re from Blackpool. You’re going up the ‘Pool from down the smoke below.
Lol, I have only ever been to Blackpool once.
To eat your mum’s jam sarnies?
Kevin Bieksa on the radio just now making the point that this has become the power play playoffs as even strength scoring has been limited.
PP% in the WC (remaining teams)
EDM 45
COL 37.5
VGK 33.3
DAL 33.3
VCR 15.4
NSH 10.5
The Oilers also lead in the league in PP opportunities with 20…VGK the least with 9.
I looked into last playoff PP’s to verify what I was saying around here a while back. The Oilers were crushing it, and then the PP’s started to disappear as the Knight’s series went on. Also when they did get them they were at inopportune times
I noticed it for a few other teams as well. The deeper in the more hesitant the refs become. Which is why a few of us are hoping to see more at evens, just in case
Based on what we’ve seen thus far, scoring at evens is an issue.
The top 10 scorers at evens includes 2 Florida Panthers and 4 Colorado Avalanche.
Zach Hyman is among them but he has a shooting percentage of 35%
The deeper you go the more games seem to be like the 3rd period last night. The checking gets tighter and tighter with the Refs only calling the obvious in most games. You need to roll 4 lines and 6 D limit mistakes and pounce on the opposition gaffes. Hopefully the fluke goal syndrome spell is over with. I have a feeling we see a hungry Brown get games next seriers especially if Foegele continues to be weak on the puck.
WF will not change at this career point . Maybe we get a good stretch
Get your goals where you can get them. Destroying one of the best pks in the league is a positive.
Edmonton spent a lot of time cheating for defense because of all the goals they got on pp.
Well that’s definitely “Opposite George” from last season.
I like how Stamkos uses Matthews salary as a comparison to how other players are paid:
https://twitter.com/Gabby_Shirley_/status/1785692569990525059
His point about financial sacrifice for team building is quite on point for our own Superstars as they come up for renewal.
Almost certainly rose colored glasses but I’ve got a feeling its going to be significantly cheaper than most projections.
If McDavid played in Tampa instead of Edmonton, he would take home $937,591 more this season. Approximately 7.5M dollars more over the 8 years of the contract.
Of the last 20 teams to appear in the finals, 9 of them were from tax free states.
A 9.5 M salary in Tampa results in take home of $5,622,021. A 12.5M salary in Toronto reults in a take home of $5,836,310. 3M more in gross is only 210K more in net.
So, I would wager that it’s easier to get players to sign for less gross when their net incomes are a lot higher with the team they sign with. The risk to the player seems related to trades, and is mitigated by NMCs.
The average home price in Tampa is about $450K.
The average home price in Toronto is $1.1M.
Sales taxes in Florida average 7.1%
HST in Ontario is 13%
Gas, food and clothing also cheapper
Yes, and in Florida you don’t really need too much in terms of clothes.
Oh yes I know how excited you and HH get about tax rates.
2000-2019 Stanley Cup Champ States
Missouri, DC, Penn, Penn, Illinois, Cali, Illinois, Cali, Mass, Illinois, Penn, Michigna, Cali, North Carolina, Florida, Jersey, Michigan, Colorado, Jersey.
West Champs
Missouri, Nevada, Tennessee, Cali, Illinois, Cali, Illinois, Cali, B.C., Illinois, Mich, Mich, Cali, Alta, Alta, Cali, Mich, Col, Tex.
East Champs
Mass, DC, Penn, Penn, Flr, NY, Mass, Jersey, Mass, Penn, Penn, Penn, Ont, NCal, Flr, Jersey, NCal, Jersey, Jersey.
Lots and lots of well known tax havens in Illinois, Cali, Penn, Mass and Michigan eh?
Maybe having a good team attracts and retains good players? Might be something to look into.
I would always look for guys that want to win more than get more money. It’s not like they are not getting boatloads anyways, and as he said the GM needs some cap to build the team with. I think it speaks to their drive and mentality as well. Connor did a team friendly last time
Nurse, Ceci, and McLeod have some homework for the break. They have to figure out the coverage on the D pinch near centre ice.
In the OT in the overtime game, and one the 2nd goal last night, the same three guys blew the coverage.
Knobby, Coffey, and the three guys have to get together to straighten out who covers the hole left by the D pinching at centre ice. Is it the centre, or does the other D slide over?
Agreed. What are your thoughts?
Economy of ice says the dman should slide over. The step-up pressure pushes everything to the boards. Forward backcheck on the change is a straight line race either to centre or nearside. We have many forwards who can win that race.
Their forecheck is ‘supposed’ to have F3 high in the O zone
It should be that forward because the point of him being high is to prevent odd man rushes. If it’s the D covering then there is only 1 player back and no one where he was
I’ve seen two prominent media outlets call what Edmonton did to the Kings. A “gentleman’s sweep”. My understanding was the GS had to still be four in a row, even if you drop the first game or three. Like what happened to Calgary in 2022. Or am I wrong?
If you’re wrong, then may you be wrong all the way to our cup!
The Gentleman’s sweep, as I understand it, is to give your opponent a game 4 win when you’re already up 3-0. Usually let’s them win one in front of their fans, while you go home to win G5 in front of your own fans.
The TBay – Montreal SCF series played out this way.
I see the term being used incorrectly to define any 5-game series. It’s only applicable when the dominant team is firmly in control after 3 games and can afford to be gentlemanly to their undermatched opponent.
I hadn’t thought of it like this but I can accept it too but yeah certainly not any 5 game series.
Yes indeed. But the same was true last year, with most of the favourites losing in the first round. And yet, a year removed from the WCF against a stacked Avs team, it was not to be for the Oilers.
Love the Lake Marie reference!
Many years later
We found ourselves in Canada
Trying to save our marriage
And perhaps catch a few fish
Whatever came first
Lots of excitement in this post about the 5v5 stats, but it’s a really small sample badly skewed by two goals that were scored at the tail end of power plays when LA players were bagged and still playing 5v4 as the player in the box had not yet joined the play.
If the whole idea of looking at 5v5 stats is to “take the air out of the tires and see what value a player can add” then I don’t think using this small sample from a 5 game series with two PP goals counting as 5v5 goals achieves the intended purpose of the 5v5 stat.
Exactly and 3 ridiculous ES own goals on the Oilers skew things the other way. A sample size this small is not worth talking about.
booooooooo
I think in general a goal should be counted as pp until the puck is cleared out of the zone or a whistle
like scoring two seconds after a pp ends should still be a pp goal
5v5 is just a game state. There are no samples here. There’s a report from Lowetide on the entire population of data from that game state. “N” versus the Kings is as big as its going to get in the 2024 playoffs.
https://x.com/meghanchayka/status/1786077293858652626?s=46&t=VKZ79-9hN-xwMNTBjohq7w
the entire kings team combined couldn’t make our pp
Did anybody else notice Knobby heading down the tunnel after the final buzzer only to be yanked back by one of the trainers to go shake hands, or was I dreaming?
I saw that too.
Basically a reverse Woodcroft (much like the season, haha!).
Yes, definitely. Rookie mistake!
I think he’s just bashful.
Pierre Luc Dubois seems almost certain to be a buyout this summer. 7 years of 8.5 MM vs 14 years of 3.8 to 1.1MM, with 1.1 the latter 7 years. Maybe they give it one more years around the merry go round to take the sting off and hope for value un-destruction.
Although the buyout actually looks better in the latter years if you buyout this summer vs next (2.1 MM late years if you wait a year to do it).
That’s because 9 days after the buyout window open PLD turn 26, which changes his buyout to 2/3 instead of 1/3 It will be this summer.
Elliot Friedman on Jeff Marek show believes it is age as at July 1, which means 2/3rd buyout.
The wording in the CBA is “at the time te termination is effective” which could be as early as Jun 15.
PuckPedia
@PuckPedia
If Dubois is bought out this year, is it 1/3 or 2/3 buyout?
He turns 26 on June 24
The buyout is 1/3 if the player is under 26 at time of buyout.
Buyouts can start LATER of:
-June 15
-48 hours after cup final
Cup final could be up to June 24 this year
At the end of the day this all sucks for fans. I wouldn’t want players treated poorly, but at the end of the day the fans pay the bills and should be treated with due respect
If a player can’t do what they were signed for there should be a less onerous way out. It would make the game better. Like how normal business works, and it is a business because they are selling a product
Think you’re right.
Perhaps a one time cap charge of half the annual value of the contract.
Sure would help with the Jack Campbell scenario.
Under the circumstances, it seems an immediate PLD buyout is the most sensible course.
It frees up almost $7 million in cap space for the next two seasons and although there follows 3 seasons of $3-4 million cap hit, that will be ameliorated by the end of the $2 million retention on the Ivan Provorov deal.
After that the hit reduces to just over $1 million for 7 more seasons.which, as the cap rises, is not all that onerous.
I imagine all of this will result in a management house cleaning.
Excellent analysis here:
https://theathletic.com/5466020/2024/05/02/la-kings-blake-dubois-offseason/
I believe stone hands Yamamoto was the 1st or maybe the second player to be bought out before his 26th birthday.,
colin white was also bought out was he not?
Yamo sucks, only 8 goals and 16 points in 58 games with Seattle…the opportunity he got in Edmonton’s top 6 was squandered.
I’ve never seen such a skilled player have cement hands like Yamo. He easily could of been a 30 goal scorer for years on end. Debrincat was starring at the Oiler scouts right in their wheelhouse so they double back and draft Yamo the following year and we get shafted on another 1st round pick.
Blake needs to be let go immediately and Dubois needs to be bought out. If they keep Blake, I don’t imagine he would buy out Dubois as that would be admitting his big screw up signing him in the first place.
i hope they keep both, they are the enemy after all
this.
Unless Blake delegated that transaction to his AGM Bergevin, I could see him firing MB and a few scouts for that trade/contract, buying out PLD and saving his job.
Change of tune from June eh? Shoulda joined me then, we could have chanted Fire Blake the second it was deserved.
Harpers Hair
Reply to SayItAin’tSo, Gretz, SayItAin’tSo!
June 27, 2023 6:47 pm
This is exactly the modus operandi pursued by Tampa, Colorado, Vegas and Florida.
Amass a bunch of prospects and rather that engage in wishing and hoping they all develop, assess their worth early and move them for difference makers.
LA has obviously switched to “all in” mode and are moving the suspects and replacing them with actual high impact players.
Your assessment of the PLD contract is ridiculous.
And, thing is, LA still possesses one of the best prospect pools in the league.
Harpers Hair
Reply to jp
June 27, 2023 3:21 pm
Dubois new contract makes him tied for 14-19th place among centres in the NHL.
But bear if mind that this a new signing and others will soon surpass it as the cap rises.
Nurse is 7th highest paid defenseman in the NHL and as we saw last night he didn’t garner even ONE vote for the Norris Trophy while 19 others did.
We will have to see how the LA centre lineup shakes out but PLD is for sure a top 6C and this contract is paying him for his prime years.
I like how HH drops Nurses name like some kind of gotcha.
And then I look at Nurse’s and PLD’s playoff performances and they are tied for points.
When the Kings “for sure” top 6C in his prime has the same offensive production as an overpaid Oilers defenseman… that’s gotta hurt.
Let me move the goalposts for HH: PLD is indeed one of LA’s 6 best centres.
Oh my goodness this is just a beautiful post. Thank you for this.
Everyone can decide: bad actor? Or just really not good with analysis?
Shameless hack.
I’m trying to think of if I agree with neutral based on the even goal share at 5 on 5.
I mean, top of mind is a TON of “interesting” goals for the Kings – we recall the 3 in the first game (deflections, own-goal deflections, broken stick), the bad station bounce, etc., etc. I mean, how many “clean goals” did the Kings score?
I felt that, although the Kings may have had the “possession” and/or shot clock victory in a few games, the Oilers defended VERY well at 5 on 5, in particular the last 2-3 games. I recall so few clean looks and high danger shots for the Kings as the game went on.
On the other hand, its not like the Oilers didn’t have some breaks at 5 on 5. I think they had by far the better chances during the series but I think about the Kane goal last night which was simply terrible goaltending.
I’m not sure what I’m trying to say but I think its that I was just fine with the Oilers game a 5 on 5 generally as their defensive structure and commitment was high end, elite as the series went on – in my opinion.
I agree. And playing from behind had a part to play with team strategy.
One thing I didn’t love was the Oiler’s neutral zone trap seemed more passive and less specific. The Kings are very determined to push the skater into heavy coverage across the red line whereas the Oil seemed content to just be there. Although the Kings didn’t generate much exposure, the trap was not overly effective.
But in general, great games.
G/60 at 5 on 5 for the “line” of Drai/McDavid/Hyman will be through the roof last night.
I think they scored 2 goals in a total of 6 seconds (the just after PP ended goals).
That third period last night was a near perfect period.
For the first 3/4, the Kings barely had a shot, let alone a scoring chance.
The Oilers weren’t sitting back but they were defending hard and tight and they ensured, 1st they got the puck out every time and, if there was an opening, they got the puck out with possession and pushed.
The Oilers had all the scoring chances for the first 15 minutes and the clock was just ticking, ticking, ticking.
Full credit to the Kings for getting one, a double deflection – good for them. Fully credit to the Oilers to not change the way they played after even with the Kings pushing even harder.
Derek Ryan and Leon Draisaitl on that list shift – HOLY HELL!
Stick tap to a nice stick by Ceci to break up a high to low play late.
LA was supposed to be retooling on the fly with an elite prospect group. Unfortunately for them the prospects never panned out and to fill those voids they in turn traded their really good prospect (imagine trading Brock Faber now)
Clarke was supposed to be the second coming of Bobby Orr instead he’s the second coming of Tony Deangelo
Team is just gonna be fading as Kopitar and Doughty fade.
After watching this series, I don’t think I’d trade Faber straight up for Fiala, let alone the 1st that went with him. Fiala and PLD trades sure raise some questions about LA’s pro scouting
Traded RHD Brock Faber, Sean Durzi & Sean Walker in a 12-month span.
It is stunning that Blake wasn’t fire moments after last nights game.
He has destroyed more value than Dubas and has given Treliving a run for his money.
I can see the unemployment line running some kinda deep the next few months.
Blake, Shanahan, Treliving, Dubas, Chevy, Cassidy, McCrimmon, Grier.
McCrimmon?
Too effective.
Grier? He hit his target, dead last and top odds for the draft…successful campaign to my eye.
Of course we all know Utah is going to win the lottery!
Evan Bouchard hasn’t just arrived. He hasn’t just arrived as an elite PP d-man, he hasn’t just arrived as an elite offensive d-man overall, he hasn’t just arrived as a legit 23-24 minutes per game top pairing guy, he’s arrived as a legit top 10 overall d-man in the world, bordering on top 5.
When was the last time we saw an egregious own zone turnover due to lack of urgency? When was the last time we saw a lost defensive zone board battle at a key moment leading to a goal against?
There remains a bit of chaos at the offensive blue but his decision making in that area is also improving.
What’ more is that his actual defending, which has been so under-rated for a while now, is becoming high end. His defence of the zone entry is elite – his step up to thwart the rush and often starting the fast break the other way is intoxicating. His defensive zone structure game is solid now. He even gets PK time over Kulak when a top 4 PK d-man is in the box.
His only real “deficiency” now, to my eye, is tying that man up in front but, as we’ve seen with everything else in his game, that’s likely to improve over the next few years.
Bouchard is leading that pairing in the playoffs – no offence to Ekholm but Bouchard was the top d-man on the pairing in this series (in my opinion).
Bouchard is a legit 2-way force that is tireless, plays top comp minutes, plays in all situations (he was out there with the net empty and gets depth PK time).
Effing Stud!
I agree with this. I get that sometimes Bouchard tries something on the ice that is risky and it can go very badly. The same can be said for Draisaitl and other elite and creative players. Of course they need to learn to manage that, but I personally just live with it because that creativity is what makes them great and exciting to watch. Otherwise it’s just off the glass and out, or dump it in and chase.
While I agree Bouch has been a stud, top 5 is pretty high praise and I’d argue Ekholm still does the heavy lifting in their own end. Another quiver for Bouch imo though, is his ability to knock down pucks inside the opponents blue line – he seems to yank 2 or 3+ out of the air each game that you think are headed out of the zone
Save for two brutal errors in game 2, Bouchard was full value this series. Other than the one game, he played very good defense. He has come a long way and I find that we can see right from his first few shifts when he is going to have a good game or not suggesting that he is finding a way to be more consistently mentally prepared for each game from puck drop.
More of that please. We are going to need it against the league heavyweights who will expose any and every flaw in his game if he comes unprepared.
The arrows are pointing up, but I am not ready to anoint Dad as a Top 10 Dman quite yet, not after just 4 consecutive mostly brilliant games.
If he can maintain this level for about 2 more months, the Oilers will be much closer to lifting the Cup, but until that happens, Bouch is still just Da Bomb.
Worth noting that Brandt Clark has two points in three ahl playoff games, I think, maybe.
Getting more resigned to the possible need to move Nurse to resign Bouchard and Drai (if he wants to stay).
We’ll see. I do think there will be room to re-sign both of these guys ($13.5MM for Drai and in the $9.5MM range for Bouch) but part of that starts right now, today by:
1) not overpaying Deharnais over $1.75MM
2) not re-signing a soon to be 35 year old Henrique to $3MM plus
3) not re-signing Foegele to the UFA contract he earned this season
Yes and they need to get younger and faster, and have to be cap efficient. If they aren’t they will have no depth soon
While it’s great that they won the series, I prefer when they push more through the lineup. LA makes it hard, but players that are fast and younger can skate hard every game and make life hard on the other sides D. As we see with Holloway and McL. It opens the ice for their linemates as well, creates mistakes and disrupted breakouts
Smart guys like Henrique are fine, but if you run up against a tam collapsing around the net, you either get there before they do (As KK said) or it can be pretty tough to generate much of quality.
I’m not worried about them against a collapsing team…these Dmen are very effective at D-D passing, cycling up high, which gets easier against a collapsing team….they can just pump point shots and top of the circle one timers until the traffic jam starts softening up.
Agreed, longer term goals to help keep McDraiBoosh
4) finding a trading partner for Kane in 14 months.
5) getting Wanner 10-20 games next year so he can replace Ceci for cheap in 2025-2026
6) Getting Holloway locked up mid-long term so he’s not due a raise in 2 years.
7) Burn one more year with Campbell as the backup or in the AHL to shorten the eventual buyout by a year.
Hyperbole. Accept Bouchard for what he is. There is no need to exagerate.
Feel free to dispute with substance if you would like to have credibility on the topic and a discussion.
The numbers back up what I say.
The eye test lines up with what I say, in my opinion.
Every player makes mistakes. What we need to see is consistency game in and out. All players can dial it in for a bit, the best play proper hockey the majority of the time
Like offense, the best can produce all the time, the average player can’t
Yes, consistancy is important.
As per the original post, When was the last time we saw an egregious own zone turnover due to lack of urgency? When was the last time we saw a lost defensive zone board battle at a key moment leading to a goal against?
Top 10 … yes.
Top 5 … Makar, Quinn, Josi, Fox, Hedman … no not quite, but I would put him there with either a Cup win this season and/or another 80+ point season next year.
Sure, fair enough.
At the same time, while there is little argument that Makar is in an entirely different tier than Bouch, I would suggest Bouch had the better regular season (similar to how MacKinnon had a better regular season than McDavid but no one would, without bias, put them in the same tier).
P.S. I did say “bordering on top 5″…..
Agreed but he will likely pass Hedman and Josi as they decline into their mid 30s…both turn 34 next year.
Last comment I’ll add for today. Every season I like to believe I get a bit more mature (I can hear the laughter) in my criticism of the team.
Drai has his dog days throughout the season and you all know my pet theory that he has SAD during the dark winter days.
I think it’s fair comment to say that in many of the regular season games, he looks uninterested (and still easily clears 100 points).
Hopefully there’s enough of a sample size now to say he’s looking like one of the best playoff performers of the last 20 years, if not all-time, and in fact, he’s so good he narrows the gap between he and McDavid for best player on the planet.
I should probably try to stop complaining about every regular season fly-by or lazy drop pass.
He currently holds the tie break via goals in career playoff points over Captain Connor.
I don’t know, the story is being written in real time. Just as we shouldn’t over react to one bad game, the opposite is true. Drai was great against the Kings last year and not against the Knights
I hope he and Nuge do well next series. We need them at top 2 way form. The next team will be a better team than the Kings, and all the others we see
Well there was that two handed tomahawk chop in between.
after the DDT from LA
If you are on the ice you have to contribute, even if it’s just not getting scored on. I like that largely Drai is playing more responsibly with the puck this go round. The constant turn overs kill team momentum and makes everyone have to work harder
Oilers didn’t need their A game against LA. The best is yet to come.
The Oilers would have lost if they played their A game. LA required plan B. And the Oilers, apart from game 2, executed planB very well.
Definitely make sure we sign him to extension before telling him about UV lamps. We can’t afford for him to have a 175 point season in a contract year!
Draisaitl was a backchecking demon in this series after much criticism of this aspect of his game during the regular season. He anticipated danger well and skated hard. There was one important back check early in the game yesterday that was a good example. He came back like a rocket to thwart a 2v1. McDavid has already been doing this for a couple years now, but it’s great to see Drai come around.
His goals get all the attention, but it’s this part of his game that will deliver the most value to the team and give us the best chance to win.
Full credit to him for finding his 2 way game. This series would have been much closer without this development.
Funny, we all think “Man, Kempe scored against us AGAIN?” yet imagine being a Kings fan for the past three years playoffs watching Draisaitl score time and time again on you.
Ok can’t help it today. I blame Side for the post below that kicked this off.
https://lowetide.ca/2023/06/27/once-in-a-lifetime-4/#comment-1224535
SayItAin’tSo, Gretz, SayItAin’tSo!
June 27, 2023 4:54 pm
This is one of the greatest misfires in the last ten years.
At a generous suggestions PLD is worth $3.5/season. That’s generous cause this
Powerplay already sucks. He is NOT a first line driver. Amazingly bad read of the player. He’ll get eaten alive against top comp.
As predicted this contract carries at least $40 million in negative value.
Four roster players gone in a week from a team that gave us fits. This is amazing, such a generous act of self-sabotage by Blake.
https://lowetide.ca/2023/06/27/once-in-a-lifetime-4/#comment-1224490
SayItAin’tSo, Gretz, SayItAin’tSo!
Reply to jp
June 27, 2023 2:28 pm
$8.5 million for eight years for a 3rd line centre at even strength…. This is a fireable offense.
As an Oiler fan. This is giggly awesome.
SayItAin’tSo, Gretz, SayItAin’tSo!
Reply to Harpers Hair
June 27, 2023 9:43 pm
LA punted a ton of value and brought in a 3rd line centre to be their franchise.
It’s horrible asset management.
Ryan McLeod draws tougher comp and scores more at 5v5 than PLD…
Ryan McLeod isn’t yet a $3.5 million player but he’s already worth more than PLD.
Ryan McLeod finished the year with 12-18-29 +10 non PP
PL Dubois finished the year with 9-23-32 -9 non-PP
Hehehe NAILED IT. Now everyone should turn their eyes to the contract that Chevy handed out to Schiefele that has an MNC and then a M-NTC
Amazing how wild of a swing & miss this was by the Kings brass & our very own resident Dunning-Kruger ass.
Stick tap for Dunning-Kruger…absolutely spot on label for our unwanted newsfeed regurgitator.
I can’t believe they traded away Alex Iafallo and Gabriel Vilardi in that deal. They were a couple of LA’s best players last playoffs. They should have made the push to acquire Hellebuyck instead with all the rumours around him. It was a pretty big unforced error.
Massive error that will take a couple years to recover from
Watched a bunch of the Jets series & wow is Schiefele weak defensively – I had no idea and thought he was better. It has to be tough however to get UFAs to Winnipeg and keep them, so an overpay has to happen. Keeping him may have also been key to keeping Hellebuyck
The Jets are going to do something stupid like trading away Ehlers who is their best forward. And then they are going to keep trying to win with Schiefele. Good luck with that.
I keep waiting for Ehlers to break out in to being a true start in the NHL but year after year goes by and it never happens.
Over the last number of seasons, one could cite injuries. He was generally .8 PPG plus but couldn’t stay in the lineup for near a full season.
He played all 82 this year and put up 25G/62P – respectable numbers but, if that player is in conversation for the team’s best, well, that’s not good enough, right? 2 points in 5 playoff games.
I’m not sure Ehlers is ever going to take the next few steps to stardom.
Ehler’s and Connor aren’t drags on their teammates like Schiefele is. That’s the key takeaway here.
Maybe but I was just responding to the comment about Ehlers being their best player and what I believe what that means given the player he is (and the player he hasn’t become to this point).
Draisaitl and Nuge made sure to let some naysayers know.
I love the insight and the breakdown with numbers Georgexs offers however he did some work and made a suggestion that the Oilers break up their PP and spread the minutes out. Just a cautionary tale to be careful with what the data says because the Oilers PP is absolute FIRE.
In game 1 97 mentioned they have a few more wrinkles they will rollout throughout the playoffs. This is exciting stuff. Watching 97 29 and 93 roam around and interchange while 18 takes care of the net front and 2 patrols the blueline keeping pucks in, distributing the biscuit and curling around defenders blocking lanes to offer a one time option is such a treat to watch.
It is also hilarious watching other teams struggle to gain the zone and get set when 97 and the rest of the PP does it at will. Oh baby!
Just the though of Connor, Leo, Mattias, Darnell, Zack and all the rest of the boys just sitting back on Friday night with their families and casually watching the Preds and Nucks battle out a game 6 and then flying 4.5 hours across the continent with another 2 hour time change (and maybe even having another game after that) just makes me smile and warms my heart.
Well one step closer to playing Boston for all the marbles.
Sooooo glad the injury bug hasn’t raised its ugly head in that series. I had some real fears the goons would be out in force.
The last time the Oilers had won a playoff series for the 3rd consecutive year was 1990-1992.
Its taken half a lifetime and I’m going to enjoy the fact we’re here again.
Hear, hear.
To be fair, did that 1:01 not include a 2-0 for the defensive pairing of RNH and Bouchard?
Pretty sure the Nuge-Bouch duo were 2-0 in 7 seconds of 5v5 play.
That’s a nifty 1028.57 GF/60. 🤓 Maybe they should pair up more often!
This should be on a poster warning people to not trust small samples.
Haha i couldn’t resist adding the mandatory 2 “significant” digits after the decimal point. That was just me being snarky.
In all seriousness one of my enduring pet peeves with fancy stats is too many digits in too many cases. E.g when you have fewer than 100 trials you do not need to break the average down into thousandths. Muddies up the results making them harder to process without any materially significant added information.
Ludicrous speed
The reason for this is both of those goals came seconds after the PP expired so they didn’t count for the PP but LA only had 4 players in the zone. Technically the Oilers had 1EV and 3PP goals last night.
At CoH we considered both to be PPG. We traditionally add 4 seconds to the end of a PP before the freed player can affect the play. Likely 5 seconds in the 2nd period with the long change.
That’s a practical adjustment… but then any ‘jailbreak goal’ by the penalized player coming out of the box should count as a SHG, no?
No, because in that instance he does materially affect the play .
Done in 5. Hard to beat that.
I don’t think we can use the data from Hyman-McD-Drai with any confidence, given that both goals were scored less than 10 seconds after the expiry of a powerplay. Using the same methodology RNH should be immediately shifted to left defense. You’ve taught me too well to beware of small sample sizes.
I’ve got to say, Bieksa’s coverage of the series was pretty great.
His impressions of Doughty, analysis and break down of the games and strategies was pretty good.
Also enjoyed hearing the jab he made at Toronto’s stars during (after?) the game where Toronto went down 3-1 in the series, by saying the likes of Marner had to be more mature like Draisaitl.
Also made me realize how much the Oilers kept their cool during a lot of the series. Their mood at times had me thinking they were playing just another regular season game.
Bieksa is always a good watch. The rest of the crew is unwatchable.
Friedman brings something that the others don’t have. Bieksa and him should carry forward
He’s the only commentator on Sportsnet who is able / willing to go into the tactics being deployed by the teams, what’s working and why, and what adjustments are being made.
He’s a lesson in how hockey commentary lags so far behind the other major sports — it consists almost entirely of former enforcers whose solution to every problem is to skate in straight lines, get pucks deep, be physical, get pucks on net and hope for the best.
In many cases, the enforcers had the shortest careers with the least paid per year. So they are actually there for a job. A guy like Bieksa clearly just enjoys it.
Oh, I completely understand why so many third / fourth liners and backup goaltenders end up as commentators — they have the greatest financial motivation to continue their careers after their playing careers end. I have no issue with them moving into the studio, it makes perfect sense.
It’s the mentality that they have nothing further to learn about the game, that the same perspective that they applied in their playing careers is enough. As a player, Louie didn’t have to adjust his play based on the penalty killing tactics applied by another team. So he didn’t really have to identify what another team was doing, or change his game. And he seems determined to not keep abreast with what NHL teams are doing.
For him, going to the front on the net with your stick on the ice is enough. It’s what he focused on as a player, and it’s what he focuses on now as a commentator.
There’s a completely different game being played out on the ice that what he’s able to recognize and then comment on.
That he’s a former bruiser who played a simple game isn’t the issue. His disinterest in furthering his understanding of the game is.
On the other hand, I’ve been impressed by the progress shiwn by Luke Gazdic in a short period of time. Much more polished already.
Gazdic is 100% a rising star and I’ve been saying that for a while now based off his podcast. His comradery with other is already good and his analysis of the game (which isn’t really part of his pod) is proving to be up there as well.
Let’s not forget having a shooter mentality
If you were to have a drink after every mention of shooter’s mentality, you would never make it out of the first period.
… with an ever present shooting mentality.
EDIT: SS beat me to it.
Shooter’s mentality!
I loved the maturity Draisaitl showed with 20 seconds left when he got hauled down on the way to scoring an empty netter. Not only was he not mad, he was absolutely thrilled because that penalty meant game over for LA. That’s a winning attitude.
Watching the game last night I’m not sure I ever doubted the Oilers would win. Even throw in a dump in bad bounce goal with 28 seconds in the 1st which is usually a crushing moment.
Witnessing this team play solid defense to lock it down and stifle the neutral zone when leading was masterful.
I enjoyed the series immensely and it sunk in this morning sipping coffee saying ‘we beat the Kings’, but it’s a new day now, onto the next task at hand.
I had some doubts. If the Oilers got half as many PP opportunities, this could have been a significantly closer series.
Great series, love watching the Oilers play a tight shutdown defensive game that the players commit to.
I will admit, it’s bizarre watching the refs actually make calls on the Kings. Christ, when was the last time an embellishment call was made in the playoffs? Even if well warranted.
As well, throughout this series I’ve been trying to figure out if the Kings PP is really that bad or if the Oilers PK is just red hot. Their PP was rather pedestrian throughout the year but they could hardly maintain zone time or make a clean entry with the Oilers sticks all over them.
I believe it was in the 2nd intermission, Hrudey showed a montage of 2 or 3 Fiala embelishments from this series, with the standard line refs don’t like to be embarrassed. Perhaps that had something to do with it being called this time around, which certainly was his point.
It was exactly “you make a case for yourself”. The refs are talking to you during the game. I have no doubt Fiala was told to cut that out previously.
I watched that as well and agree with the point made. It’s just wild to see it called, even if a player has a history of it. Especially against the Oilers, we’ve seen bad dives from all sorts of teams and I can’t recall the last time it was called.
I think it was Friedman who straight up said it was the same ref on 2 different dives from 2022 and that those guys remember. The penalty to Foegele was made by one ref with embellishment by the one that “knew” how Fiala plays.
Someone held Holloway’s stick in the neutral zone in the third and then crumpled to the ice to try to get a call. No call, so I didn’t see which LA player it was. I like to make note of all the divers. Cheaters.
The Oilers didn’t have the shutdown game in their arsenal under Woody. To do this effectively you need 4 lines and 3 pairs getting regular shifts. You can’t whip Leon and Connor like rented mules double shifting them with that disastrous gimmicky 11-7 nonsense. The best thing that happened to the Oilers was losing to a scrub San Jose squad and then hitting rock bottom.
Draisaitl played very nearly half the game last night at 24:24. McDavid played 23:36.
For the series McDavid averaged 21:03 (career average 23:21). Draisaitl averaged 20:16 (career average 22:07)
Now they get to rest for a weak.
I’m waiting to see how the calls go when the stakes are higher and the Oil face off against an American favorite (not looking past VAN. just sayin).
Bouchard +3, 9 points in 5 games when 5v5 goals were dead even?
Maybe he’s actually just a good defenceman, and not just a good PP defenceman?
Nah, he’ll be long retired and people will still be criticizing him.
Caveat, last nught Bouch went 0-3-3, +2 on what amounted to 3 powerplay goals. But yes, he had an excellent series.
Although not ideal a week’s rest is 100% better than 2 days rest. McDavid and Kane can heal more. Team can practice more. No travel.
4 stickers on the door 12 to go.
Is McDavid injured or have you just been speculating he is?
The physicality has been gone from McDavid’s game the last 2-3 games, to my eye. I know that SS would like him to hit less and maybe he’s just getting his wish but McDavid is a very physical player in the offensive zone – he puck retrieves by initiating contact, etc. He was very physical early but its been a complete 180 the last few games.
I could see him being somewhat banged up or maybe its a conscious decision to put his body through less of a ragout? Seems odd to do a complete 180 by choice though, at least to me.
I expect some hiccups in G1 facing any opponent that is much more aggressive. LA was so passive with that 1-3-1, especially on the PK, and the Oilers will dismantle a team that takes that approach. Like danny, I also want to see much more emphasis on moving out of our d-zone with possession. You have to adapt to many styles to win, so let’s how they fare against a heavier forecheck and aggressive PK.
VEG swapping with Nashville and having to move to the Central is awesome in so many ways 🙂
I think you will see a whole different breakout against any other team. How many times did you Emholm or Nurse pause and wait in their slot while 3 Oilers curled back at the same time so they could breakout 4 wide and dump it in.
I really had to laugh last night when Ekholm literally waited and motioned for them to set up and then he passed (I think to Hyman) and the dump in came from too far out so it was an icing. I agree they’ll have a new plan for a new team that isn’t super passive.
I think that the Oilers will actually play up to a more aggressive approach but we’re going to see some wild swings in terms of scoring due to it. They scored a lot of their EV goals on defensive miscues by LA while they weren’t “set up” and I think a more aggressive team will both catch and be caught in a game like that.
LT, every year I think about the rest/rust conundrum in the playoffs, but one has to think in the first couple of rounds it’s a net benefit.
I believe Ekholm said maybe after Game 1 that when the Preds went to the Cup, they won Round 1 early and got some momentum and that made them feel like they were on a roll.
Physical rest aside, I wouldn’t minimize the psychological benefit of putting these punks away in 5 games.
Love the result, not enamored with the process.
I was hoping we would see a renewed dedication to the possession mentality once the playoffs began. Instead we look more like the team that beat LA last year, more than the team that won 16 straight this season.
Too reliant on the powerplay, and too much one-and-done sorties during 5 on 5.
I think our overall defense is better, that will help, but after a taste of those January Oilers, I’m a fiend for more. When they are prioritizing possession and letting opportunities open instead of forcing, the team hums. Nurse and Ceci are better, McCleod is better, the entire bottom 6 is better, and Skinner is granite. A good forecheck rises all boats.
I hope I’m wrong, but the chart we are plotting looks more treacherous than need be.
LA matches up extremely well against us 5v5 and the 1-3-1 is always a slog.
I agree with your comments to an extent, but let’s see how they play against the Dys/Preds
We’ll see, but the mentality and relative lack of possession game may have been largely based on opponent. Not seeing it in spades in round 1 doesn’t mean we won’t see it going forward.
That’s exactly what I was hoping is the case. The coach isn’t a dummy so I have to think they’re well aware of what worked and what welcomes peril. The way they dismantled Vegas and Colorado with January hockey at season’s end makes me optimistic they can/will switch it on again. I also have the nagging worry that their pre/deadline roster changes have lost a little team speed and they can’t maintain a forecheck as effectively as before.
I’ll just quote Tyrone Biggums, Y’all got anymore of that January hockey?
Yeah, I’d like to see that January game again as well. I think we will.
I’m not seeing the pre/post deadline concern. Essentially the only change is Henrique in for Brown, and Henrique has been excellent IMO.
Defense first and go from there.
Appreciated, but not agreed – we just watched a defense 1st team lose 4-1. Like baseball, you ain’t nothin’ without run support.
It was the Kings that had no run support. Oilers defended better than the kings. And scored more to boot. That was a Nuggy quote, “defense first and go from there”.
I agree, but I suspect the style the Oilers will play will depend quite a bit on their opponent. Against Nashville or Vancouver I imagine a more wide open style of game.
I take it you havent been watching the Canucks-Preds series? Ultra low event.
I turn it on when I see the score has Vancouver suffering.
Well that’s not a popular take! But I agree, playing with fire
Defend hard and always attack, that version stomps teams. Against more offensive teams they don’t want to be trying to play a game that is not really them. Just don’t make low percentage plays and it will work out. Being one goal up on Dallas or the Avs and sitting back is likely not going to look pretty. Even the Dys
The Oilers “sat back” in game 4 but, in my opinion, they certainly didn’t last night. They “defended first” but they pushed when they had the opportunity or created the opportunity.
The first 17 minutes of the 3rd was a clinic in this.
True. I prefer when they are doing it for the majority of the game. They may not have the legs for it though
Of course, that would be ideal but unrealistic to accomplish in the NHL playoffs I would think. The opposition are all good teams with high end players who are also trying to dictate pace and how the game goes.
I mean, I’m sure the team wanted to play that way in game 4 but the LA Kings had a big say and had better legs that game.
LA are in a tight spot – a one-trick pony who’s trick has been declining. It seemed to me that Doughty knew they weren’t winning this series. For all that I love to hate him during it, he was classy after it. “Now go win it” is what I think he said to Connor in the handshake.
Next for LA? New coach, for sure. I’d be shocked if not. Hiller just carried on with Todd’s game plans. At least Knoblauch changed some things up. May even be a new GM – that PLD contract and trade was horrible. I would say they’d be in much better position with his money and the picks to go with the good emerging players like Byfield. I can also see a trade of Doughty or Kopitar… (Our 3rd line center for the 2025 cup run!)
As for us, I don’t think I’ve ever watched a series involving the Oilers where I just wasn’t worried about the outcome – I could have gone to bed on time and not have to worry. I still stayed up, though 🙂 I don’t usually watch other teams play, even in the playoffs, but with this extra time, I may just tune in tomorrow night for the Dynasties at the Smilodons.
LA will sort themselves out and probably meet the Oilers again next year in the first round, to be swept.
Other than 4-1 in games, to get out of a LAK series without any obvious injuries is the win. I was hoping for a blowout last night, but a friend correctly pointed out that if the score was close the Will Ferrels would probably not goon it up for fear of the Oilers potent PP.
Have watched bits and pieces of the VAN v NSH series and I am not impressed with either of the teams and do not think either can beat EDM in a 7-game series.
Friday will be a great night of hockey. Hoping for NSH to win and take this series to 7! One part of me wants the VGK to win and take the series to 7, while another part wants DAL to dispatch the LTIR Golden Arches.
Yes, I have all of those feelings as well.
i trust you enjoyed the game Al,
The 3rd period was one of the most enjoyable demonstrations of a suffocating oilers defensive scheme i had seen in years.
Smart, high percentage plays, zero push for offense, just control the outcome and frustrate the heck out of the kings. Wish that last goal didnt happen but it made for some drama which is good for the telly.
I do wonder what on earth happens but i think rob blake and probably jim hiller get the sack… jim hiller had that look on his face during the handshakes that he knew it was over. next yr kopitar and doughty and danault will be a year older with less in the tank and the ELITE ELITE elite prospect pool doesnt seem to be graduating much in the way of players.
dubois wears camo 9/10 games and that trade will go down in infamy as perhaps one of the worst deals known to mankind. I had likened the dubois situation to ken holland doing the campbell deal but also sending away mcleod, derek ryan and warren foegele as well as a 2nd round pick. Just a gross overpay for a player who is undisciplined, lacks work ethic, and appears to just do cardio now he has secured the bag.
byfield is a heck of a player i will give him that.
I thought that 3rd was our best period of the series. It went to show how stifling the LA defensive system is. Once they had to open up to score, something they clearly were not comfortable with, we could have scored more. However, you are correct. We were 2 up, so no need to crash the net, or take risks. I still think someone would have scored if they’d have followed Connor in when he put it off Rittich’s pads into the slot. Oh well…
PLD may not have contributed much offence for the $8.5M outlay. But he does lead the playoffs in one category – penalty minutes.
Doubt Philip Anschutz (LAK owner) will put up with Blake’s terrible drafting (2017 – 2020 1st rounders that are good and still with the team = 1 / Byfield) and trades (PLD).
PLD got brought in to be a difference maker, but not in the way Blake and Kings fans hoped for.
Who wants to go down memory lane?
https://lowetide.ca/2023/07/19/car-on-a-hill/#comment-1227850
Shout out to Victoria Oil:
“Harpers Hair
July 19, 2023 1:06 pm
Elliotte Friedman
@FriedgeHNIC
Gabe Vilardi and Winnipeg have a pre-arbitration settlement: 2x$3.4375M
Victoria Oil
Reply to Harpers Hair
July 19, 2023 1:27 pm
Vilardi (if he stays healthy) could get nearly as many points as PLD for less than 1/2 the cap hit.
Harpers Hair
Reply to Victoria Oil
July 19, 2023 1:31 pm
Oh, I don’t think so.
PLD will be playing with two elite shooters in Kevin Fiala and Arthur Kaliyev and against weaker competition.
The Kopitar and Danault lines will handle the toughs.”
And many others who saw Blake making his team worse.
i wonder how HH would like his crow prepared?
Im guessing moved around on goalposts very quickly.
Villardi – 36 pts
PLD – 40 pts
Game set match – PLD even made Kaliyev worse, what an anchor
Let’s flesh that out a little:
Dubois: 82 GP, 16-24-40, -9
Vilardi: 47 GP, 22-14-36, +11
Vilardi played 35 fewer games & scored 6 more goals.
Thanks for the shout-out, Side, and for digging up the old posts.
I give HH one brownie point for pumping up Byfield’s potential, but he loses 5 points for defending the PLD trade & signing as well as Blake’s other off-season moves such as trading Durzi for peanuts.
Prospectacle!
Stefan no longer leads Portlandia in scoring, but still owns a respectable 7+8 in 11 GP. With a win in Game 5 this night, the Wintering Hawks would advance to the WHL final to meet the winner of MJ/Sassytoon (which series is tied at 2).
Puck drops at 8 p.m. Etzikom time.
Ok Tarkus, you got me on this one. Had to look it up. I have down through Foremost a couple of times but did not turn east just kept going to Milk River / Coutts.
Only on an Oiler’s blog can we get philosophy (LT), the moon and the stars (McCurdy) and geography (Tarkus) in addition to some good hockey discussions.
Fun fact: The phone numbers in Etzikom begin with the number of the beast (for it is a human number)–its number is six hundred and sixty-six.
And when you leave, you leave alone and your mind is blank.
The deer in the area are bigger than Etzikom!
Everything’s coming up Milhouse!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M67E9mpwBpM
Oilers played a perfect playoff game last night. at the start of the series I was skeptical however I was totally wrong. the Oilers were the better team. Special teams won the series. PK exceptional. PP was music. Go Oilers Go
Should there be concern with splitting the 5v5 share against a middling playoff team? I don’t think that’s a recipe for success against any of the teams in the central half of the bracket.
Not really. Yes 2 of the Oilers 5v5 goals were really PP but LA got at least 4 really lucky bounces (2 off skates, 1 Ceci broken stick and 1 off a stanchion). Plus LA had to take a bunch of penalties on 5v5 chances. A lot of the PP goals would probably have been 5v5 if they hadn’t taken a ‘good’ penalty.
But really 13 goals each and one series is not enough sample size to make statistical conclusions from.
The Oilers had the lead if I recall for most of the games in the series and played defensive for good chunks of it. No need to really turn on the offense at 5 on 5 when you are caving them in on the PP. Also the Kings had about 3 flukey (even for hockey standards) goals imo. To me it looked like the Oilers were comfortable with playing some stifling hockey with the lead and were content with that.
Worry all you want. Worry enough that others don’t have to worry, please.
A third of the EV GA were unearned, off a stanchion or a D skate or whatever.
Short series, tough team, Oilers 4-1 and getting some rest. I’m ok with that.
Kings are a middling team overall but elite defensively with their 1-3-1, Selke-type centres and 2nd best PK in regular season.
The Oilers will get more 5v5 looks next round. I’m not looking past that.
That regular season PK was about as useful to the Kings in the playoffs as was the Jennings Trophy goaltending to the Jets.
By my observation at least 3 of the even strength goals against were what you would call bad luck not bad play. The Oilers adjusted to situations as they occurred and it was unnecessary to be more aggressive on five on five. They played a patient well thought out series. This in my opinion is now a deep mature well coached group of very talented athletes!
Absolutely. You want to see them winning with hopefully all lines bringing pressure. And 3 pairs showing well
LTs numbers are concerning against the second weakest team, maybe third if you out the Jets in front of LA, in the western bracket. 1 minute of play won the game
Stu’s SV% was poor, 2 pairs underwater and the 2 top lines in the heart of the game. They won the game and series, but this is a stats informed blog and they are saying all is not roses
They might win the Cup this way, history says they need to step things up and play better 5v5. This isn’t chicken little stuff, this is based on what we saw and what the numbers say. We have been here before, a few times
I know they have it in them, the question is will they do it? I was glad to see less risk in their game which is probably why they won. They used to get burned on a few goals they shouldn’t have given up and lose games
As for bounces, hockey has a lot of luck in it. If you skate too close the edge, you can allow luck to play too big a role. This is why earning more separation in games is important, and controlling the momentum
The middling team surged past Vegas into 3rd place at the end of the regular season. And then they were stifled.