Each Oilers team gives us something to remember them by over a long season. The 1981 Oilers hold a special place in my heart because that team announced the NHL’s future with a ‘rock the boat’ series win over the Montreal Canadiens. I loved that team. The heart of that club hammered the NHL for a decade, leaving nothing but frustration, grimace and Lou Nanne’s wonderfully baffled face in the dust. Music!
This year’s model most closely resembles the 2006 crew: Brilliant, brilliantly flawed, and ultimately disappointing. How this edition got to the Stanley Cup final and then inexplicably stopped delivering what got them there will remain the story of summer.
This final has the feel of dressing up for a big event and finding out it was canceled while you’re driving there. Sitting in your car, wearing a tuxedo and freshly shined shoes, wondering when you’ll have a chance to look this dapper again.
Even more, this team was unable to deliver what makes it special on the greatest canvas the world of sports can offer. The first oil painting of Connor McDavid’s Stanley Cup final resume is going to be disappointing. That’s for all time. It will always be part of his record, no matter where he plays.
For many of the men who will dress in Oilers silks tonight, this is surely the final time on SCF ice. These opportunities come around once, maybe twice in a lifetime. Searing it slips through the fingers so easily. Such a shame.
Hope is breathing in the heart of the Oilers fan today. Don’t deny it. You hold on to that hope, grab it and don’t let go. Miracles happen, and if it does you can be one of very few who can say you believed all down the line. Math is yelling in your ear, history is screaming from the mountain top, can you hear them? No? Good. You rock and roll your way, screw the lot of them..
In the days to come, we’ll discuss the season past and important things surrounding the team. It’s my belief Jeff Jackson has the new general manager waiting, running on the spot until it’s time. I believe things like the Leon Draisaitl negotiations (and Evan Bouchard’s too) will be pushed to later in summer unless the owner-agent have already arrived at an agreement (seems unlikely in 29’s case).
I’m not sure what direction this Oilers team will go now, only that offloading youth (Evan Bouchard, Stuart Skinner, Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg) is the wrong way.
No matter what happens tonight, no matter what makes you rage in the cage about this season, it’s important to remember that this team made it to the Stanley Cup final. Sweeping change would be unwise.
At first blush, I would suggest that the Oilers bring back the spine (Skinner, Ekholm, Bouchard, Nurse, Broberg, McDavid, Draisaitl, Henrique, McLeod) with a new No. 2 RHD, a strong backup goaltender, and some fierce bad wingers who can help keep possession along the wall when playing with Leon.
If the summer brings only Henrique, Mattias Janmark, Connor Brown and Brett Pesce, I will consider that to be good enough. One hopes for more, but it’s difficult to know without having any idea about the general manager.
That’s one thing Oilers fans should be impressed by. Jeff Jackson hasn’t leaked the name to anyone. It’s the first time in Oilers history (that I recall) no one has identified the individual this close to the media avail.
Enjoy the game tonight! It’s been a sweet ride no matter the ending.
When Holland signed Brown I envisioned Brown busting down the wing scoring a shortie which is my favourite kind of goal. Janmark been a Demon and considering everything the most consistent player all Playoffs. The Kane injury sure messed with our rotation as well as push back on Bennett trying intentionally to hurt.
I was quietly hoping for a trouncing such as this before the series started. A game that would stun everyone. With any luck, the seeds of doubt are firmly sewn in Florida and it’s enough to pave the way for the Oil to get even more under their skin, living rent free in their heads. I don’t buy how much Maurice downplayed the loss in the the post game presser. That’s a brutal, brutal way to lose when you have such an opportunity to close out the year. The pressure was/is on Florida to close it out “easily”. The Oilers just need/ed to survive. One game at a time.
I also find the difference between Skinner being pulled and Bob quite interesting. I get it, it’s the Finals, but when one understands and still has a sunny disposition with a focus on the next game, and the other starts bawling, there might be a few cracks appearing.
Pre-game I had been comforting myself with the suspiciously well timed news from Seravelli that Leon, Connor, and Bouch were all going to sign. Figured that would mute the eastern media a tad in the shadow of a bad finals loss and at least keep the window open for a while.
Win or lose now, after last night, Holloway and Broberg loudly announced themselves as vital cogs to that cluster. The future is bright.
As being anything but hopeful today seems like a massive waste of time…
Conor McDavid is now 3 wins away from even greater immortality than we thought possible one week ago.
This team simply does not give up when it matters most. Edit: They don’t give up but as impressively KK and CMD both really seem to take a couple games to deconstruct an opponent before applying with emphasis. Not counting LA as that was syndication, but Vancouver and Dallas, once figured, were figured.
Just when I thought I was out…
They pull me back in.
Chances of winning 4 straight when 3-0 without game 7 at home = Never been Done Ever.
Chances of winning the next game playing at Jurassic Park (Florida jungle) = no idea.
Chances of winning game 5 after winning 8-1 = 60/40 take your pick?
I’d literally written them off at a sweep before the game. Clinging onto the fact that last year Florida got themselves curb stomped in 4 straight. Suddenly, after an 8-1 uber win there is, however flickering, and down however long and dark of a mountain tunnel, H.O.P.E.
“That was a message sender,” Brown said in a jubilant Oilers dressing room. “There’s been a lot of talk about Bobrovsky in these first three games, but we’ve got a young kid in goal who has an old soul, playing way above anything that I could have done at (25).”
How apt a description. That’s it. He’s Old Soul Skinner for me from here on out.
More like Jekyll and Hyde.
Aside from the potentially realistic Gagner, you know who I’d want to enjoy this Magical Dream Comeback?
Klim Kostin.
I miss both of them!
Having Kostin in the bottom 6 right would be so solid. He would’ve either laid out or fought be Bennett. Or both.
Like i said. Give them enough time, and they break every goalie.
10 goals in the last 4 periods. Hopefully the floodwaters keep rising in Florida.
In this span Bobrovsky has a 0.682 save percentage.
Meanwhile, Skinner is rocking a 0.974 save percentage over his last 4 periods.
Remember, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish…
McDeity earned another record tonight. With 4 points he now has 23 points following a loss this post-season, passing Gilmour and Middleton. That’s a heckuva record. Always shows up after getting beat.
The four points also give Connor 38 on the post-season, passing Gilmour, Bossy and Malkin to put him in a tie with Wayne for fifth all time in a single playoff season. Only other player in that top 5 is Mario who sits at 44, second place, three back of Wayne. Connor needs 41 to be in sole possession of fourth place.
With six points he’s also now the leading scorer in this series.
7 points this series
In keeping with the theme of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway established by the title of yesterday’s post, the Oilers made the Panthers look like the “Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging”.
The balance of the series will be like “The Carpet Crawlers” as in, “you gotta get in to get out…”
Watching the NHL in 30 (because why not?) and I have a question… has Ryan McLeod ever shot a puck that hard in his life? Dead puck, but holy hell that was a ripper.
Frickin’ laser beam…. I had to do a double take when I saw 71 on the back of the jersey.
That was cathartic. Fkn eh. Not uncommon for the team up 3-0 to pooch game 4, so I’m keeping that in perspective, but the seed of doubt has been planted. And for the Oil to score, nearly at will, against their own personal Freddy Krueger…. That could have have a lasting effect.
“Fear is the mind killer”
Team momentum may not necessarily carry over from game to game, but what if doubt takes hold in the mind of an individual player who happens to be the opposition’s Conn Smythe candidate and last line of defense? Did they finally crack Bobrovsky? We wait…
That game was a statement. I can guarantee you they are worried about coming back to Edmonton for a game 6
Sixth goal now a Nuge goal, his 7th of the playoffs.
I was hoping it was Hyman’s, to push him closer to the PO goals record, but… Love that Nuge is scoring too.
He’ll have 3 more games to help with that! 😏
And if he scores enough to break the record, there’s a good chance the Oil end up skating in leisurely loops with a big, silver chalice hoisted overhead…
Game 5 will be the real challenge. Win game 5 and the seed of doubt will be planted and fertilized.
Absolutely key. That will be a huge hump.
I seem to recall heading to Caroline down 3 games to 1 for a game 5 and, while riding back-up netminders, dragged their southern asses back north for a game 6.
If that team can do it…
Sometime you pull back. Maybe it’s November or February. But you pull back.
Not tonight. Holy shit was that fun. I9,000 ppl got it.
Let loose. Acted like a kid. 2nd row for warmup. Sat high for the game but on the edge the whole time. I won’t be able to talk tomorrow. Connor McDavid broke a f*cking Gretzky record.
Wow. What. A. Ride.
Ryan McLeod you beautiful man child.value for a decade.
Good for you man! Buy the ticket, take the ride!
The intensity ramps up more each game from here on in. If we take it to them in Game 5, I think that intensity will tell on FLorida in Game 6 (and 7?)… Bring it home, men!
I think I’m going to listen to Shania Twain’s Giddy Up! before every remaining game this season for absolutely no reason at all…
Does Kane draw back in for Tuesday, or does he get more time to heal up?
I don’t see a switch. To me, none of the wingers gave an opening for an injured Kane to return (considering the contributions from Kane have been limited for a while).
Has Nobby ever healthy-scratched a player after a victory?
Pretty sure, no. That’s not to say this isn’t pretty unusual circumstances. I think he leaves everyone in, if they can go, and Kane will sit.
In the Finals, you’re as good as you weakest link. There’s no room for injured wingers who can’t back check or win 50:50 battles on the boards.
Nobby has demonstrated for many many games that there’s a level of Kane’s ill health he is quite comfortable with. If Kane is at that level for Game 5, KK will have a difficult decision. I think he errs on the side of superstition/psychology/hothands if it comes to it. Everyone on a Cup Final team when healthy enough can quite obviously back check and win 50-50 battles. Doubt that’s the decision maker.
Kane had a week to rest before the finals and he still looked very limited. I don’t think he’s playing another game this season, but I could be wrong
To be honest, it had not even occurred to me that Kane wasn’t playing. He’s been such a non-factor lately that I never once thought, “man, where’s that guy right now?”
I’d maybe put him in for Perry, but nobody else and maybe not even Perry. And probably not after a win anyways.
If I had to make one change, it’d probably be Des for Ceci. Ceci was…not good. Kulak and Des are used to playing with each other.
Starting a Cup Final 0-3 is just like starting a season 2-9-1, right? We got this.
But man we sure like to do things the hardest way possible..
The most entertaining franchise in Hockey by a mile. Have seen it mentioned a couple times tonight as these two games solidifying us as the Comic-Con of the hockey world and that is a brand thing that money can’t buy. So hopefully the Netflix series is still covering much of the action, cause once that’s released you could see a ton of economic benefit to Edmonton as being the mecca of an entire sport.
STANLEY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!!!
Let’s get Stanley the record for total miles travelled back and forth.
Game 5 will be the City of Florida’s best chance to win the Cup. If the Oilers win that, Big Mo’ will be on their side.
love the stat on sportsnet about this team after losing three in a row under knobby
8-0-0
16-0-0
5-0-0
i’m feeling confident
Petty sure they won’t get past 4 in a row this time.
I don’t think anyone figured they’d reel off 16 in a row either.
The spell is broken. If FLA can’t finish the job Tuesday, there will be much tightening of sphincters in South Florida.
Well that’s good for keeping the floodwaters out!
I nearly soiled myself when I saw that stat during the broadcast. 29-0 following 3 game losing streaks… Otherworldly. And hopefully repeatable one last time.
Players with more assists than McD in 1 playoff season
…….
That is the list ….
For a city that wants it this bad, I can’t imagine a better night under these circumstances. What a crowd, and what a response from the team. Had a great night with my family, chips and salsa and then BBQ platter. Everyone watching the game and lots of chances for high fives. Now out to the fire for smores. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, enjoy the day. This was a great one. GOILERS!
Plus now that we know our lucky outfits we are pretty much set.
It’s funny cause it’s true!
Last 4 playoff games for me Oilers out scored 23-5 lol
You had better be on your way to FLA for game 5… Start packing!
Neat stat on Sportsnet:
Janmark is the first Oiler with multiple shorties in one postseason since Marchant in ’97.
Some of our guys need to be praised
We got some good characters on this team
Our PK has truly been our secret weapon this postseason. I think they’ve outscored the opposition over the past 8 games or so.
Everyone contributing, like a team.
There will be a game 5. Focus on just one game. Go Oilers!
exactly! Just win one. Then win one, then win one. They’ve done it this season. Just do I it once more!
That’s the second biggest win since 2006. The biggest win is whoever won the 50/50. $14 million dollars? That’s got to be a typo.
My gord what a fun f**king game to be in the building for.
Yup
I was there
Florida hits the post, it goes right onto another bad guys stick with an open net.
He hits the post again.
And thus the tide just turned.
Brown – Janmark 2 on 1 and goal a few second later.
It seemed monumental at the time, but the way the game evolved, I still think the Oilers win handily.
Fla shut ‘er down at 5-1 / goalie change, gooned it up a bit and then kept their powder dry for Tuesday.
I’m still chuckling at them flying friends and family out only to have their expectations utterly crushed.
I hope it was monumental.
in the last couple series it felt like things broke when Oil shut down 4 minute power plays.
So many stars tonight. So many great things.
Skinner low key excellence.
Retaking the lead on special teams, again on the back of the PK.
Proving they can beat Bob (and how).
Using speed all over the ice.
Foegele and Holloway helping balance the top 2 lines with awesome play.
Henrique’s line channeling Peca’s energy with Pisani in the building
Nurse a goal, McLeod a goal.
Ceci, Nurse, Broberg with +3
Please keep this going, please win in Florida and make this a series!!!!
Cuthbert going mic silent for the final 1:30 and letting the fans bring the win home was great. Whatever happens from here, that was a memorable moment for Oilers fans and a nice reward for a great season
Fully agree there. It was a gift.
100%. Great move by Cuthbert. Also nice going in and out of that. Something like:
D’oh. Typo there (and too late to edit & fix). Should read “ride out the wave”.
Played like no lead is safe. I loooooved this game!
That was actually the best. What an unbelievable hockey game! Every time you thought you were getting greedy asking for more, they provided it.
Okay, we’re up by a bunch, but a powerplay goal would be sweet – boom, answered. Okay, but let’s score on stolarz too so they know we can score on both goalies – boom, answered. Okay but maybe a couple 3rd period goals so they know we’re not going to stop – boom, boom! There was so much icing you have to think back to remember the cake.
Ha! Perfect. This was totally me!
Sportsnet Stats
@SNstats
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9m
Oilers 8-1 win sets the record for the largest margin of victory by a NHL team facing elimination in the Stanley Cup Final.
Previous record was six goals…in 1942 by the Leafs. No comment just yet about what else happened in’42 Finals…
GOILERS!!!
In case anyone was wondering, that Leaf team was the one and only team to come back from down 3-0 in the SCF and win the cup!
42 is the answer to Life, the Universe, and Winning the Cup.
Pretty sure we learned in school that In 1942 Stanley sailed the ocean blue.
Don’t panic and bring a towel.
Nurse and Broberg +4 overall since made a pairing….+3 when together.
Really should be +4 when together but Broberg just stepped off the ice before Nurse scored.
You said it!
How do you like them Apples?
McDavid 32 Apples
Gretz 31 Apples.
We are so very fortunate.
The Oilers have definitely been the better team (the skaters) in 2 games (games 1 and 4) and definitely the 2nd best team on one game (game 2).
I could argue the Oilers were the better team in game 3 and deserved better but that’s not as clear and inarguable (in my opinion) as games 1 and 3.
No doubt the Panthers are good, very good, very likely fully earned Stanley Cup champs but the verbal about how much better and more deserving they are than Oilers in the last 48 hours is over-stated.
Difference in series, IMO, is combo of Bob’s face block on Hyman’s shot 20 secs and stops on 3 breakaways in G1 and Oiler’s gift goals that game.
Ride this momentum!!! Ride this Confidence!!! Ride this Belief!!!
Holy crap, I’m tired and I only watched half the game! lol
Im gonna watch the replay of this game in a minute. But first, I need a shot!
I would love that but we know that momentum doesn’t carry between games in the playoffs. Game 5 will be its own animal.
Except in the minds of goaltenders. Hopefully….
whatever happens in this series that was a beautiful gift to the fanbase from the team
I was hoping for a hard-fought Oilers victory. Didn’t think Florida would stumble this much.
Game 5 is going to be brutal.
Well that was nuts
Siblings (non oiler fans) texted me at 3-1 cheering on team…..I texted back I want 8 goals tonight god damn it…crush them psychologically…..well….awesome win….(now they want predictions on next game…:-)…)
Only three skaters held off the scoresheet–Broberg, Ceci, Ryan.
…and Broberg still accounted himself very well. He started well in this series and is noticeably improving every game. Is it possible he is taking Kulak’s job next season? (and I like Kulak!). If we can also find a way to replace Ceci cheaper, our defence could be set for quite a while.
Kulak and Ceci gone to provide cash for a good 2rd. Or, keep Kulak and put Broberg as 2rd.
Broberg is proving that Godot was correct all along. He is now the 2RD.
Holloway And Broberg on value contracts next year are going to be worth their weight in gold.
Also, does anyone else love how stoked about everything Holloway is?
Quite the outing: 3 points, +3, 3 hits, 2 shots in only 12:30!
I love how he always has a huge smile on his face. Just a kid having fun.
and that he was so amped he nearly took the ref out on his first goal.
Broberg is an extremely low risk candidate for a modest offer sheet. There are lots of teams that could offer 1 year at $2.5-3 million and make the OIlers squirm.
Ditto Holloway.
Maybe. I don’t buy it
You have the whole summer to post like an asshole,
Why right now?
Heh heh
No offense intended, but it’s posts like these that make me think you are a HH burner account… You’re not wrong, but Jeeps and Chryslers man… You know how to piss on a campfire.
I was thinking that Broberg might be even cheaper on the cap next season than this as his QO is $832,500.
Holland’s MO is grinding the non-core players coming off their ELCs but, of course, he’s likely not making this decision. I wonder if they see if Broberg wants two years in the $1.1MM range?
Well
We’ve been down this road before
Long and cheap as you can
There is no doubt he’s good
No more bridges. Call it with no trade protection
Agreed. Fool me thrice…
BroBee is a keeper. Klefbom style contract asap.
Youthful exuberance. It fills my heart with joy! Hollywood turned a corner during his last AHL stint. Looks like the game has slowed down for him now.
This season may or may not end in Stanley, but DAMN, was tonight ever satisfying. After the futility of the DoD, this is what we live for as fans. Great to share it with all the fine folks posting and lurking here.
Happy for the team and fans. Great effort.
Holloway only scores beauties.
They all look like the Bobby Orr diving goal.
Happy father’s day, indeed!!!!
My sons soccer team won 8-1 today, so I’ve had many goals to cheer about!
Aha! It was preordained
La Bamba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWv-9AIW7eE
We’re right back in it!