News Article: Marchessault: “Oilers toughest obstacle”

[harpoon]

If we face Vegas with the same team next postseason the Oilers will get dummied again.

Somebody doesn’t know what ‘dummied’ means.

 

[Kanedogg]

Somebody doesn’t know what ‘dummied’ means.

You don't know what it means if you're automatically assuming he meant it in a positive way for the Oilers.

 

[harpoon]

You don't know what it means if you're automatically assuming he meant it in a positive way for the Oilers.

What? He said Vegas ‘dummied the Oilers’. Then two posts later he predicted the Oilers would get ‘dummied’ again next year unless (big) improvements are made. Not sure how any of that could be taken in a positive way for the Oilers.

 

[Kanedogg]

What? He said Vegas ‘dummied the Oilers’. Then two posts later he predicted the Oilers would get ‘dummied’ again next year unless (big) improvements are made. Not sure how any of that could be taken in a positive way for the Oilers.

Oilers will get dummied, like messi "dummied" Madrid for years, if they don't substantially improve their depth.

Yamamoto, nuge, Hyman, Kane just were not good enough vs them.

 

[syz]

That assumes Campbell was a viable option. He proved across an entire season he wasn't.

So did Hill and Bobrovsky but then all of a sudden they were.

 

[Spawn]

So did Hill and Bobrovsky but then all of a sudden they were.

75 goalies started at least 15 games this season.

In goals saved above expected, Skinner ranked 25th, Bobrobsky ranked 28th and Hill ranked 35th. All slightly above middle of the pack.

Jack Campbell was 70th of 75.

It's like Oiler fans have collective amnesia with Campbell. He's the worst "starting" goalie this team has ever had.

Campbell had a few decent moments in relief of Skinner. Maybe he should have gotten a start. But not for a second was he taking this team anywhere. He sure as hell wasn't winning that series.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Truthfully we were outmatched in one regard. In net.

Its too bad the Oilers just seem to be ignoring that fact.

Vegas scored more than us, they defended better than us, they got better goaltending, they got better coaching...

The only thing the Oilers were better than Vegas at was the power play and once those dried up our pitiful 5v5 offense was exposed.

And again "Toughest opponent"... The Jets didn't even try. The Stars were a non-factor and the Panthers magic ran out at the worst possible time.

Of course they were "lucky" that Nurse had a brain cramp during a key moment. That's pretty much his entire character.

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

What is wrong with this board?
What part of the coaching staff & players had no faith in Campbell don't you understand?
It's almost as if you never watched a game during the regular season if you think Campbell was the answer. I get it that Skinner struggled but this is just wishful thinking.

 

[rboomercat90]

What is wrong with this board?
What part of the coaching staff & players had no faith in Campbell don't you understand?
It's almost as if you never watched a game during the regular season if you think Campbell was the answer. I get it that Skinner struggled but this is just wishful thinking.

You actually thought they still had a chance to win that series when you saw Skinner in goal at the start? I thought it was over right at that point and I sure wasn’t feeling any different 20 seconds later when Skinner was giving the puck away for an early goal against. What it looked like to me, and I’m not the only one, was that the coaching staff was throwing in the towel.

I don’t know if starting Campbell would have made a difference but I was certainly willing to give him a chance after watching Skinner play poorly enough to get pulled in 3 of the first 5 games. He couldn’t put back to back good games together in the playoffs and we needed to win 2 in a row. I think it was wishful thinking that Skinner was going to magically turn his game around after what we’d already seen from him in that series. We were going to lose with him in net. At that point give yourself a chance by looking somewhere else. I’m baffled this is as difficult for some to grasp as it appears to be.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

The Oilers being a bit better 5on5 was mostly game management. When the game was tied, Vegas was better 5on5, but not by much funny enough.

 

[syz]

The Oilers being a bit better 5on5 was mostly game management. When the game was tied, Vegas was better 5on5, but not by much funny enough.

Not really. If you want to talk score effects Vegas made up a lot of ground in games 2 and 4. Oilers led in every game of the series; if Vegas was better 5 on 5 in those stuations that never would have happened considering how awful Edmonton's goaltending was.

March even says it in the interview, that they couldn't afford to sit back even if they were up by 2.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Not really. If you want to talk score effects Vegas made up a lot of ground in games 2 and 4. Oilers led in every game of the series; if Vegas was better 5 on 5 in those stuations that never would have happened considering how awful Edmonton's goaltending was.

March even says it in the interview, that they couldn't afford to sit back even if they were up by 2.

Which to me says the Oilers sat back whenever they got the lead.

Which they often did.

 

[LTIR]

I’m surprised that he’d admit they got lucky with the suspensions. We all knew it was a farce, but usually the team that benefits from it doesn’t openly admit it

It wasnt a judgment call.. it was an auto suspension based on the written rules.

They got lucky that Nurse was dumb enough to instigate a fight in last 5 mins of a game

 

[Stoneman89]

What is wrong with this board?
What part of the coaching staff & players had no faith in Campbell don't you understand?
It's almost as if you never watched a game during the regular season if you think Campbell was the answer. I get it that Skinner struggled but this is just wishful thinking.

Playoffs are a different animal than regular season, and anyone that's watched hockey would know that. The pressure is amped up and teams get familiar with each other. When your goalie is a rookie and he continually struggles, and gets worse with each game, you need to show some creativity and at least try the other guy, who played excellent in his only playoff action. Going to the same well game after game is really not coaching to win, but hoping someone miraculously turns their game around. We all know Skin had a very good regular season and is likely the reason they were even in the playoffs, but that doesn't mean you don't try to mix it up if things go south.

 

[The Nuge]

It wasnt a judgment call.. it was an auto suspension based on the written rules.

They got lucky that Nurse was dumb enough to instigate a fight in last 5 mins of a game

It literally was a judgement call, and it had been rescinded in every other prior instance this season

 

[The Nuge]

What is wrong with this board?
What part of the coaching staff & players had no faith in Campbell don't you understand?
It's almost as if you never watched a game during the regular season if you think Campbell was the answer. I get it that Skinner struggled but this is just wishful thinking.

Campbell came up big for us when Skinner was away for the birth of his son and he was big for us in relief in the playoffs. He earned a chance. When one goalie has a .883 SV% and the other has a .961 SV%, and you’re losing games due to goaltending, maybe it’s time to try the .961 guy

 

[the_fan]

I wonder if the Oilers used fake LTIR like Vegas did and had a 90+ million dollar team, maybe they could beat them.

 

[AlanHUK]

It wasnt a judgment call.. it was an auto suspension based on the written rules.

They got lucky that Nurse was dumb enough to instigate a fight in last 5 mins of a game

There were 3 instances through the season where there were instigator penalties given in the last 5 minutes 2 in the regular season and Nurse in the playoffs. The suspension is automatic pending review, only Nurse was suspended.

This proves it was a judgement call, and in true NHL style completely inconsistent with the precedent they'd set throughout the season. Petro's suspension was also shorter than suspensions for similar things.

And it's not because the NHL is biased against any specific team, it's because it's run by morons who think balancing suspensions means they're not giving one team an advantage over the other, when in fact they're doing just that.

 

[bobbythebrain]

You actually thought they still had a chance to win that series when you saw Skinner in goal at the start? I thought it was over right at that point and I sure wasn’t feeling any different 20 seconds later when Skinner was giving the puck away for an early goal against. What it looked like to me, and I’m not the only one, was that the coaching staff was throwing in the towel.

I don’t know if starting Campbell would have made a difference but I was certainly willing to give him a chance after watching Skinner play poorly enough to get pulled in 3 of the first 5 games. He couldn’t put back to back good games together in the playoffs and we needed to win 2 in a row. I think it was wishful thinking that Skinner was going to magically turn his game around after what we’d already seen from him in that series. We were going to lose with him in net. At that point give yourself a chance by looking somewhere else. I’m baffled this is as difficult for some to grasp as it appears to be.

Another BS post acting like they saw the goalie decision as the difference lmao. Oilers lit Vegas up for 2 games. Even in the games they lost Skinny made some massive saves and they had no push back.

These posts are comical to me. The most APPARENT reason they lost those games is b/c at 5v5 they were very flat

Anyone claiming it was goaltending is seriosly talking out there a**!! Drai going cold, McD turnovers and Ceci/Nurse absolutely decimating the counter attack was WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY more apparent in those games than Skinner.

 

[MessierII]

Another BS post acting like they saw the goalie decision as the difference lmao. Oilers lit Vegas up for 2 games. Even in the games they lost Skinny made some massive saves and they had no push back.

These posts are comical to me. The most APPARENT reason they lost those games is b/c at 5v5 they were very flat

Anyone claiming it was goaltending is seriosly talking out there a**!! Drai going cold, McD turnovers and Ceci/Nurse absolutely decimating the counter attack was WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY more apparent in those games than Skinner.

It’s a bit of both. They were a mess 5 on 5 at both ends. Skinner also was pretty brutal. Not enough big stops and didn’t really string together a good stretch at any point.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Only reason nurse was suspended was because the league new it had to do something about Petros slash so they made sure it evened out.

Like some one said edmontons goaltending cost them that series. I mean they litterally lost game 5 in a 1.20 min span. Then the blatant missed high stick on ekholm with 5 minutes left on game 6.

Let's be honest every thing went right for vegas pain and simple. Amd u mean everything. Not just in r series either.....

The story of our season. Goaltending and defensive breakdowns. If we could stop with the stupid defensive breakdowns we would win the President's Trophy too. Not that I care about that one, just the Cup please.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Oilers will get dummied, like messi "dummied" Madrid for years, if they don't substantially improve their depth.

Yamamoto, nuge, Hyman, Kane just were not good enough vs them.

Hyman and Kane came off, or were injured, this isn't typically what we would see from either in playoffs. Even Marchassault has had dud playoffs and he was invisible in first round and unfortunately got going against Skinner. Got his confidence back there.

With Yams theres never anything we're going to get out of him. Needs to be gone. Nuge, no excuses for that playoff performance. I thought he had finally taken on a star player/ starring role on the team and then he serves up that dogs breakfast when it matters.

 

[Drivesaitl]

What is wrong with this board?
What part of the coaching staff & players had no faith in Campbell don't you understand?
It's almost as if you never watched a game during the regular season if you think Campbell was the answer. I get it that Skinner struggled but this is just wishful thinking.

For the fans that have little faith in the coaching staff its entirely possible to get a different read on it and that its important for any team in playoffs to try all options they got if one ain't working out. If the coaching staff have a problem with the Vet goalie thats become their issue. Goalies are up and down by nature. Would have been responsible, and the right thing to do to give Campbell some starts. Skinner was weak in the series and in the post season.

 

[Drivesaitl]

You actually thought they still had a chance to win that series when you saw Skinner in goal at the start? I thought it was over right at that point and I sure wasn’t feeling any different 20 seconds later when Skinner was giving the puck away for an early goal against. What it looked like to me, and I’m not the only one, was that the coaching staff was throwing in the towel.

I don’t know if starting Campbell would have made a difference but I was certainly willing to give him a chance after watching Skinner play poorly enough to get pulled in 3 of the first 5 games. He couldn’t put back to back good games together in the playoffs and we needed to win 2 in a row. I think it was wishful thinking that Skinner was going to magically turn his game around after what we’d already seen from him in that series. We were going to lose with him in net. At that point give yourself a chance by looking somewhere else. I’m baffled this is as difficult for some to grasp as it appears to be.

Game 6 where Marchassault tied it up 2-2 and they panned around the stands and there were lots of fans seeing the loss happening again. The fans were dejected, not just in that game, and saw the writing on the wall. Never forget the one fan putting his head in his hands in agony. yeah, I understood. Woody didn't. Everybody in the rink knew what was happening. Didn't matter how much of the play Oilers were having. Skinner was giving goals right back.

The stated rationale that Skinner was good in bounceback games was one of the silliest things I've heard from coaches. Thats living on a string and a prayer with a rook goalie of Skinners quality. Which is to say he ain't that much. Takes time for NHL to scout and solve goalies. Vegas has the book for anybody that wants it. Vegas was going to just keep owning Skinner and they did.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

For the fans that have little faith in the coaching staff its entirely possible to get a different read on it and that its important for any team in playoffs to try all options they got if one ain't working out. If the coaching staff have a problem with the Vet goalie thats become their issue. Goalies are up and down by nature. Would have been responsible, and the right thing to do to give Campbell some starts. Skinner was weak in the series and in the post season.

Campbell's been down for like the last year and a half. If he wasn't down for basically the entire season there's never a need to turn to Skinner in the first place. Campbell better hope next year yields better results otherwise we can kiss any chance of a Championship goodbye.

Once the Oilers lost game 5 the series was done. They had their chance to step up and nobody did. Story of the McDavid era.