Post-Game Talk: Oilers 2 Blackhawks 1 - OT

[5 14 6 1]

Huge win. McDavid was awesome. Talbot settled in. Awesome job by Nuge in the OT to win 2 faceoffs on the PP. Much needed.

 

[Soundwave]

Will give RNH credit for getting better at face offs (and/or the new rules helping him out).

Just looked .... David Desharnais is at 62% in the dot with 2 goals this year, lol. Crazy.

 

[StupidGenius]

Cool. I like the coaching concept of breaking down a season into 7 game series, and I prefer to write off the first five and follow eleven 7 game series. This would be a win in the column for the first game of the first series.

We'll need to be earning about 9 points in each series to take a run at the division title or home ice in the playoffs, but doing slightly better than 8 points per series should be enough for the playoffs.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Not sure why people were critical of Nurse late in the game. Gaining a faceoff was the right, and smart play there. Don't want to turn the puck over when you're the only D out there and you are caught high. If Nurse tried to get that puck back to McD what happens if theres a turnover?

Anyway huge victory but this could have gone either way. Still, I wish the team had more consistency. They can get up for Chicago, and played very well. Why can't they get up for games against lesser squads? Its the same two pts. We win tonight put picking games to show up in is going to cost the team greatly.

 

[oljimmy]

How in the HELL do you send Yamamoto down after that game? That rush where he blocked the shot, broke through the Chicago D and literally willed his way to a scoring chance in spite of taking about 3 penalty-worthy holds and slashes? I'll say it: that's a playoff-level performance. That's a forward who wouldn't look out of place in an intense 7-game conference final.

The other thing with this kid is that he's gotta be great for morale. Other players see him just DYING to try to make plays and they've gotta think: OK, this little guy is working at 150%, I gotta give at least 100%. Send him down and you lose that, right?

God help Philly if our offense finally gets rolling. It'll be 1985 all over again.

 

[MuzzaFuzza]

Massive win. McDavid, Nurse, Yamamoto, Nuge and Talbot were good. But our scoring is pretty worrisome, id like to see this when Draisatl and Caggiula are back:

Maroon - McDavid - Yamamoto
Lucic - RNH - Draisatl
Cagg/JJ - Strome - Kass
JJ/Cagg - Letestu - Slepyshev
Malone

Send Pak and Khaira down, re-evalute Yamamoto after 9 games.

 

[Soundwave]

I think we have a tough call to make with Patrick Maroon too. The fact of the matter is he gets himself into the right spots an awful lot with McDavid, which I don't think is easy to do.

Are we really going to be able to find a replacement UFA LW that clicks better with McDavid for under $4 million? He also allows Yamamoto to be played on the RW of that line if that's what you want because he brings size/cycle ability.

Also Kris Russell saved a goal by Anisimov IMO and busted his ass to rush Sharp in OT ... IMO he deserves some props for his game.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Not sure why people were critical of Nurse late in the game. Gaining a faceoff was the right, and smart play there. Don't want to turn the puck over when you're the only D out there and you are caught high. If Nurse tried to get that puck back to McD what happens if theres a turnover?

Anyway huge victory but this could have gone either way. Still, I wish the team had more consistency. They can get up for Chicago, and played very well. Why can't they get up for games against lesser squads? Its the same two pts. We win tonight put picking games to show up in is going to cost the team greatly.

Toews should've fallen on RNH eh?

 

[Soundwave]

Brad Malone is above 60% in the dot the last two years and is 60%+ again with the Oilers.

I like his game, think we should just keep him. Had a decent chance tonight. Is big. I was pulling for Khaira but he really looked out of it, granted the entire team was out of sync.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I think we have a tough call to make with Patrick Maroon too. The fact of the matter is he gets himself into the right spots an awful lot with McDavid, which I don't think is easy to do.

Are we really going to be able to find a replacement UFA LW that clicks better with McDavid for under $4 million? He also allows Yamamoto to be played on the RW of that line if that's what you want because he brings size/cycle ability.

Also Kris Russell saved a goal by Anisimov IMO and busted his ass to rush Sharp in OT ... IMO he deserves some props for his game.

Some good questions,but it comes down to good GM'ing

Do you pay Maroon a loyalty contract? Or do you try and upgrade his position? Chia tends to go with the loyalty contracts and expects the same results for years to follow

Russell has been good this year. No complaints. See what happens in 2 years. IMO, that was the position that needed upgrading

 

[Soundwave]

Some good questions,but it comes down to good GM'ing

Do you pay Maroon a loyalty contract? Or do you try and upgrade his position? Chia tends to go with the loyalty contracts and expects the same results for years to follow

Russell has been good this year. No complaints. See what happens in 2 years. IMO, that was the position that needed upgrading

It's gonna be tough. The odd thing about Maroon is for a guy that big, he is surprisingly agile and can move. That play where McDavid knocked the puck ahead and Maroon just jumps on it and creates a heckuva chance for Yamamoto ... there's just little chance someone like Lucic would ever get to that.

Letestu is another guy that is going to be tough to replace. These guys are giving us way more production than the 3rd/4th liners they're slated as.

I think eventually Yamamoto will get the Letestu spot on the 1st unit PP (starting next year). He better be ready to shoot.

Russell's been good this year. And was good in the playoffs. And was good last year too, lol. The hate on this player on this board is really unjustified IMO. He helped stop two potential goals last game.

 

[Kolja]

Nice win!

Interesting fact, Nuge is +56% on the dot after six games. The new and improved Nuge.

 

[Soundwave]

Nice win!

Interesting fact, Nuge is +56% on the dot after six games. The new and improved Nuge.

If RNH can stay above 48% even, and Brad Malone is 60%+ ... and then you have Letestu and Draisaitl still ... do well really need to upgrade this spot? Seems to me like some of the new rules have favored our guys because you can't just muscle your way to the puck anymore.

 

[Upperchucker]

Yamamoto needs to be sent back down so I can watch his final season in the CHL before he's called up for good. I've watched him play for 2 years in Spokane and wouldn't mind a 3rd at all.

The thing I haven't seen him do as well yet in the NHL that he excelled at in junior is duck under hits and get 2 strides on a breakaway before the defender realizes where he is and can react. Once he gets that ability going in the bigs, I think he will be hard to stop. His size makes him hard to track in a group. He naturally gravitated towards where the puck is going to be and finds himself in position for rebound shots at the goal.

It will take him a little time, but once that first goal is out of the way, I think you'll see a lot more from him offensively.

That Connor assist was sick. I'm now an Oilers fan and hopefully will get to make a trip up to see them on home ice.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Brad Malone is above 60% in the dot the last two years and is 60%+ again with the Oilers.

I like his game, think we should just keep him. Had a decent chance tonight. Is big. I was pulling for Khaira but he really looked out of it, granted the entire team was out of sync.

Malone has been solid in his role. When Leon and Drake return we're going to have to waive someone unless Drake or Slepy gets sent down.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Yamamoto needs to be sent back down so I can watch his final season in the CHL before he's called up for good. I've watched him play for 2 years in Spokane and wouldn't mind a 3rd at all.

The thing I haven't seen him do as well yet in the NHL that he excelled at in junior is duck under hits and get 2 strides on a breakaway before the defender realizes where he is and can react. Once he gets that ability going in the bigs, I think he will be hard to stop. His size makes him hard to track in a group. He naturally gravitated towards where the puck is going to be and finds himself in position for rebound shots at the goal.

It will take him a little time, but once that first goal is out of the way, I think you'll see a lot more from him offensively.

That Connor assist was sick. I'm now an Oilers fan and hopefully will get to make a trip up to see them on home ice.

 

[McClelland]

lol, Forsberg with the 0.952 sav%. By faaaaaar the best game of his career. Just for us, thanks bud.

Making a vezina candidate, new Netflix serie! We need snipers badly, for some easy goals!

 

[Laineux]

Oilers have 5v5 sh% of 3.74. Safe assumption that it's going to double from that. Goals will start coming.

 

[snipes]

With Mrs. snipes and baby snipes junior out of town I was able to watch this game fully engaged, cheering and just living in the moment with my favourite pastime. Forgot how much that meant to me.

Man I tell ya fellas, there's nothing quite like this sport when you see a team you've supported your entire life and always will support play with heart and battle from start to finish. Very pleased with the effort level above all.

Throw in McDavid magic and you remember why you love this game.

 

[Ferda11]

Big confidence builder game going forward. Let's get on a roll and string together some W's.

 

[Risingwind]

Life is great today
And the Oilers got one, too
Let’s toast the spin pass

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

I'm really glad Talbot seems to be on his way up again. Really good performance and a win on the road. yay.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Lucic went beast mode in the third.

Love Yamamoto's game when he has the puck, but still worried about him needing to get the puck away from bigger players on the boards.

 

[jebs]

Only difference between period 2/3 tonight and the previous 13 periods was goaltending. Talbot stopped being ****ty = win.

I agree. I mean I’ve been enjoying shit posting them, been loving the freak out, but they haven’t been even close to as bad as their record suggests. People can talk about score effects and stuff, but Calgary was down to Carolina too and they didn’t outshoot them.

 

[PinSeeker]

Anyway huge victory but this could have gone either way. Still, I wish the team had more consistency. They can get up for Chicago, and played very well. Why can't they get up for games against lesser squads? Its the same two pts. We win tonight put picking games to show up in is going to cost the team greatly.

The thing is, they have been "getting up" for almost every game. When they have made mistakes, they have been egregious, and they have been almost certainly in the back of the net due to piss poor goaltending. Also, every tender has had their "Ben Scrivens" game against us. It is quite the confluence of events, when you look at it!

The Oilers lead the league in high danger chance % (For vs Against) and by a good 4-5% at this stage. Since Chicago had all their pressure on powerplays, the Oilers HDCF% last night was freaking 81%! That is insane.