Post-Game Talk: OT Heartbreaker

[Canovin]

That’s an extremely interesting assumption. By all means throw him to the wolves in LA, where they have last change and all the momentum.

Most goalies don't let in 4-5 goals a game in the playoffs outside of Skinner. It's a pretty good assumption

 

[tfwnogf]

Why not start Pickard next game. Look at Boston switching goalies. They don't give a f***. Why should the Oilers care about Skinners feelings. Play who is likely to give you the best chance. Pickard deserves a start and now is the time to do it before the series gets out of hand.

Not saying Skinner is the only problem, but if you never change things up how do you find out what works.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Most goalies don't let in 4-5 goals a game in the playoffs outside of Skinner. It's a pretty good assumption

And yet Mike Smith did. Maybe it’s more than just goaltending at this point. There was one game in the final two series in 2022 where we gave up less than three goals.

 

[Canovin]

And yet Mike Smith did. Maybe it’s more than just goaltending at this point. There was one game in the final two series in 2022 where we gave up less than three goals.

Yes Mike Smith did against the Avs(arguably the best team in 10 years) and not some low scoring team in LA 2 years in a row

 

[CycloneSweep]

Yes Mike Smith did against the Avs and not some low scoring team in LA 2 years in a row

He was also old and it was the third round, and he was playing in front of a worse team.

 

[nabob]

That’s an extremely interesting assumption. By all means throw him to the wolves in LA, where they have last change and all the momentum.

LAs offense aren’t wolves. You’d be throwing him to the cocker spaniels.

If you can’t trust him to be average against a below average offensive team then why is he even here at this point in his career? His play all season showed he can be trusted with something like this. This isn’t the Knights or Avalanche.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

And yet Mike Smith did. Maybe it’s more than just goaltending at this point. There was one game in the final two series in 2022 where we gave up less than three goals.

Mike Smith clutched the hell up in Game 6 and 7 against the Kings and allowed 2 goals...including a shutout in Game 7

 

[K1984]

The reason we lost:

1) Team wide casual approach to start the game

2) Complete ineptitude defending the rush or reading danger in the neutral zone

3) Skinner

It's pretty much that simple.

 

[bone]

Don't feel like the stress of reading this entire thread, but wanted to share some fun stats if they haven't already made their way into it.

• Stuart Skinner career OT stats. 0-3 record. 11.48 GAA and .667 save percentage.
• In 14 career playoff starts, 6 games with a save percentage below .850, 9 games below .900
• Overall playoff stats, 3.81 GAA and .879 Save Percentage
• Since Game 2 vs. Vegas, pulled 3 times in 6 starts while going 4.55 GAA and .854 in save percentage.

One more bad game like that this series, especially if it ultimately leads to a series loss, and he's cooked as an NHL Number 1 starter, and he'll have blown any consideration for Team Canada that he was getting earlier this year.

 

[Canovin]

Mike Smith clutched the hell up in Game 6 and 7 against the Kings and allowed 2 goals...including a shutout in Game 7

That LA team was far better than this year version as well

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yes Mike Smith did against the Avs(arguably the best team in 10 years) and not some low scoring team in LA 2 years in a row

I mean he did give up at least 4 goals in three of the seven games.

People treating the Kings like some afterthought is a dangerous mentality.

 

[bone]

He was also old and it was the third round, and he was playing in front of a worse team.

Swap 39 year old Duncan Keith for Ekholm, and Skinner's letting in 5 or 6 a game instead of 4 or 5.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

And yet Mike Smith did. Maybe it’s more than just goaltending at this point. There was one game in the final two series in 2022 where we gave up less than three goals.

Avs were a juggernaut and the whole team was completely in over their head. That and and getting lit up by LA are not close to the same thing. Come on.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Mike Smith clutched the hell up in Game 6 and 7 against the Kings and allowed 2 goals...including a shutout in Game 7

The Oilers also ran the Kings into the ground in that game seven. It wasn’t even close.

 

[CrazyJoeDavola]

Nothing makes my blood boil than listening to Skinner's post-game comments after a sub-par performance. Holy moly, I know he's trying to deflect and shield his mental, but man....

 

[Zguy370]

Anyone is better than Skinner in the playoffs. He's a season goalie. On any other team, he would be a back up goalie.

Probably more than half the backup goalies in the league are better than Skinner lol

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I mean he did give up at least 4 goals in three of the seven games.

People treating the Kings like some afterthought is a dangerous mentality.

No one is saying they’re an afterthought lol they are saying they aren’t nearly as dangerous offensively as the cup winning avs team. Wake up. LA has like the least GF in the playoffs.

 

[Canovin]

I mean he did give up at least 4 goals in three of the seven games.

People treating the Kings like some afterthought is a dangerous mentality.

One of reason the Oilers won any series is because of Mike Smith.

Skinner had a different affect. The Oilers had to play against the refs, opposition and Skinner every series and it's looking like that this series too

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Don't feel like the stress of reading this entire thread, but wanted to share some fun stats if they haven't already made their way into it.

• Stuart Skinner career OT stats. 0-3 record. 11.48 GAA and .667 save percentage.
• In 14 career playoff starts, 6 games with a save percentage below .850, 9 games below .900
• Overall playoff stats, 3.81 GAA and .879 Save Percentage
• Since Game 2 vs. Vegas, pulled 3 times in 6 starts while going 4.55 GAA and .854 in save percentage.

One more bad game like that this series, especially if it ultimately leads to a series loss, and he's cooked as an NHL Number 1 starter, and he'll have blown any consideration for Team Canada that he was getting earlier this year.

IMO the reason Skinner's numbers plummet in the playoffs is he can't handle the traffic in front of the net

Kings strategy is to create traffic and throw EVERYTHING at the net...(Knights the same thing)

that Fiala stinker was a prime example of it

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

No one is saying they’re an afterthought lol they are saying they aren’t nearly as dangerous offensively as the cup winning avs team. Wake up. LA has like the least GF in the playoffs.

Go watch the Vegas game from last night. Night and day the defensive posture from the Knights. The Stars were completely stifled. The Oilers coasted through the third and OT and look what happened.

 

[Oilers in NS]

Is Pickard any better though?

Lots of people screaming to bench Skinner but I think u have to go back to him Friday. They had to go with him after mess in November and it worked out so hopefully this works out

 

[bone]

IMO the reason Skinner's numbers plummet in the playoffs is he can't handle the traffic in front of the net

Kings strategy is to create traffic and throw EVERYTHING at the net...(Knights the same thing)

that Fiala stinker was a prime example of it

He also tends to settle back too easily leading to him not being prepared when something unexpected happens quickly. Goal 1 and 5 were examples of these. While decent shots by Kempe and Kopitar, Skinner never really got himself set suggesting he too quickly assumed the puck was going to get out on the Bouchard pass to the line, or that the Kings pass was going to go for icing.

In playoffs, you have to play as if everything can turn into a chance against right away or else you get lit up.

 

[K1984]

3-11 in OT in the McDavid era by the way. This team is shit in overtime.

Almost all of them go the exact same way too.

Airhead play in the neutral zone and scored on off the rush no more than about 3 mins into the first OT period. Since 2017 that exact scenario has happened at least 4-5 times. We don't even make it to the 5 min mark.

 

[MessierII]

You are not winning giving up 5 and several very weak goals your standards are horrible

The game was tied going into the 3rd. Game was tied after regulation. Skinner didn’t play well not arguing that but the team had plenty of chances to take a lead and win the game and didn’t do it.

 

[bone]

Almost all of them go the exact same way too.

Airhead play in the neutral zone and scored on off the rush no more than about 3 mins into the first OT period. Since 2017 that exact scenario has happened at least 4-5 times. We don't even make it to the 5 min mark.

It also doesn't help much when your starting goalie is rocking a 11.48 GAA and .667 save percentage through his career so far in playoff OTs.