GDT: 2022-23 Western Conference Quarter-Finals game 1 LA Kings vs Edmonton Oilers @7:00pm 4/17/23 MOD Warning post #596

[Bandit]

You could say the exact same thing about every Kings defenseman last night. All 6 of them struggled retrieving dump ins behind them, Anderson was the worst of the lot against their pressure.

If your third pairing can play a lot of minutes against McDavid and Draisaitl without allowing a single goal at even strength, you have absolutely nothing to complain about.

And I would sit JAD and roll with 7 defensemen tomorrow if Vilardi can't go.

You’re confusing can with did.

If Kopitar turns the puck over to McDavid in the slot 5 times and Korpisalo makes 5 saves that doesn’t mean Kopitar played well because he “didn’t get scored on”. It means he played like shit but was f***ing lucky.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The defensemen as a group were all under fire last night, the Kings had a very difficult time beating their speed to the dump ins in the corners. And the breakouts were a mess for the first 35 minutes or so, nobody could complete a pass - just a bunch of hope plays where pucks were being chucked in the general direction of a teammate. I wouldn't expect anyone to have good fancy numbers. Arvidsson was strong on controlled entries but rarely had a clean passing option once he got to the top of the circles.

Kings sure seemed comfortable letting the Oilers get as many low percentage chances as they could attempt while packing the middle. The numbers just don't mean anything here, you have to be willing to give up something to a team with that speed. They all deserve to be praised for keeping the high danger chances to a bare minimum even if they allowed far more low danger chances than you might usually see them give up. Edmonton could cycle at will, but the points of contention really weren't all that bad.

I think as a whole they played 'bend but not break' but that's not what I was seeing with Edler and Durzi.

They were far too careless with the puck for their role, and Edler was too slow to get to any spots to support anyone.

I know you want to dismiss the numbers but that is absolutely UGLY and WILL be an issue in the series if they don't get it together. We can celebrate for one night but you had better believe one look at the game tape and they are going to rip that pairing to shreds with strategic puck placement.

 

[bland]

You’re confusing can with did.

If Kopitar turns the puck over to McDavid in the slot 5 times and Korpisalo makes 5 saves that doesn’t mean Kopitar played well because he “didn’t get scored on”. It means he played like shit but was f***ing lucky.

Well, he did it twice and they were scored on, but nobody seemed to care too much about that after he picked up 4 points.

My point is that this is the playoffs. What "should" or "could" be just doesn't matter, only what "is". And the third pairing, as much possession as they gave up, just didn't get beat as badly as the first and second pairings did on the score sheet. Yeah, they gave up a 5 on 3 to the best PP in history. That's it, everything else was a successful example of damage control.

Fancy stats mean absolutely nothing. Worse than nothing actually because they are so misused. So when Edler and Durzi gave up the blueline over and over, they didn't give up that many dangerous chances and I will take them losing the possession battle but not getting scored on all day every day.

 

[bland]

I think as a whole they played 'bend but not break' but that's not what I was seeing with Edler and Durzi.

They were far too careless with the puck for their role, and Edler was too slow to get to any spots to support anyone.

I know you want to dismiss the numbers but that is absolutely UGLY and WILL be an issue in the series if they don't get it together. We can celebrate for one night but you had better believe one look at the game tape and they are going to rip that pairing to shreds with strategic puck placement.

It won't be as much of an issue at home, and frankly I would be surprised if Edler plays every game in a long series. I would MUCH rather see Walker with Edler, Durzi is even slower on the turn and recognition than Edler.

If the Kings forwards do a better job handling the puck in the neutral zone I don't think this is going to be that big of an issue. Last night was a parade of turnovers, no defenseman is going to be a Corsi star if his forwards can't string two passes together up ice. I don't remember too many looks with the puck for Durzi from the point at even strength.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

It won't be as much of an issue at home, and frankly I would be surprised if Edler plays every game in a long series. I would MUCH rather see Walker with Edler, Durzi is even slower on the turn and recognition than Edler.

If the Kings forwards do a better job handling the puck in the neutral zone I don't think this is going to be that big of an issue. Last night was a parade of turnovers, no defenseman is going to be a Corsi star if his forwards can't string two passes together up ice. I don't remember too many looks with the puck for Durzi from the point at even strength.

I hope it's not and I'm with you that I hope there's a slight rotation but I ahven't seen enough to trust TM with that, even with the home matchups...he was perfectly content giving that pairing a turn with the 3rd and 4th lines even with a McDavid risk...

It's probably not fair to blame them for being set up as such but we sure need that to hold strong

 

[Bandit]

Well, he did it twice and they were scored on, but nobody seemed to care too much about that after he picked up 4 points.

My point is that this is the playoffs. What "should" or "could" be just doesn't matter, only what "is". And the third pairing, as much possession as they gave up, just didn't get beat as badly as the first and second pairings did on the score sheet. Yeah, they gave up a 5 on 3 to the best PP in history. That's it, everything else was a successful example of damage control.

Fancy stats mean absolutely nothing. Worse than nothing actually because they are so misused. So when Edler and Durzi gave up the blueline over and over, they didn't give up that many dangerous chances and I will take them losing the possession battle but not getting scored on all day every day.

I’ve never cited a fancy stat and never will.

Everyone seems to notice Edler is out there skating with a 50lb cement block on one leg and a peg on the other but you. The kings have younger and far more mobile options that are (allegedly) part of the actual future of this franchise but you’d rather defend Edler to try and prove how superior you are. It’s a bad look. What “is” is we could be icing a better roster giving us a better chance to win just by changing the lineup card.

I guess the only young defender worth complaining about not being in the lineup over a corpse is the one that was traded to Minnesota.

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Where did you see/hear he's braced up?

NHL radio Sirius XM Dennis Bernstein this weekend

 

[VILARGOD]

NHL radio Sirius XM Dennis Bernstein this weekend

Do you have the exact name of the show or a link bud?

edit: nvm, seems you have to pay for the replays, for some reason I was thinking of a podcast like show

 

[SettlementRichie10]

There’s no reason Edler-Durzi should even be a pairing right now when you have Bjornfot and Spence just sitting there collecting dust.

But the organization made the decision to not give either of these players much experience this season so they’re not going to be comfortable with them unless all three of Edler Durzi and Walker are injured.

 

[jgs]

I am just real glad the Kings beat the crybaby Oilers in the first game. Oilers were acting like bullies at the start of the game and wound up looking like wimps after the OT goal by AI. Just love it.