Post-Game Talk: An uninspiring game

[Stoneman89]

Korpisalo isn't the only goalie the Oilers turn into Hasek ... that's like the 3rd or 4th game this year where they've made a back up goalie look like the Vezina trophy winner by powdering AAA scoring chances straight into the goalie's pads because no one on this team outside of like 5 guys understands how to raise a hockey puck.

Team badly misses an Evander Kane in a game like that where they just need someone to put the damn puck in the net and stop making excuses.

They probably lose last night with Campbell in net too, that was a terrible effort, Skinner did make some big saves including Gaudreau on a breakaway and then stopping that Columbus player left completely wide open on a cross seam pass (not sure which Disneyland ride the D on our team who should have been covering that guy was on).

Hate it when people use one player as an excuse for a teams dismal performance and lack of scoring. Kane hasn't scored since he got back, so to expect him to shine in this game is a bit unrealistic. Going to take him some time, and people need to be patient. Oilers had more than enough guys capable of putting the puck in the net this game, but last night the whole team was fighting the puck for some reason. Even their boots seemed heavy.
As for Campbell, yes, he's actually been making some really excellent saves the last while, and has been a big part of the Oilers shutting teams down and locking it up in the 3rd period.

 

[Soundwave]

Hate it when people use one player as an excuse for a teams dismal performance and lack of scoring. Kane hasn't scored since he got back, so to expect him to shine in this game is a bit unrealistic. Going to take him some time, and people need to be patient. Oilers had more than enough guys capable of putting the puck in the net this game, but last night the whole team was fighting the puck for some reason. Even their boots seemed heavy.
As for Campbell, yes, he's actually been making some really excellent saves the last while, and has been a big part of the Oilers shutting teams down and locking it up in the 3rd period.

It's not a mystery.

They get lazy when they get time off at home. Simple as that. You don't lose 4 straight games in the same circumstance (3 days off at home) by accident.

Give this team a couple of extra days off at home and they'll shit the bed in the game and the coach will of course do nothing about it.

Rinse, wash, repeat.

Maybe this time the message has sunk in and they'll actually give a shit on Saturday (which will be the 5th time they've had 3 days off at home).

 

[Stoneman89]

I don't agree there weren't that many grade A chances. Columbus had quite a few, Gaudreau break away, we give the puck away straight to Laine in prime scoring position (hits the post), etc. etc. etc. lol. Columbus hemming us in multiple times in the 3rd period and finally doing the same in OT to end it, we made them look like Tampa Bay at times.

Look at the game thread, when Columbus scored to make it 2-2 people were saying "yeah you could feel that coming" because they were running our show for a while there in the 3rd.

The Oilers could've *easily* lost that game in regulation just like they did to Anaheim. They played worse last night than that Anaheim home loss frankly.

Oilers deserved to lose last night and they lost. That was a pathetic effort, if they played a team like Colorado with that same exact level of attention to detail and effort they would lose like 7-2. The only reason it was a game was because Columbus can't help being bad (you don't have the worst record in the NHL by accident).

They wanna play like that on Saturday? Welp, guess what the result is gonna be. Doesn't matter who is in net.

Columbus did not have quite a few grade A chances. Other than Goudreau's breakaway and the cross ice bang bang, they didn't generate a lot. They had some zone time, big deal. It didn't translate to much, and the shots on goal mirrored that. And they didn't "hem us in" in OT. They had some play at the blueline for a few seconds and then the goalscorer worked to the opposite side of the dman, and let a shot go from range. That has to be stopped. It's not like this was OV or Matthews shooting the puck from the circle, or piles of guys in front.

I'm not excusing the Oilers skaters for their performance, or dismissing Korpisalo's play, or Columbus' ability to gets sticks in front of passes. But this was a game that was screaming for the goalie to do his part to lock it down in the 3rd period and protect a one goal lead.

 

[Soundwave]

Columbus did not have quite a few grade A chances. Other than Goudreau's breakaway and the cross ice bang bang, they didn't generate a lot. They had some zone time, big deal. It didn't translate to much, and the shots on goal mirrored that. And they didn't "hem us in" in OT. They had some play at the blueline for a few seconds and then the goalscorer worked to the opposite side of the dman, and let a shot go from range. That has to be stopped. It's not like this was OV or Matthews shooting the puck from the circle, or piles of guys in front.

I'm not excusing the Oilers skaters for their performance, or dismissing Korpisalo's play, or Columbus' ability to gets sticks in front of passes. But this was a game that was screaming for the goalie to do his part to lock it down in the 3rd period and protect a one goal lead.

lol they fully deserved to get scored on in that 3rd period even the Oilers broadcast team said you could feel that Columbus goal coming.

Maybe if Barrie could've defended at even an ECHL level he doesn't let his man go from behind the net with the puck to the front of the net, have a free shot at Skinner point blank, and then lets him have a second chance at the puck too with little to no resistance.

 

[Stoneman89]

It's not a mystery.

They get lazy when they get time off at home. Simple as that. You don't lose 4 straight games in the same circumstance (3 days off at home) by accident.

Give this team a couple of extra days off at home and they'll shit the bed in the game and the coach will of course do nothing about it.

Rinse, wash, repeat.

Maybe this time the message has sunk in and they'll actually give a shit on Saturday (which will be the 5th time they've had 3 days off at home).

They'll be fine on Saturday. I'm more concerned about that 10 day layoff till February 7th. They were playing well and in a nice rhythm up to last night, but it's not a switch you can turn off and on. Historically, this is a team that does not handle long stretches of inactivity very well.

lol they fully deserved to get scored on in that 3rd period even the Oilers broadcast team said you could feel that Columbus goal coming.

Maybe if Barrie could've defended at even an ECHL level he doesn't let his man go from behind the net with the puck to the front of the net, have a free shot at Skinner point blank, and then lets him have a second chance at the puck too with little to no resistance.

Obviously you and are never going to agree on this (and probably so many other things), so time to let it go for me.

 

[nally]

You dont win many games when you have 27 turnovers.

Any idea what an average game/team would have...for comparison's sake

 

[Soundwave]

They'll be fine on Saturday. I'm more concerned about that 10 day layoff till February 7th. They were playing well and in a nice rhythm up to last night, but it's not a switch you can turn off and on. Historically, this is a team that does not handle long stretches of inactivity very well.

This team hasn't earned the right to act like they'll "be fine" against any team at any time.

They've shown full well they can shit the bed at home at any time, against any one.

You earn the right to be cocky, this team hasn't earned that right.

And sure they will probably shit the bed coming out of that long break too. It's what they do with any long break, because they are coached in a lackadasical way for one. Starts there and trickles down.

If the Oilers are even given the option of "take your foot off the gas pedal", they will chose that option 9/10 times. They can't help but do it.

 

[Stoneman89]

Thanks for the balanced post. Theres not many of these here after losses. Finishing first for the Oilers is careful what you wish for territory anyway. Its best that this team finish 2nd or 3rd, its best for their psyche not to be considered the team to beat. When they are that they tend to lose. This team is too subject to confidence swings and mental effects. The confidence of this team holds them back I fear. They panic kind of easy. Vets and Kane were a huge influence in redirecting the club last spring. They need something like that again. I think the team benefits from the mental energy that Kostin and Desharnais have brought. Its not just the players, its the attitude that those players bring.

To quote Desharnais: "I've waited 10yrs for this chance, I'm not wasting it for anything"

Based on their home vs away record, the best place for them to finish is 8th!

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Truly cursed jerseys. No other earthly explanation.

Scientists worldwide are baffled.

I think we lost every game last year in those ugly creamsicle reverse retros as well.

 

[Soundwave]

I think we lost every game last year in those ugly creamsicle reverse retros as well.

Pretty sure that's not the case, actually as I recall they did OK in those ones. This years McFarlanes are awful.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Pretty sure that's not the case, actually as I recall they did OK in those ones. This years McFarlanes are awful.

I think they sucked in the 3 games they played in them last season as I wore mine to each game and vaguely recall leaving disappointed after every game. Players hated them as well.

 

[Stoneman89]

I think they sucked in the 3 games they played in them last season as I wore mine to each game and vaguely recall leaving disappointed after every game. Players hated them as well.

Remember those Reebok pajamas they came out with a long time ago? What a disaster those were as well.
I'm also not sure what the hell the Habs are thinking with those stupid blue abortions they've been using lately. Yuk!

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Burn the jerseys

We started this win streak when my buddy and his wife arrived from New Brunswick and we’ve won every game we’ve been together (been vacationing with them in Hawaii the past couple weeks) so I called him the Oilers good luck charm. Sadly his good luck couldn’t overcome the curse of the Reverse Retro.

We wear those accursed things one final time Saturday v Chicago so hopefully they can break the hex these jersies have over the team.

 

[CupofOil]

The only two players that have a higher playoff PPG than Draisaitl are Gretzky and Lemieux (15 game minimum) I believe. He's above every current NHL player, McDavid, Crosby, etc. included.

Dude gets going in the playoffs for sure.

The problem with the Oilers usage of him is they don't understand that he and McDavid aren't the exact same person. Oiler coaching logic is basically if you push McDavid to 24+ minutes in a game, you can do the same for Draisaitl no problem.

It doesn't work like that. Leon doesn't have the stamina Connor does, nobody in the world does. McDavid is a freak of nature, he can play probably 24-25 minutes a game and still have a ton of explosion in his game.

For Draisaitl to be pushed to those minutes means he has to "pace" himself which is another way of saying he has to cheat and basically has nothing in the tank left defensively trying to keep up with Connor which being played into the ground.

Same thing happens every year too, the Oilers gas him out to start the season and he is running on fumes usually for December-January and every year the Oilers act dumb founded as to what's happening.

Drai is a big game player, always seems to elevate against good teams and.... Nashville of course. He, like a lot of the team, is just content to cruise against "lesser" often times, it's just magnified with Drai because he plays so many minutes so it becomes a tough watch when he's dragging ass on the ice in his off games for 22-25 minutes a night.

In any event, I have little doubt that he'll turn it on late in the season as we get into crunch time, he does it every year after winter hibernation.

 

[brentashton]

I don't get the same impression. I don't think Darnell is a shit doesn't stink person. I think he's a mercurial sort, and knows that, and that works on keeping his cool and not losing his stack. Thats what I recognize in him because I had to try to reign in anger problems in life. So that he's a player that makes mistakes, knows it, but tries not to be or look too impacted by it. Its a somewhat resilient skill that allows one to go on next shifts, and he has to have it because he gets a shitload of shifts here and always does.

Nurse I fear is going to have times where he approaches 1D and times where you wonder what he's doing. Still though he's a supreme athlete in a sport, a very good skater that can skate miles and he's got conditioning to eat endless minutes. This is still the same D that played an amazing 60mins in a 6 period playoff game. Its the same person. When he looks most bad its helpful to reflect on that. That was the best game of his career possibly. It would be for a lot of D. Really if we had won that game it would have gone down as a legend performance.

Like I said, I can’t quite put my finger on what the vibe is I get. Maybe it is him being somewhat mercurial. It’s definitely not overt supreme superiority complex, I didn‘t mean that. but i don’t hear a lot of self examination of his game except the odd superficial comment. As a leader when you are playing not up to expectations, its important to own it and let your team mates know you recognize and own it. Connor is someone who does this when he is flat. Leon too, he’s even more harsh and abrupt on his play sometimes. Maybe DN is more comfortable in doing that out of the media spotlight and that would be understandable. The limited interviews I watch of him though, just don’t give me a sense of a guy who really recognizes how much better his game could be. To your comment, I agree, that playoff game was exceptional. No one can expect him to be at that level every night, that wouldn’t be fair, but hoping he can elevate his play somewhat, from where he has been for many games this season.

 

[bucks_oil]

After. Watch it again. The puck is there not far from his glove. It was the standard high noon standoof. Usually the goalie is able to get a mitt on that. This time the shooter did. Skinner either didn't spot the puck or didn't want to commit. I suspected the latter. Just before the shooter gets to goal scoring shot Skinner could have put a glove on that puck. he had the time. In the sequence I think he was already rattled by the earlier goal post. It happens.

edit: just watched it again on Columbus feed. NHL game highlights is using that one and they have great angles on it including all revealing overhead cam. Skinner hesitates, see's the puck but seems conflicted on whether to block puck with stick, or try to cover, ends up doing neither, gets punished. He even moved his stick to puck instead of just freezing it with glove.

I just saw the other angle. I mean you aren't crazy.

My take though is that McLeod scrapes the puck off Skinner's paddle. If that doesn't happen Skinner has an easy decision to cover. He's already protecting the puck, so he can move his glove out of position to cover.

But McLeod puts the puck back into danger (and doesn't box out the attackers), so you are right... Skinner has two minds. I like the "high noon standoff" comment, that's exactly what it is... damned if you do, damned if you don't. He starts to reach out to cover and that's when the puck gets poked in the net (right where his glove might have been).

For me it's easy to second-guess, but hard to fault. I think "weak" is a stretch, since the level of mistake he made is far less than at least four other mistakes by his teammates (both Barrie and McLeod had two each in my mind).

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

 

[CupofOil]

Yeah so then why does that keep happening to the Oilers?

It's a running joke here that when ever we get the back up/3rd string goalie we are in trouble, is it not?

That's not just random thing I made up. The Oilers do this same shit over and over and over and over again.

The moment I saw Korpisalo rob Puljujarvi and Holloway I went "they're probably going to find a way to lose this game and Korpisalo is gonna look like Hasek before the night is over" .... and sure enough, that's exactly the way the rest of the game went.

Even though this team has a powerful offence, especially without Kane they are still prone to going through stretches where their stone hands Bermuda triangle of offensive suck (otherwise known as Foegele + Puljujarvi + Yamamoto + Holloway) can't buy a goal to save their lives and then you have McDrai opting to play extra cutesy/trying to pass the puck into the net night.

We've probably pissed away like 4-5 points this year alone doing this same ol' shit. Thank goodness Evander Kane's ex is a nut on social media because that basically helped band-aid that situation and let us advance in the playoffs. That dude actually knows what to do with a puck when put into a "kill zone" goal scoring

The Oilers lead the league in scoring, filling the net isn't the problem. There are going to be nights when not everything is going in the net and yes the Oilers get too cutesy at times and have a case of the stone hands with their bottom 6 players at times (which is why they're bottom 6 players) but scoring isn't the issue with this team.

As was the case again last night, they get complacent too often in their own zone and get the yips with the puck so they just throw it blindly up the boards or Bouchard's case, lazily throw a pizza to the opposition. Even on the 2nd goal which Skinner should have covered up, McLeod (the Bouchard of defenders) didn't bear down on what should have been an easy clear and the puck is banged home. Lazy tendencies, puck management and D zone coverage. Those are the real issues.

 

[Leonardlizard]

We started this win streak when my buddy and his wife arrived from New Brunswick and we’ve won every game we’ve been together (been vacationing with them in Hawaii the past couple weeks) so I called him the Oilers good luck charm. Sadly his good luck couldn’t overcome the curse of the Reverse Retro.

We wear those accursed things one final time Saturday v Chicago so hopefully they can break the hex these jersies have over the team.

You been able to catch the games over there?? So cool!

 

[Drivesaitl]

Hate it when people use one player as an excuse for a teams dismal performance and lack of scoring. Kane hasn't scored since he got back, so to expect him to shine in this game is a bit unrealistic. Going to take him some time, and people need to be patient. Oilers had more than enough guys capable of putting the puck in the net this game, but last night the whole team was fighting the puck for some reason. Even their boots seemed heavy.
As for Campbell, yes, he's actually been making some really excellent saves the last while, and has been a big part of the Oilers shutting teams down and locking it up in the 3rd period.

kane didn't play in the game. Nobody can blame him for not scoring in it. idiot coach also benched Kostin for half the game. For some reason.

 

[Soundwave]

The Oilers lead the league in scoring, filling the net isn't the problem. There are going to be nights when not everything is going in the net and yes the Oilers get too cutesy at times and have a case of the stone hands with their bottom 6 players at times (which is why they're bottom 6 players) but scoring isn't the issue with this team.

As was the case again last night, they get complacent too often in their own zone and get the yips with the puck so they just throw it blindly up the boards or Bouchard's case, lazily throw a pizza to the opposition. Even on the 2nd goal which Skinner should have covered up, McLeod (the Bouchard of defenders) didn't bear down on what should have been an easy clear and the puck is banged home. Lazy tendencies, puck management and D zone coverage. Those are the real issues.

They do seem to have a problem scoring at home after a 3 day break.

2 goal average in 4 games, all 4 games are losses.

Clearly they relax too much with too much time off at home.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I just saw the other angle. I mean you aren't crazy.

My take though is that McLeod scrapes the puck off Skinner's paddle. If that doesn't happen Skinner has an easy decision to cover. He's already protecting the puck, so he can move his glove out of position to cover.

But McLeod puts the puck back into danger (and doesn't box out the attackers), so you are right... Skinner has two minds. I like the "high noon standoff" comment, that's exactly what it is... damned if you do, damned if you don't. He starts to reach out to cover and that's when the puck gets poked in the net (right where his glove might have been).

For me it's easy to second-guess, but hard to fault. I think "weak" is a stretch, since the level of mistake he made is far less than at least four other mistakes by his teammates (both Barrie and McLeod had two each in my mind).

Yeah Mcleod half heartedly attempting to clear puck out of danger there essentially just makes it harder, but puck was still there to be grabbed. But focus on the Mcleod aspect is good reply. As others have mentioned Barrie and McLeod weren't helping there. Thanks for the exchange.

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

Really sucks how little they cared to show up yesterday, coach included. 30 giveaways, like what. Draisaitl had 3 of those in 20 seconds passing it back to CBJ in the d-zone on one shift. Nurse and Bouchard just so casual with the puck, off the mark with every pass. That amount of icing would've tipped over a wedding cake.

Our 6 game winning streak moved us from a wild card spot to a wild card spot. Whoop dee doo, Basil.
Minnesota 4 points back with 3 games in hand, Flames/Kraken/Kings not losing in bunches, Avs healthy and in SC mode.

Needle takes time to move, leapfrogging a divisional team takes literal weeks.
Pissing away points against #32 won't cut it. Can't relax until you clinch, and losing games like this, it'll be right down to the wire, potentially game 82 that may decide our playoff fates.

This one stings.

 

[Homesick]

what kind of coach runs a skills competition on such a long break? What about the system and the processes? keep them in game shape ffs

Lets not forget that we have 13/14 points in our last 7 and 1st in the WC is within reach. One off game isnt the end of the world

 

[CupofOil]

They do seem to have a problem scoring at home after a 3 day break.

That I agree with but it's a miniscule issue in the grand scheme of things unless we're talking about a Game 1 home playoff game after a relatively long break.