I think both teams were feeling their way in Game 1 as well as Game 2. I didn't feel like either team played with much playoff energy perhaps due to there being empty buildings, I don't know.
What I'm saying is that a lot of folks underestimated the Jets and set unrealistic expectations for what the Oilers are. I also picked the Oilers, in 7, with a lot of hesitation because I knew that the Jets would up their game in the playoffs and that the easy offense that came to the Oilers would be a lot harder to come by in the playoff grind. It's just not a team built to grind over a long playoff series, not enough depth, not enough skill throughout the lineup, not enough guys who push to the hard areas of the ice with relentless pressure.
With all that said, every single game could have easily swung the other way. As you said, hockey is cruel and there's usually a very fine line between winning and losing which was especially prevalent in this series where the margins were razor thin. Some people look at a sweep and assume the Oilers got trounced but this was a toss up series and the other team just had more guys who could finish and got a few bounces that the Oilers didn't. Now Holland needs to reshape this roster to put them in a better position to win these close games.
The jets like I say fooled me. Whether their immense stumble was orchestrated, laziness, who knows. People can check back, at seasons start I had them competing for 2nd spot, pretty much just what they were. I HAD respect for that club when Schiefele used to play responsible, Wheeler used to play well, and that it was a veteran squad. But they so engaged in free fall, and Schiefele and Wheeler were bad against us all season, and both were scratched, that I wondered whether the Jets were going in the ditch. A month ago that was a plausible scenario, and most Jets fans even had that view.
In retrospect it looks like the Jets took a month off, rested, and just wanted to be fresh for playoffs. But again I was stating that the Oilers SHOULD have parked McDrai, Nurse, Larsson etc, the last number of games. Or at least play them 12 mins a night. No reason not to headed into playoffs.
In anycase the Jets club is going nowhere, either in this playoffs or down the road. They're a vet squad and this is their pinacle. it doesnt get better from here for them. I thought they were past it already. But the Oilers still capable of being schooled by vets clubs in the playoffs. That has to stop.
i think where we would all agree was it was inane for the org not to TELL the Core of this club to rest. The sense to do that didn't occur to the core, it wasn't voiced on the bench, but it HAS to come from either vet leadership or the coach and GM. HAS to.
We were riding specific players all season. We rode them mroe in this series. maybe they would have had a bit more gas and jump in game 1'2, even extra gear, had they had some rest.
Jets took rest, Montreal clearly took rest, Toronto took extended vacations. The dumb Oilers figured that every reg season game was important and I think Connor even somehow bought in that 100pts was important.
Its KEY to keep eyes on prize. Did the club unconsciously just settle on the easier prizes? Connor is drawn to excellence always. But even Mackinnon has learned you gotta save more for playoffs. Have to.
NEVER, EVER dismiss and disrepect the opposition. That karma came back and bit us big time.
