Post-Game Talk: Ducks 4 Oilers 3 in OT - Ducks lead series 3-2

[Raoul Duke]

I go back and remember what it was like at the beginning of the season.

After the Hall trade and all that, if someone said that:

- the Oilers would finish second in the division (after SJS had been to the finals)
- the Oilers would make the playoffs
- the Oilers would beat the Sharks in 6 games in the first round of the playoffs
- the Oilers would be down 3-2 to the Ducks in round 2 of the playoffs

I think most people would have taken this in the preseason and been quite happy.

Well said.
However, I was kind of waiting until it was over for that sentiment.
It's not over.

 

[RegDunlop]

Man. We were up 3-0 until they started ******** the bed, why not start there? The Oilers were total garbage to close out the game

22 pages between post and rebuttal but I can't handle your and many others attitude and view about this without saying my own.

Where we they total garbage? They 'protected' a 3-0 lead very well IMO for about 15 / 16 minutes of the third. Absolute chaos when goalie pulled and they got a lucky one scored against them.
Inexperienced young team w/o #3 D, relying on 1 raw and another basically still rookie to step up, while the Ducks press for another goal. And by pressing I mean doing everything possible - legal and NOT SO MUCH - to score. Somehow they managed to get another one.

Here is the point for you and everyone else bi***ing about mailing it in.
- if the PROPER call was made, and we closed out the game 3-2 as it should've been, we would all be talking about how we ALMOST choked the game away, argue back and forth about TMac and his personnel choices, what we need to do better to close out SERIES Sunday, and bicker on these boards about who should enter the series - Gryba or ...? Instead we were absolutely robbed of that.

I liken your stance to that if the NHL safety dept. or there BS lip service safety dept. I feel this is the same thing as when a foul is committed, they wait and actually consider the outcome of the infraction, re: whether or not the player that was on the receiving end of infraction, was injured. This is ludicrous and should have nothing to do with the play. It should either be a legal, safe, GOOD hit or not. Simple as that. Not what the outcome happens to be.

Same as this particular play. 15 seconds left in the game. I think it's safe to say that had the call been made correctly, the ensuing face off would not be in th Oilers zone, in fact to go even further the Ducks should have been penalized for Kessler's antics, and while plausible we choke as you say, I doubt we do not win.

I am at the point of disinterest in NHL garbage along with many others here. I have many questions for our coaching staff as we always do win or lose. That's what's fun about these boards - we are all armchair coaches and GMs! But this is not fun. This is heavy handed blatant forcing an outcome in a sport, not letting the game allow itself to choose its own champions and runner ups. Inexcusable.

 

[RegDunlop]

I think it's fair to judge the team because they had a chance in every game and they basically FOUND a way to lose. Penalties, horrible d and forward coverage, horrible special teams. You name it, seriously.

The powerplay? The Ducks have us so figured out on the PP that we can barely gain the neutral zone, thats straight up pathetic.

They played really well tonight outside of the 1st and the last 3 minutes of the 3rd.

Again excuse the lateness please as I'm sure this has been commented on already.

You miss the direct point in all that you state. No ones arguing about the sh**ty PP and dumb match ups and / or lack of time out at precise and appropriate times. These are all legitimate issues.

But the point is - and believe me I'm not in the "refs suck / California conspiracy / no Canadian teams advance" corner - point is none of those legitimate issues matter in the end.

We have been unfairly governed for two games. That is the point. Two MISTAKES made by officiating. What is worse is that that's not only what has happened. Those calls went to supposed senior and experienced officials of the league who CONTINUED TO MAKE THE MISTAKE.

To me that is not finding a way to lose. While I agree we need vast improvements in many areas, we still have fought hard and fair. We do not deserve to be robbed of a third round entry in these playoffs and currently, that's what it is.

Think if that. We should have advanced last night. We should be nervously awaiting the Predators, whom I think will inevitably close out St Louis.

 

[RegDunlop]

I understand that this is a frustrating loss, but I urge you to take a moment to gather perspective. While this may be an embarrassing defeat, this is nothing compared to the embarrassment of the last 10 years of Oilers hockey. Eakins, MacT, Lowe, Tambellini, Waterbottle incident, Bus stop teammates, Souray fiasco, Skype firings and many more incidents are where I truly lost my mind. Finishing 30th this year would've been the biggest embarrassment of them all; a team with a generational player that can't get out of the basement. At least in the present scenario our players can get experience from this game and know how completely ******** the bed feels (not that they haven't felt this before).

How absolutely right you are. Eakins era was the most incredibly embarrassing debacle of what this once proud championship club had become. It was very nearly too much for me after watching every second of every game since inception, save a few over the years.

And to those who are referring to 'learning how to win' etc, look up Terry Jones article on "the weak kneed wimps" just prior to the Oil winning thier first cup. May need to go through, or better yet, perhaps we are, once again.

 

[BlackDogg]

22 pages between post and rebuttal but I can't handle your and many others attitude and view about this without saying my own.

Where we they total garbage? They 'protected' a 3-0 lead very well IMO for about 15 / 16 minutes of the third. Absolute chaos when goalie pulled and they got a lucky one scored against them.
Inexperienced young team w/o #3 D, relying on 1 raw and another basically still rookie to step up, while the Ducks press for another goal. And by pressing I mean doing everything possible - legal and NOT SO MUCH - to score. Somehow they managed to get another one.

Here is the point for you and everyone else bi***ing about mailing it in.
- if the PROPER call was made, and we closed out the game 3-2 as it should've been, we would all be talking about how we ALMOST choked the game away, argue back and forth about TMac and his personnel choices, what we need to do better to close out SERIES Sunday, and bicker on these boards about who should enter the series - Gryba or ...? Instead we were absolutely robbed of that.

I liken your stance to that if the NHL safety dept. or there BS lip service safety dept. I feel this is the same thing as when a foul is committed, they wait and actually consider the outcome of the infraction, re: whether or not the player that was on the receiving end of infraction, was injured. This is ludicrous and should have nothing to do with the play. It should either be a legal, safe, GOOD hit or not. Simple as that. Not what the outcome happens to be.

Same as this particular play. 15 seconds left in the game. I think it's safe to say that had the call been made correctly, the ensuing face off would not be in th Oilers zone, in fact to go even further the Ducks should have been penalized for Kessler's antics, and while plausible we choke as you say, I doubt we do not win.

I am at the point of disinterest in NHL garbage along with many others here. I have many questions for our coaching staff as we always do win or lose. That's what's fun about these boards - we are all armchair coaches and GMs! But this is not fun. This is heavy handed blatant forcing an outcome in a sport, not letting the game allow itself to choose its own champions and runner ups. Inexcusable.

Good post. They were doing a great job of killing the game until they pulled the goalie (other than faceoffs). A 3 goal cushion should have been sufficient even though they gave up the two late goals. That is the merit of a three goal cushion. They were robbed of that game again for whatever reason - the reason doesn't make a difference.

I have to look at that penalty shot infraction replay again, which could have put them under early. I still can't recall ever seeing a play like that result in a penalty shot, esp in the playoffs. Whether it is conspiracy or not, they are simply not getting favorable calls and they will never get far if that continues.

 

[RegDunlop]

I think the other thing (and people don't believe it but I think it's true) is that veteran teams absolutely do get the benefit of the doubt from officials.

We make the playoffs for a few years in a row, go to a few conference finals, and believe me, we will start getting these reputations calls (and non calls).

Absolutely agree. And I don't have much of a problem with this when it comes to some of the 'discretionary' calls. When the game is on the line though, and a system is supposedly in place to have "The Buffalo Sabre / Brett Hull / baby finger - big toe in crease" incident never repeated, here we are with not one but two games decided by incompetency.
No longer do I accept this. It cannot keep happening for it to be s mere coincidence. I'm not a conspirist nor do I believe the outcome is rigged. But I do believe there are 'checks and balances' in play here that the league has initiated, that make the result of what is supposed to be a fair sporting match, one sided in certain occasions.

With many brothers and sisters on these boards, in the city and elsewhere, I love my hockey team - The Edmonton Oilers probably too much if I am honest for a grown man my age. Saying that if course I will watch and live it did with them Sunday. But I will be also watching with very curious intent as to how the league responds to, and handles this. If it is an attempted 'soft' explanation with a shoe under the rug scenario, I'm not so sure that I recover as I always do. The reality of this garbage has me rethinking everything I love and enjoy about the NHL.

 

[RegDunlop]

I'm personally done watching anymore games, the ducks earned 2 goals in the 3rd, but that 3rd one was garbage, I'm actually at the point where I don't know how the NHL can justify this crap. It's blatantly obvious that it's favoriting the ducks team.

I hope when I check the score in the next game that the good guys have won but I actually can't take watching something like that take place, some people (my wife) don't understand how much mental and physical stress happens in a game like that.

My wife of almost 27 years still cannot understand how devastating and elated I can get from The Oilers. There is honestly nothing else in my life that even comes close. Many many fights and arguments over the years have jaded her to realizing I cannot change. I only wish I could be half as passionate about more important things in my life such as our kids, house, money, etc.

 

[Tom Collins]

If anything this strengthens my faith in this team. Young group let Anaheim in it late, but two straight games where the Ducks win because the refs hand them the game is all I need to see. It literally is taking imbalanced reffing to give Anaheim a chance.

 

[RegDunlop]

It's not specifically a conspiracy against the Oilers, it's a conspiracy against any strong hockey market facing one of the NHL's pet projects.

I just could never accept this as a possibility from this honourable storied century old league. Christ that's all out the window. Like someone said a few posts back, it's an entertainment league. And perhaps that's how I (all of us?) have to perceive it. Because it sure as hell is not a sports league anymore. Nothing about the nuances, battle emotion and fatigue about sport is recognized in this game now.

While not a full blown F the Warren commission conspiracy theorist, put me very much on the list that says the Nationsl Hockey League does everything in its power to have all 30 (31) teams playing at as close to parity as possible by whatever means possible. And in no way, shape or form, do the 2017 version, this unexpected upstart Edmonton Oilers team, get past the 2017 version of one of the '[needs help / California / league owned]' teams, the Anaheim Ducks.

I firmly believe there is an agenda in place. Perhaps not a hard line one, but definitely one where it makes it awfully difficult for this team to be successful in this series.

 

[RegDunlop]

Experience in the NHL playoffs means that you know enough to do whatever it takes to win. You wack, hack, cheat and do anything dirty that you can to win the game because you know that not everything will be called and it will give you the best chance to win. That is the nature of playoff hockey.
Getzlaf knows that...Perry knows that...Kesler knows that...Cogliano knows that...etc.

This problem with the NHL has existed as long as I have been a fan.
That IS the NHL playoffs and its not going to change.

The Oilers are learning how to win in the playoffs.

Yes and no. We are not experienced and are learning correct. But every single player in the NHL is a thoroughbred. Every single player has been a champion at some part of their early young lives. I would assume most if not all have experienced playoff hockey in their junior careers prior to making the show. While not the pros, every leagues playoff games are more intent, more full of life and battle, and most importantly more emotional. We also have enough players who HAVE experienced playoffs to turn it up a notch and players who are getting their feet wet bringing their intensity levels up. I know you are smarter than the bandwagoners who feel The Sharks and The Ducks were the only ones hacking and whacking. We can fish it out very well too. I'll agree though that time and place is a learning curve they need to be quicker at.

 

[HallOfGreatness4]

If anything this strengthens my faith in this team. Young group let Anaheim in it late, but two straight games where the Ducks win because the refs hand them the game is all I need to see. It literally is taking imbalanced reffing to give Anaheim a chance.

ya, no. We didn't lose because Anaheim is a big market. It's not. NHL could care less about this series in terms of viewership. If anything having McDavid would bring more viewers next round than anaheim.

 

[RegDunlop]

Also Letestu is not a guy you should have on the ice in the last minutes of the game, especially as a winger. He's just too slow to be effective when things start rushing around. Sad thing is I don't think they have a better option as I'm not sure if there's 6 other forwards I'd take over him, so you could at least cycle through two lines. Nuge, Drai, McDavid, Pouliot, Kassian, Caggiula?

Christ I'm sorry - just have a lot to say tonight and seem to be responding to a lot!

I think you are very right about The Tube. Those complaining about him are out of their minds. A 4th line centre that plays EFFECTIVELY on your PP and PK is a very rare commodity. This guy will literally have 30 teams interest in him if we don't resign him. The fact that his face off % is the best on the team and TMac has to use him to close out games is not his fault. I'm sure the fella is trying everything in his power to be successful at that but it may be beyond him.

Another issue I'd like to bring up is all this crap about TMac and his use of the blender and demoting (maybe) Eberle. What in the hell do you think any coach is supposed to do in his situation? It's pretty much guaranteed that Jordan has punched his ticket off the OCrush express next year, but how does anyone think that will be accomplished? Sit him now and the albatross of his contract isn't the only thing weighing a trade down possibly. Add playoff no show to a growing uninspiring list of unattractive attributes that include selling him as a clutch sniper that can't snipe. Not going to happen. Don't blame Todd for that. I'm sure his hands are tied. While you do do everything you can to win, you also have to think if the overall picture and assert management is one if them.

 

[RegDunlop]

I feel the exact same. I wanted to give up on the NHL the last few years for different(but obvious) reasons. McDavid really rejuvenated my Oilers fandom, as I'm sure it did for many people. But now it's different. Why support a league that shamefully allows blown calls to consistently decide games? I will say there is ZERO chance I watch any more games this year once the Oilers are out. I should give baseball another shot but too bad the Jays are turrible.

Man I'm so late with my comments sorry. But you are bang on for me.
What the hell IS in it for fans of Edm, Ott, Win (when they make the playoffs), and even Minny? Carolina playing us in 06 I'm sure opened there eyes and make the leagues brass turn this into what it is right now- a farce. I can only imagine how dismal those numbers were for their precious US market. But that shouldn't matter one bit to the integrity of the sport. Why have the competition in the first place if you are scared because if outlier factors to have the best two teams pitted against each other?
This league is stepping well beyond where I think it is safe to do so.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

ya, no. We didn't lose because Anaheim is a big market. It's not. NHL could care less about this series in terms of viewership. If anything having McDavid would bring more viewers next round than anaheim.

But America doesn't give a crap about McDavid.

 

[RegDunlop]

i doubt that very much.

This was a good anology. You seriously think the goal would still count had the same senario played out against The Kings instead of us? I think thats delusional.

 

[nexttothemoon]

I know one thing... faceoffs are overrated and not that important... UNTIL you really need to win some at key times in ultra important games... ie the playoffs.


99% of the time... being poor/mediocre at faceoffs won't hurt that much.
1% of the time... being poor/mediocre at faceoffs will absolutely crush you.


Long story short... the Oilers need to be better at faceoffs.

 

[shoop]

But America doesn't give a crap about McDavid.

They do a little. If you mention the Oilers he's the only player a lot of Americans know, but they do know who he is.

Long story short... the Oilers need to be better at faceoffs.

I don't get why McDavid is so bad on the dot. He's got some strength to him. He's lighting quick. He does have good hand eye co-ordination. What is he missing? Of the 100 NHL Centres with the most faceoffs taken in the regular season he was ranked 96th in terms of faceoff percentage. Nuge was 93rd.

 

[RegDunlop]

Why would the NHL be corrupt against its youngest, brightest star? How does that benefit "them"? They already know a Cup win in Anaheim doesn't equal long term success when it comes to packing a building. Maybe Nashville??? But even then they do a good job at packing that building & are doing amazing things in youth hockey. The game is strongly growing there already.

So wouldn't the best thing for the league be to corrupt things in favour of McDavid? Just sayin...

You make a good point. However the answer lies in two factors I think.
1 - the real question is how we even got McDavid in the first place. That could be, as many believe, a conspiracy by itself.
2 - we simply don't need CMcD here. The league knows what the support for this team is in this city. And while it is certainly more exciting and enjoyable from the past decade, that past decade of ineptitude still held a sold out rink, a huge TV base (market inclusive), and very strong merchandising and marketing positions.

So we can argue about Hall vs Larsen, and stick our head in the sand for winning yet another lottery, but this team would eventually be strong enough (maybe not as quick and as good) and would have remained top level in sales with it without McDavid.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Christ I'm sorry - just have a lot to say tonight and seem to be responding to a lot!

I think you are very right about The Tube. Those complaining about him are out of their minds. A 4th line centre that plays EFFECTIVELY on your PP and PK is a very rare commodity. This guy will literally have 30 teams interest in him if we don't resign him. The fact that his face off % is the best on the team and TMac has to use him to close out games is not his fault. I'm sure the fella is trying everything in his power to be successful at that but it may be beyond him.

Another issue I'd like to bring up is all this crap about TMac and his use of the blender and demoting (maybe) Eberle. What in the hell do you think any coach is supposed to do in his situation? It's pretty much guaranteed that Jordan has punched his ticket off the OCrush express next year, but how does anyone think that will be accomplished? Sit him now and the albatross of his contract isn't the only thing weighing a trade down possibly. Add playoff no show to a growing uninspiring list of unattractive attributes that include selling him as a clutch sniper that can't snipe. Not going to happen. Don't blame Todd for that. I'm sure his hands are tied. While you do do everything you can to win, you also have to think if the overall picture and assert management is one if them.

The only problem with Letestu is the oilers need to play him 3rd line minutes 5x5. 4th line and special teams he's solid.
I think McLellan's line juggling has been fairly effective. We have some holes that limit what he can do.

 

[RegDunlop]

I'm a little surprised Flames fans are as giddy as they are. They got screwed by the NHL against the Ducks too, and they're happier than pigs in ****. I'd rather see the Flames advance than a team that gets the league to cheat for them advance. And more than a few Oilers fans would, too. But they don't care as long as big brother loses. Us losing the Cup would be more important to Flames fans winning the Cup. I've said that for a long time now, and it'll always be true.

Whatever, **** this league.

You can't blame them for not cheering for us. I cannot and will not cheer for that team ever in anything. It's just the way I was bred. Although I am secretly pleased with their success at times as long as it's not at our expense.
In this case though, while I can understand not cheering for us, I cant comprehend them being 'giddy' over it, when they got the short end of the stick as well.

 

[Raab]

I know one thing... faceoffs are overrated and not that important... UNTIL you really need to win some at key times in ultra important games... ie the playoffs.


99% of the time... being poor/mediocre at faceoffs won't hurt that much.
1% of the time... being poor/mediocre at faceoffs will absolutely crush you.


Long story short... the Oilers need to be better at faceoffs.

Guys keep telling me were paying a guy 6M whos a solid 2 way player who should be able to do that job late in games.

 

[RegDunlop]

If that ********* call doesn't go through, we win that game 3-2.

When the team gets ****ed by the refs every goddamn game of course people are going to be pissed. These holier than thou posts are just brutal.

Amen

Yes we all agree and desperately want the coaching staff to look at all of these excellent points. Falling apart, running around, Letestu, too many men, Nurse, face offs, etc. They are all legitimate. But they are also all irrelevant.

Make the right call and this whole board has much different things to discuss. F it up continually as they just did and we are very upset. And we have every reason to be.

Have the official whose final call decided goal / no goal answer to the media and be accountable for his call. I'd love to see or hear the explanation. Not the garbage given to Friedman about Nurse pushing Kessler in and how that initiated the play. Who gives a rats ass? So he pushed him in (if even that was the case). To my knowledge there's still rules preventing you from pulling on the oppositions goaltenders pads. Correct that - there are for some teams anyway.

 

[RegDunlop]

Despite my position being that the Oilers should get over it and focus on what they can control(game 6), I definitely don't buy the angle that it doesn't matter because it was 3-0, or because they were outplayed.

The Oilers had a lead with 15 seconds left and the game was allowed to be tied up on a bad call. That's a blown game. How they got there is irrelevant.

Thank you.
You made the point I was trying to in about 60,000 less words!

Collapse - maybe possibly doubtful who f ing cares?
Playing defensive. Letestu crisply effort, Nurse big f up, etc
who f ing cares?
2 goals in lightning fashion. Nerves, tension - everything else
who f ing cares?

15 seconds remained
Goaltender interference
Kessler penalty
Face off in their zone
GAME OVER
A chance to close in an already controversial series that we feel should be over because we were cheated by a wrong call the game before. Instead down 3-2 and hopefully not feeling as defeated as their fans.

 

[RegDunlop]

Letestu's fine, as long as he's being played in the right situations.

Pouliot is just frustrating to watch.

Yup
He can ride off with Jordan and even though I hate to say it but RNH as well. Still think he turns into a hell of s player but he's running out his welcome

 

[KCC]

can't believe all the luck the ducks got in the final 3 minutes. everything that could go right, did go right for them. the crazy deflection off of draisatl who had no stick (with no traffic in front other than him), the seeing eye shot, the puck bouncing on letestu at the last second and then the very obviously goaltender interference. The thing is, people are calling a huge collapse but it wasn't like they were scrambling. they were in good position on all 3 goals. It was just incredible luck. still though, it doesn't make it any less deflating.