Pre-Game Talk: Game 31 - Oilers vs. Bruins - Dec 14th 5PM MST

[McOilbleeder]

So we roll into Bean town on the heels of a 5 game winning streak and a perfect home stand.

Chris Wescott Verified account
‏#Oilers D: Nurse-Sekera, Davidson-Gryba & Ference-Schultz. Nikitin, Klinkhammer and Pouliot are skating

Edmonton Oilers Verified account
‏@EdmontonOilers
"It's not major. He may join us at some point (on the road trip)." Chiarelli with a quick update on @Klefbom93, who left Friday's game

- Cambot or Anders the giant?
- Change the non-Hall/Drai lines to try get RNH and Eberle going?
- Should Schultz still be on the PP?
- Overall expectations (record wise) for the road trip?
- Should Jose Aldo get a rematch?

Click to read more...

 

[Jet Walters]

Thank god Klefbom will be back soon. You know things are bad when you're begging for Nikitin to draw in.

 

[duul]

I would try and do something like:

Hall-Draisaitl-Purcell
Pouliot-RNH-Pakarinen
Khaira-Lander-Eberle
Hendricks-Letestu-Korpikoski

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I'd rather have Nikitin playing than Ference. However, my gut feeling is that Ference will play because he's been a "good guy in the room" or something like that.

Nilsson needs a break i think. He was "just ok" vs the Rangers and i wouldn't start him vs the Bruins. Also i don't want to ruin his confidence if the game goes south quickly with Drai and Hall not being given the most favorable match-up on the road.

RNH & Eberle needs to do way more if we are going to do anything on the road. They are going to get the secondary matchups with all the attention on Hall and Draisaitl.

It's going to be a struggle.

 

[BlackDogg]

They need to keep winning almost every game to stay out of the basement little alone for the playoffs. The weak teams are all winning while many of the higher teams are starting to really struggle now.

 

[K1984]

Put me down for Nikitin over Ference. With Nikitin there might be the possibility of suprisingly competent play. With Ference you just know he's going to be abysmal.

 

[Dorian2]

I'd rather have Nikitin playing than Ference. However, my gut feeling is that Ference will play because he's been a "good guy in the room" or something like that.

Nilsson needs a break i think. He was "just ok" vs the Rangers and i wouldn't start him vs the Bruins. Also i don't want to ruin his confidence if the game goes south quickly with Drai and Hall not being given the most favorable match-up on the road.

RNH & Eberle needs to do way more if we are going to do anything on the road. They are going to get the secondary matchups with all the attention on Hall and Draisaitl.

It's going to be a struggle.

Ference is also going back to Boston, so that could be part of it. Who knows.

We want 6......we want 6......we want 6......

 

[McFlyingV]

Glad to hear Klef will be back soon. I really couldn't understand where people were getting this 6-8week timeline from. By the sounds of it they needed to x-ray to even tell if there was a fracture (aka there was no obvious deformity or severe pain) meaning it was a minor fracture at most which usually only takes 2-3weeks max to heal.

Anyways I'd like Talbot to get the start, Nilsson was not very good last game and could use a break. I'd prefer Nikitin get a shot over Ference obviously as Ference brings absolutely nothing on the ice anymore. I hope we win, but I won't be terribly upset if we don't. We're back in the race and should be getting all of Yak, Pouliot and McDavid back in the next 3-4 weeks (just my guess, I doubt McDavid isn't back by middle of January at the latest) which will be a huge boost to this club. If Nuge and Eberle can get rolling (I'm not as hard on them as most, they've been struggling, but I don't think they've been awful) and we have 3 scoring lines matching up against the other team every night this could make for an interesting playoff push.

 

[randomrob7]

I'd rather have Nikitin playing than Ference. However, my gut feeling is that Ference will play because he's been a "good guy in the room" or something like that.

Nilsson needs a break i think. He was "just ok" vs the Rangers and i wouldn't start him vs the Bruins. Also i don't want to ruin his confidence if the game goes south quickly with Drai and Hall not being given the most favorable match-up on the road.

RNH & Eberle needs to do way more if we are going to do anything on the road. They are going to get the secondary matchups with all the attention on Hall and Draisaitl.

It's going to be a struggle.

Boston is also Ferrence's former team, so that may raise the likeliness of him drawing in.

 

[syz]

One of Gryba or Ference will be on the ice for at least half of this game... sounds like a loss.

 

[duul]

One of Gryba or Ference will be on the ice for at least half of this game... sounds like a loss.

We could run

Nurse-Sekera
Davidson-Schultz

for 24 minutes each. Keep that 3rd pairing down to 10-12 minutes. Hell, people like Weber, Karlsson, Suter play 27-30 minutes a night. Nurse could do it!

 

[Mr Positive]

this is a bad time to put in a non regular D. On the road, the opposition has last change. You can bet their big scorers will be out when we put Ference or Nikitin out there. Even Davidson-Schultz would be a (edit) shaky pairing. Hopefully Schultz hits his stride.

 

[McAsuno]

Nikitin or Ference?


-fart-

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Yeeah Boston is a house of horrors....

 

[Mav3rick07]

I pretty much agree with the general consensus of this thread so-far.


Put in Nikitin over Ference. I have way, way more confidence in Nikitin and I'm dying to see how he handles himself with the big club after looking fantastic in Condorsfield. Lets not forget, he's 6'4 and 217 lbs, with the right coaching, he could be steady.


Put in Talbot. Rangers are the tougher of the two clubs so lets put in Talbot against the Bruins and give our stud Nillson a rest. I'm not a whole fan of the whole 'lets put him in against his former team because he will supposedly play better' tactic.


So very relieved to hear about Klefbom. I still really like our blue-line this year to be honest they are showing some promise(especially Nurse and Davidson).

Starting tomorrow, we have three games in four nights( Bruins, Rangers then Hawks). Tough opponents in tough buildings, no doubt.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I pretty much agree with the general consensus of this thread so-far.


Put in Nikitin over Ference. I have way, way more confidence in Nikitin and I'm dying to see how he handles himself with the big club after looking fantastic in Condorsfield. Lets not forget, he's 6'4 and 217 lbs, with the right coaching, he could be steady.


Put in Talbot. Rangers are the tougher of the two clubs so lets put in Talbot against the Bruins and give our stud Nillson a rest. I'm not a whole fan of the whole 'lets put him in against his former team because he will supposedly play better' tactic.


So very relieved to hear about Klefbom. I still really like our blue-line this year to be honest they are showing some promise(especially Nurse and Davidson).

Starting tomorrow, we have three games in four nights( Bruins, Rangers then Hawks). Tough opponents in tough buildings, no doubt.

I'm a fan of win against Boston if you want your revenge game vs. the Rangers.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

im not sure what to expect.

chara, kecji and bergeron are all outstanding players but then you have drai going MVP all over the place and Taylor "the franchise" Hall in his various stages of beast mode.

I hope Nuge really steps out this game.....seems like a good game for him to make an impact. He needs to show some of that snakelike agility and give the bruins some nightmares. Snake nightmares.

 

[oljimmy]

Going to this game in enemy territory. Going to wear my Kurri jersey. Pray for me, I may get pummeled by a m*******.

 

[Jumptheshark]

Going to this game in enemy territory. Going to wear my Kurri jersey. Pray for me, I may get pummeled by a m*******.

Olijimmy RIP 14/12/2015

Went to a bruins game a few years ago(10 or so) and they were less then friendly to opposition fans--it was a Bruins v hawks

 

[Senor Catface]

Whoever said Klefbom was out 6-8 weeks should be tarred and feathered because that became "fact" super fast.

 

[McMozesmadness]

I'd go with Nikitin over Ference. Nilsson vs Bruins Cambot vs Ranger.

The hope is Talbot has one of those miracle **** you games vs New York.

Please get well soon Klefbom.

 

[Bastulon]

So we roll into Bean town on the heels of a 5 game winning streak and a perfect home stand.

Chris Wescott Verified account
‏#Oilers D: Nurse-Sekera, Davidson-Gryba & Ference-Schultz. Nikitin, Klinkhammer and Pouliot are skating

Edmonton Oilers Verified account
‏@EdmontonOilers
"It's not major. He may join us at some point (on the road trip)." Chiarelli with a quick update on @Klefbom93, who left Friday's game

- Cambot or Anders the giant?
- Change the non-Hall/Drai lines to try get RNH and Eberle going?
- Should Schultz still be on the PP?
- Overall expectations (record wise) for the road trip?
- Should Jose Aldo get a rematch?

Ference. Yuck.

Nice to see Klef is okay.

...Anders? I want Cam vs NYR and he shouldn't play b2b..
Yes
No
Hoping 1-2-1
Yes

 

[McShogun99]

Aldo should get a rematch at UFC 200.

 

[KCC]

The Rangers didn't forecheck very hard at all and it allowed the Oil to really break out well. If Boston ramps that forecheck pressure up even 10% it's going to be a tough night of being back on their heels and being hemmed in for stretches. Because as we all know, the defense can't handle the pressure well. Just causes the team to not be able to get the puck out.

But maybe not. Maybe they work hard and look like a team still when an opposing team comes at them even harder this time?

Whoever said Klefbom was out 6-8 weeks should be tarred and feathered because that became "fact" super fast.

This is the first time I've even hearing about it. The night it happened, McLellan said it wasn't serious and that he would probably only miss a few games. And that was that.

 

[McClelland]

Ference-Schultz That looks like a defensive catastrophe!!! Lets pray that they limit their minutes.

Im feel bad for any goalie who need to play behind those 2!