Post-Game Talk: Hymanator shoots down the Jets

[Stoneman89]

Lists every scorer except Drai who has 5 in a row. hehe. Just pet peeve Drai always forgotten.

Anyhoo Jets lose this because their PP is inept. Tell me you don't practice PP much without telling me. Jets have no aspect of PP transition down. Not passing, tempo, moving up ice synchronized. That Jets PP breakout is clownshow bad. About the worst I've seen. They need to work on it. lol How do you get 6 PP's and barely manage to get anything.

This week has been very difficult as I had to say goodbye to my mother.

This win helps ease the pain.

Very sorry to hear of this. You have my heartfelt condolences.

 

[Drivesaitl]

It may well turn out that Vegas' pro scouts were wise in identifying Hill. But it needs to also be note that Vegas had 5 goalies play for them last year and Hill was definitely not the anointed #1. In fact, had Brossoit not gotten hurt it is actually quite likely that the Oilers win that series and Hill would never have had a chance to shine. Sometimes I am not so sure that Vegas' pro scouts are all that smart or is just a matter that Vegas throws so much spaghetti at the wall that some sticks even if only for a while. Hill's history as a starter is actually pretty comparable with Skinners.

As to injuries, this has been a pattern for Hill. He missed 39 games with a LBI in 2021-22, 18 games with a LBI in 2022-23 (20 games out in total) and another 22 this year. Injury prone is not always a thing but when a player has repeated injuries of a particular type it is concerning.

Having multiple goalies in the bullpen in the first place and being able to employ that is next level in the first place. Its an ode to the nature of the position, and acknowledgement of same that goalies can run hot and cold, that its an unknown quantity, and that having more is better just as it is for an MLB team to have a competent stable of pitchers and closers.

I'm not saying either that Vegas are next level generally in goalie assessment as they recruited Lehner who was a far worse gamble than Jack Campbell but that Vegas are next level because they keep as many balls in play as possible, cheating or otherwise and its not errant for an org business or otherwise to find and seek competitive advantage.

Lastly is pure conjecture that Vegas would not have gone with Adin Hill eventually. Their course of action tends to show they will go with other goalies and try other goalies. Their course of action as well in acquiring Quick pretty much spelled out that they still had doubts and wanted as many balls in play as possible.

Overall Vegas have been astute on the goalie file. The Oilers going and maintaining status quo on the same file arguably is not.

I wish I could like this more than once.

You didn't like it once you cheap bastid!


jk

edit, oh wait, you did, board took awhile to load the like. haha. carry on.

 

[VainGretzky]

Then he is being disingenuous!

Also if you guys want a laugh:

I heard his parents pay goalies 1 million for every goal they let him score

 

[Stoneman89]

Who did it better: skull face guy or dart guy.

And the Canucks have these two creepy prancers.

 

[GreeningOil]

That was like 4 games in one. Jets out played the Oilers in the 1st period...Oilers outplayed the Jets in the 2nd period and the Jets outplayed the Oilers in the 3rd period.
Most importantly...Oilers won the O/T.

Much better effort tonight. Far from a perfect game (too many Grade A scoring chances given up) but they did make some strides.
Especially on the PK.
What a difference a game makes. The PK looked compeltely different comapred to the Ottawa game. It was actually very effective in this game. When the Jets had their 4 min PP the Oilers didnt give a up a shot.
Very impressive.

Connor Brown looks like a different player to me. He even looks faster.
Scores a clutch goal and he only played 8 min 16 sec at 5x5.
Really glad to see him find his confidence right before the playoffs. He can be a difference maker in the playoffs..

Kane also looked like a different player. Much more engaged around the net. Good to see because he is another player this team will need in the playoffs.

Hyman gets his 200th goal and wins the game in O/T. What a clutch player.

Also have to mention Derek Ryan. He was very strong in this game and more physical than he ususally is. He was plus 1 in this game and he was also 67% on the dot.
Solid contribution and the same can be said for a number of other players.
Much better effort.

The 3 shot leaders in this game...Kane had 6...Hyman had 6 and RNH had 5. Great to see RNH score and Kane could have easily had a goal.

Skinners sv% in this game was 0.880 but he played a very strong game. Another example of when stats lie. He kept the Oilers in the game in the first 10 minutes.

Lastly...I dont often say much about the reffing but what the F is with these phantom calls in this game. Especially in the last few minutes of a game.
Absolute BS.

In any event they desperatly needed a win and they got the job done.
Next game is against the KIngs an they are a team that is playing really good hockey lately.
Oilers really need a win because if they lose, even though they have a game in hand, the Kings will only be a point behind.

Brown truly needed the monkey (King Kong size)off of his back!

If he’s firing full bore now he will be quite useful

 

[Stoneman89]

My favourite jersey.

insane that more than 1/4 of his goals are from this season.

Held back by the Leafs for many years.

 

[GreeningOil]

The problem is this is every damn goalie in the NHL. They stop shit they shouldn't at times and at times they let ones in that shouldn't go in.

I honestly don't know what people expect from hockey as a whole anymore. People want some sort of perfection that isn't reality at all.

Shestrkin 5ga last night
Helly 4ga
Saros 4ga
f*** it, just look at the scoreboard from yesterday so many goalies let in a lot of goals yesterday lol. Yet no matter what people just rip on Skinner no matter what.

Skinner has good stats for how awful the Oil were at the start of the season.

He’s been quite good since game 12! No goalie can be amazing all of the time. Not even the best of the best.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I'm the constant Brown doubter still but wasn't his shot deflected high? Just wondering and I watched it multiple times. Can't tell for sure but I think it hit a stick.

Maybe he ends up being back to some kind of scoring constant. We'll see. Whatever helps us.

I need another couple miracles before becoming a devout believer.

 

[guymez]

Brown truly needed the monkey (King Kong size)off of his back!

If he’s firing full bore now he will be quite useful

I hear you and King Kong is an apt description for sure.

I have been wanting this player to succeed since the beginning of the season. Not because I am necessarily a fan of the player but because if he is on his game then he can help this team. Thats where my focus is.
Having watched him a bit in Ottawa (I used to work there so I have a passing interest in the team) I could see that he just wasn't he player he used to be.

That has changed...he looks much more confident now. His forecheck is more determined...his penchant for creating turnovers is back.
His skating looks more purposeful.

Just a different player from the early/mid season Connor Brown. Confidence is everything.

Its hard to know how long recovery is from a potential career ending injury and for Brown its been 3/4 of a season. Its good to see him push through that.
If he can bring this level of energy and determination into the playoffs and maintain it he will more than compensate for his contract.

 

[iCanada]

A lot of Pawn shops in DT Winnipeg man...

Stop dissing my stylin. haha, its the latest Jersey I have.

Ryan Smyth and Oilman patch for the W!

Mitchell & Ness Blue Line Retro Jerseys

Shop our collection of Edmonton Oilers and Oil Kings merchandise, apparel, and jerseys. We offer an extensive collection of Oilers gear for all of our fans. ICE District Authentics is committed to providing a best in class experience to help you rep your Oilers and Oil Kings every day.

www.icedistrictauthentics.com

 

[guymez]

Skinner has good stats for how awful the Oil were at the start of the season.

He’s been quite good since game 12! No goalie can be amazing all of the time. Not even the best of the best.

I hear what you are saying and we completley agree. The only difference being that I think that change happened more around the 18 game mark.
The team was absolutely brutal to start the season. For example...Vancouver dummied them in the 3 games they played during that time span without much of an effort.
It would be interesting to see Skinners stats at the point at which the team started to play a proper defensive system.
IMO that started against Washington on Nov 24th.

 

[iCanada]

Specifically what I'll say is that Skinner is down on point shots a lot and even when screened. So that he's hoping the puck will hit him and not seeing the shots. He didn't see either one. So that the concern is expressed not in isolation but due to Skinner basically hoping point shots hit him. A better goalie finds a way to see the shots more, look around the screen, get up for a better view.

But it wasnt' just those two goals. Him being caught behind the net with the puck again last night is something that has happened around 20X this season. Its amazing these intances have not been resulting in GA. They are very dangerous plays when that happens. Last night Barron could have easily tucked the puck home on a wrap around into an empty net except the puck fortunately bounced from back of net to between his skates. By then Oilers had pressured and Skinner was able to get back in cage.

Last night as well a clear difference on display in what a puck playing goalie provides his D in transition and breakout and what one inept at it provides. The Oilers D and forwards have to work so much harder for outs because Skinner is in net. They have to retrieve the puck at dead stop for fear that Skinner will do something with it if they don't.

Theres constant and ongoing flaws in Skinners game that don't really change. As we approach playoffs it gets expressed more as a general concern and not in isolation of one specific game. WE also got a bit lucky in this game as Jets had 3 posts and shooting wide on breakaways.

Sometimes I visualize how much Skinner would struggle if he were facing the Oilers snipers instead. Jets have really nobody that is consistently lighting lamp.

I'd also add that while I think Skinner did his job fairly well last night, I do think there's room to critique his rebound control on the first goal. Basically kicks it right out to the attacker right to where he was boxed out to be.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

The Oilers outscore their opponents, outchance their opponents, and win the vast majority of games. Some "plague"

Take a look as instance in the protection Skinner was getting when he coughed the puck up behind his own goal. Immediately 3 Oilers were on sight around net mopping up the Oil spill. The Oilers are doing this very well, and not in isolation.

By and large Oilers defending is sufficient. Every opponent of merit will generate some chances, some open looks, and its the nature of hockey and only 5 or less skaters on ice to do that.

pk is a current struggle that needs to get rectified.

What hasn't been mentioned is that no defensive system stops all forays. Defensive structures systems are essentially tooks to stymie opponent chances. To use specific tactics to limit and confound opponents. As such defensive structures only work to their best advantage until they don't, until offenses discover look arounds, discover ways to exploit the defensive system.

In so much of the discussion of defensive systems its not make apparent that any defensive structure is a cat and mouse game. Its more complex paper scizzors. Any defensive system gets unmasked. Gets scouted. springs leaks. At the end of that and when teams are able to do that you need the stops.

Anyway we're not going to cure any Oilers alleged ills here. heh

The Oilers have been consistently among league elite in Offensive and Defensive Zone time under its past three coaches. Alot of times they are able to outscore their defensive breakdowns in regular season and at times in playoffs. Unfortunately the 'plague' comes in playoffs when they have faced elite Cup contender teams the past two years and opponents who are better at mitigating defensive mistakes when style of play tightens up.

Offensive Zone: 93 percentile
Defensive Zone: 90 percentile

2022-23
Offensive Zone: 90 percentile
Defensive Zone: 78 percentile

2021-22
Offensive Zone: 90
Defensive Zone: 87

Hockey is a high speed collision sport with a ton of chaos. Of course there is no certainty with defensive systems or personnel. The Oilers though haven't yet shown its ability to play at consistent high level of structure and discipline in own zone defending which is required for marathon Cup runs. Colorado learned to and broke through. Vegas under a new coach weathered 5 goalies and no starter. The deeper teams play in the playoffs against series opponents versus one-off regular season opponents, arguably more important it becomes to be able to maintain strong structure and team defending while looking for goals in a slimmer margin of victory. It's the missing piece for the Oilers as it was for a team like Colorado who added hard veteran defenders to their personnel and learned to play shutdown, disciplined games to win a Cup. Oil Dynasty was similar too in conquering the Islanders.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Mitchell & Ness Blue Line Retro Jerseys

Shop our collection of Edmonton Oilers and Oil Kings merchandise, apparel, and jerseys. We offer an extensive collection of Oilers gear for all of our fans. ICE District Authentics is committed to providing a best in class experience to help you rep your Oilers and Oil Kings every day.

www.icedistrictauthentics.com

I feel so trendy and ahead of my time. lol

Place in MWTC used to sell discontinued Jerseys for 60bucks. Brand New. Usually of discontinued players. So I bought the Smyth jersey. I almost bought the Raffi Torres one too but figured that would be too controversial. haha.

I don't buy this sort of stuff at regular price. I bought the wife a Taylor Hall jersey, same place, same price, or maybe it was 75 bucks. She doesn't know as much about Oilers current events and was over the moon. She liked Taylor Hall a lot....then she wondered why he wasn't an Oiler anymore. "because of f***ing Chiarelli and Adam Larsson" <seeth> hehe

We were wandering around one day a month later and she sees the Taylor Hall jerseys still on sale and says "hey, wait a minute"

Then I had to buy a box of chocolates and flowers fast...

Then I told her to be happy, it could've been the Nail Yakupov jersey..

I said it like Rodney Dangerfield would

true story

 

[Stoneman89]

The Oilers defensive structure whether it be average or not is offset by the Oilers being elite in transition, elite in puck possession, and in their ability to own play for large segments of games. For instance last night the Jets would have needed a second puck on ice to even play with in 2nd and third periods. For the most part the Oilers dominated. The Oilers took the game over towards end of first period. Could already see it had swung.

I do note that teams are mroe desperate to create something against us when they do get the chances because for most clubs playing us the chances are infrequent. Oilers are topten in least GA. Despite having ordinary goaltending.

The Oilers issue is not in puck possession or being elite in transition. It's giving up 10 bell chances too many times in between all those wonderful things.

 

[bellagiobob]

I heard his parents pay goalies 1 million for every goal they let him score

We had a kid on our team that would never pass the puck. Scored a fair bit, but basically only accidental apples. Found out at the end of the year the old man was paying him $20 a goal.

 

[Stoneman89]

I'm the constant Brown doubter still but wasn't his shot deflected high? Just wondering and I watched it multiple times. Can't tell for sure but I think it hit a stick.

Maybe he ends up being back to some kind of scoring constant. We'll see. Whatever helps us.

I need another couple miracles before becoming a devout believer.

So what? The guy scored. More to complain about?

 

[alanschu]

uh ok. Way to pick the one sentence out of an entire paragraph.

I personally don’t really care what Elon thinks or posts. If he wants to make a fool of himself online that’s his prerogative.

The root of my concern is that he’s taking a highly public forum and manipulating the discourse on the under the guise of free speech. ToS rules are applied haphazardly and sometimes along political lines. Posts promoted by the platform’s algorithms sometimes lie in the alt-right despite user preference while the opposite perspective is silenced. These are my concerns.

As for MSM? I don’t consume it in a typical way. Usually I only attempt to glean the facts by weeding through the bs analysis you described. I often consume sources that are both left and right to screen for bias. Plus MSM is so blatantly attempting to garner clicks and attention through sound bites rather than reporting the facts, so watching is a massive waste of time.

Pretty sure I agree with you. Elon is letting far right elements flourish on the Site Formerly Known as Twitter.

"You're not" was "You're not wrong" lol and then while replying to your post I was addressing other sillyness stated by others in this thread. So I do apologize if you thought it was an inference you were making.

(Mostly because I went block happy with others at this point)

 

[Stoneman89]

We had a kid on our team that would never pass the puck. Scored a fair bit, but basically only accidental apples. Found out at the end of the year the old man was paying him $20 a goal.

And now he is in line to take over Darryl Katz's empire.

 

[bobbythebrain]

Thanks Drive. I know I don't get along with many people here but sometimes it's nice to just vent some things on a forum like this.

Mom fought many battles in her life. She beat cancer twice and was beating it a third time before a case of pnuemonia, or something in her lungs, snatched her away. It's unfortunately very cruel.

Things like hockey don't really matter much in life but it is a nice distraction and seeing them win last night did make the night a little brighter.

Wow. Mom sounded like a tough cookie. My condolences

 

[Stoneman89]

I'd also add that while I think Skinner did his job fairly well last night, I do think there's room to critique his rebound control on the first goal. Basically kicks it right out to the attacker right to where he was boxed out to be.

Fair enough, and I agree.

 

[Drivesaitl]

"You're not" was "You're not wrong" lol and then while replying to your post I was addressing other sillyness stated by others in this thread.

(Mostly because I went block happy with others at this point)

Just saying I have no idea what any of this post means. heh Particularly the parentheses.

 

[Fourier]

I've always noted Vegas succeeded last season in reducing their goals against by 19 from year previous with rotating goaltenders and zero games played by their #1. It's a blueprint to succeed with elite coaching, system play, and a big, high quality blue line. Vegas were very fortunate in how their Cup run played out but did so because of their adherence to system play and quality of their personnel (blue line).

Well documented their goaltending guru Sean Burke had known history with Hill going back to junior and worked with him shortly in Arizona. That's a pretty solid qualifying reference. Pretty sure they couldn't predict the future but the coaching, system, personnel was strong enough to overcome goaltending injuries all year and did same when it mattered most. Fortunate absolutely. But Hill did the job and continued strong play this season until a recurring injury. I added the organization's steal of Stephenson to reinforce pro scouting as an organizational strength that like Hill has turned marginal draft picks into quality supporting NHL players of an elite Cup contending team. Will definitely admit my bias (and disdain) for McCrimmon, Kisio, Karpen and their largely Western Canadian management group who I watched pilfer junior teams for years with smart trades and shrewd ability to assess talent.

The Hill v Skinner comparison is irrelevant. I agree. Hill has had the benefit of a more mature, disciplined team in front of him and made the most of his opportunity when 'rescued' from mediocre pro organization and a career that he was drifting with apparently less than his full effort.

There is no question that Vegas has had success since coming into the League and they did win it all so you have to give them credit for that accomplishment. But what I find harder to accept is that there success is all about being smarter than everyone else and always making the right move. frankly I think their success has been a combination of many factors including a very favorable set of rules from and after expansion, being a highly desirable place to place and to their credit a very aggressive management team that has both hits and misses.

Looking at your bolded statement the first thing I would note is that after decreasing their GA by 19 they are now back to virtually the same GA rate as they were the in 2021-22. So if the reason for their success was truly elite coaching, system play and a big high quality blueline one would expect that they should be leading the division rather than having recently been at risk of missing the playoffs again. The coaches and system are the same this year as they were last year. So is the defense. And yes I know that they have had injuries.

I actually question how well they played defensively even in the last playoff year. I did not see an elite team at all. No doubt Hill stood on his head but in reality would they have beaten the Oilers if Brossoit had been the goalie. It's not like they dominated the series. The Oilers for example drove AP crazy. Their teams in 2019-20 and 2020-21 were definitely better defensively. Their SA/gm, GA/gm and pk% were definitely not at the same level as those years where they played a very tight game.

I still say that Vegas won last year because of goaltending and because they converted a very high number of their opportunities.

 

[alanschu]

The Oilers for example drove AP crazy

Just to clarify, is this an advanced stat acronym, or Alex Pietrangelo?

(I definitely am not aware of a lot of the acronyms and given you often have insightful posts with more advanced stats, I put this at 50/50 for you haha )

 

[alanschu]

We had a kid on our team that would never pass the puck. Scored a fair bit, but basically only accidental apples. Found out at the end of the year the old man was paying him $20 a goal.

Ahahaha my Mom would snag me a Timmy's Double Chocolate donut after high school basketball games if I put in 10 points XD

(although that wasn't a super high threshold and I went to Stony Plain High School so it was hardly like our game results were ever in question). $20 a basket though I would have been chucking lol

Just saying I have no idea what any of this post means. heh Particularly the parentheses.

Depending on your own blocks you might be missing stuff?

Tbh just political ranting/venting and I should stop.