Post-Game Talk: I guess 20 minutes is almost 60? Oilers lose 4-3.

[ToeMcDrag83]

That might have been one McDavid's poorest outings offensively in quite some time.
So many low percentage passes. Including with the goalie pulled.
I don't know if he's 100%. Hopefully just a couple game lull here.

What still scares me, even though we've played so so well in 2020, is the schedule is set up like our December. Only four wins that month I believe.
Not a chance we can afford a month like that. Desperately need to keep our foot on the gas. These gaps are being closed way quicker than normal in the West because of how tight it is.
A five point cushion can evaporate in a couple games.

Mostly past trauma speaking, but I don't think I'll relax until we for sure for sure clinch.
I still fear about us throwing it all away.

Really hope the new additions can start contributing a little more tangibly, we need them.
McDavid still searching for even one permanent winger, it's just been a revolving door.

 

[JSlick]

That loss wasn't Smith

 

[The Big Unit]

That might have been one McDavid's poorest outings offensively in quite some time.
So many low percentage passes. Including with the goalie pulled.
I don't know if he's 100%. Hopefully just a couple game lull here.

What still scares me, even though we've played so so well in 2020, is the schedule is set up like our December. Only four wins that month I believe.
Not a chance we can afford a month like that. Desperately need to keep our foot on the gas. These gaps are being closed way quicker than normal in the West because of how tight it is.
A five point cushion can evaporate in a couple games.

Mostly past trauma speaking, but I don't think I'll relax until we for sure for sure clinch.
I still fear about us throwing it all away.

Really hope the new additions can start contributing a little more tangibly, we need them.
McDavid still searching for even one permanent winger, it's just been a revolving door.

10 of our last 14 games are at home with one of the road games in Calgary. I don't see us having a month like December because the home games are 4 and 6 game home stands so the team will get a chance to recharge and get healthy before the playoffs. I also believe it'll give time for guys like Ennis and Athanasiou to find their place in the lineup (if at all). Maybe I'm just an optimist though.

 

[ElysiumAB]

Would've been nice to put a Chelsea dagger in the Hawks' playoff hopes, and take over first in the division, but I'll still take a 2-1 road trip.

The cards are funny, but the can of Sprite killed me for some reason.

 

[ElysiumAB]

Poor effort for most of the game last night, but great result on the road trip.

The team is sitting at 95% to make the playoffs. If they take 2 out of 3 games from here on out, complaining should be at a minimum.

Priorities should be getting the first line in order with some wingers in place. I don't really care who plays with McD (except Chaisson, please keep him away), but I'd like to see a consistent lineup toward the end of the season.

I'm really really hoping Koskinen takes over the starting role, Smith is just too unpredictable and can give away goals and games in ways Kosko doesn't.

 

[duul]

Ethan Bear lead the team with over 26 minutes of ice, and was our highest defenceman in terms of CF%. Worst defencemen on the night goes to Kris Russell and Adam Larsson with CF% of mid 30's.

Connor McDavid and James Neal were the worst two last night, with 19 chances against through the game with a mid 20's CF%. Not good at all and matched the eye test. Horrific performance from that line. Have to move Neal off the top line.

 

[KlefDown]

Connor needs a semi-competent defensive winger. James Neal is not that guy

 

[CycloneSweep]

Connor needs a semi-competent defensive winger. James Neal is not that guy

I'd run Ennis and Archibald. Those guys at least know what defense means

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

10 of our last 14 games are at home with one of the road games in Calgary. I don't see us having a month like December because the home games are 4 and 6 game home stands so the team will get a chance to recharge and get healthy before the playoffs. I also believe it'll give time for guys like Ennis and Athanasiou to find their place in the lineup (if at all). Maybe I'm just an optimist though.

And those are good points. More time for the new guys to acclimate, healthy lineup, home stand dominant schedule. And I'm most definitely a pessimist.
I've seen all the stars line up in theory on paper, but then what should happen doesn't necessarily come through.
We've left a fair amount of points on the table against team out of the playoff picture.
Here's hoping. Just saying that we need to keep our foot on the gas ultimately.

 

[Weitz]

I never understood why everyone was banging the drum so hard for AA. I think that was a mistake of a trade.

 

[McJesusSaves97]

Connor needs a semi-competent defensive winger. James Neal is not that guy

Nuge is that guy, but everybody hates that idea

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Nuge is that guy, but everybody hates that idea

Including Nuge.

 

[FlameChampion]

I'd go with

Ennis - McDavid - Kassian
RNH - Draisaitl - Yamamoto
Khaira - Sheahan - Archibald
AA - Haas - Neal

next game.

Hopefully Klefbom is back.

Nurse - Bear
Klefbom - Larsson
Jones - Benning

Start Koskinen.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Fun fact: if the playoffs were to start today we would be playing the Wild in the first round.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Fun fact: if the playoffs were to start today we would be playing the Wild in the first round.

No we wouldn’t. We’d be playing Calgary. Vegas would be playing the Wild.

 

[MaxR11]

You mean he puts a hard forechecking WINGER on his line? Shocking that he would put a guy who plays the position that actually does the forechecking, to actually do the forechecking.

Draisaitl's defensive game has been better, because...shockingly...his wingers are better.

McDavid hasn't been himself since coming back from injury. You complain people refuse to criticize him (which people are and have been commenting that he isn't himself) but you've taken it upon yourself to criticize everything, including things that aren't really his responsibility.

Forechecking is every forward's responsibility. It's a collective and collaborative and coordinated effort. Does the center have a bit more responsibility reading off the wingers pressure? Yes but at a certain point in the forecheck cycle he needs to get in there and be aggressive and get into the battle. He's not engaging and when he does it's a real half a**ed effort.

I would give connor more of a pass because of his injury but i've seen this similar game from him in 2018-19. He and drai were brutal defensively in large chunks of that season. So no, drai's defensive game is not better because he has better wingers. He's better defensively because he's actually putting in the effort and mindset to be better. Maybe having better wingers gets him more "into it" but you shouldn't have that mindset. You work hard no matter who you play with. If you play with lesser wingers it doesn't mean you can just sag and slump your shoulders and not work as hard. Do your part. Let everything else sort itself out.

It's a mindset and effort thing. It's about getting lazy and cheating to the wrong side of the puck. Again, i want to give connor a bit of a pass because of the injury and i'm sure it plays a part but like i said, i've seen this similar game from him last year and even parts of 2017-18.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

No we wouldn’t. We’d be playing Calgary. Vegas would be playing the Wild.

View attachment 332001

Oh nevermind. I was thinking about the old standings and how they used to work.

 

[Messrules11]

I'm really really hoping Koskinen takes over the starting role, Smith is just too unpredictable and can give away goals and games in ways Kosko doesn't.

What a terrible post. 12-2-4 in his last 18 games and this is what you have to say?

 

[McTonyBrar]

The people ripping on AA in this thread my God the poor guys played 6 games and majority of them on the 3-4th line

 

[KlefDown]

The people ripping on AA in this thread my God the poor guys played 6 games and majority of them on the 3-4th line

agreed. It's pretty stupid.

I would like to see AA on Drai's wing too in the future. not right now though because it's too good to split up

I have faith in Tipp to fix AA and make him top 6 serviceable.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Oh nevermind. I was thinking about the old standings and how they used to work.

Lol no worries. They will be altering the format again soon no doubt when Toronto complains enough.

 

[Missing smitty]

Forechecking is every forward's responsibility. It's a collective and collaborative and coordinated effort. Does the center have a bit more responsibility reading off the wingers pressure? Yes but at a certain point in the forecheck cycle he needs to get in there and be aggressive and get into the battle. He's not engaging and when he does it's a real half a**ed effort.

I would give connor more of a pass because of his injury but i've seen this similar game from him in 2018-19. He and drai were brutal defensively in large chunks of that season. So no, drai's defensive game is not better because he has better wingers. He's better defensively because he's actually putting in the effort and mindset to be better. Maybe having better wingers gets him more "into it" but you shouldn't have that mindset. You work hard no matter who you play with. If you play with lesser wingers it doesn't mean you can just sag and slump your shoulders and not work as hard. Do your part. Let everything else sort itself out.

It's a mindset and effort thing. It's about getting lazy and cheating to the wrong side of the puck. Again, i want to give connor a bit of a pass because of the injury and i'm sure it plays a part but like i said, i've seen this similar game from him last year and even parts of 2017-18.

I don't know why I waste my time interacting with you. You have no idea what you are talking about, but you go on long winded rants like you are some sort of expert.

Forechecking is not the centers responsibility. Full stop. They will do it, but forechecking is the wingers job.

Draisaitl is playing the way he is because he has the other 2 best wingers on his line. Saddle him with Chaisson or Neal and he'll play just as poorly.

Connor isn't playing well, but you are absolutely clueless.

The whole team played like absolute dogshit in the first. All of them, Draisaitl included. The difference is, his linemates playing like crap are still the best wingers on the team. McDavid had Ennis and Neal. Neal hasn't been a good 5v5 player in years and Ennis was playing 12-15 minutes a night on a bad Ottawa team. Give the kid real wingers and then you can criticize him, otherwise you're just being an obtuse ass.

 

[replacement]

Y'know, Tippett made a comment about the Dallas game that we can all learn from. He said that when he reviewed the tape, even though the shots were lopsided, he was surprised to see the grade A chances were much closer.

If the coach of the team doesn't get the most accurate impression from first viewing, then most of us probably don't either.

Reviewing last nights game... Man we had a lot of chances. Especially early in the first, there were lots of opportunities to get the first one. Maybe that changes the game.

 

[Zerotonine]

That loss wasn't Smith

His 810 save percentage says he could of been alot better

 

[CycloneSweep]

Y'know, Tippett made a comment about the Dallas game that we can all learn from. He said that when he reviewed the tape, even though the shots were lopsided, he was surprised to see the grade A chances were much closer.

If the coach of the team doesn't get the most accurate impression from first viewing, then most of us probably don't either.

Reviewing last nights game... Man we had a lot of chances. Especially early in the first, there were lots of opportunities to get the first one. Maybe that changes the game.

That's our team though they get lots of "chances" they can't finish but also bleed goals against and give up a crap ton of pressure