Post-Game Talk: Koskivezina

[Paralyzer]

Did anybody else spot all of the pk on the blue line in the 2nd period? I have a really crappy picture of my tv if you want to see it.View attachment 160959

I was at the game on Saturday and I DID notice the PK looks interesting. All 4 of them line up at the blueline and create a wall to prevent them from going into the zone. It was effective and did prevent any kind of breakout passes.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Yeah, I noticed that. Talk about holding the line.

So why wouldn't the opponent just chip and chase to one side and overload that to insure zone entry on a PP? So few players even think to chip it off the boards or anything like that. Another option, one never used, is to Just blast a slapshot so hard it might hit some of those players holding the line, or at worst bounce off the end boards making it difficult for the goalie to play.

If I'm seeing that blueline as a set I'm looking at ways to exploit it.

Further to this is with a new coach, and a new goalie teams don't really know what to bring right now. Theres more uncertainty for opponents than there would normally be.

But that's the advantage, temporarily, with any changes like this. Remains to be seen if the positive stick. Coaches and teams will make adjustments just like they did in response to McLellan or Talbot.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Thinking about the game over the rest of the weekend, the Oilers really didn't give the Knights very much in terms of quality scoring chances. There were obviously a few, every game is going to have some, but Koskinen was there, and the goal was more a result of pure luck then any real breakdown from either the defense or the goaltender.

I mean it's a bad bounce on Klefbom twice, if it doesn't hit is skate, the shot probably misses the net.

I'll give credit here where its due. The Knights shot wide in the game, even on good chances, several times, and that is usually the result of a goalie getting in their heads. After that flurry in the first period and then the McDavid goal the Knights were off the rest of the way and frustrated. but when they were getting looks most often the shot was wide or high.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

I'm adding OL's to L's for a better indication of real .500. For loser points skew the mean that is real .500.

All I read is, "I don't like reality."

 

[ThePhoenixx]

If anything Vegas should have won the game by a big margin. We got outclassed in the first period and probably saved by the McGoal.
Let's be happy that we are winning these one goal games and not caving in like previous years. It would have been a blowout for Vegas if Talbot was in net.

?

The Oilers out shot them.

 

[Paralyzer]

?

The Oilers out shot them.

Yeah. We actually did ok. We kept Vegas outside by the boards the entire 1st and had more chances than they did.

 

[Drivesaitl]

All I read is, "I don't like reality."

The reality is loser pts results in point inflation and so the points any team needs to make the playoffs is inflated. Usually to in and around 94pts. So that without factoring in ALL losses .500 becomes a Bettman fiction. I dare say the intent of which is to have all fans cursorily think their clubs are doing better than they are.

Theres no other reason than contrivance to combine Wins + OTW's all in one column and separate out L's and OTL's in different columns. Adding the losses up is restoring some validity.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Yeah. We actually did ok. We kept Vegas outside by the boards the entire 1st and had more chances than they did.

Yup. The Oilers at the moment have really good goal tending. That's what it does for a team. Let's you win games where the other goalie is really good.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

The reality is loser pts results in point inflation and so the points any team needs to make the playoffs is inflated. Usually to in and around 94pts. So that without factoring in ALL losses .500 becomes a Bettman fiction. I dare say the intent of which is to have all fans cursorily think their clubs are doing better than they are.

Theres no other reason than contrivance to combine Wins + OTW's all in one column and separate out L's and OTL's in different columns. Adding the losses up is restoring some validity.

I guess you can start posting your own "real" standings and see if the league adopts it.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I guess you can start posting your own "real" standings and see if the league adopts it.

Immaterial considering .500 means next to nothing in NHL parlance. Which the other poster alluded to.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Immaterial considering .500 means next to nothing in NHL parlance. Which the other poster alluded to.

It means points in the standings. Real immaterial. Boring Monday morning?

 

[Drivesaitl]

It means points in the standings. Real immaterial. Boring Monday morning?

Wait, I responded to you responding to another poster with this;

All I read is, "I don't like reality."

So looks like we're in the same boat.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Wait, I responded to you responding to another poster with this;

All I read is, "I don't like reality."

So looks like we're in the same boat.

Nope. Gone for a couple weeks and catching up. Headed out to Costco. Wonder if I will see Koskinen?

 

[Pressure]

Nurse is a mess. I know everyone is really high on him but I've never been a fan. I can't stand it when he skates into the offensive zone and has no idea what to do with the puck. He'll usually glide onto his backhand and run it into the corner or make a really bad shot attempt which usually misses the net.

I do like when he transports the puck out of the defensive zone, but he needs to learn how to control his speed and change it to adapt a quick pass to a winger.

Defensively he's awful. Sorry. He's knocked off the puck and has a bad stick infront of the net.

Sorry for being negative, but just not happy with his game even in our win where lots of our players looked good.

 

[McJadeddog]

Chaisson has been on the top line for 3 games and has 0 ES points playing on it. He was killing it on PP and down the order.
Rattie actually clicked with McD early on and fits better.

Yeah, I get that Chaisson has the hot hand right now, so he deserved his look-see on the top line, but he hasn't done anything with it at all. I'd rather somebody else. Rattie has certainly had success before, so I'd be more than willing to try him there. I would also be willing to try Zykov when he finally get his VISA issues cleared up.

 

[MaxR11]

Nurse is a mess. I know everyone is really high on him but I've never been a fan. I can't stand it when he skates into the offensive zone and has no idea what to do with the puck. He'll usually glide onto his backhand and run it into the corner or make a really bad shot attempt which usually misses the net.

I do like when he transports the puck out of the defensive zone, but he needs to learn how to control his speed and change it to adapt a quick pass to a winger.

Defensively he's awful. Sorry. He's knocked off the puck and has a bad stick infront of the net.

Sorry for being negative, but just not happy with his game even in our win where lots of our players looked good.

hopefully hitch can fix him. i agree i do not like what i see from nurse too often. and it all boils down to hockey iq and on ice processing. he's good athlete that skates well enough. physical. he should be a very useful defender but his issues are mainly upstairs between the ears.

 

[VainGretzky]

Did anybody else spot all of the pk on the blue line in the 2nd period? I have a really crappy picture of my tv if you want to see it.View attachment 160959

That's Hitchcock MO solid defence no cheating on offence wait for the breaks then attack

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

That's Hitchcock MO solid defence no cheating on offence wait for the breaks then attack

Well, I like it!!! Do your thing Hitch

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

The reality is loser pts results in point inflation and so the points any team needs to make the playoffs is inflated. Usually to in and around 94pts. So that without factoring in ALL losses .500 becomes a Bettman fiction. I dare say the intent of which is to have all fans cursorily think their clubs are doing better than they are.

Theres no other reason than contrivance to combine Wins + OTW's all in one column and separate out L's and OTL's in different columns. Adding the losses up is restoring some validity.

Is the loser point purely for the morale of fans/players? Go home with a point in your pocket and a smile on your face after a loss. I guess it would make sense to try to boost the overall morale of your fan base. It doesn't really do much otherwise.

Edit: Nevermind, I think it has more to do with the shootout than anything.

 

[oXo Cube]

Is the loser point purely for the morale of fans/players? Go home with a point in your pocket and a smile on your face after a loss. I guess it would make sense to try to boost the overall morale of your fan base. It doesn't really do much otherwise.

The loser point exists to deliberately make the standings closer.

More teams can stay in the race for longer because of them, at least on paper.

 

[Shaquille Oatmeal]

The loser point exists to deliberately make the standings closer.

More teams can stay in the race for longer because of them, at least on paper.

I was thinking about it. It's probably because of the shootout and a guaranteed win every game.

 

[harpoon]

Edmonton is very much a blue collar city where guys bust their balls for a living and to see a young guy get handed the keys to life and seemingly look lazy on some occassions can be frustrating

I think you said it well with the word ‘seemingly’. One of my long term frustrations with the criticism some players take on this site is that there exists a segment of posters who will insist that a player ‘isn’t trying’ or ‘has given up’ or somehow lacks requisite effort. I find this claim mostly wrong because

1) if you’ve played hockey you have an idea of the dedication it would require to even get drafted never mind hold down an NHL job.

2) Dogging it as an NHLer isn’t like doing so at a regular job. First off you’re on TV every second of the time with pundits and fans waiting to rip you apart if you f*** up. Second you have a coach and a GM who can easily move you right out of the lineup which is the first step to being out of the league and saying goodbye to the millions.

3) You have big scary team mates whose own jobs depend in part on you doing yours properly. I suspect a team mate perceived to be doing less than his best would be sorted out quickly.

4) Hockey is a fast game. Our perception of a ‘lazy’ play may actually just be a bad read - or even a bad read on the part of a different player. It’s tough to quantify ‘lazy plays’ for certain without knowing what players are thinking might happen next, or being aware of what they intend to do before they do it.

5) Sometimes the other guy makes a good play and leaves you looking foolish. Happens in the NHL.

Obviously there would be exceptions and I’ve seen players have bleah shifts and bleah games where you wonder if they are really trying. Sometimes players just ‘look’ like they aren’t trying due to the style of the game they play. Also, sometimes players might not be feeling their best physically. Or they may be having personal problems that cause them to lose focus. But for the reasons above it seems unlikely to me that there would be NHLers going months, weeks or even games without ‘trying’. And certainly people suggesting that Draisaitl ‘didn’t compete’ for weeks and months to start the season would be out to lunch.

 

[nabob]

I think you said it well with the word ‘seemingly’. One of my long term frustrations with the criticism some players take on this site is that there exists a segment of posters who will insist that a player ‘isn’t trying’ or ‘has given up’ or somehow lacks requisite effort. I find this claim mostly wrong because

1) if you’ve played hockey you have an idea of the dedication it would require to even get drafted never mind hold down an NHL job.

2) Dogging it as an NHLer isn’t like doing so at a regular job. First off you’re on TV every second of the time with pundits and fans waiting to rip you apart if you **** up. Second you have a coach and a GM who can easily move you right out of the lineup which is the first step to being out of the league and saying goodbye to the millions.

3) You have big scary team mates whose own jobs depend in part on you doing yours properly. I suspect a team mate perceived to be doing less than his best would be sorted out quickly.

4) Hockey is a fast game. Our perception of a ‘lazy’ play may actually just be a bad read - or even a bad read on the part of a different player. It’s tough to quantify ‘lazy plays’ for certain without knowing what players are thinking might happen next, or being aware of what they intend to do before they do it.

5) Sometimes the other guy makes a good play and leaves you looking foolish. Happens in the NHL.

Obviously there would be exceptions and I’ve seen players have bleah shifts and bleah games where you wonder if they are really trying. Sometimes players just ‘look’ like they aren’t trying due to the style of the game they play. Also, sometimes players might not be feeling their best physically. Or they may be having personal problems that cause them to lose focus. But for the reasons above it seems unlikely to me that there would be NHLers going months, weeks or even games without ‘trying’. And certainly people suggesting that Draisaitl ‘didn’t compete’ for weeks and months to start the season would be out to lunch.

How would you describe his compete level in preseason and the first half dozen games of the season? Then compare that to his compete level in the game against the Flames.

 

[Duke74]

Obviously there would be exceptions and I’ve seen players have bleah shifts and bleah games where you wonder if they are really trying. Sometimes players just ‘look’ like they aren’t trying due to the style of the game they play. Also, sometimes players might not be feeling their best physically. Or they may be having personal problems that cause them to lose focus. But for the reasons above it seems unlikely to me that there would be NHLers going months, weeks or even games without ‘trying’. And certainly people suggesting that Draisaitl ‘didn’t compete’ for weeks and months to start the season would be out to lunch.

Exactly. Draisaitl likes to slow the game down, which causes some fans to perceive that as "lazy." That's his style of play, one that allows him to find trailing defenders and create open ice to make plays. He has the speed to keep up with McDavid when needed, but he also likes to change the pace and keep defenders off balance. This style, along with his larger frame and unorthodox skating, may create the illusion that he's just coasting rather than skating in a straight line.

 

[A91]

hopefully hitch can fix him. i agree i do not like what i see from nurse too often. and it all boils down to hockey iq and on ice processing. he's good athlete that skates well enough. physical. he should be a very useful defender but his issues are mainly upstairs between the ears.

Htich and Yawney (and Coffey maybe)