Post-Game Talk: Lightning 5, Oilers 2

[Gord]

Started the year off really well, has really tailed off recently. I think he's getting fatigued with the schedule and the ice-time and the matchups, tbh. McDavid also does a lot of coasting in the neutral zone and defensive zone so RNH has to do a lot of board work in his own zone. He's starting to really feel it right now, IMO.

so people should then be complaining about McDavid being a lazy sod, instead of saying it was one of his best games of the year.

do they want him the be the best player in the game or just the best offensive player in the game? seduced by points.

I'd started to read on various boards a few people brave enough to question the overall game of McDavid despite the risk of getting attacked by the mob.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

so people should then be complaining about McDavid being a lazy sod, instead of saying it was one of his best games of the year.

do they want him the be the best player in the game or just the best offensive player in the game? seduced by points.

I'd started to read on various boards a few people brave enough to question the overall game of McDavid despite the risk of getting attacked by the mob.

They're not brave. They're stupid.

Did he have a good game last night? Not really, no. Is he usually the best player on the ice most nights? Yes.

Maybe if the dipshit coach didn't take Drake off his line to get useless Rattie on there...

 

[CupofOil]

They lost to two of the best teams in the league on the road in a back to back so not really a big deal at all IMO. I didn't read through this thread but I'm guessing that there was some major overreactions going on.

What I take from these two games is that the Oilers still played pretty well as far as pace and possession are concerned but will have a hard time containing high octane offenses with the D they have, that's just the reality of it. They need better goaltending for sure but just about any goaltender would have given up 4-5 goals each of the last 2 games behind that Oiler D, most were goal scorer goals in prime scoring areas.

One thing I'll say about individuals is that Nurse needs to be a lot better. He really hasn't been good this season outside of a few games and Russell is obviously not good enough to carry a 2nd pairing so they need better from him. The bottom pairing, in their role, has been better than the 2nd pairing as of late and that can't continue if the Oilers want to have sustained success.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Lucic doesn't deserve a suspension for that... he had plenty of penalty minutes piled on him in-game which is more than sufficient for what he did.

His "victim" was laughing on the bench soon afterwards so obviously no damage done.

 

[killercookie]

I'm all for sticking up for your teammates but there is a way to go about it. Lucic went about it in a cowards way. Wonder if he can't fight anymore either. Wouldn't surprise me.

Hey CycloneSweep why don't you go up and ask him for a fight? You are such a tough guy behind a keyboard. You coward!!!

 

[elmaco]

Hey CycloneSweep why don't you go up and ask him for a fight? You are such a tough guy behind a keyboard. You coward!!!

Hi Milan, please do something.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

As for Lucic... I don't have any problem with him sticking up for his teammates, but my question is...

Why isn't he going out there putting fools through walls from the very beginning? Isn't that part of what he's paid to do? For a guy that's been grossly ineffective this season, he should be banging bodies constantly. And I know he has been hitting, but I mean really hitting. The Lightning took the body on us pretty hard and the Oilers didn't respond until the game was already out of reach.

 

[CupofOil]

Well, I was hoping Nurse and RNH would take that next step this year. That hasn't been the case. RNH is either missing the net or cresting his shots. Nurse looks more interested in playing pond hockey than organized NHL hockey.

RNH has been really really good this season, the best he's ever looked.

 

[CupofOil]

I think we lose to Florida in OT and get run over by Colorado.

Shocked that you think the Oilers will lose every game, utterly shocked. I might be more shocked that you predicted them to get a point, small baby step from eternal pessimism.

 

[soothsayer]

Lucic is my hero.

 

[Gord]

They're not brave. They're stupid.

Did he have a good game last night? Not really, no. Is he usually the best player on the ice most nights? Yes.

Maybe if the dip**** coach didn't take Drake off his line to get useless Rattie on there...

as for last night, many people here said it could have been his best game of the season.

the comments about McDavid are in relation to his work ethic without the puck.

I think people have gotten into the habit of blindly defending him because of his offensive talent and the fact he's often a lone bright spot for the oilers. that one shouldn't criticize McDavid when there are usually 15 players who deserve it more.

I'd like to read more discussion and see what people think, if he's dogging it without the puck and not putting enough effort in the d zone.

 

[Bank Shot]

as for last night, many people here said it could have been his best game of the season.

the comments about McDavid are in relation to his work ethic without the puck.

I think people have gotten into the habit of blindly defending him because of his offensive talent and the fact he's often a lone bright spot for the oilers. that one shouldn't criticize McDavid when there are usually 15 players who deserve it more.

I'd like to read more discussion and see what people think, if he's dogging it without the puck and not putting enough effort in the d zone.

I think his defensive effort is much better than his rookie season.

This is something that pretty much all junior stars go through.

McDavid is making fine progress in all aspects of the game.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

as for last night, many people here said it could have been his best game of the season.

the comments about McDavid are in relation to his work ethic without the puck.

I think people have gotten into the habit of blindly defending him because of his offensive talent and the fact he's often a lone bright spot for the oilers. that one shouldn't criticize McDavid when there are usually 15 players who deserve it more.

I'd like to read more discussion and see what people think, if he's dogging it without the puck and not putting enough effort in the d zone.

Without McDavid this team is worst in the league. I didn't get to watch every second of last night's game but I saw Nurse/Russell get absolutely torched, RNH miss his check on the fourth goal, Rattie be a useless tit (though he made a nice pass on goal #2), and many members of the team just really not playing that well.

When I say I don't think McDavid had a good game... I mean by his standards, which is still much better than most of the team. Of course he had to drag Rattie's worthless carcass around for most of the game and it was the second game in two nights (and 7th in 11).

Nobody should criticize McDavid. He IS the Oilers. Without them this team isn't anywhere near a playoff spot.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

They lost to two of the best teams in the league on the road in a back to back so not really a big deal at all IMO. I didn't read through this thread but I'm guessing that there was some major overreactions going on.

What I take from these two games is that the Oilers still played pretty well as far as pace and possession are concerned but will have a hard time containing high octane offenses with the D they have, that's just the reality of it. They need better goaltending for sure but just about any goaltender would have given up 4-5 goals each of the last 2 games behind that Oiler D, most were goal scorer goals in prime scoring areas.

One thing I'll say about individuals is that Nurse needs to be a lot better. He really hasn't been good this season outside of a few games and Russell is obviously not good enough to carry a 2nd pairing so they need better from him. The bottom pairing, in their role, has been better than the 2nd pairing as of late and that can't continue if the Oilers want to have sustained success.

of course! this is HF

no shame in losing to the best team in the league on the 2nd night of a back-to-back and flying from Washington to Florida for crying out loud

Koskinen was leaky and I'd start Talbot in Florida
Nurse was a mess
Vasilevsky was great (and got a little lucky)

 

[frag2]

of course! this is HF

no shame in losing to the best team in the league on the 2nd night of a back-to-back and flying from Washington to Florida for crying out loud

Koskinen was leaky and I'd start Talbot in Florida
Nurse was a mess
Vasilevsky was great (and got a little lucky)

Didn't watch after the first 15 mins of the game but this I can agree with. WTH is wrong with him? He seems to love to over handle the puck, thinking he's like some offensive dynamo or something. And it wasn't just this game.

Keep it simple stupid

 

[harpoon]

Did you and @CycloneSweep switch accounts or something?

No doubt. I could have sworn @CycloneSweep spent most of the off season arguing vociferously that Chiarelli had done an acceptable job assembling this roster. Can’t argue with results I guess.

 

[harpoon]

That one PP the Oilers had (the one before they scored) looked amazing. Three shots and almost the entire PP was zone possession for the Oilers. Bolts couldn’t clear or even really touch the puck. The one thing that stood out to me was Klefbom never even attempted to shoot. Didn’t even fake a wind up. Puck came back to him three or four times and nothing. Teams see this. They know the Oilers have nothing from the point on the PP. It’s a serious disadvantage.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

That one PP the Oilers had (the one before they scored) looked amazing. Three shots and almost the entire PP was zone possession for the Oilers. Bolts couldn’t clear or even really touch the puck. The one thing that stood out to me was Klefbom never even attempted to shoot. Didn’t even fake a wind up. Puck came back to him three or four times and nothing. Teams see this. They know the Oilers have nothing from the point on the PP. It’s a serious disadvantage.

Evan Bouchard better turn out good because the Oilers don't have a single defenseman who can move the puck. Such a static back end.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

RNH has been really really good this season, the best he's ever looked.

If they counted missed shots in shooting percentage he would be around 1%.

Guy needs to hit the net.

It was a good game by all. Two of the top three teams in the league at the end of a 7 games in 11 nights. Back to back. Schedule from hell yet they are 8-6-1.

I'm pretty happy.

 

[Stoneman89]

Klefbom is just an extra body and a little distraction on the PP. No one defending pays much concern to him, as he is not a threat.

 

[nexttothemoon]

Evan Bouchard better turn out good because the Oilers don't have a single defenseman who can move the puck. Such a static back end.

That's why I really felt he should have been kept in the lineup this season and worked in slowly on the bottom pairing... even if it meant 50-60 games and some PP time.

That's ideal for him as he'd slowly learn the NHL game with a mentor like Garrison to help him as well who was that type of players years ago. The Oilers top 4 is ok but they don't have that PP RHS or really any threat from the blueline at all up there so cultivating Bouchard to become that would have been a solid move as well.

It wasn't a mistake persay to send him back... but I think he would do better developing on the Oilers.

Oilers have zero PP goals from their top 4 dmen through 15 games now... and the ones that do have a PP goal.. Bouchard is gone to junior and the other, Garrison, isn't even in the lineup every game and only sees spot PP duty when he is playing.

 

[McBeastMode]

McDavid was pretty mad too...

 

[Stoneman89]

Loved what Looch did. It was at the point in the game where we had no chance anyway, and I think it sent a solid message for the next time we play Tampa to that douchebag and anyone else on that team, as well as the league.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

That's why I really felt he should have been kept in the lineup this season and worked in slowly on the bottom pairing... even if it meant 50-60 games and some PP time.

That's ideal for him as he'd slowly learn the NHL game with a mentor like Garrison to help him as well who was that type of players years ago. The Oilers top 4 is ok but they don't have that PP RHS or really any threat from the blueline at all up there so cultivating Bouchard to become that would have been a solid move as well.

It wasn't a mistake persay to send him back... but I think he would do better developing on the Oilers.

Oilers have zero PP goals from their top 4 dmen through 15 games now... and the ones that do have a PP goal.. Bouchard is gone to junior and the other, Garrison, isn't even in the lineup every game and only sees spot PP duty when he is playing.

Given how well Yamamoto and Puljujaarvi are developing with the Oilers... No I don't think he would do better here.

 

[Little Fury]

Loved what Looch did. It was at the point in the game where we had no chance anyway, and I think it sent a solid message for the next time we play Tampa to that *****ebag and anyone else on that team, as well as the league.

Perfect time for Milan to retire. Go out on a high note.