News Article: Marchessault: “Oilers toughest obstacle”

[Lacaar]

The Oilers consistently outshot and outchanced Vegas in that series at 5v5 and absolutely dominated the special teams.

Vegas got a .933 sv% at 5v5.
Oilers got an .879.

That's it. That's the difference.

I think there's a bit more into those numbers than just simple saves.

Edmonton's big 3 wingers couldn't get to the scoring areas. Be it injury or unwillingness.. The front of the Vegas net was a no fly zone that series 5 on 5. Hill had a high save percentage 5 on 5 because he had bone head simple saves to make, and he never really had to worry about rebounds etc. Because there was naught a winger to be found to get them.

The exact opposite took place at the Edmonton net. Vegas attacked the net with vigor and Edmonton's Defensive personal and scheme proved to be quite vulnerable to it. Rebounds were stuffed home all over the place.

Couple that with Edmonton's lack of discipline and awareness, and no denying some nice luck for Vegas. That's the series.

The Oilers lost because they were.
1. Out Coached.
2. Out Health'd. Our injured players looked injured. Their only injured played looked like a playoff warrior.
3. Out Matured. The other team was just downright smarter and wiser. Love our team but they can be a bunch of emotional idiots on the ice at times.

I don't think Hill outplayed Skinner by much. The problem is I don't think he had to. And Skinner definitely didn't

That being said I think we're on the cusp and if they can get the immature stupidity out of their game (we're on back to back playoff suspensions for their team leader assistant captain). Then the rest is up to health.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

I think there's a bit more into those numbers than just simple saves.

Edmonton's big 3 wingers couldn't get to the scoring areas. Be it injury or unwillingness.. The front of the Vegas net was a no fly zone that series 5 on 5. Hill had a high save percentage 5 on 5 because he had bone head simple saves to make, and he never really had to worry about rebounds etc. Because there was naught a winger to be found to get them.

The exact opposite took place at the Edmonton net. Vegas attacked the net with vigor and Edmonton's Defensive personal and scheme proved to be quite vulnerable to it. Rebounds were stuffed home all over the place.

Couple that with Edmonton's lack of discipline and awareness, and no denying some nice luck for Vegas. That's the series.

The Oilers lost because they were.
1. Out Coached.
2. Out Health'd. Our injured players looked injured. Their only injured played looked like a playoff warrior.
3. Out Matured. The other team was just downright smarter and wiser. Love our team but they can be a bunch of emotional idiots on the ice at times.

I don't think Hill outplayed Skinner by much. The problem is I don't think he had to. And Skinner definitely didn't

That being said I think we're on the cusp and if they can get the immature stupidity out of their game (we're on back to back playoff suspensions for their team leader assistant captain). Then the rest is up to health.

This bolded point, right here.

Vegas fans get really pissy if you look at Mark Stone too closely, but players that "will be in and out of their lineup for the rest of their career" because their injuries are so severe don't normally put up Conn Smythe worthy performances.

I guess it's nice that Vegas recognizes they won the Cup as soon as they beat us, but they were also wildly lucky.

 

[Spawn]

I think there's a bit more into those numbers than just simple saves.

Edmonton's big 3 wingers couldn't get to the scoring areas. Be it injury or unwillingness.. The front of the Vegas net was a no fly zone that series 5 on 5. Hill had a high save percentage 5 on 5 because he had bone head simple saves to make, and he never really had to worry about rebounds etc. Because there was naught a winger to be found to get them.

The exact opposite took place at the Edmonton net. Vegas attacked the net with vigor and Edmonton's Defensive personal and scheme proved to be quite vulnerable to it. Rebounds were stuffed home all over the place.

Couple that with Edmonton's lack of discipline and awareness, and no denying some nice luck for Vegas. That's the series.

The Oilers lost because they were.
1. Out Coached.
2. Out Health'd. Our injured players looked injured. Their only injured played looked like a playoff warrior.
3. Out Matured. The other team was just downright smarter and wiser. Love our team but they can be a bunch of emotional idiots on the ice at times.

I don't think Hill outplayed Skinner by much. The problem is I don't think he had to. And Skinner definitely didn't

That being said I think we're on the cusp and if they can get the immature stupidity out of their game (we're on back to back playoff suspensions for their team leader assistant captain). Then the rest is up to health.

There is more to the numbers than simple saves. The Oilers out chanced the Golden Knights at 5v5 too. They didn’t just outshoot them.

No disrespect, but I think you’re overthinking it.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

There is more to the numbers than simple saves. The Oilers out chanced the Golden Knights at 5v5 too. They didn’t just outshoot them.

No disrespect, but I think you’re overthinking it.

I think some people are working a bit too hard to try to polish the Jack Campbell turd. Coming in and looking decent in relief when Vegas had taken their foot off the gas - by and large - is different than starting and winning games. Campbell looked like hot garbage for the entire season and completely lost the trust of the coaching staff, and Skinner was excellent down the stretch. I get why they were so hesitant to go to Campbell.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I think some people are working a bit too hard to try to polish the Jack Campbell turd. Coming in and looking decent in relief when Vegas had taken their foot off the gas - by and large - is different than starting and winning games. Campbell looked like hot garbage for the entire season and completely lost the trust of the coaching staff, and Skinner was excellent down the stretch. I get why they were so hesitant to go to Campbell.

This overlooks that Campbell performance in the comeback game 4 in LA series is the main reason we even got by LA in first round, and that wasnt' garbage time or anything, that was Campbell and the Oilers changing the result of a game the team was losing 3-0 when we pulled Skinner. With that said your assessment isn't accurate either.

Its not a given we know what happens one way or the other with earlier pulls or with Campbell starts but the point is it ought to have occurred. you at least try it before the games are over..

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

This overlooks that Campbell performance in the comeback game 4 in LA series is the main reason we even got by LA in first round, and that wasnt' garbage time or anything, that was Campbell and the Oilers changing the result of a game the team was losing 3-0 when we pulled Skinner. With that said your assessment isn't accurate either.

Its not a given we know what happens one way or the other with earlier pulls or with Campbell starts but the point is it ought to have occurred. you at least try it before the games are over..

Putting Campbell in after the Oilers had a strong game 4 would've sent the wrong message.

The Oilers had their chance to take the Knights down and they blew it. Game 5 meant everything and they got shut out at even strength. When your team manages no offense at even strength perhaps they got the fate they deserved.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

This overlooks that Campbell performance in the comeback game 4 in LA series is the main reason we even got by LA in first round, and that wasnt' garbage time or anything, that was Campbell and the Oilers changing the result of a game the team was losing 3-0 when we pulled Skinner. With that said your assessment isn't accurate either.

Its not a given we know what happens one way or the other with earlier pulls or with Campbell starts but the point is it ought to have occurred. you at least try it before the games are over..

Master class turd polishing. Campbell played well in that one game, but the team had to come back and they did. Skinner also played very well in two of the games against Vegas, but I think he was just out of steam.

The whole series turned when Vegas scored three goals in 90 seconds in game 5, and that's due to some choice officiating decisions that gifted Vegas a 5 on 3.

The reason he was out of steam, and the reason why Campbell was so fresh, is because ol' Jack got a nice long break from March to the end of the season because he was so terrible he could literally not be played.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Master class turd polishing. Campbell played well in that one game, but the team had to come back and they did. Skinner also played very well in two of the games against Vegas, but I think he was just out of steam.

The whole series turned when Vegas scored three goals in 90 seconds in game 5, and that's due to some choice officiating decisions that gifted Vegas a 5 on 3.

The reason he was out of steam, and the reason why Campbell was so fresh, is because ol' Jack got a nice long break from March to the end of the season because he was so terrible he could literally not be played.

Blue Jackets 6-5 Oilers (Feb 25, 2023) Box Score - ESPN

Box score for the Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Edmonton Oilers NHL game from February 25, 2023 on ESPN. Includes all goals, assists and penalty minutes stats.

www.espn.com

Sigh. What a disastrous game.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Master class turd polishing. Campbell played well in that one game, but the team had to come back and they did. Skinner also played very well in two of the games against Vegas, but I think he was just out of steam.

The whole series turned when Vegas scored three goals in 90 seconds in game 5, and that's due to some choice officiating decisions that gifted Vegas a 5 on 3.

The reason he was out of steam, and the reason why Campbell was so fresh, is because ol' Jack got a nice long break from March to the end of the season because he was so terrible he could literally not be played.

Campbell needed to make every stop in that LA game to help the team get back in and did. Thats a fact Jack. That makes fiction of your comment that Campbell was only coming in at garbage time and thus meaning nothing. The LA series comeback game is added perspective on what could've been. Really at that point a lot of posters here were saying Campbell earned the next start. he didn't get that, he didn't get any.

 

[Kanedogg]

Hyman and Kane came off, or were injured, this isn't typically what we would see from either in playoffs. Even Marchassault has had dud playoffs and he was invisible in first round and unfortunately got going against Skinner. Got his confidence back there.

With Yams theres never anything we're going to get out of him. Needs to be gone. Nuge, no excuses for that playoff performance. I thought he had finally taken on a star player/ starring role on the team and then he serves up that dogs breakfast when it matters.

Agree with all you said... Will reiterate they were all not good enough.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Campbell needed to make every stop in that LA game to help the team get back in and did. Thats a fact Jack. That makes fiction of your comment that Campbell was only coming in at garbage time and thus meaning nothing. The LA series comeback game is added perspective on what could've been. Really at that point a lot of posters here were saying Campbell earned the next start. he didn't get that, he didn't get any.

He didn't deserve any. He got treated like what he is - a wildly expensive, inconsistent backup goalie that Holland didn't do proper due diligence on, that was so bad for so long that the coaching staff did the only thing they could, which was ride Skinner into the dirt.

 

[Beerfish]

He didn't deserve any. He got treated like what he is - a wildly expensive, inconsistent backup goalie that Holland didn't do proper due diligence on, that was so bad for so long that the coaching staff did the only thing they could, which was ride Skinner into the dirt.

We lost due to skinners horrid play, not a horrid game, he was trash vs la and trash vs vegas and the other guy 'in garbage time' had the best save % and gaa in the playoffs at the time. And despite the fact Campbell was not good in a lot of reg season games he did indeed help save the LA series and had a 21-9 reg season win loss record.

It was stupid and costly for Woodcroft to put all his faith in skinner when he was playing badly and the other guy was actually playing well.

The oilers got exactly what they deserved with that decision.

This playoff year had cup written all over it and the oilers blew it.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

We lost due to skinners horrid play, not a horrid game, he was trash vs la and trash vs vegas and the other guy 'in garbage time' had the best save % and gaa in the playoffs at the time. And despite the fact Campbell was not good in a lot of reg season games he did indeed help save the LA series and had a 21-9 reg season win loss record.

It was stupid and costly for Woodcroft to put all his faith in skinner when he was playing badly and the other guy was actually playing well.

The oilers got exactly what they deserved with that decision.

This playoff year had cup written all over it and the oilers blew it.

Campbell was shit for the majority of the regular season and he was going to magically carry this team to a Cup when he's never been a playoff performer? Nah. Vegas schooled us in every regard. The Oilers completely shit in the bed in a pivotal game and never recovered. Story of the team in the McDavid era. A chance to do something amazing and they just shit the bed. With the kind of "conviction" the Oilers showed during that Vegas series it makes me doubt this team has what it takes to win.

 

[Broberg Speed]

gaslighting at it's finest

don't buy into this bs because it makes you feel all tingly

Marchessault isn't your friend, he got paid for this interview

the NHL's f***y little newsboy department aren't your confidant either, they get paid to fool you over and over... and it works!

 

[ChaoticOrange]

We lost due to skinners horrid play, not a horrid game, he was trash vs la and trash vs vegas and the other guy 'in garbage time' had the best save % and gaa in the playoffs at the time. And despite the fact Campbell was not good in a lot of reg season games he did indeed help save the LA series and had a 21-9 reg season win loss record.

It was stupid and costly for Woodcroft to put all his faith in skinner when he was playing badly and the other guy was actually playing well.

The oilers got exactly what they deserved with that decision.

This playoff year had cup written all over it and the oilers blew it.

Vegas wrecked some of the best goalies in the league. Campbell not wetting himself on the 23 shots in garbage time he faced isn't some get out of jail free card for the guy. Putting the loss to Vegas all on Skinner when none of our wingers showed up, our PK was horrible, and guys were taking stupid penalties left and right is frankly f***ing idiotic. We could have had Hellebuyck or Oettinger and it wouldn't have made a difference, Vegas slapped them around too.

You want to know how many high danger chances 5v5 Jack Campbell faced in the Vegas series?

Three.

Skinner faced 43.

on a per 60 basis, that has Campbell facing 3.67 high danger chances per 60 and Skinner facing 11.78, over three times more. Campbell came in and didn't have to do much because he was barely facing anything difficult.

 

[russ99]

The difference being the Knights rolled four good 5x5 lines and three stout D pairs. Oilers over-relied on their top 4-6 players.

A painful learning experience for Woodcroft on line matching, limiting minutes, and as we heard in a previous interview with Marchessault, a decent defensive zone system.

Of course the shot metric people are going to blame goaltending/luck. How about a metric for uncovered scoring chances? The goalie is just supposed to save them? All ahead full and Fuhr at the back doesn't work in this era even there was a Fuhr at the back.

 

[Stoneman89]

Master class turd polishing. Campbell played well in that one game, but the team had to come back and they did. Skinner also played very well in two of the games against Vegas, but I think he was just out of steam.

The whole series turned when Vegas scored three goals in 90 seconds in game 5, and that's due to some choice officiating decisions that gifted Vegas a 5 on 3.

The reason he was out of steam, and the reason why Campbell was so fresh, is because ol' Jack got a nice long break from March to the end of the season because he was so terrible he could literally not be played.

If your assessment is that he "ran out of steam", then all the more reason to give him a break and play the other guy.

gaslighting at it's finest

don't buy into this bs because it makes you feel all tingly

Marchessault isn't your friend, he got paid for this interview

the NHL's f***y little newsboy department aren't your confidant either, they get paid to fool you over and over... and it works!

I don't care if he got paid, or had to pay, I think it was an honest and true assessment by someone directly involved in the series. Not a big deal to me.

 

[Lacaar]

There is more to the numbers than simple saves. The Oilers out chanced the Golden Knights at 5v5 too. They didn’t just outshoot them.

No disrespect, but I think you’re overthinking it.

Did we out chance them 5vs5 every game? or did we severely out chance them in the two games we won and minorly got out chanced in the games we lost?

In the last two games the Oilers had absolute melt downs for x minutes of the game and lost them both. I don't know what to attribute it to honestly. Leon went from hero to zero after game 4 unfortunately. Whether his arm was hurt or he was just bagged. His linemates were f***ing awful as well, but they stunk all series. When this line caved the series ended effectively.

I feel the games the Oiler won had a big impact on those 5 on 5 numbers. We beat them pretty good those games from what I remember. The ones we lost... we lost 5 on 5 regardless what the numbers say.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Did we out chance them 5vs5 every game? or did we severely out chance them in the two games we won and minorly got out chanced in the games we lost?

In the last two games the Oilers had absolute melt downs for x minutes of the game and lost them both. I don't know what to attribute it to honestly. Leon went from hero to zero after game 4 unfortunately. Whether his arm was hurt or he was just bagged. His linemates were f***ing awful as well, but they stunk all series. When this line caved the series ended effectively.

I feel the games the Oiler won had a big impact on those 5 on 5 numbers. We beat them pretty good those games from what I remember. The ones we lost... we lost 5 on 5 regardless what the numbers say.

To add to this, once they were ahead Vegas had no need to pressure offensively because they'd lose on transition. If they played suffocating D (and they did), they'd win. If the Oilers put their foot on Vegas' throat at any point during the 4 losses we're probably having a different conversation.

Like when Brossoit got hurt and Adin Hill came in cold, you'd expect the Oilers to challenge him and they never did. Too many times I've seen this exact behavoiur. The backup comes in cold and the Oilers don't even bother testing him, which led to Hill getting comfortable. The rest is history. The Oilers failed to step up at several key moments in the series.

 

[Lacaar]

This bolded point, right here.

Vegas fans get really pissy if you look at Mark Stone too closely, but players that "will be in and out of their lineup for the rest of their career" because their injuries are so severe don't normally put up Conn Smythe worthy performances.

I guess it's nice that Vegas recognizes they won the Cup as soon as they beat us, but they were also wildly lucky.

Yah Edmonton's game of getting to Mark Stone ended up being completely innefective. He shrugged us off and made plays all series. If he had back pain then I'm interested to see what medication he was on.. it must of been some real good stuff. I suspect his back was A OK.. or never been better.

 

[Lacaar]

To add to this, once they were ahead Vegas had no need to pressure offensively because they'd lose on transition. If they played suffocating D (and they did), they'd win. If the Oilers put their foot on Vegas' throat at any point during the 4 losses we're probably having a different conversation.

Like when Brossoit got hurt and Adin Hill came in cold, you'd expect the Oilers to challenge him and they never did. Too many times I've seen this exact behavoiur. The backup comes in cold and the Oilers don't even bother testing him, which led to Hill getting comfortable. The rest is history. The Oilers failed to step up at several key moments in the series.

It's definitely something I've noticed as well. Edmonton doesn't seem to have that "I smell blood" mentality. They can't get their game to the top without a guilty conscience being the main motivational factor. It's like they have to go full Rocky every win.

Look at their season. A poor first half followed by a great second half.
Constantly trying to figure out why they can't score first.
Constantly trying to figure out why they can't win game 1 of a series.

They have the players. They need to mature and grow the f*** up and find a way to stay somewhat healthy. And if they can't get healthy.. they need to find Mark Stone's pain med doctor. Guy with a supposed bad back shouldn't be outplaying a guy with broken pinky, a guy with a wonky knee, and a guy with unknown injury.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

It's definitely something I've noticed as well. Edmonton doesn't seem to have that "I smell blood" mentality. They can't get their game to the top without a guilty conscience being the main motivational factor. It's like they have to go full Rocky every win.

Look at their season. A poor first half followed by a great second half.
Constantly trying to figure out why they can't score first.
Constantly trying to figure out why they can't win game 1 of a series.

They have the players. They need to mature and grow the f*** up and find a way to stay somewhat healthy. And if they can't get healthy.. they need to find Mark Stone's pain med doctor. Guy with a supposed bad back shouldn't be outplaying a guy with broken pinky, a guy with a wonky knee, and a guy with unknown injury.

Just my personal opinion but I wonder if they started getting too cocky with all the talk of an "All Canadian Finals". We know they were a good team and no disrespect to Vegas but the Oilers at the top of their game defeat the Knights. It just seemed like after each loss they went "Oh crap we gotta start playing harder!" and they did but they just melted down too many times and didn't play consistent enough. And it's been a consistent theme about the team for years now, they don't start upping their game until they're backed into a corner. Sure it's great to come back but it's even better to stomp a team and leave them no hope. They kicked Vegas' ass in game 4 and then just sorta stopped.

Three out of the last 4 years this team has lost to a team that they should've beaten. Vegas deserved to win, I won't question that... but man the Oilers just did not play a mature game at all. They should've been pumped to play game 5 and they just never really found a solid footing even with the lead. Just too many key moments that they utterly gassed, AGAIN. This will probably go down as their best chance to win it all and they just completely shit the bed. Western Capitals, that's what we are. But hell even the Caps beat the Knights so who knows anymore.

 

[joestevens29]

Lol I sure hope he wasn't just saying that to make Whitney feel good.

 

[ManofSteel55]

75 goalies started at least 15 games this season.

In goals saved above expected, Skinner ranked 25th, Bobrobsky ranked 28th and Hill ranked 35th. All slightly above middle of the pack.

Jack Campbell was 70th of 75.

It's like Oiler fans have collective amnesia with Campbell. He's the worst "starting" goalie this team has ever had.

Campbell had a few decent moments in relief of Skinner. Maybe he should have gotten a start. But not for a second was he taking this team anywhere. He sure as hell wasn't winning that series.

And even if he could have won us the series, he had failed so hard, so often all year that he shouldn't have been given the chance. Hindsight is 20/20

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

He didn't deserve any. He got treated like what he is - a wildly expensive, inconsistent backup goalie that Holland didn't do proper due diligence on, that was so bad for so long that the coaching staff did the only thing they could, which was ride Skinner into the dirt.

lol good call..Skinner was clearly gassed