Post-Game Talk: Oilers 6 Blues 4 - 4 PP goals!

[voxel]

Great win.

I'm loving Maroon and Kassian's games. Just a tad less skill than Pouliot but way more piss and vinegar.

The only negative? Nurse. It's completely obvious he doesn't belong in the NHL right now.

 

[rboomercat90]

St. Louis is kidding themselves if they think they're going anywhere in the playoffs with this goaltending.

Looks like another wasted year for them.

No kidding.

I couldn't understand why they'd be interested in Nillsson. After watching Allen I can see how desperate they are.

 

[iCanada]

Literally anything to fit your agenda, right? Yak dumping it in or losing it at the hashmarks would have resulted in the same freaking play. There were 4 Oiler players changing for christ sake so that means there were 4 players at their own blue line when the rush was coming back towards them. Yakupov doesn't take his man? Nurse is literally sitting in front of Talbot all alone not taking a single opponent and the guy who scores is the guy Nurse should have honed in on as soon as that play developed instead of sitting in front of the net taking in the view.

What narrative?

I like Yak. I literally have never bashed him on the boards before.

When you are all alone, you dump and chase or dump and set up positioning. If he dumped it the blues can't attack with speed and numbers, they need to regroup and work their way through a defensively set opposition squad with defensive layers and strong gaps.

Nurse screwed up, but if Yak didn't screw up twice he doesn't have a chance to screw up in the first place. There is egg on both players for that goal.

 

[The Joker*]

Nice to see the PP clicking tonight and McDavid get a couple points.

 

[Lacaar]

Wow can the blues run interference like i've never seen and get away with it.
Picks and hooks they didn't even get called. It was the stick slashes and delay of games that got us the powerplays.

Funny in the third they stopped it running it as much and took over the play. that's on the Oilers for letting up though.

Oilers ran them rough shod in the first 2 periods.. the only thing that saved them was a crap ton of interference or it could have been worse.

It went away in the third because like always.. we sat back.

 

[Up the Irons]

McLellan says sometime in the next few games he wants to move Nuge up and try Drai on wing again to see what they have

I think this scenario is how it's going to play out next year, with one of Hall or Ebs getting traded.

With Davidson and Oesterle, along with Klef, Nurse, and Reinhart, that's got the makings of a PDG core in a few years. but, i don't think they/we can wait even one year.

I know it's early, but... can we get by next year with acquiring just one quality D?

 

[Burnoutboi]

I was so expecting St.Louis to tie it up. We've all seen it more than we'd like to admit in the last decade. Get lead, fall asleep in the third, lose in OT or give up the GWG with two minutes left. I guess that's progress.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Back-to-back games against Central opponents (and 3-1 going to back to the Minnesota and Winnipeg games) where the team didn't fold like cheap tents. And that's with Sekera and his 5 counterparts who started the year in the AHL playing regular minutes. Baby steps?

 

[KCC]

Back-to-back games against Central opponents (and 3-1 going to back to the Minnesota and Winnipeg games) where the team didn't fold like cheap tents. And that's with Sekera and his 5 counterparts who started the year in the AHL playing regular minutes. Baby steps?

I don't know. The Blues really didn't play very well and Allen was just awful. And despite that, they still made it close. They took the 5 minute major towards the end when they were starting to press and still almost scored with that 2 on 1 while short handed. I look at it as, luckily EDM had enough of a lead to where they didn't completely blow it. Nothing about tonight gave me hope that this team can defend a lead still.

On the plus side, the PP is clicking again. It saved us tonight.

 

[shoop]

I think this scenario is how it's going to play out next year, with one of Hall or Ebs getting traded.

With Davidson and Oesterle, along with Klef, Nurse, and Reinhart, that's got the makings of a PDG core in a few years. but, i don't think they/we can wait even one year.

I know it's early, but... can we get by next year with acquiring just one quality D?

Guess it depends on your definition of quality.

Nurse is not ready for a full season in the NHL. He shouldn't have had more than a dozen games with the Oilers this year. That has set his development back. There are serious flaws in his game.

What is wrong with Klefbom? He has been out for more than three months. McLellan said Klefa would be coming back about the same time as Nuge. Given how long he has been out would it be a big shock if he doesn't participate in training camp?

Reinhart? I thought the G in PDG was supposed to stand for good. The only NHL defence that Reinhart is a part of in 2016/17 the G stands for gross.

The Oilers need at least two quality D. One unquestioned #1 and another second pairing guy who maybe starts the year on the third pairing.

Klefa (if healthy)/xxx
Sekera/Davidson
xxx/Fayne
Oesterle

Fayne ain't ideal, but he is a right hand shot. Nurse starts the year on the farm.
With Nurse getting a cup of coffee if he shows something. How did he almost cost us a game with 4 power play goals?

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Wow can the blues run interference like i've never seen and get away with it.
Picks and hooks they didn't even get called. It was the stick slashes and delay of games that got us the powerplays.

Funny in the third they stopped it running it as much and took over the play. that's on the Oilers for letting up though.

Oilers ran them rough shod in the first 2 periods.. the only thing that saved them was a crap ton of interference or it could have been worse.

It went away in the third because like always.. we sat back.

That's how the league is these days and our team has to get better at it.

Perfect example, in the third we attacked on the rush and it got broken up and the Blues had numbers going the other way, Shattenkirk got in the way of one of our players back checking to ensure an odd man rush, I think it was Korpikoski. He pretty much got in his way the whole way through the neutral zone then pushed off him to join the rush. It seems like such a small thing but it's unbelievably huge when guys do things like that consistently throughout a game.

 

[McFlyingV]

That's how the league is these days and our team has to get better at it.

Perfect example, in the third we attacked on the rush and it got broken up and the Blues had numbers going the other way, Shattenkirk got in the way of one of our players back checking to ensure an odd man rush, I think it was Korpikoski. He pretty much got in his way the whole way through the neutral zone then pushed off him to join the rush. It seems like such a small thing but it's unbelievably huge when guys do things like that consistently throughout a game.

Which is annoying as **** because that play was as blatant as interference comes. The league needs to meet about how god awful their officiating is more than they need to meet about a stupid expansion. That style of play makes the game way less exciting and kills skill in this league. McDavid got hooked, slashed, held, interfered with at least 10 times tonight without a call, and a lot of them were way more blatant that a lot of the stuff they called. Certainly way more obvious than the 2 softies they called on Drai.

 

[Frank the Tank]

I don't know. The Blues really didn't play very well and Allen was just awful. And despite that, they still made it close. They took the 5 minute major towards the end when they were starting to press and still almost scored with that 2 on 1 while short handed. I look at it as, luckily EDM had enough of a lead to where they didn't completely blow it. Nothing about tonight gave me hope that this team can defend a lead still.

On the plus side, the PP is clicking again. It saved us tonight.

I'm not saying the Oilers dominated the Blues. Instead, they held considerable zone time and drew a lot of penalties against a big, physical team. The did the same in the first two periods against Nashville. That is not something one can normally say about the Oilers. As for defending the lead, I thought I covered that in pointing out that our defense consisted of one NHL caliber defenseman.

 

[duul]

That's how the league is these days and our team has to get better at it.

Perfect example, in the third we attacked on the rush and it got broken up and the Blues had numbers going the other way, Shattenkirk got in the way of one of our players back checking to ensure an odd man rush, I think it was Korpikoski. He pretty much got in his way the whole way through the neutral zone then pushed off him to join the rush. It seems like such a small thing but it's unbelievably huge when guys do things like that consistently throughout a game.

Yep, need to adapt.

I've seen McDavid do the same thing multiple times, his goal against Detroit being the most prominent. It's a smart play.

 

[Throttlehead]

I don't know. The Blues really didn't play very well and Allen was just awful. And despite that, they still made it close. They took the 5 minute major towards the end when they were starting to press and still almost scored with that 2 on 1 while short handed. I look at it as, luckily EDM had enough of a lead to where they didn't completely blow it. Nothing about tonight gave me hope that this team can defend a lead still.

On the plus side, the PP is clicking again. It saved us tonight.

You will be a very sad sports fan if you continue to look for the perfect game.

If the Blues didn't play 100%, too bad, its happens to every team at some times in the year. The bottom line is the Oilers played well and beat them. Boys against men and all that good stuff.

 

[thadd]

I had morning classes, so I missed the first two periods.
Got to watch 5 minutes of the 3rd and then the wifi went boom boom CRASH for an hour and I missed the rest of the game.
Got to see Osterle handle the puck twice. He's pretty much the opposite of Justin Schultz. He makes decisions quickly and doesn't skate himself into dead ends.
Saw McDavid skating. Boy it's fun to watch him skate. It's as if Bure wasn't constantly skating in a straight line and as if he also wasn't tearing his muscles to shreds while in the process.

 

[Rawg]

So first win against St.Louis since 2012, First home win since 2011.. Wonder when the last time we scored 6 goals vs them was?

 

[McDeathbyCheerios*]

You will be a very sad sports fan if you continue to look for the perfect game.

If the Blues didn't play 100%, too bad, its happens to every team at some times in the year. The bottom line is the Oilers played well and beat them. Boys against men and all that good stuff.

The Blues didn't play at 100%
And the Oilers have 1 defense men that didn't either get put on waivers or has played in the AHL this year.

Both points are whatever and both should be embarrassing for the Blues

 

[thadd]

So first win against St.Louis since 2012, First home win since 2011.. Wonder when the last time we scored 6 goals vs them was?

6 goals... that makes me think that the Japanese goal light must have been flashing!

 

[Tyrolean]

Never expected them to win, it was finally reward for the hard work in previous games where they couldn't score on the PP.

Just beat last seasons record as a goal.

 

[harpoon]

Aside from having to watch Backes run around all night like he was King Kong or something, and having the thoughts of Darren Pang ('doesn't even look like a penalty to me') pollute my viewing experience, I rather enjoyed that game.

Happy to see RNH score a couple sneaky ones. That type of goal is going to be RNH's bread and butter in this league I think. And hey, if Allen is having a bad stretch, good for those guys smart enough to take advantage of him.

Bunch of guys suck and Davidson steps up. Davidson goes down and Oesterle steps up. Were it not for Talbot's solid play, this would be the greatest success of the season for me seeing these two young guys play like they desperately want, and deserve, jobs in the NHL. When was the last time the Oilers brought up a defenseman who'd been percolating and had him step in and do such a damn fine job as Davidson and Oesterle have done for the team this year. Really really makes me wonder if Nelson and Fleming weren't/aren't on to something when it comes to working with, teaching and motivating. Makes me feel a bit better about our farm system.

McDavid. God is this kid phenomenal or what. I watched one play in the second period I think when McDavid stepped up with impeccable timing on a Blues d-man trying to hold the puck in at the Oil blueline. He'd used timing to give himself the advantage of momentum and he just shoved the (much larger) d-man aside like it was nothing. Broke the puck out of the zone all by himself and made it look easy. I never, ever see any of our other forwards doing that. OK, Hall maybe does it sometimes but never with the kind of clinical precision that McDavid showed on that play. The Oilers truly aren't worthy of this kid.

Mark freaking Letestu is coach's go to boy. Its hard to believe but I guess that should tell us as fans something about the actual capabilities of Letestu. Maybe he gets under-rated on this site? I know I've been guilty of calling him a boring player in the past. But McLellan trusts him for a reason. Deployed him all over the place tonight.

That must have felt sweet for Draisaitl to come straight back and score again. Good for him. I'm not sure I could have resisted a fly by the bench to wave at Hitchcock after scoring that one. And I sure don't think the minus three is at all indicative of the game he had, although first thing Stauffer said post game was to point out Drai's minus three and what a rough night it had been for the kid.

Sad to see the shell that is MPS these days. And I say that as a guy who was never a big fan. Shooting 2.6% this year, two goals in 43 games ... I think the Blues find someone better next season. Does MPS get another NHL deal at this point?

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Yep, need to adapt.

I've seen McDavid do the same thing multiple times, his goal against Detroit being the most prominent. It's a smart play.

Yeah smart players are real good at it. Watch Datysuk play and the guy is always doing things like that. He is real good at taking lanes and forcing defenders into the net to create space for himself or teammates.

Our team as a whole needs to work on that stuff. I coach minor hockey and I teach my guys to always be doing something no matter what, and no matter where the play is on the ice. Whether it's getting in a back checkers way, engaging and distracting opponents, using opponents to create momentum for yourself in different situations. Using your body and body position in different situations can really make a difference.

McDavid is so unreal at it, for example how in a race/battle for the puck he'll do his little spin move and in one motion he uses the defender to slow himself down, gain inside position and push the defender away. He doesn't even worry about the puck he realizes how important it is to have that position then worry about controlling the puck.

 

[McFlyingV]

Aside from having to watch Backes run around all night like he was King Kong or something, and having the thoughts of Darren Pang ('doesn't even look like a penalty to me') pollute my viewing experience, I rather enjoyed that game.

Happy to see RNH score a couple sneaky ones. That type of goal is going to be RNH's bread and butter in this league I think. And hey, if Allen is having a bad stretch, good for those guys smart enough to take advantage of him.

Bunch of guys suck and Davidson steps up. Davidson goes down and Oesterle steps up. Were it not for Talbot's solid play, this would be the greatest success of the season for me seeing these two young guys play like they desperately want, and deserve, jobs in the NHL. When was the last time the Oilers brought up a defenseman who'd been percolating and had him step in and do such a damn fine job as Davidson and Oesterle have done for the team this year. Really really makes me wonder if Nelson and Fleming weren't/aren't on to something when it comes to working with, teaching and motivating. Makes me feel a bit better about our farm system.

McDavid. God is this kid phenomenal or what. I watched one play in the second period I think when McDavid stepped up with impeccable timing on a Blues d-man trying to hold the puck in at the Oil blueline. He'd used timing to give himself the advantage of momentum and he just shoved the (much larger) d-man aside like it was nothing. Broke the puck out of the zone all by himself and made it look easy. I never, ever see any of our other forwards doing that. OK, Hall maybe does it sometimes but never with the kind of clinical precision that McDavid showed on that play. The Oilers truly aren't worthy of this kid.

Mark freaking Letestu is coach's go to boy. Its hard to believe but I guess that should tell us as fans something about the actual capabilities of Letestu. Maybe he gets under-rated on this site? I know I've been guilty of calling him a boring player in the past. But McLellan trusts him for a reason. Deployed him all over the place tonight.

That must have felt sweet for Draisaitl to come straight back and score again. Good for him. I'm not sure I could have resisted a fly by the bench to wave at Hitchcock after scoring that one. And I sure don't think the minus three is at all indicative of the game he had, although first thing Stauffer said post game was to point out Drai's minus three and what a rough night it had been for the kid.

Sad to see the shell that is MPS these days. And I say that as a guy who was never a big fan. Shooting 2.6% this year, two goals in 43 games ... I think the Blues find someone better next season. Does MPS get another NHL deal at this point?

I think Letestu gets hate (from myself included) because he's had to play higher in the lineup than he should, and he hasn't produced as much as in the past. If he was strictly playing 4C + PK and putting up these numbers I'd have no complaints. He's botched a lot on the PP, but imo shouldn't be in that role unless its on the 2nd unit. Hopefully Drai can become a face-off beast (or even McDavid) then you could switch Maroon onto the top unit.

Ideally you'd have Pouliot-McD-Drai-Maroon-Klef, and Hall-Eberle-Nuge-Yak-Sekera/Davidson, but we're cursed.

 

[KCC]

You will be a very sad sports fan if you continue to look for the perfect game.

If the Blues didn't play 100%, too bad, its happens to every team at some times in the year. The bottom line is the Oilers played well and beat them. Boys against men and all that good stuff.

EDM still did play well, but I have no problem saying the Blues didn't look good either. A win is a win and all that good stuff, but their lack of being able to hold a lead really is concerning.

 

[joestevens29]

The most shocking moment of the game for me was kassian not showing compassion and not mauling Brouwer. I guess the guy does have control.

Good game overall. Nice to see the coaches challenge backfire. Sure you got the call, but in the end it was probably more demoralizing to have yet another goal scored anyway. I was wondering if LD would be able to score again at the exact same time. Would've been a first?

Sekera. Looked like a new man. Was really moving around instead of taking the shot immediately. Wonder if the maintenance day was him watching video?

And my god does Hendricks have poor luck