Pre-Game Talk: Oilers @ Leafs 7pm - HNIC SN CBC

[AvroArrow]

Oilers board is cringey as usual I dunno how their fans are talking shit after that 3 game spanking they got. Hoping Mitch the bitch schools them again, need a big game from Brodie again tonight, should be a fun one.

 

[Cotton]

Interest stats relating to quality of comp in the division.

The four playoff teams records against the three bottom teams;
Oilers 18gp 14-4 (28pts)
Jets 18gp 13-4-1 (27pts)
Leafs 18gp 11-6-1 (23pts)
Habs 18gp 9-4-5 (23pts)

The same teams vs the other three playoff teams;
Leafs 15gp 10-4-1 (21pts)
Jets 16gp 8-7-1 (17pts)
Habs 13gp 5-4-4 (14pts)
Oilers 16gp 7-9 (14pts)

We’re actually better against better competition, must be some truth to “playing down”.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Funny how many fans are scared of the Oilers for some reason.

It's almost like we've played like complete booty hole for weeks now, our leading scoring has gone ice cold, we've had shaky goaltending until 2 games ago and the scar is still fresh, and their team has been red hot with the two best players in the league.

 

[AvroArrow]

It's almost like we've played like complete booty hole for weeks now, our leading scoring has gone ice cold, we've had shaky goaltending until 2 games ago and the scar is still fresh, and their team has been red hot with the two best players in the league.

They were red hot going into the last series against us too and got completely outclassed. Matthews will be fine, he's still generating an insane amount of chances, I'll be worried about him when he stops creating opportunities. Campbell looks fantastic too.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

I won't question Keefe.

But you're nuts if you don't roll out

PP1
Hyman (netfront/downlow)
Tavares (bumper)
Matthews (off the wall)
Marner (roverQB)
Rielly (pointQB)

PP2
Simmonds (netfront)
Thornton (bumper/downlow)
Spezza (off the wall)
Nylander(rover QB)
Brodie(pointQB)

 

[Rude Dog]

3-1 in the next 4 please. Need our powerplay to get it together though.

Leafs PP fate rests entirely on the first face off. Win it and establish possession and they are lethal. Lose it and they spend the next 90 seconds trying to get back in the zone. Very frustrating. Also, has anything good ever happened when Rielly shoots from the point on the PP? Hope he proves me wrong tonight. Not enough shooters on PP1. Thornton needs to drop to PP2

 

[HockeyVirus]

Interest stats relating to quality of comp in the division.

The four playoff teams records against the three bottom teams;
Oilers 18gp 14-4 (28pts)
Jets 18gp 13-4-1 (27pts)
Leafs 18gp 11-6-1 (23pts)
Habs 18gp 9-4-5 (23pts)

The same teams vs the other three playoff teams;
Leafs 15gp 10-4-1 (21pts)
Jets 16gp 8-7-1 (17pts)
Habs 13gp 5-4-4 (14pts)
Oilers 16gp 7-9 (14pts)

We’re actually better against better competition, must be some truth to “playing down”.

This has been the complaint for as long as I have been a Leaf fan. Not even this core. I remember the Kessel Leafs dismantling top teams and then rolling into tank territory and looking like a last place team. Even before that, the Sundin Leafs had the same issues. Maybe an older fan can comment on before the 2000's.

There honestly is something to our media. They have a way of taking even the humblest of people and giving them inflated ego's. Takes a very strong kind of person to remain humble in this market.

 

[HockeyVirus]

They were red hot going into the last series against us too and got completely outclassed. Matthews will be fine, he's still generating an insane amount of chances, I'll be worried about him when he stops creating opportunities. Campbell looks fantastic too.

Oh I agree. We were on a PDO bender and the last month has been an extreme correction. To me, this is a bit encouraging so long as they can pull out of it. We are due. Matthews is due to start scoring again, and usually when he has a drought he scores something crazy like 10 goals in 15 games. We're due for our goaltending to help us win some games. Our special teams are 31st in the league since the start of March, we are due for something to happen there.

Oilers meanwhile since the start of march, are running a crazy PDO bender. Some of that is the McDavid factor, but Smith has been playing unreal as well. They are due for a regression (even though they had a bad start, and this is a correction for them, they aren't this good either).

Still a month till playoffs. Way things are shaping out, ASSUMING we can get our shit together and get rolling, we are going to be getting hot at the right time.

 

[Rude Dog]

Funny how many fans are scared of the Oilers for some reason.

they are my preferred first round match up even though I am a huge McDavid fan

 

[RealisticLeaf55]

Oilers forgot how badly they got slapped in that 3 game series. They literally posted a PGT in the second period. We should remind them their place.

 

[Pi]

Funny how many fans are scared of the Oilers for some reason.

Absolutely not. I am hoping we keep beating them till they are 4th in seeding. They are an easy first round match up. They got 2 players, we got a team.

The Blackhawks beat them in 4 games last year and they aren’t much better than that team.

I think their fans think wins against the Sens will help them against good teams lol.

McDavid has found out that McPoints aren’t so easy to come by against good teams.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Funny how many fans are scared of the Oilers for some reason.

They have a generational player and a 50 goal scoring superstar, easy playoff win for the leafs

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Lineups with GSVA from theathletic.com:

View attachment 413284

Why does this have Fred the first goalie? Why do you wanna scare me like this?

 

[Suntouchable13]

They were red hot going into the last series against us too and got completely outclassed. Matthews will be fine, he's still generating an insane amount of chances, I'll be worried about him when he stops creating opportunities. Campbell looks fantastic too.

About Campbell, you gotta wonder when the regression to the mean will happen with him. He is not going to keep up these numbers for the whole season, nobody can keep those numbers. 1.18, .958, those gotta come down sometime, right?

 

[HockeyVirus]

About Campbell, you gotta wonder when the regression to the mean will happen with him. He is not going to keep up these numbers for the whole season, nobody can keep those numbers. 1.18, .958, those gotta come down sometime, right?

We don't need him to play to those numbers. We just need .920 sv% but more importantly timely saves. No back breakers when we have momentum. No goals in the last or first minute of periods. Don't let in the first shot of the game.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This forum was a lot more tolerable after we slapped them for 3 straight. Too bad both teams fortunes have been the opposite since then. Hope we can do it again and Matthews pots a few.

 

[Suntouchable13]

We don't need him to play to those numbers. We just need .920 sv% but more importantly timely saves. No back breakers when we have momentum. No goals in the last or first minute of periods. Don't let in the first shot of the game.

I mean, he is due for a bad game sometime to sort of correct those numbers. That's what I am weary of.

 

[CanadasTeam]

We don't need him to play to those numbers. We just need .920 sv% but more importantly timely saves. No back breakers when we have momentum. No goals in the last or first minute of periods. Don't let in the first shot of the game.​

I think this what separates him from Freddy.

 

[Mr Hockey]

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I mean, he is due for a bad game sometime to sort of correct those numbers. That's what I am weary of.

He had a bad game last one. Next

 

[AvroArrow]

Oh I agree. We were on a PDO bender and the last month has been an extreme correction. To me, this is a bit encouraging so long as they can pull out of it. We are due. Matthews is due to start scoring again, and usually when he has a drought he scores something crazy like 10 goals in 15 games. We're due for our goaltending to help us win some games. Our special teams are 31st in the league since the start of March, we are due for something to happen there.

Oilers meanwhile since the start of march, are running a crazy PDO bender. Some of that is the McDavid factor, but Smith has been playing unreal as well. They are due for a regression (even though they had a bad start, and this is a correction for them, they aren't this good either).

Still a month till playoffs. Way things are shaping out, ASSUMING we can get our shit together and get rolling, we are going to be getting hot at the right time.

Honestly even though we had a bad stretch I'm not worried. The guys looked like they had their shit together every night, everyone except Freddy. 4 of the losses during this stretch featured Freddy. I think we have our shit together, the PK numbers haven't been great, coincidentally Freddy's PK save percentage is horrendous. He's regressed into what looks like an average back up goalie.

If we can continue to play how we have and get decent goaltending from Campbell, I have 0 worries going into the post-season. But can Campbell sustain his play ?

 

[56 Years No Cup]

Oil tankers are going to be angry. They will do their best imitation of the Ever Given to block our path to victory

There is nothing worse than a blocked canal...

 

[zeke]

Interest stats relating to quality of comp in the division.

The four playoff teams records against the three bottom teams;
Oilers 18gp 14-4 (28pts)
Jets 18gp 13-4-1 (27pts)
Leafs 18gp 11-6-1 (23pts)
Habs 18gp 9-4-5 (23pts)

The same teams vs the other three playoff teams;
Leafs 15gp 10-4-1 (21pts)
Jets 16gp 8-7-1 (17pts)
Habs 13gp 5-4-4 (14pts)
Oilers 16gp 7-9 (14pts)

We’re actually better against better competition, must be some truth to “playing down”.

Freddy vs Top-3: .904, 8-4-1, 107pt pace
Backups vs Top-3: 1.000, 2-0-0, 164pt pace

Freddy vs Bot-3: .887, 5-4-1, 90pt pace
Backups vs Bot-3: .920, 6-2-0, 123pt pace

 

[56 Years No Cup]

It won’t last.

AG should be first line LW. Why not try?

 

[HockeyVirus]

Honestly even though we had a bad stretch I'm not worried. The guys looked like they had their shit together every night, everyone except Freddy. 4 of the losses during this stretch featured Freddy. I think we have our shit together, the PK numbers haven't been great, coincidentally Freddy's PK save percentage is horrendous. He's regressed into what looks like an average back up goalie.

If we can continue to play how we have and get decent goaltending from Campbell, I have 0 worries going into the post-season. But can Campbell sustain his play ?

I agree with you. I thought we played really well at the start of the slump, and Freddy let us down. As it went on, frustrating got into our game and some bad habits started forming of us trying to cheat for offense and just general lack of focus. This break has been a good reset, and we've won 2 in a row. It's a big opportunity for the group to regain some confidence.

If I am Keefe, I print out the standings, walk in and post it on the board and walk out. If that doesn't say it all I don't know what will. This is as much of a playoff game as we will have seen all year.