GDT: Oilers @ Wild 6:00PM SNOL and 630 CHED

[Uchiha]

Lineup:

Forward
Pouliot-McDavid-Yakupov
Hall-RNH-Klinkhammer
Korpikoski-Lander-Purcell
Slepyshev-Letestu-Pakarinen

Defence
Nurse-Klefbom
Sekera-Fayne
Davidson-Gryba

Goal
Talbot

That 4th line looks more like a 3rd line.

 

[McDrai]

we win our next two, hitting .500 and breaking MTL's streak. calling it now.

Aren't the Oilers 3-6?

 

[guymez]

we win our next two, hitting .500 and breaking MTL's streak. calling it now.

I was bugging a friend of mine who is a Habs fan about this very scenario playing out. Except its going to take a win against Calgary to do this.

Here's hoping.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Lineup:

Forward
Pouliot-McDavid-Yakupov
Hall-RNH-Klinkhammer
Korpikoski-Lander-Purcell
Slepyshev-Letestu-Pakarinen

Defence
Nurse-Klefbom
Sekera-Fayne
Davidson-Gryba

Goal
Talbot

That's a really intriguing fourth line. I'd be tempted to flip Letestu and Lander - much as I love Lander, his lack of production is getting worrisome.

 

[McTrashBoat]

Aren't the Oilers 3-6?

We're really going to win the next two

 

[Aerchon]

Are we really putting Klefbom on his off side while he is struggling and pairing him with Nurse?

This is going to be ugly.

Wild win 5-2, Klefbom -3.

Hope I am wrong.

 

[oobga]

Will Dubs be as motivated to beat us without MacT as GM? Not so sure. Maybe we have a shot. And there is always the Chabot factor. Can't believe minny let him bring in Chabot. What could he possibly have left to learn from that guy?

 

[s7ark]

I don't know why people call the Wild boring. They used to be but they haven't been the boring trap team for a while now. They are actually one of the fastest, most exciting teams in the league IMO. They are in constant attack mode under Yeo.

The reason why the Wild-Oilers games are boring is because the Oilers have been boring but oddly enough, they have owned the Wild as of late.

To each their own. I find games against the Wild to be a waste of time to watch. There's an extreme lack of scoring chances. JMO

 

[Dorian2]

Honestly I feel the need to point out that the last year I actually agreed with Wild fans that their team is not a trap team at all, and pretty fast and exciting to watch.

That said, for whatever reason, they still seem to revert to playing a boring trap game against us... maybe it's because they always seem to beat us with it, without fail, so why change a good thing?

Also, why are the Minnesota Wild a better organization?

I don't know why people call the Wild boring. They used to be but they haven't been the boring trap team for a while now. They are actually one of the fastest, most exciting teams in the league IMO. They are in constant attack mode under Yeo.

The reason why the Wild-Oilers games are boring is because the Oilers have been boring but oddly enough, they have owned the Wild as of late.

I agree. Not sure why people think this is the same team from years ago.
They have a solid team and play a style similar to Dallas and Washington...a style of play that the Oilers have really struggled with.

This will be a very good test for the Oil. I am curious to see how the Oilers and McDavid deal with Dubnyk who has pretty much shut down the Oilers so far.

Really?

You guys just don't get it. Do you?



This team HAS to be boring. Otherwise the entire theme of the thread will go up in smoke.

Get with it.....would ya!

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Are we really putting Klefbom on his off side while he is struggling and pairing him with Nurse?

This is going to be ugly.

Wild win 5-2, Klefbom -3.

Hope I am wrong.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the problem with that pairing over the last three games wasn't Klefbom - he immediately looked better paired with not-Schultz.

Jultz had a pretty good first 4-5 games but he really struggled against Washington.

Edit - Gazzola just tweeted that Dr. Naidu, the Oilers medical chief of staff, is on his way back from Europe to examine Schultz. That...can't be a good thing.

 

[guymez]

Really?

You guys just don't get it. Do you?



This team HAS to be boring. Otherwise the entire theme of the thread will go up in smoke.

Get with it.....would ya!

Being a member of this board is like being a part of the Borg collective sometimes.
Resistance is futile.

 

[winnipegger]

Look for a strong game from Minny tonight...they got screwed by their goaltending against the Jets and probably should have won, they will be pissed.

enjoy

 

[IAGTTAYM]

That's a really intriguing fourth line. I'd be tempted to flip Letestu and Lander - much as I love Lander, his lack of production is getting worrisome.

Score adjusted CF% so far this season:

Lander: 33.94%
Korpikoski: 34.38%
Purcell: 38.77%

Absolutely horrific. Why are they still together?

 

[McPuritania]

That 4th line looks more like a 3rd line.

I'd like to see Pakarinen, or Sleppy on that Hall line.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Score adjusted CF% so far this season:

Lander: 33.94%
Korpikoski: 34.38%
Purcell: 38.77%

Absolutely horrific. Why are they still together?

I wonder how much of that Purcell number is propped up from the 3-4 games he spent on Hall/RNH's wing.

Agreed, the bottom 6 needs a shakeup.

 

[CupofOil]

To each their own. I find games against the Wild to be a waste of time to watch. There's an extreme lack of scoring chances. JMO

That's more on the Oilers than the Wild IMO.

I've actually watched more of the Wild the last couple of seasons than I have previous to that and their games are a treat to watch. The Oilers have gotten some wins over the Wild over the last couple of years mainly because the Wild now open things up.

It reminds me of the way people look at Nashville. Some people still think they play a suffocating, defensive style but that's not how they play anymore.
I'd actually say that the Wild and Preds play a similar style, all out relentless forecheck with speed and they throw EVERYTHING at the net.

I think the Oilers match up better with them than in years' past so it could be an interesting game tonight.

 

[n7]

To each their own. I find games against the Wild to be a waste of time to watch. There's an extreme lack of scoring chances. JMO

Yup, dunno what you'd call their defensive system, but you do not get good chances or many shots on net. When you're a bad team like the Oilers, you get absolutely stifled.

 

[40oz]

Wild games seem boring because losing is boring.

 

[duul]

I'm really pumped for this game. Don't know why. Wild games are always so boring but I think tonight that's gonna change!

6-0 Oilers.

 

[Aerrol]

They play fast offensively, but definitely trap against us once they have a lead. I don't watch enough Wild games to say this is a certainty overall, but it seems from those I did see (especially in the playoffs), they didn't really do that against other teams. Maybe we just got in our own heads about it too and played into their system. Not sure.

Regardless, I hope we have a free-wheeling display of the young talent both teams have. I really like Granlund for them, hope he continues to improve.

 

[djdub]

I really hope we use one D-man on the powerplay for this game.

 

[dssource]

The team shows heart and bounces back from the loss to LA with a good enough performance tonight and win 4-3.

 

[Replacement*]

Surprised at the lack of confidence going into this game. The Oilers have been better team than their record indicates.

We've also had a team that has slumpbusted a lot of losing streaks.

Tonight I expect a very pissed off Oilers team to get out of the gates in a hurry and really establish a tempo. This is a huge bounceback game that they have to have. They will play like it.

5-3Oilers.

McDavid makes sure he finishes 2 goals tonight. Puts one in twice just to make sure..

This is a different Wild team and they don't lineup against us as well as in the past.

These are different times.

 

[Aerrol]

Surprised at the lack of confidence going into this game. The Oilers have been better team than their record indicates.

We've also had a team that has slumpbusted a lot of losing streaks.

Tonight I expect a very pissed off Oilers team to get out of the gates in a hurry and really establish a tempo. This is a huge bounceback game that they have to have. They will play like it.

5-3Oilers.

McDavid makes sure he finishes 2 goals tonight. Puts one in twice just to make sure..

This is a different Wild team and they don't lineup against us as well as in the past.

These are different times.

Replacement is one of the most positive people in the thread. THE SKY IS FALLING! I'm changing my vote to a win too. This is simply unheard of!

 

[Aerchon]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the problem with that pairing over the last three games wasn't Klefbom - he immediately looked better paired with not-Schultz.

Jultz had a pretty good first 4-5 games but he really struggled against Washington.

Edit - Gazzola just tweeted that Dr. Naidu, the Oilers medical chief of staff, is on his way back from Europe to examine Schultz. That...can't be a good thing.

Barring the Washington game I would say Shultz has carried the pairing. Very aggressive in all three zones and often Klefbom would defer to Schultz on puck retrieval and battles down low. Even in situations where Shultz would cross over into his side of the ice.

Klefbom has gotten worse periodically as the season has gone on. I thought Klefbom had a strong start to the season.

I really like the pairing of Nurse Klefbom in theory. Hopefully it works but with Klefbom struggling switching to his off side could spell disaster.