Post-Game Talk: OT Heartbreaker

[Bryanbryoil]

Bouchard has to know that he cant soft dump the puck inside his blueline with forecheckers mere steps away. Even if Foegle was standing there (which he shouldnt have been anyway...he has to be outside the zone at that point in time) Bouchard has to get the puck out of the zone.
Its mostly on him. That was a sleepy play on his part. He had time and he has to be more aware. of whats going on.

Kopitar came flying in. At some point you have to have trust in your teammates to be doing their part. In that case Foegele definitely didn't do his part.

 

[ToeMcDrag83]

Was at the game. Very disappointing that we give LA life in this series. Always beating ourselves, we could've really taken a stranglehold.

Our top guys were all fairly off today. Particularly our top pairing of Ekholm-Bouchard who couldn't execute breakouts and couldn't sustain their usual pressure as part of the 5 man offensive zone cycle. Nurse-Ceci, don't even know what to say anymore. Nurse getting beaten by a one foot out the door retiree Kopitar in a foot race on the OT winner was beyond sad.

Still not sold on Henrique to be honest. Not sure if it's the extra minutes, but the man does not move his feet to win puck battles. Noticeably frustrating a couple times tonight killing plays on the 1st line.

Then there's Mr. Skinner. On a night where Talbot was poor, Stu still cam out 2nd best. Sunk us. Goals 1,3, and 4 were awful. I legiimately couldn't believe he let in that Fiala shot from the half boards. Shaky, sluggish, nervous looking all night. No confidence. I think back to the decision to start him in game 82 against the full Avs squad when we sat our whole team... not liking his apparent confidence in the the first couple games here.

We pushed back, but ultimately this type of game was the wrong approach. LA would have been dead in the water with average goaltending performance and even 10% more engagement from our team to start the game. Super disappointing. What could've been 4 games now has more likely legs to go 6 or 7 because we gave LA chance. They didn't outplay us or anything, just us leaving the door open per usual making it harder than it needs to be.

 

[McFlyingV]

Kopitar came flying in. At some point you have to have trust in your teammates to be doing their part. In that case Foegele definitely didn't do his part.

I rewatched it again for more perspective. I think it was a combination of a bad angle that Bouchard took with the bank pass (it bounces a bit further ahead of Foegele than I think he intended), and Foegele taking a bad angle out of the zone cutting to middle ice instead of staying closer to the boards.

 

[McFlyingV]

Was at the game. Very disappointing that we give LA life in this series. Always beating ourselves, we could've really taken a stranglehold.

Our top guys were all fairly off today. Particularly our top pairing of Ekholm-Bouchard who couldn't execute breakouts and couldn't sustain their usual pressure as part of the 5 man offensive zone cycle. Nurse-Ceci, don't even know what to say anymore. Nurse getting beaten by a one foot out the door retiree Kopitar in a foot race on the OT winner was beyond sad.

Still not sold on Henrique to be honest. Not sure if it's the extra minutes, but the man does not move his feet to win puck battles. Noticeably frustrating a couple times tonight killing plays on the 1st line.

Then there's Mr. Skinner. On a night where Talbot was poor, Stu still cam out 2nd best. Sunk us. Goals 1,3, and 4 were awful. I legiimately couldn't believe he let in that Fiala shot from the half boards. Shaky, sluggish, nervous looking all night. No confidence. I think back to the decision to start him in game 82 against the full Avs squad when we sat our whole team... not liking his apparent confidence in the the first couple games here.

We pushed back, but ultimately this type of game was the wrong approach. LA would have been dead in the water with average goaltending performance and even 10% more engagement from our team to start the game. Super disappointing. What could've been 4 games now has more likely legs to go 6 or 7 because we gave LA chance. They didn't outplay us or anything, just us leaving the door open per usual making it harder than it needs to be.

Pretty fair analysis. The leaving the door open and poor goaltending will likely be the death of this team if they don't fix it fairly quickly. Its become a recurring problem and if it continues to recur there's next to zero chance they win the cup. Thats probably the most frustrating part given that the roster is talented enough to win it.

 

[LemmyUlanov55]

No bueno hockey from Stu tonight. At least Hyman lifted my spirits by leveling Danault.

 

[MessierThanThou]

Stu has been inconsistent all season and it would've been nice to have a third goalie option. He's not the guy to take us to the cup.

 

[guymez]

Kopitar came flying in. At some point you have to have trust in your teammates to be doing their part. In that case Foegele definitely didn't do his part.

I just ran that play again and its a good thing because it cleared up a few things.
Foegele actually didnt fly the zone. The play was transitioning from defence to offence and Foegle was still inside the zone (about 10 feet in fron of Bouchard) and moving up ice when Bouchard made that pass. Foegele was in a position to provide puck support there. That wasnt the problem.
The Kings player was coming in hard and the problem was that was absolutely the wrong play for Bouchard to make.
If he does put the pass on Foegles stick it would have been a suicide pass. Foegele would have been extremely vulnerable. Lucky for Foegele Bouchards pass wasnt on his stick but it was still inside the zone making it a very easy pick for the Kings player.
The correct play (and really the only play in that situation) was for Bouchard to put it off the boards and out of the zone ahead of Foegele so he could skate into the pass up the ice.
That mistake was 100% on Bouchard.

 

[bobbythebrain]

All the usual scapegoats... but it was the usual suspects who didn't play the right way imo

Nuge was invisible because he was covering for Drai all night. Henrique was doing the same for Jesus. Ceci getting slammed because Nurse is up ice doing Nurse things.


Goaltending lost that game but it shouldn't have gotten to that point.

Nurse had 1 sensational block. He went down on a knee early, screened his goalie as per usual but came out on the right side of the shot. Really torn on whether to give him props cuz that play usually ends badly.

As for "Nurse things"......he got set up by McD and shot it into Talbots chest. He threw it to a winger 1000x to hard on several passes on routine breakouts

Nurse doing "Nurse things" is accurate. He is such a play killer

 

[bobbythebrain]

I just ran that play again and its a good thing because it cleared up a few things.
Foegele actually didnt fly the zone. The play was transitioning from defence to offence and Foegle was still inside the zone (about 10 feet in fron of Bouchard) and moving up ice when Bouchard made that pass. Foegele was in a position to provide puck support there. That wasnt the problem.
The Kings player was coming in hard and the problem was that was absolutely the wrong play for Bouchard to make.
If he does put the pass on Foegles stick it would have been a suicide pass. Foegele would have been extremely vulnerable. Lucky for Foegele Bouchards pass wasnt on his stick but it was still inside the zone making it a very easy pick for the Kings player.
The correct play (and really the only play in that situation) was for Bouchard to put it off the boards and out of the zone ahead of Foegele so he could skate into the pass up the ice.
That mistake was 100% on Bouchard.

100% wrong. Foegle was not inside the zone. He abandoned the boards and cut to the middle. At that point Bouch had a guy all over him, so he used the boards. When the player picked off the pass, Foegle had already cleared the zone. If you watch the play, he was actually beside another Oiler in the same lane.

That play was on McLovin all day. He abandoned the support he should have provided. Even on the replay it showed Bouch telling Foegle where he thought he should be

Not sure how you can say you watched that play and didn't see Foegle cut to the inside? It was plain as day he took off

Funny enough, several posters saw the same thing. What are you seeing here?

You also called it a "soft" play. It's actually 1 of a zillion plays he makes all game breaking out forwards. Coffey is on record instructing his dmen to stop dumping it off the boards for no reason and to make a pass. McLovin was dog crap all nite and that play was another highlight of why

 

[Fishy McScales]

This really felt like the October version of the Oilers, a team that had big breakdowns and got punished brutally every single time.

Skinner with a rough outing. Didn't bail his team at all and didn't make a memorable save all game while the other goalie made several.

It's rough when you outshoot your opponent and score four goals at home and still lose.

 

[brentashton]

Knoblauch needs to adjust the goalie situation a lot faster than Jay did last year’s playoffs (when he didn’t and it failed the team).

Sit Skinner next game, let Pickard run. If he fails, give Skinner another try or call up Campbell. At that point if your two in season goalies are stumbling, it’s probably a done deal anyway.

It’s not futile yet, no need to let it get there by riding Stu until the bitter end.

 

[North Cole]

Crazy how inconsistent this goalie is. At what point will you have played enough NHL games to figure yourself out mentally. Can we just get 10 games of 0.900 instead of 5 games of 0.840 and 5 games of 0.950.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

Wanted to wake up at 4 am and listen but I slept till 7. Overtime started and LA scored and I wanted to go back to sleep. Sounds like Skinner was asleep the whole game as well.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I'm not sure lackadaisical is the right word, but I Oil seemed determined to stay to their approach, not noticing LA had adjusted.


1st goal was a complete breakdown. Bouchard went for a bank pass to where 2 Oilers should have been, but Drai got beaten by Kopitar and Foegele just bailed on the play. A second later it's on Kempe's stick in the slot...

2nd goal is Foegele being a puck hog. You're with Drai and RNH, for the love of all that is good: GET THEM THE PUCK, AND DON'T ACT LIKE YOU'RE PRIME CROSBY AND CYCLE BEHIND THE NET BY YOURSELF. All that just to take a weak ass wrister that sprung LA's counter attack.
It was a beautiful goal by Kempe. Full credit to him.

3rd goal was a weakside breakdown that we've seen a few times this season. Strong side D stands up: fine. RD roatates to pick up the next man, VInny's a little slow, but it's the right read. All 3 forwards watching Doughty blow the zone and take the open lane to the net: fail. Stu could have had this one, but he braced for Doughty bowling him over.

4th goal. Why wasn't that offside?
The puck was chipped out by Ekholm and is behind Henrique's head here. The King's offside and I'm not sure he tags up. 6:57 is the highlights

Last goal I wanted to say was on Ceci, but his stepup was fine. This one's on Nurse drifting the wrong way and giving Kopitar (who he had inside leverage on) a free lane.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

You’re the Shane Corson’s of fans. Imagine actually hoping your team loses just so your hate of a player can feel justified.

Trash.

No, we collectively know Skinner can't deliver, some realizing it sooner than later.

You are kinda the infatuated one on this one. No one wish for the team to lose... f*** sake.

Every conceivable excuse been used multiple time.

As for calling people name, can you please stop being the Sean Avery.

 

[McDrailers]

If you’re going to Pickard you do it now. If he loses; okay, we’re down one game in a winnable series. If you go to Skinner and he lays an egg then you’re relying on Pickard on a must win game. Not ideal.

 

[The Panther]

I thought the Oil were quite clearly the better team from about five minutes into the second period. But once it goes into overtime in the McDavid era, you just know they're losing.

Stu was great in game one, but very poor in this one. I think he will bounce back.

It was a fairly poor game from Ekholm, which is very rare. But we know that won't recur.

Kane really needs to score. He's been key to the two previous wins over L.A.

 

[tardigrade81]

@Captain Fantastic crushing loss. I still say we beat these guys in 5

Also I’m gonna watch this on the weekend. A damn fine Norris movie. Bill super foot Wallace is in it too! Unreal. Lots of good action

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

Skinner seems incapable of making a quick high glove save once in awhile. He wasn’t good. Without good goal tending cup is out of reach. Win this game with solid goaltending

 

[Echodek]

Oilers all over the Kings, they get one f***ing chance and it goes in

That’s pretty much a sign of poor goaltending

 

[GMofOilers]

Ty Conklin was a better goalie then Skinner

Anyone that’s thinking Skinner can magically turn into a good goalie really has to take their googles off.

Pickard game 3, he can’t be any worse cause Skinner is the worst goalie in the playoffs.

Time to admit it fans.

Not my fault Skinner against the kings of all teams

 

[CupofOil]

Our OT record in the playoffs is so putrid it goes beyond who is in net.

And the OTs usually end quickly. This team has a mental block when it comes to clutch moments in the playoffs, been happening the entire McDavid era. Even the Hyman goal in OT against the Kings Game 4 last year was pretty much a floater that gets saved like 90% of the time otherwise they likely lose that game as well.

They need to get over this mental hurdle or else is curtains for their season and perhaps this regime. I know a lot of folks don't want to hear it but there's a lot of Leafs West in this groups' mentality, they need to grow up and fast.
BTW, a lot of it is goaltending but it's not only goaltending. Look at the defensive lapses, ugly giveaway by Bouchard on the 1st goal, Doughty breakaway, Kopitar breakaway as Nurse has his head in the clouds etc.
Need to make some big saves but the Oilers have defensive breakdowns in key moments that Cup contenders just don't have. You don't see Vegas with those breakdowns in the clutch, that's for sure.

 

[2for1PizzaPastuh]

How many bounce backs does our starting netminder need? Good lord, an awful game by him in only the second game of the FIRST SERIES! We were completely ready to believe in you, Stuart. Does anyone really think this guy is going to win another 15 games as the competition gets exponentially harder?

 

[jesusbuiltmyhotrod]

That’s pretty much a sign of poor goaltending

Yeah and momentum is key in sports. It’s back breaking

 

[Zerotonine]

When you give up 9 goals in 2 games to litterally the lowest scoring team in the playoffs you have a problem. A big problem.ita frustrating to see every bounce go LAs way. First game they had 3 goals off edmonton players pretty much. Today I don't think they had more then 3 sustainable minutes of offense and literally put 5 on the board ??? HoW?

Not to mention talbot had a solid game, atleast 3 goals that shouldn't wentbin he came up big, and Skinner well Skinner definitely skinner'd tonight