Pre-Game Talk: Ours is not to question why, ours is but to do or die.

[Louis Cypher]

The board is extra whiney today. Doubt the boys are dwelling on the past. They will come out of tonight hard and with a big win. Then the pressure moves back to Vegas for game 7 which will be exciting and stressful as hell.

 

[guymez]

He's just playing head games with the Oilers, trying to add a little element of fear that he might do it again. Like you say, after 1000 games he knows the way to get at you.

100%
I am sure that the Oilers players are smart enough to see through this.

How entertaining would it be to see Pietrangelo get hammered and knocked to the ice every time he touches the puck.

 

[BlackDogg]

Woody checking the hf poll to see who to.play in net

 

[Frank Drebin]

Woody checking the hf poll to see who to.play in net

Sadly, I don't think it was ever a consideration to start Campbell.

Even after pulling skinner 3x in the past 7 games.

And what's up with the "no depth" comments? Oilers have depth, the depth just isn't doing jack shit.

 

[guymez]

I'm nervous as hell about tonight. The team that played Friday looked nothing like the team that showed up for game 4. They just weren't as aggressive. I expected them to be so fired up after how game 4 ended, and they just weren't. Vegas was the better team, I really want to believe that they are going to show up tonight with effort and passion, but at this point, who knows?? I'm hoping for the best.

Its a weird 2nd round for this team. They're like Jekyll and Hyde.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I'm of the mindset to start Skinner tonight at home and then start Campbell in Vegas in game 7. Gotta win two games. Skinner has been good the game after losses in the playoffs this year. Then If you put Skinner in the starter's net at the morning skate before game 7 and then surprise Vegas by throwing Campbell in net to start game 7 it might give the Oilers an edge to start.

Maybe having Campbell surprise start in net for game 7 gets some Vegas players in their head thinking a bit more about where to shoot rather than just playing the game and could help the Oilers get an early lead. Then some players will be gripping their sticks tighter with it being a game 7. I think if you start Campbell tonight with Vegas having less pressure since its not an elimination game then playing that card is less effective and gives Vegas more time to get a read on Campbell.

As others have said its a gamble at this point no matter what you do. I have more faith at this time in Skinner and Campbell each winning one game than I do of either of them winning 2 games.

Theres no way woody would start Campbell in a game 7, and no way he will tonight. Seems to be a trend here. We're stuck with starting Skinner in an elimination game but it shouldn't even have got to this point.

There was every opportunity to give Campbell more games due to the 3X Skinner was pulled in playoffs.

Not disputing what you've said, but its a level of thought I don't think is going to be engaged. Skinner is Woody's guy, like old coaches Woody simply plays favorites and stays with them.

At some point the org has to figure out some oddities. Why Holloway never gets played. Why Kostin barely gets played, Why Nemo kept getting banished despite being decent and why a guy Like Desharnais keeps being in the lineup being a loose cannon. Then the Skinner thing. The Yama thing. Woody believes in certain players no matter wht they are doing and has zero belief in others no matter what they do.

 

[Zguy370]

Is it true that the gae starts at 8:00 in Edmonton? If so that is further evidence that the NHL has noclue how to market itself.

If memory serves me right, wasn't this commissioner fired from the NBA for similar reasons?

 

[foshizzle]

Utter nonsense nowadays. Also would be shocked if a guy like Woody didn’t “believe” in them

It doesn’t matter if Woody believes in them or not- the Oilers don’t have an Analytics dept.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Wasting this kind of McDrai season by losing in the second round is an absolutely sickening thought.

Its no fait accompli Sens fan. Why are you here?

 

[Patch101]

You have to start Campbell but woodys loyalty to Skinner won't let that happen.

I would like to see Jack, but I understand why its hard to go that way.
He also seems stubbornly attached to Skinner as well.
Its the downfall I predicted at the deadline.

The negative consequences of which I could see leading into a sophomore slump.

Seriously though, if this teams falls today, and Jack isn't the starter. Ken NEEDS to dump Jack
for something his coach will actually use.

 

[Drivesaitl]

The key to any suspension or fine is that the length and severity of the fine/suspension is sufficient enough for the player to show remorse and learn from his mistake, and for his peers to see it as an example not to follow down that path. Petro has clearly learned from his suspension and is very remorseful, and his teammates such as Kolesar also have learned not to follow down that path.

Its a very perplexing situation for the OIlers though. They, and the NHL have set the table for Petro coming back in what is an elimination game for the Oilers. So that Petro can even incite in this game and the Oilers can't lose their cool. I worry more about players like Kane in this one and I don't know why but it seems like Kane and Nurse get a suspension almost every playoffs.

Petro should have been suspended for this game as well, thats on the NHL. But its now an elimination game 6 the Oilers are facing, that is their fault.

The Oil can still do this and it seems to be their way to do things the hardest way possible.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I would like to see Jack, but I understand why its hard to go that way.
He also seems stubbornly attached to Skinner as well.
Its the downfall I predicted at the deadline.

The negative consequences of which I could see leading into a sophomore slump.

Seriously though, if this teams falls today, and Jack isn't the starter. Ken NEEDS to dump Jack
for something his coach will actually use.

Its a huge deal. Usually you see it the other way (Luongo - Schneider) where the coach, perhaps with management in his ear, stubbornly sticks with the higher paid "starter" when the young backup is clearly more deserving. There was another similar case in the recent playoffs which is slipping my mind currently.

But to have a 25 million dollar goalie that your coach won't even play when

a) Campbell has passed the eye test in all three appearances these playoffs - a bit shaky in LA but he got the job done

and

b) the current starter has looked nothing short of dog shit. Either he is extremely tired from his first long professional season, or he simply doesn't have the skillset to be an NHL goalie.

Someones should be fired if Campbell doesn't start. Either Holland for acquiring him or Woodcroft for continually not using him.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

If only Campbell didn’t prove himself unreliable on every given occasion during the regular season. He give up 4 to the lowest scoring team in the league at one point.

A few relief appearances where he had no pressure on him doesnt erase his body of work. If Campbell didn’t fart his way out of the gate we are probably at the top of the conference.

 

[mkatcherin00]

Woody will start skinner and pull him when it's too late or the Oilers will outscore his bad goaltending

 

[tiger_80]

This chubby little dude is gonna start skinner again isn't he

Shoddy woody.

 

[Faelko]

If only Campbell didn’t prove himself unreliable on every given occasion during the regular season. He give up 4 to the lowest scoring team in the league at one point.

A few relief appearances where he had no pressure on him doesnt erase his body of work. If Campbell didn’t fart his way out of the gate we are probably at the top of the conference.

He did step up through that stretch where Skinner was out around Xmas. I honestly don’t have faith in either of them.

 

[Frank Drebin]

If only Campbell didn’t prove himself unreliable on every given occasion during the regular season. He give up 4 to the lowest scoring team in the league at one point.

A few relief appearances where he had no pressure on him doesnt erase his body of work. If Campbell didn’t fart his way out of the gate we are probably at the top of the conference.

he was horrible yes

 

[CycloneSweep]

Skinner in.
Kostin sitting for…Shore.

 

[Faelko]

Is it true that the game starts at 8:00 in Edmonton? If so that is further evidence that the NHL has noclue how to market itself.

I just saw that too, what a joke. This league is run by morons…

 

[OilerBaron]

The thought of starting Campbell scares the hell out of me. But I think Skinner has been figured out, get him moving side to side and put the puck low...We need to put this one out of reach early

 

[CycloneSweep]

If only Campbell didn’t prove himself unreliable on every given occasion during the regular season. He give up 4 to the lowest scoring team in the league at one point.

A few relief appearances where he had no pressure on him doesnt erase his body of work. If Campbell didn’t fart his way out of the gate we are probably at the top of the conference.

You’re right, but Skinners playoff numbers are just as bad as Campbells regular season numbers.

 

[Duke74]

Skinner in.
Kostin sitting for…Shore.

f*** me.

Woodcroft about to die on his hill of stubbornness...

 

[CycloneSweep]

f*** me.

Woodcroft about to die on his hill of stubbornness...

Kostin plays well and keeps seeing his minutes die. Yamamoto and Kane play like garbage constantly and keep getting force fed top minutes.
Our lines are obviously not working 5v5 outside of McLeods like.
His solution? Swap Shore in for Kostin.
Genius coaching, absolutely, inspired.