Pre-Game Talk: Round 2: Battle of Alberta | Game 1 Wednesday 5/18/22 7:30PM

[McDrai]

I think Holloway is in tomorrow night

What makes you think that?

 

[Hockeylife2018]

Wonder how his brackets of years past looked. Outside of being the GOAT player, he's gotten a lot of things wrong in hockey outside of actually playing the game.

I think we've all witnessed this first hand in our lives

Being a good worker doesn't make you a good manager

 

[FanOfSadTeam]

Yeah, I was wondering about previous years.

I vaguely remember he wasn't very good in previous years.

Whatever. I'm glad the team is seen as complete underdogs for once. It'll be good motivation

 

[Oilhawks]

I vaguely remember he wasn't very good in previous years.

Whatever. I'm glad the team is seen as complete underdogs for once. It'll be good motivation

Agreed, as @Ritchie Valens pointed out, wouldn't be the first time the Oilers have won against the Flames as 'underdogs' as well (entirely different teams, but still). We'll see

I think we're all witnessed this first hand in our lives

Being a good worker doesn't make you a good manager

Indeed, Gretz's non playing career that would most qualify him to make "educated guesses" on series victors isn't exactly a glowing resume either.

 

[Magnum23]

I think we steal at least 1 in Calgary. No way we can’t outscore them in at least 1. Too much fire power vs their mediocre playoff offense

 

[The Panther]

The Flames were underdogs vs. Edmonton in 1986, and Flames won.

The Oilers were underdogs vs. Calgary in 1988, and Oilers won (sweep).

The Oilers were underdogs in 1991 vs. Calgary, and Oilers won.

So, bring on the underdog status in 2022!

For me, the fun / frustrating aspect of this year's Oilers team is that we have no idea, game-to-game, what team is going to show up. About 1/3 of the time, the Oilers look like the very best team in the League. About 1/3 of the time, the Oilers look very average, like a bubble-playoff team. And about 1/3 of the time, the Oilers look like the worst team in the League, worse than the Coyotes or Canadiens. It's gotten more consistent under Jay Woodcroft, but we had games like the Minnesota and Calgary losses late in the season where they looked like ass, not to mention the L.A. game four complete no-show by the entire squad.

Normally, I'm not a proponent of skilled teams playing physical against an opponent (that's one thing that got the '86 Oilers in trouble vs. Calgary), but I actually think this year's Oilers need to lean on Calgary, hard. I don't see the Flames as a physically intimidating team. Tanev might be out, and Lucic isn't what he used to be. Just like the Oilers (led by McDavid, of all people) were throwing their weight around in game 7 vs. L.A., I think they need to do the same in game one vs. Calgary. The Oilers have slightly superior offensive skill to Calgary, and if they combine that with superior physical aggression, I think that'll help.

(I see Colorado won game one. We have to hope those two beat each other up over 7 games. And I think I'd prefer Edmonton play Colorado, as dumb as that sounds. They just seem to match up better.)

 

[CycloneSweep]

I think Holloway is in tomorrow night

Zero chance they are going to have his first NHL game be a BoA in the playoffs unless the team was heavily injured.

 

[BigFuzzyDice]

Gretzky also thinks we will lose :/

somebody should tell him

 

[McFlyingV]

Oilers win game 1, Flames get shook and we execute the sweep

Lil Johnny weeps all the way back to Calgary

Back to New Jersey you mean, where he'll be staying after the summer ends.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

GDT is up