Post-Game Talk: There was a game tonight?

[McDNicks17]

I think a HUGE part of this loss was letting in the first shot. Again. Team mentality quit.

They don't trust Koskinen so are off their game.

They don't really play like it though. If you don't trust your goalie to make the first save, maybe don't give the other team a wide open shot from the top of the crease 15 seconds into the game.

Bear gets blown by while looking like a senior citizen trying to skate backwards and Khaira randomly decides to double team a winger in the corner instead of picking up his man in the slot.

 

[North]

I think a HUGE part of this loss was letting in the first shot. Again. Team mentality quit.

They don't trust Koskinen so are off their game.

That plus an early lead allows the other team to start employing the trap. Toronto did it during that awful three game set.

The Oilers have no idea how to play against the trap.

 

[North]

They don't really play like it though. If you don't trust your goalie to make the first save, maybe don't give the other team a wide open shot from the top of the crease 15 seconds into the game.

Bear gets blown by while looking like a senior citizen trying to skate backwards and Khaira randomly decides to double team a winger in the corner instead of picking up his man in the slot.

What it looks like is they seem to think if they collapse down or have more than one guy go after the puck carrier then they can limit the chances against Koskinen.

Clearly they’re wrong but they can’t seem to get out of that mindset when Koskinen plays.

 

[Arpeggio]

The first goal cannot be blamed on Koskinen. They came out completely lethargic, the game was over ten minutes into the first. That first goal was probably the easiest goal the Habs will score all season, no one covered anyone.

 

[Oilers in NS]

now I’m a big fan of Rodney . He has my ultimate respect. RIP

 

[Ritchie Valens]

I'm thinking they should sew handles on McDavids jersey so opponents can get a better grip

...and under those handles, velcro tear away strips. It's be pretty hard to dispute that evidence.

 

[Paralyzer008]

I love Puljujarvi, and he works with McDavid, but if that's a pairing then you do need someone with actual skill on the left side to help trade the puck, it can't be Kassian (which makes sense cause Jesse/Kass both RWs)

I'd call up Benson right now.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

I love how much you hate koskinen.

Yeah he's a shell of his former self.....which at best was an average goalie.

To be fair last year that was better than Smith most of the time.

Just remember to channel a portion of hate toward Schwartz.

 

[Gordian Knot]

That plus an early lead allows the other team to start employing the trap. Toronto did it during that awful three game set.

The Oilers have no idea how to play against the trap.

That's the main coaching problem, Tippett continues using his low event, defense first tactics even team being 3 down and can't generate anything. Should loosen the reigns or do f***ing something different than bang heads against trap wall.

10 shots in 35 minutes.

 

[Lacaar]

Will give them a pass on the game but the next game against Montreal is massively important for me.

This team got schooled by Toronto in the season series.
We can play with Winnipeg for the most part.

Montreal is actually giving them the worst ass kicking.

So of the 3 playoff teams we're looking to dance with.
1. Winnipeg - we play them pretty even.
2. Toronto - we lose to even when we play well. heck and won when we didn't. But after all these games there's no doubt who the better team is unfortunately.
3. Montreal - They shit kick us for fun so far. Jury is out but that's 3 shit kicking's in a row.

 

[Oilhawks]

Will give them a pass on the game but the next game against Montreal is massively important for me.

This team got schooled by Toronto in the season series.
We can play with Winnipeg for the most part.

Montreal is actually giving them the worst ass kicking.

So of the 3 playoff teams we're looking to dance with.
1. Winnipeg - we play them pretty even.
2. Toronto - we lose to even when we play well. heck and won when we didn't. But after all these games there's no doubt who the better team is unfortunately.
3. Montreal - They shit kick us for fun so far. Jury is out but that's 3 shit kicking's in a row.

I get what you’re saying but technically the Oilers shut the Habs out 3-0 the game between the first two abominations (when the Habs were on their heater to start the season) and this one.

 

[TB12]

Connor is going to get at least a couple games for this and he deserves it. Not a good look from him. It's gonna be a long week. .

Terrible take. Glad you’re not Parros.

 

[Sanchez]

Player safety wants to make an example I guess. I thought the penalty was good enough. Kotkaniemi should be fined for embellishment. Such a joke; I would love to have McDavid go off with all the non calls and abuse he goes through every game!

 

[GOilers88]

It's definitely interesting. I wonder if it has to do with timing.
Koski may not let much more in. But his timing to let a goal in always sucks... like deflating sucks.

Letting in the first goal of the game consistently is killer. He's an absolute f***ing shit show for the first 10 minutes of a game it seems. Then goes on to play well.
The problem is it puts the team behind the 8 ball. The other team immediately goes into defense mode.. then we wonder why there's no run support for him.

Last night was a mutual I'm not helping you.. and you're not helping me. Oilers weren't doing Koski any favors.... Koski didn't do the team any either.

A good goalie keeps his team in the fight to buy them time to figure the game out.. sometimes they don't. I don't feel there was any saving the Oilers last night. That's ok can't win them all.
But Koski didn't do a f***ing thing to change that.

I feel if Koski came out and fought like a mother f***er and kept that game 1-0 after the first.. then finally caved after the Oilers kept playing stupid and gave up a couple suspect shot.. and the score ended up the same regardless.. 4-0. I'd be ok with that.
But that's not what happened. Koski came out and let in a couple of save able shots right away.. that's not the type of goalie I want.

Maybe I'm too hard on him but the timing of his goals seem to really piss me off for some reason.

No you're absolutely right. The timing is what does him in and earns him most of the hate. I think there's a solid backup there and his numbers seem to show that, but for whatever reason he's so shaky to start every game.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Player safety wants to make an example I guess. I thought the penalty was good enough. Kotkaniemi should be fined for embellishment. Such a joke; I would love to have McDavid go off with all the non calls and abuse he goes through every game!

In a league....where there's eight Jan-Michael Vincents....

Im fine if Connor gets suspended. If the league isnt going to protect him he might as well start whipping his stick around and elbowing and sit on the bench.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Terrible take. Glad you’re not Parros.

Really? If Tom Wilson does that he probably gets 5-10.

 

[Lacaar]

I get what you’re saying but technically the Oilers shut the Habs out 3-0 the game between the first two abominations (when the Habs were on their heater to start the season) and this one.

Ahh cool I missed that one. Well 1-3 is better than 0-3.

That's a combined 8-11-1 record against playoff teams if my math is right this time.

Not the end of the world I guess, but worth keeping an eye on.

 

[Drivesaitl]

No you're absolutely right. The timing is what does him in and earns him most of the hate. I think there's a solid backup there and his numbers seem to show that, but for whatever reason he's so shaky to start every game.

Theres no fans in the stands, no noise in the buildings, no atmosphere. Teams have to manufacture their own excitement, energy, jump and aside from everything else Smith is great at that in games. Koskinen conversely looks like he's at at a funeral or standing up to a firing squad everytime. Its the dynamics of self defeat too. Koskinen is starting every game off shaky, and not feeling good or confident. Like he's waiting for something bad to happen. This impacts the whole team.

Unlike Smith, when the team is struggling, or opponents have a good shift going Koskinen does not control the puck, hang onto the puck. The play ensues, invariably with Koskinen until something bad happens. He's hopeless grabbing and covering pucks. Especially on the road teams need their goalie to snare some of those. 2-3 of the goals last night are a result of Koskinen giving pucks up instead of covering up.

Finally Koskinen is pathetic at playing the puck. Montreal forecheck works against Koskinen, who has now lost to the Habs 3'3 games. It doesn't work against Smith who has the one W. Smith is playing pucks before Habs even get to forecheck. This is the difference between playing a whole shift in own zone vs transitioning puck out.

Smith stopped 38 shots, got a shutout in his only start against the Habs this season. Koskinen has struggled each time.

Koskinen GAA average against the Habs this season is 4.04. Not close to good enough.

 

[Oilhawks]

I wonder if Tippett planned on having Koskinen start the 2nd Toronto game had the Oilers won the 1st and had Smith start the Habs one then instead.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I wonder if Tippett planned on having Koskinen start the 2nd Toronto game had the Oilers won the 1st and had Smith start the Habs one then instead.

Yep. This is what they would have preferred to occur. I do think the Oilers put more priority on the Leafs games and needing to show themselves they get a result there vs the Montreal game.

Tippett isn't getting much credit either for going chips all in on the nights where he figured his club would be most motivated. Tippett detected the signs his club was fed up on the road, not feeling it, and just wanted to get back home. His take was the team was not up for this game. Not much a coach can do other than calling it out, and reportedly Tippett did, and the team was flat.

The thing the players recognize is Tippett is right a lot of the time. In the long game that gets you the players attention. As many coaches have stated the "coachable moments" occur after bad losses. Now the Oilers have a couple days to get focused, get some practice, and get dialed in against an easier to hate squad.

Beat the Flames again and all is forgiven.

Good news is that 7/8 of our upcoming games are against non playoff clubs. Should be able to make some hay. Oilers need to get at least 5-6 W's out of this. Treading water in this stretch would be unfortunate. if we play this stretch well, by the end of the 8 games we'll be sitting pretty and shored up a spot.

 

[PaulD]

My comment is erased
It’s 2 cups
86
93
Oilers entered league June 79

Habs won Cup in 76, 77, 78, and 79

 

[PaulD]

It might feel that way, but there's a bunch of guys with worse numbers.

Rinne, Korpisalo, Dubnyk, Gibson, Andersen, Georgiev, Jones, Daccord, Quick, Elliott, Kinkaid, Holtby, Greiss, Husso, McElhinney, Hutton, Miller, Johansson, Murray, Hart, Hogberg, Miska

As the great Gerry Cheevers once said "stats dont lie, they just dont tell the whole truth"

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

Really? If Tom Wilson does that he probably gets 5-10.

Lol... Is this your argument?

 

[Del Preston]

Habs won Cup in 76, 77, 78, and 79

Different season. The Oilers didn't come into the league until 1979-80.

 

[Oilhawks]

Different season. The Oilers didn't come into the league until 1979-80.

I looked into the history some more, not very familiar with specifics as it all happened well before I was born, that batch in the 70s were won with 17-18 clubs of which the expansion teams probably don’t count for much (some truly terrible teams).

Even with Bettman’s parity far overstated, winning a cup post 2000 is generally pretty remarkable given the amount of teams and how many of them can be ‘powerhouse’ teams. I don’t think it should shock too many people that a Canadian team hasn’t won in almost 30 years given the circumstances