GDT: WCQF | G3 | “Welcome to Holloway” | Oilers @ Kings | 4.26.24 | 8:30PM | Staples Center | SN/CBC

[Slats432]

When the kings scored I threw my phone against the wall

 

[NedPlimpton]

Let's go.

I want Skinner to focus up.

I want shots on Talbot from every angle and distance all of the time forever and don't stop.

 

[Ibanez]

50/50 on if I watch the game tonight. Never thought I would ever say that as a fan. Feel like an old man now. Part of it is the freaking 845 puck drop and the other part is a 7 month old baby that gets up early when it’s my turn to help out on the weekend.

Part of it is the lack of stress from just watching the score from my phone.

Regardless. Let’s go. I expect a big game from Drai tonight. He knows his line got caved in

 

[Slats432]

50/50 on if I watch the game tonight. Never thought I would ever say that as a fan. Feel like an old man now. Part of it is the freaking 845 puck drop and the other part is a 7 month old baby that gets up early when it’s my turn to help out on the weekend.

Part of it is the lack of stress from just watching the score from my phone.

Regardless. Let’s go. I expect a big game from Drai tonight. He knows his line got caved in

Interesting juxtaposition. If you have that young a kid, you are likely still young yourself.

 

[Ibanez]

Interesting juxtaposition. If you have that young a kid, you are likely still young yourself.

40 doesn’t feel very young

 

[3IR]

I’m still confident we take the series, but if this becomes another long series against LA where our issues are exactly the same as the last playoffs, 5v5 and goaltending issues, I might start worrying the mental fortitude of not only skinner, but our entire roster when the pressure is on.

Our OT record in the playoffs since mcdavid was drafted is 3 wins and 11 losses. While it’s easy to blame goaltending, our complete inability to step up when the games on the line needs to end with the last game. There’s no way a team with Mcdavid and Drai should be on the wrong side of so many “next goal wins” situations.

 

[Ibanez]

I’m still confident we take the series, but if this becomes another long series against LA where our issues are exactly the same as the last playoffs, 5v5 and goaltending issues, I might start worrying the mental fortitude of not only skinner, but our entire roster when the pressure is on.

Our OT record in the playoffs since mcdavid was drafted is 3 wins and 11 losses. While it’s easy to blame goaltending, our complete inability to step up when the games on the line needs to end with the last game.

I’m also worried about the mental fortitude of Hfoilers if this drags on. Some nasty back and forth from some after the loss the other night

 

[3IR]

Anyone know if there’s any stat you can use to track goals against where the last player to touch the puck was on the team that got scored on?

I might be misremembering, but it feels like we've been on the wrong end of “lucky bounces” off of our own guys a lot in the last few years.

I’m also worried about the mental fortitude of Hfoilers if this drags on. Some nasty back and forth from some after the loss the other night

Yeah I find once we get behind, or if we blow a lead at all it’s best to hop off HFOil for the evening. Everyone is understandably frustrated and it’s all too easy to get caught up in it.

 

[RegDunlop]

They better come out strong and take this game. If Skinner shits the bed early we need to bring Pickard in while there's enough runway to try to win the game.

As noted, I'm a big Stu fan. But this team or coaching needs to start making the correct decisions in net soon. Skinner is the starter, but don't be afraid to yard him and give CP the wheel. He is more than capable.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

I’m also worried about the mental fortitude of Hfoilers if this drags on. Some nasty back and forth from some after the loss the other night

Really? Besides the one poster who always takes Skinner criticism personally and calls everyone idiots I thought it was relatively decent for an OT playoff loss.

 

[joestevens29]

I’m also worried about the mental fortitude of Hfoilers if this drags on. Some nasty back and forth from some after the loss the other night

The mental fortitude will never be good on here. There will always be something to bitch about

Win the cup you'll hear "big deal we are f***ed next year with Brown's bonus"

 

[RegDunlop]

Anyone know if Klim flew with the team or went down on his own?

 

[elmeroil]

There's no guarantees that the Oilers will even get out of the 1st round but the playoffs are always so exciting regardless. I was 14 in 1990 and that cup was like, ok cool their 5th cup.

Winning one now would be unbelievably amazing but I still have no expectations. The 06 run was so fun but that was such an out of nowhere surprise. They have so much pressure to win now, that makes it even tougher. Anyways, I hope they take both of these games in LA why settle for a split!

 

[McSomnii]

I'm down for some more Holloway goal-scoring shenanigans tonight, just sayin'.

3+ should satisfy my cravings.

 

[Louis Cypher]

Tighten shit up, no dumb penalties and go hard. We can win this.

 

[9GWG9]

Make the big save! Outplay the other goaltender for once FFS!

Go get'em boys!

 

[Daishi]

Going to need Skinner to play like an NHL goalie and a lot more urgency from everyone else. At their respective bests, the Oilers would dominate the Kings in a 4-game sweep. Hopefully the Oilers have finished huffing their own hype after game 1 and will get down to f***ing business tonight.

He's not going to. But the Oil might score 6 which is the required minimum to win a hockey game here.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

There's no guarantees that the Oilers will even get out of the 1st round but the playoffs are always so exciting regardless. I was 14 in 1990 and that cup was like, ok cool their 5th cup.

Winning one now would be unbelievably amazing but I still have no expectations. The 06 run was so fun but that was such an out of nowhere surprise. They have so much pressure to win now, that makes it even tougher. Anyways, I hope they take both of these games in LA why settle for a split!

That’s why I get so nervous, simply because of the pressure to win…especially this year
06 had zero pressure
But now everyone expects them to win..from betting sites to the “experts”

 

[SupremeTeam16]

WE need a reset here as well on the thinking that only McDrai are responsible for results. If most of the club adds little then thats what the club is. No other team gets so much from just two of their players. We've got more out of McDrai than anybody could reasonably ask.

We've got other players here that are being passengers in the playoffs. That can't be happening. Right not Drai specifically is supposed to make Foegele happen in the playoffs which hasn't happened since Carolina, and RNH on the other side still in his "I did enough last season stupor" RNH hasn't been an impact player this season. Once again, and always Danault is being a better player than Nuge in the playoffs. Thats too bad.

The 1990 Oilers stars were looking prepared to work to rule. Down 3-1 in games to Jets in first series and trailing in game 5. It wasn't a conscious process but there was some doubt in the team initially that playoffs, and the team hadn't been too good in regular season. The push came from young Ranford getting his feet under him and from the KidLine coming into its own. Without both of those the team was having trouble finding traction. The star players were tired.

Again I don't think its conscious but I'd wonder how tired McDrai are of having to carry the team all the time. Hyman and Ekholm are the onboard signings that recognize this. Booch gets credit too. Holloway recently. The rest need to onboard quick. Before playoffs started there was talk we needed a Pisani to get going in playoffs. Well that spring it was several unexpected contributions and players elevating all round. From several players we haven't seen that.

Your best players need to be your best players in all areas of the ice and until Mcdavid and Draisaitl realize that, the team will never be getting the most out of them no matter how many points they score because all that chance generation comes at a cost.

I pointed it out yesterday but the first goal in the last game is a prime example. Draisaitl is the C and the primary puck transporter on that line. When LA takes control in their own end, they have a ton of ice, in that moment Draisaitl should be tracking back to the neutral zone as LA begins moving up ice, instead he circles back and tries a low Percentage pick off play, trying to intercept the defenders breakout pass but it’s a bad decision because the defender has space/ options and changes the angle and easily slings one past Leon. We would of been outnumbered but Foegele picked up the trailer and the play gets broken up except now Kempe is right on top of Bouchard who has to move the puck quickly and because Foegele had to cover the middle of the ice he’s not close enough to the wall where he’s supposed to be and Bouchard’s pass gets by him. This is where Draisaitls second mistake happens, he’s coming back into the defensive zone and the puck comes up the wall and gets past Foegele who couldn’t get back to the wall in time to accept the pass. Now it’s a free puck between Kopitar and Drai, who actually has position on Kopitar but this is where Draisaitl makes his second mistake. What he should do in that moment is maintain that position and win that puck but instead his intrusive thoughts win out and he turns the wrong way and tries a one handed fly by poke, a high risk/low percentage play especially against a guy like Kopitar who easily wins control of the puck and now 3 LA forwards are attacking and Leon is skating in the wrong direction in the neutral zone. Bad awareness and bad decision by him and it’s 1-0 LA barely 3 minutes into the game and we’re chasing.

This type of play is commonplace for Draisaitl and McDavid. In those moments where they should make the smart play vs the high risk play that might generate an odd man rush they choose the high risk play like 98 times out of 100, the risk assessment and decision making needs to be better. If Draisaitl does what he’s supposed at first and backtracks, then likely doesn’t need to cover the middle of the ice and would be in position along the wall when Bouch sends it there. Likewise if Draisaitl just takes the body position on Kopitar and gains control of that puck we have control and can reset but the first mistake has a cascading effect on our team position and his second mistakes basically ensures a wide open look from 15ft out for their best shooter.

 

[foshizzle]

The Draisaitl line got absolutely owned by the Kopitar line last game.
That simply cant happen again.

The team needs to tighten up defensively as well to have any chance at winning. The little things matter.
Im expecting a much more detailed game today.

Foegele was bad last game. Outside of the one hit, he has gone into his post season disappearing act.

 

[GMofOilers]

Your best players need to be your best players in all areas of the ice and until Mcdavid and Draisaitl realize that, the team will never be getting the most out of them no matter how many points they score because all that chance generation comes at a cost.

I pointed it out yesterday but the first goal in the last game is a prime example. Draisaitl is the C and the primary puck transporter on that line. When LA takes control in their own end, they have a ton of ice, in that moment Draisaitl should be tracking back to the neutral zone as LA begins moving up ice, instead he circles back and tries a low Percentage pick off play, trying to intercept the defenders breakout pass but it’s a bad decision because the defender has space/ options and changes the angle and easily slings one past Leon. We would of been outnumbered but Foegele picked up the trailer and the play gets broken up except now Kempe is right on top of Bouchard who has to move the puck quickly and because Foegele had to cover the middle of the ice he’s not close enough to the wall where he’s supposed to be and Bouchard’s pass gets by him. This is where Draisaitls second mistake happens, he’s coming back into the defensive zone and the puck comes up the wall and gets past Foegele who couldn’t get back to the wall in time to accept the pass. Now it’s a free puck between Kopitar and Drai, who actually has position on Kopitar but this is where Draisaitl makes his second mistake. What he should do in that moment is maintain that position and win that puck but instead his intrusive thoughts win out and he turns the wrong way and tries a one handed fly by poke, a high risk/low percentage play especially against a guy like Kopitar who easily wins control of the puck and now 3 LA forwards are attacking and Leon is skating in the wrong direction in the neutral zone. Bad awareness and bad decision by him and it’s 1-0 LA barely 3 minutes into the game and we’re chasing.

This type of play is commonplace for Draisaitl and McDavid. In those moments where they should make the smart play vs the high risk play that might generate an odd man rush they choose the high risk play like 98 times out of 100, the risk assessment and decision making needs to be better. If Draisaitl does what he’s supposed at first and backtracks, then likely doesn’t need to cover the middle of the ice and would be in position along the wall when Bouch sends it there. Likewise if Draisaitl just takes the body position on Kopitar and gains control of that puck we have control and can reset but the first mistake has a cascading effect on our team position and his second mistakes basically ensures a wide open look from 15ft out for their best shooter.

If your looking that deeply to as to why a goal was scored you lost the plot.


Save a god dam puck and it all goes away.

That’s why there is the goaltending position and not empty nets. Ridiculous and laughable

Break down goal 4

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

If your looking that deeply to as to why a goal was scored you lost the plot.

Save a god dam puck and it all goes away.

That’s why there is the goaltending position and not empty nets. Ridiculous and laughable

Don't worry man, I don't want to the Kings to do well, but they've done ok at home. Keep those fingers crossed.

 

[GMofOilers]

Don't worry man, I don't want to the Kings to do well, but they've done ok at home. Keep those fingers crossed.

They will win this in 5 games

 

[foshizzle]

I'm not sure how Foegele is still in the top 6.

Imo that second goal was completely on him being a selfish puck hog. He cycles by himself with the puck in the corner for a solid 10 seconds, looking off Drai and RNH more than once. Then when he (finally) cut to the high slot, he had a clean passing lane to an uncovered Ekholm, but chose to launch a weak wrister instead. Talbot easily handled it and gave it to his defence, who sprang the counter attack while the Oil were flat-footed.

You can try that crap when you're on the ice with McLeod, Perry, Kulak and Vinny. But he did more to shut down and derail a shift with Drai, RNH, Bouchard, and Ekholm on the ice than the actual Kings' defence...

I'd happily rotate him with Kane, Holloway, or even Brown after that showing.

You described Foegele to a T. He does the puck hog, trying to deke a player in all zones. Incredibly hard to watch. It’s like he thinks he’s McDavid

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

They will win this in 5 games

The Kings? I strong disagree, but good luck I guess.