 RDOilerfan
Messages: 3908
Registered: January 2016
3 Cups
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| Adam wrote on Tue, 12 April 2022 11:41 |
| RDOilerfan wrote on Tue, 12 April 2022 11:35 |
If I am the Oilers, I am playing these 3 goalies off on another. Smith was excellent on the road trip when Koskinen was sick. .969, .969, .939. You'd think the coach would start Smith who was hot, but he went with Koskinen. I have to think seeing Smith play so well, had to make Koskinen think he had to stand on his head and he did. .971 against the Avalanche.
In my opinion, I think these 2 goalie are capable of giving the Oilers high end goaltending for a couple of games then something clicks in them and they lose focus. They play better when there is no clear starter. They play better when they have a fight it out for ice mindset. So I would go with a true split and not for anymore than 2 games in a row. If a guy plays awesome, great. Thanks. Next guy up. Make them pissed off and want to shove the coaches decision up their ass next game. So I would probably play Koskinen tonight and no matter what he does, even if he shuts the Wild out, I'd go with Smith in Nashville.
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Would you alternate goalies in the playoffs too? It would be unconventional...
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I would alternate. In my opinion, these guys have shown a pattern that they can play really well for a few games, then a dip happens. I think the better of the 2 goalies is Koskinen but it's 100% mental with him. After a couple of games, something flips off and his play will drop off. I think Koskinen plays better when he is battle for ice time. I think Smith has that old man, red ass type of personality where as long as he's healthy, which looks like he finally is, he will give you a shove it up your ass game for not starting him.
So I'd me playing these guys off one another with the hopes they both want to one up on the other guy.
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