Adam wrote on Thu, 25 April 2024 13:34

One additional point. While the Oilers chance-suppression has been relatively good in the first couple of games, it would be nice if the ones they did allow weren't all ten-bell chances. With a goalie who's trying to pick up his confidence, I'd love if we didn't give them a lot of deep slot one-timers and breakaways in the few shots they get.

Pretty much how it goes with this team. We love the huge errors to cancel out 99% of the game being solid.

First goal, no idea why all the forwards are skating full speed to the neutral zone when LA's top line is all attacking our blue line. The forward Bouch tries to pass up to, Foegele, doesn't even look back and just skates off past the LA first line players. The pass banked off the boards and Foegele doesn't even put his stick out for it, he just keeps skating instead of turning to the boards for the puck, and leaves our zone. All our forwards totally out of the picture as LA creates their chance and scores. That's the kind of brain dead gambling that sank us a lot early this season.

Doughty breakaway? Come on, how do you allow that? Skinner's save attempt by just tipping over backwards and lifting his stick off the ice, just as bad of course, on a puck that wasn't shot.

What is this technique called where you have the leg in front of the puck held off the ice, and you angle your stick so the blade is off the ice to perfectly allow the direction the puck is going to go through you as you tip over backwards? His attempt to save that puck slowly going under him appears to be to kick his left leg straight, but still off the ice. Just such an odd play, I suppose he had an guess of what Doughty would do in his head and stuck with it, while he looks directly at the puck going under his stick blade and leg.




I think Bouch could try getting his stick onto that throw at the net 100 more times without managing to perfectly make it hover in the air for Kempe to pick his spot with a baseball swing. Brutal luck, same with the miracle Byfield puck deflection directly to Kopitar that is just in the right place at the right time. People complain about Nurse on that one, but Kopitar still had a huge advantage of momentum skating forward. Just 2 miracle bounces on both those goals.

Fiala's goal was one of those backbreakers. Byfield was off to his right. Possible that Ekholm did a perfect screen, but I think Skinner made no effort to follow that play before the shot was taken. I think it went through his left armpit. Just one of those goals where the goalie looks clueless, while also turning into swiss cheese.

Skinner had to be better, as ppl said here many different ways, he is the guy. There is no way we would switch to and stick with Pickard. It's Skinner or bust, even more than last year.

[Updated on: Thu, 25 April 2024 15:35]

"We need to get better immediately. That starts today"
- Lowe, 2013

"Next year I would forecast as another developmental year"
- MacT, 2015

5 x $5,000,000