🧫🏒🎿 2023-24 WCF: (P2) Edmonton Oilers at Central Champion Dallas Stars (EDM WINS 4-2)

[Jimtown guy]

So many momentum shifts in this series. Oilers now up 4-2 

[NHL HHOF]

 

[SaucyJack]

Suffocating Oiler defense leaving Dallas with few if any scoring chances.

[Brewin Flames]

6 hours ago, SaucyJack said:

Suffocating Oiler defense leaving Dallas with few if any scoring chances.

 

 

Netminding did not suck tonight....

[JR Ewing]

-After about 5 minutes, and it was 2-0, including an all-time fluke off of Darnell Nurse's ass from the faceoff dot (some reward for nicely boxing out his man) and it looked like trouble. That was really it, from that point on, though.

-Edmonton finally did what I'd been waiting for: upped the physicality. Jamie Benn aside, Dallas is one of the least physical/grinding teams in the league and is quite happy to not initiate the rough stuff after whistles; it's just not their game and initiating that against them takes them out of their comfort zone, imo. Hell, when Dylan Holloway flattened Oettinger a couple of games ago, and nobody even breathed on him, that seemed like a green light to me.

-Evan Bouchard is going to be a very expensive signing for the Oilers. After an outstanding year, he's followed it up by going super nova in the playoffs.

-Chris Tanev was late getting out of Edmonton, only boarding a flight this morning... Wearing a walking boot/cast. If he's out of the lineup, it's trouble for Dallas.

 

[radoran]

22 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

Dallas is one of the least physical/grinding teams in the league and is quite happy to not initiate the rough stuff after whistles; it's just not their game and initiating that against them takes them out of their comfort zone, imo

 

I do think this is a (the?) element missing in Dallas.

 

The game gets much more physical in the playoffs (right, Mitch?). Yer Hintzes and Robertsons might need to amp it up a bit.

 

Dallas can still take the series, but I like the edge Edmonton is showing a bit. They have a "want it" that their game may have needed as well.

 

Down 2-0 McDavid had a determination rather than a hang dog look. The rest of the team followed that example.

[JR Ewing]

Just now, radoran said:

Down 2-0 McDavid had a determination rather than a hang dog look. The rest of the team followed that example.

 

A reporter asked him this year how much winning the Hart would matter to him, as it looked like he wasn't the front-runner (I think it's MacKinnon's to lose) and he told the guy he's already won the rest of that stuff and couldn't really care less. All he wants is a Stanley Cup. I think he's aching for it.

 

Last night, when they were protecting the lead, he didn't fly the zone a single time looking for offense, and instead played textbook two-way hockey. Yes, he had three points, but it was another mature performance from him where you could see that wasn't what he was necessarily there to do.

 

[Math]

It was like a carbon-copy of game #3, but with teams switched. The Stars took the lead, were close to lead 3-0, and they stopped playing. While being not bad, I didn't like Öttinger's two first goal allowed: yes, he was run over by Sütër but he should've blocked the puck at first place. Then I completely disliked his rebound on Bouchard's tally. It's the kind of rebound he allows when he's not in confidence. Harley had another rough night and you can see what's missing in the Stars squad: veteran depth in defense.

 

The mental side of both teams is mind-boggling. So many very highs and very lows in the same game. 

 

1 hour ago, radoran said:

I do think this is a (the?) element missing in Dallas.

 

The game gets much more physical in the playoffs (right, Mitch?). Yer Hintzes and Robertsons might need to amp it up a bit.

 

Dallas can still take the series, but I like the edge Edmonton is showing a bit. They have a "want it" that their game may have needed as well.

 

Down 2-0 McDavid had a determination rather than a hang dog look. The rest of the team followed that example.

 

Yes, they are not built for that but usually you have Benn, Marchment and Hakanpää would bring a bit of this physicality. But Robertson also change his game a bit and evolved more as a two-way forward and started to hit and block way more. But I don't think it's the issue there. They didn't really need that to beat Vegas and Colorado, and last year Minnesota went full in this strategy that it heavily backfired.

 

2 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

-Chris Tanev was late getting out of Edmonton, only boarding a flight this morning... Wearing a walking boot/cast. If he's out of the lineup, it's trouble for Dallas

 

Trouble? Way more than that. If Tanev is out, the series is over. Oilers wins the next two. "As simple as that", as would say by beloved Bowness.

 

Finally, a stat that made me lol: With this win, the Oilers have tied the Stars for the most postseason victories obtained in Edmonton in franchise history (16 each).

[radoran]

43 minutes ago, Math said:

They didn't really need that to beat Vegas and Colorado, and last year Minnesota went full in this strategy that it heavily backfired.

 

Yeah, but Vegas and Colorado both have hardware and Minnesota is, well, Minnesota...

 

I have Oettinger, Hintz, and Robertson on my FHL squad so I've watched more Stars than I care to admit.

[JR Ewing]

1 hour ago, Math said:

It was like a carbon-copy of game #3, but with teams switched. The Stars took the lead, were close to lead 3-0, and they stopped playing. While being not bad, I didn't like Öttinger's two first goal allowed: yes, he was run over by Sütër but he should've blocked the puck at first place. Then I completely disliked his rebound on Bouchard's tally. It's the kind of rebound he allows when he's not in confidence. Harley had another rough night and you can see what's missing in the Stars squad: veteran depth in defense.

 

I think you're being a little hard on Oettinger. That was a 2-on-1 with the best player in the world and a lights-out offensive player with him. Just a tough spot for the goalie.

 

1 hour ago, Math said:

The mental side of both teams is mind-boggling. So many very highs and very lows in the same game. 

 

Yeah, the momentum swings are crazy.

 

1 hour ago, Math said:

 

Yes, they are not built for that but usually you have Benn, Marchment and Hakanpää would bring a bit of this physicality. But Robertson also change his game a bit and evolved more as a two-way forward and started to hit and block way more. But I don't think it's the issue there. They didn't really need that to beat Vegas and Colorado, and last year Minnesota went full in this strategy that it heavily backfired.

 

I would agree: there are some key players who can bring it. Benn, in particular, has a nasty streak if he gets woken up, though he can be undisciplined. The Knights are very big and were very physical with the Stars, but I think their weakpoint is a team-wide lack of speed, and I thought the Dallas exposed that quite well, so it wasn't to their benefit to "get into it" with the Golden Knights.

 

The Avs are very fast, and a tough out, but are also not very physical, so most of the players on the Stars were (rightly) quite happy to not "get into it" with them either. What won the series for Dallas was their depth. The Avs couldn't match that, and were forced to put far too many minutes on to MacKinnon, was was run hard and put away wet. Nichushkin once again failed his teammates in the playoffs.

 

The 2023 Minnesota Wild were a hell of a combination: small and slow and below average offensively. It's one thing when a team like that starts to bang, but it's another when a big, fast and skilled team does it.

 

Does that mean the Oilers will win the series or that it will benefit them? If I knew that sort of thing, I'd move to Las Vegas. I also don't think it works in their favour to "goon it up" out there, as you run the risk taking needless penalties. I do think there's value in the opposition getting worn down by physical play.

 

 

1 hour ago, Math said:

 

Trouble? Way more than that. If Tanev is out, the series is over. Oilers wins the next two. "As simple as that", as would say by beloved Bowness.

 

Tanev is a warrior and typifies the best of what I admire in NHL players: tenacity and bravery. I imagine that Peter DeBoer would damned near need to hogtie Tanev to keep him out of the lineup.

 

 

1 hour ago, Math said:

Finally, a stat that made me lol: With this win, the Oilers have tied the Stars for the most postseason victories obtained in Edmonton in franchise history (16 each).

 

No, this definitely isn't correct, unless I'm completely misunderstanding what the record is meant to be. Head-to-head, the Stars have won 14 games in Edmonton, and the Oilers have only won 8 games against the Stars in Edmonton:

 

https://champsorchumps.us/team/nhl/dallas-stars/head-to-head/edmonton-oilers#tab-playoff

 

Edited May 30 by JR Ewing

[Math]

48 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

No, this definitely isn't correct, unless I'm completely misunderstanding what the record is meant to be. Head-to-head, the Stars have won 14 games in Edmonton, and the Oilers have only won 8 games against the Stars in Edmonton:

 

That's the trick: it's wins in Edmonton, not necessarly against the Oilers. So it includes the 2020 bubble run when the Stars reached the Stanley Cup final 

 

[JR Ewing]

10 minutes ago, Math said:

 

That's the trick: it's wins in Edmonton, not necessarly against the Oilers. So it includes the 2020 bubble run when the Stars reached the Stanley Cup final 

 

 

Oh, so it must be during a specific time frame? Otherwise, it really makes no sense, because the Oilers had 16 playoff home wins half-way through the playoffs in 1984, let alone 2024.

 

[SaucyJack]

3 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

the Oilers had 16 playoff home wins half-way through the playoffs in 1984

…and then add in all the home wins in the Cup winning years (84, 85, 87, 88, 90) it’s a bunch.  

[Math]

Oops, correction: I mean at Rogers Place. Not Edmonton.

[JR Ewing]

11 hours ago, Math said:

Oops, correction: I mean at Rogers Place. Not Edmonton.

 

Ah; I thought it must be something like that.

[Buffalo Rick]

5 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

 

Ah; I thought it must be something like that.

Have you started drinking yet?  

[JR Ewing]

1 hour ago, Buffalo Rick said:

Have you started drinking yet?  

 

I'm really not like that. For starters, I don't drink any alcohol; it's just not my thing. At one time, I really lived and died by these games... I was crushed when the Oilers were swept by the Islanders in 1983. When they won the Cup the next year, I thought it would feel glorious, but it didn't. I was glad that they won, and that they had played to their potential.

 

Strangely, though, I didn't feel jubilant like I thought I might, and it just sort of came to me: I'm not an Edmonton Oiler. I'm not a loser when they lose and I'm not a winner when they win. I don't hate the opposition. It's the reason you'll never hear me say that "we played well" or "we had such a good game", and that didn't change through one Cup or the next four.

 

I'm generally happy/frustrated much more by off-ice moves than on-ice results, but I don't stress the games, and just try to enjoy them for what they are, because I hope the players can do their best.

 

 

[Buffalo Rick]

39 minutes ago, JR Ewing said:

 

I'm really not like that. For starters, I don't drink any alcohol; it's just not my thing. At one time, I really lived and died by these games... I was crushed when the Oilers were swept by the Islanders in 1983. When they won the Cup the next year, I thought it would feel glorious, but it didn't. I was glad that they won, and that they had played to their potential.

 

Strangely, though, I didn't feel jubilant like I thought I might, and it just sort of came to me: I'm not an Edmonton Oiler. I'm not a loser when they lose and I'm not a winner when they win. I don't hate the opposition. It's the reason you'll never hear me say that "we played well" or "we had such a good game", and that didn't change through one Cup or the next four.

 

I'm generally happy/frustrated much more by off-ice moves than on-ice results, but I don't stress the games, and just try to enjoy them for what they are, because I hope the players can do their best.

 

 

Should the Sabres ever win in my lifetime the party will never end

[JR Ewing]

43 minutes ago, Buffalo Rick said:

Should the Sabres ever win in my lifetime the party will never end

 

[Buffalo Rick]

1 hour ago, JR Ewing said:

 

It can happen.  We had good teams with Miller.  Robbed in the Dallas game.  Good young team but Adams who I detest needs to make a couple moves

[NHL HHOF]

 

[mojo1917]

The Oilers defend a lot better than I thought they would/could.

Last 5 periods they have looked pretty great.

[FD19372]

11 minutes ago, mojo1917 said:

The Oilers defend a lot better than I thought they would/could.

Last 5 periods they have looked pretty great.

The Stars have only 10 shots through two periods, at home. Terrific job of not allowing them any sustained offensive zone time, by the Oilers.

[GratefulFlyers]

Stars have less than 10 mins to score 3 or they go down 3-2...I'm surprised tonight not just how effective the Oilers have been controlling play but also their ability to limit the Stars to 16 SOG so far.

 

edit: finally get one past Skinner...2 to go but now just 5mins left...

 

Edited June 1 by GratefulFlyers

[SaucyJack]

9 hours ago, Buffalo Rick said:

Should the Sabres ever win in my lifetime the party will never end

I am fine with Ovi and Backs and TJ (and recently Kuzy) laying playoff eggs year after year…’cuz they DID manage to win it all ONCE.   (Especially for Ovi, it would be so different and pathetic but for that one-time Miracle.)

 

P.S. Go Oilers: win Sunday then break this 6-series Canadian losing streak in the Cup Finals.

Edited June 1 by SaucyJack