Post-Game Talk: Skinner just had his Grant Fuhr moment

[CupofOil]

He's never stolen a game in the playoffs which is what the "haters" were getting at. Be average, or above average or steal a game in the playoffs. Now he's done it today.

I'm referencing this
"Just tracking pucks and dialed in with a calm economy of movement - I didn't think he had it in him"

Skinner has done this plenty of times this season, he's "had it in him" plenty and he definitely stole some games this season. In fairness to the "haters", Skinner was shaky in the first 2 games so he had some proving to do in a playoff atmosphere but he's dialed it in the last 2.

 

[InTheBox]

Great game by Skinner. And solid defense effort overall. It would have been a blowout again if the refs knew what interference was. All these big hits when Hyman and McDavid aren't around the puck should have been penalties. The league is trying to get them hurt so they don't move on apparently

 

[Anemia]

I got to give credit where credit is due. I thank the bank for the money, thank God for Stu.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Great game by Skinner. And solid defense effort overall. It would have been a blowout again if the refs knew what interference was. All these big hits when Hyman and McDavid aren't around the puck should have been penalties. The league is trying to get them hurt so they don't move on apparently

Yeah, they were bad, the Oilers got away with a few as well (though not quite at the same level).

I'm still blown away, on a night where they just didn't have it offensively, they just fought and grinded doing everything they could with Skinner playing great to keep the Kings off the board.

Great win, great character win. This team is really something.

 

[LTIR]

So maybe it's a good thing that we didnt trade Skinner+Holloway+1st for Saros

 

[iCanada]

I'm referencing this
"Just tracking pucks and dialed in with a calm economy of movement - I didn't think he had it in him"

Skinner has done this plenty of times this season, he's "had it in him" plenty and he definitely stole some games this season. In fairness to the "haters", Skinner was shaky in the first 2 games so he had some proving to do in a playoff atmosphere but he's dialed it in the last 2.

He's not been dialed in like that all year. That's the first time since the Kings series last year that I didn't feel like a soft GA was coming. In the very least, it felt different to me. Just ask me from after the first intermission;

GDT: - WCQF | G4 | “Village To Burn” | Oilers @ Kings | 4.28.24 | 8:30PM | Crypto.com | SN/CBC

The Oilers will outshoot them 16-8 in the second team rarely gets outshot in a game Skinner looking solid

forums.hfboards.com

And in my defense, this was also not the first time that I was right in feeling a soft GA was coming or was not coming.

 

[GOilers88]

Team looked very far from great but playoff victories aren't always picassos so you take it and run. They outplayed L.A. pretty badly in the first 3 so they were due for a real grinder.

In a way though, they needed a game like this with Skinner stealing it. Could be a huge confidence boost for him as he was a little wobbly in the games at Rogers.

I was only able to catch the third. They were tight all over the ice and locked that shit down so perfectly.

 

[Frank the Tank]

In the past we somehow lose this game 2-1 or 3-1 with some late goals from LA.

Yeah, I was thinking the Oilers locked down the game in the 3rd period unlike Game 1 last year.

 

[Lacaar]

2 really encouraging things we haven't seen from past Oiler teams in the playoffs.

1. Win game 1
2. Win a game they may not have deserved to. The Oilers didn't have it in one way. But they brought it the other way. Can't recall us winning a playoff game in that fashion. Usually we're on the other end of such games.

Impressive 2 games in L.A

 

[CornKicker]

rogers will be bumping on wednesday night, hope the boys can stomp out the kings and get ready for round 2

 

[AUAIOMRN]

If you think that was a piss poor effort, then you do not understand anything about hockey. That final period was a masterclass of shoving LA's own game directly down throats.

We spent nearly the entire game in our own zone and were one unlucky bounce away from going to OT. I'll give them credit for not allowing any high quality chances, but if the cost of that is generating nothing themselves, then it's not worth it. We got away with one last night, simple as that. If you view this team as a Stanley Cup contender I don't know how you can be too happy about last night's game, aside from the win; LA is the worst team we're going to face this year - I don't think we play like that and win against anyone else the rest of the way.

 

[guymez]

Good:

- Bouchard played fantastic. What a solid game.
- Skinner won us the game and stayed focused for a full 60.
- Team defensive play was on point. Great way to win
-VD !!!!!

Bad:

- Nuge was awful. Panicked with the puck all night. Got bullied
- Perry is struggling. The game was too fast for Perry.
- Mcdavid neutralized


Random:

- Did the officials even show up today?
- Did the Oilers get too much sunshine? Did the Kings do a bunch of blow before the game?

I agree with most of what you are saying here although I did LOL at VD!!!!

Regarding RNH...he had some very strong moments in this game especailly in puck battles.
I recall one sequence where he won a puck battle and threw Englund to the ice.
As for Perry...taking him out of the lineup would be a mistake.

 

[Section337]

Typically games such as this where the offense can't get anything going have ended up as frustrating blowout losses. The maturity to commit to elite defense and not cheat for offense when the offense isn't there could elevate this team to championship level.

Maturity agreed. Plus, the personnel to do so. I think it was the 3rd or so last icing, been a bit of a scrambly shift, saw some guys get off before the icing and I was worried what ragtag bunch they had available for the faceoff. Then I see it is Vinny, Ekholm, Henrique, Janmark and Draisaitl and I feel completely fine.

 

[guymez]

This matches what I witnessed in Game 4 and have been posting about in this thread. I really did not see LA having a more high danger scoring chances than the Oilers despite having a significant possession advantage. This is what us fans wished the Oilers could do after the Vegas series, and they did it last night!

Here in lies the problem with HDSC that I have been talking about for months now.
Depending on the criteria and how the criteria is applied you are going to come up with different outcomes.
Based on what I saw the Oilers got very little in terms of ice danger scoring chances.
One maybe two all game.
The Kings had at least 3 or 4.

 

[Paralyzer]

Here in lies the problem with HDSC that I have been talking about for months now.
Depending on the criteria and how the criteria is applied you are going to come up with different outcomes.
Based on what I saw the Oilers got very little in terms of ice danger scoring chances.
One maybe two all game.

Yep. I was saying to my friend yesterday watching the game "It doesn't matter how many shots we have against us. It's the QUALITY chances that matter. And we all know Skinner is almost virtually impossible to score on when it's shot from long range and he has sight of the puck." We had way more high danger chances than the Kings.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

I hope we can get Ekholm some rest we'll need him

 

[tiger_80]

I don’t wanna be that guy, but man Corey Perry looks very slow to me, he needs to be on the 4 line I think.

He was always slow.

 

[oilers4life5]

Are you 7? Skinner fairly received criticism for his poor play, and now is getting credit. Just leave it at that. Skinner was excellent.

Maybe if the criticism was fair or even mildly observant you would have a point. But you don’t, so sit down. I see the Skinner trashers are allowed wild over reactions but when it goes not in their favour, it’s all stop saying things I don’t like. Laughable.

 

[guymez]

Yep. I was saying to my friend yesterday watching the game "It doesn't matter how many shots we have against us. It's the QUALITY chances that matter. And we all know Skinner is almost virtually impossible to score on when it's shot from long range and he has sight of the puck." We had way more high danger chances than the Kings.

I saw the opposite.
What were the high danger chances the Oilers had at 5x5? Off the top of my head I would say Draisaitls shot and Kanes wrap around attempt. Even Draisaitls shot is a debatable HDSC.

The Oilers team D was good...the Kings team D was better in last nights game IMO.
Yet the Oilers still won which they deserve huge props for.

 

[Forgot About Drai]

Respect to Skinner. I apologize for the slander in game 2.

My only note is that Nurse/Ceci still give me a heart-attack every time they are on the ice. Feel like we need a switch up here going fwd.

 

[guymez]

I'm referencing this
"Just tracking pucks and dialed in with a calm economy of movement - I didn't think he had it in him"

Skinner has done this plenty of times this season, he's "had it in him" plenty and he definitely stole some games this season. In fairness to the "haters", Skinner was shaky in the first 2 games so he had some proving to do in a playoff atmosphere but he's dialed it in the last 2.

I agree except...how was Skinner shaky in the first game?

 

[Frank the Tank]

Here in lies the problem with HDSC that I have been talking about for months now.
Depending on the criteria and how the criteria is applied you are going to come up with different outcomes.
Based on what I saw the Oilers got very little in terms of ice danger scoring chances.
One maybe two all game.
The Kings had at least 3 or 4.

Off the top of my head, I had about half dozen for the Oilers (I agree it is subjective):

• Perry cuts in from the RW to get a chance in tight (1st)
• Draisaitl partial breakaway (1st)
• Kane flying down the left wing getting off a dangerous shot (1st)
• Kulak muffs a back door chance from McDavid (1st) - no shot, but high danger chance
• Hyman has a McLeod pass go through his legs in tight (2nd) - no shot, but high danger chance
• Draisaitl get a great slot shot chance (3rd)

 

[Mez]

Oiler hater tears are almost as sweet as the win. Haha Leafs fans trying to rationalize how they are better is a meme. That's like multidimensional levels of cognitive dissonance, Dr Strange couldn't even diagnose them.

It's mostly just that one idiot though. He fights on every Oilers thread like his life depends on it.

 

[bone]

As one who certainly was piling on Skinner after Game 2, I have to say he's bought himself some slack now. Really, he's now had 2 good games, 1 bad game and 1 great game. If he can keep that kind of ratio, they have a chance. If he's found a way to limit that bad game to 1 per series, they have more than just a good chance.

I'll still say he lost them Game 2, but he won them Game 4 so it's even now, and the timeliness of some saves in Game 1 also were big factors.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I agree except...how was Skinner shaky in the first game?

Because 4 goals, ignore the flukes, 4 goals = shaky.