22 Play-offs.

[30ranfordfan]

Normally, I'd totally agree. A 3-0 deficit and you're done. However, against Connor McDavid, I won't count them out juuuust yet. You just never know.

I like how you think. Do I think it's over? No. It's not over until one team wins 4. Do I think it's likely the Oilers win four straight? Also no. They haven't played a great game yet this series. Winning tonight might make me a believer though? lol.

I'm not off the bandwagon, still holding out hope... but something really has to change (quickly) for them to come back. McDavid taking over the game would do that - but he hasn't done that since Game 4 vs Calgary (to be totally honest, I'm wondering if he's playing hurt too).

Mike Smith has continued to show me that he is a terrible goalie. I am probably in the minority here but it seems like every shot he faces is a challenge and he makes one bone head play that either leads to a goal or a grade a scoring chance every game. top that off with how he fights the puck on almost every shot and most of his saves seem to be more luck that anything else,

I believe with any sort of decent goalitending the oilers would be favored to win the cup since the rest of their team is clicking on all cylinders, but the oilers need to upgrade their goaltending position in any way possible. Every elite team in the league has an elite back stopper and mike smith has never been that in his career and I believe the oilers could get there if they had one.

I don't think Mike Smith is terrible. Overall, he's play well more often than not. He had a good game in Game 3 - but he also let in a pair of soft ones (plus that beauty tip in by Nurse). He was awful in Game 1, but he's not the reason they lost games 2 and 3. The Oilers were never going to win many games scoring less than 3 goals. If they win tonight, they've scored at least 4.

Not every elite team in the league has and elite goalie. Colorado is winning these games with a guy that wouldn't rank inside the top 30 of NHL netminders.... and if their starter was healthy, is there anyone that really believes he's inside the top 16 (so a "top half" starter) ?? I don't.

Saying that, elite goaltending helps. It helps a lot. It's not a requirement to win a Cup, but it makes it easier.

I've said it a few times these playoffs. The OIlers are going to go as far as their offense & Mike Smith can take them. He hasn't stolen a single game for them these playoffs, but he's not the reason for the bulk of their losses either.

Yeah but so far the Avs have prevented him from making damage. What is his points per game average vs Colorado?!

And nothing 2 help out the Oilers today, Kane has been suspended for 1 game. True he's got a lengthy suspension history, but that always makes me laugh... The player of the Bolts; I think it was Hagel, did the exact same dirty hit a few games back, and no suspension at all! Just fined $5000.

And actually, his penalty on the play was supposed to be a five-minute major; they've changed it a few moments later into a 2 minutes minor. I mean, just wow! Ok for the suspension of Kane, he probably deserves it, but why did the guy from Tampa Bay have a preferential treatment?!

Oftentimes, the calls of the referees are such doubtful, and for some reason the NHL is lacking so much of constancy towards players. I'll call this double standards. And I really hate that!!!

Concerning Mike Smith, in the game of Saturday, I think it's Darnell Nurse who made a deflection into his own net. That's nothing to help Smith and the Oilers, they're struggling enough as it is right now. And with the inconstancy of their goalie, they assuredly don't need to burry goals into their own net...

No kidding. Kane's hit was dirty. Was it a penalty? Yes. A major? Probably should be. A suspension? In an ideal league, IMO yes...... HOWEVER... the inconsistency is what drives me crazy. That kind of hit (during the playoffs, in particular) is thrown around multiple times per game. It's never called. We all know why this one was called: Kadri was injured on the play. Kane was suspended because Kadri was injured on the play. If they NHL actually cares about player safety (and not just optics) then they need to penalize that hit EVERY time. It wasn't the dirtiest hit thrown by either team that game. Not even close. Players (all teams) continue to lay dirty, dangerous, hits because 99 times out 100, nobody gets (seriously) hurt.... and so that's what they do. Ignore "intent" and ignore "injuries". Punish the action, full stop.

I think the punishment Kane took was fair for what he did - but I object to it, because that's not the standard that the NHL uses.

Draisaitl and Nurse have serious injuries so I am not going to discount the oilers success b/c i don't think many people expected them to make it this far. It just boggles my mind how anyone in oilers management could possibly think that their goaltending was good enough to be a cup contender. I think Mcdavid needs to be more outspoken in the off season or say something to someone to make this team better b/c being the greatest player in the world should mean more playoff success.

They've known for years that the goaltending was not adequate. They tried to sign Markstrom, but it didn't work out (so they stuck with what they had). They tried to trade for Kuemper but it didn't work out, so they stuck with what they had. With the options they had at the time - bringing back Smith wasn't the worst they could have done (thank god they didn't let him walk, and sign Mrazek). I don't expect a new goalie next year.... but Koskinen will be gone, and Skinner will platoon with Smith. I'm not convinced it will even resemble a great combo.

I've heard that Drisaitl is in a boot when he's not playing, and the ankle injury is pretty serious. Surgery, and two months without skates kind of serious. Nurse is playing with broken ribs. I'm suspicious of McDavid too. He hasn't looked right since game 4 against CAL, in my opinion.

I can't think of a team that won recently, without having "moderate" success in the playoffs, with the same core, first. Well, as I'm writing this, I think maybe the 2012 Kings? Anyway - my point is that most teams have won a couple of rounds together... got to conference final (or better) before winning the whole thing. If the Oilers do lose to the Avs (tonight, or later in the series) I will be disappointed, but I will also acknowledge the season as being a good one. They are close.

[chakhae1]

I'm just an upset leafs fan so any inaccurate or off the wall comments can be attributed to that :). I agree with your points 30ranfordfan and I totally forgot that they were in on those goalies in the past. Oh dear lord Mrazek was terrible for us and the only hope here is that we can let him go and someone picks him up. Even then I think the leafs are stuck paying his salary in most circumstances.

[30ranfordfan]

I'm just an upset leafs fan so any inaccurate or off the wall comments can be attributed to that :). I agree with your points 30ranfordfan and I totally forgot that they were in on those goalies in the past. Oh dear lord Mrazek was terrible for us and the only hope here is that we can let him go and someone picks him up. Even then I think the leafs are stuck paying his salary in most circumstances.

lol. I'm getting pretty salty myself.

They've tried to make moves, but it seems they've never had a plan B. Last two summers when the move they wanted to make didn't happen, they just went with the status quo - and I don't think the status quo should have ever been considered good enough. I don't think Smith is the reason they're down 3-0, but he hasn't helped enough either.

[RGM81]

lol. I'm getting pretty salty myself.

They've tried to make moves, but it seems they've never had a plan B. Last two summers when the move they wanted to make didn't happen, they just went with the status quo - and I don't think the status quo should have ever been considered good enough. I don't think Smith is the reason they're down 3-0, but he hasn't helped enough either.

Someone on the Twitter the other day had a great comment. His stats say that he's a .917SV% in these playoffs but does he look like it? That's a pretty good number. He's seen a lot of pucks these playoffs. The Flames and Avs have few reservations about throwing the puck at the net. Look at his last five games: 32, 36, 25, 40, 42. That's a lot of pucks. He's made some big stops. But he's also allowed some incredible badly-timed soft ones. The Oilers overcame Calgary, but the mistakes in this series against Colorado have been insurmountable thus far. Full credit to the Avs as well--after everybody got the goals out of their system in Game 1, the Avs have clamped down big time. Oilers have two goals total in Games 2 and 3. Smith could be allowing bananas from the cheap seats, doesn't matter.

They made it this far, and that's a testament. But eventually your luck runs out. I think the Oilers will win tonight to avoid the sweep...but it's a long shot beyond that.

[PRoy33Collector]

Having no dog in the fight (my lowly Flyers are years away from being a serious organization again) I'm pulling for Colorado. I guess with my PC collection, that should be of no surprise.

My favorite postseason moment so far, however, has been Biz Nasty following through on his bet and getting that ridiculous haircut. I enjoy seeing the broadcast/analyst crew having some fun, similar to the NBA crews.

[pwskelly]

The Oil tried their best to make a game of it but Lehky put it away fro the Avs.

Besides watching the last remaining Canadian team eliminated from the playoffs, the thing that disappointed me the most was watching McDavid and Draisaitl's explosive scoring totals come to an end. Connor had 33 points in 16 games while Draisaitl had 32. I have no doubt that these guys would have hit 40 points if they were to continue and could have probably approached 50 if they made it to the SC Final.

[sleepn0t]

The Oil tried their best to make a game of it but Lehky put it away for the Avs.

He did the exact same thing for the Habs last year; but they lost in the Final against Tampa! So does this mean that if the Bolts make it to the last round, the Avs r finally gonna lose against them? I heard a sports journalist on TV yesterday, saying that now that the Lightning know they can beat Shesterkin, the NYR won't win any other games in that series, and that the Bolts are going to get rid of them in 6, winning four in a row... Seriously?! Just because of a 3-2 loss in the last game?! Frankly, Idk... Not sure about that, at all!!!

[30ranfordfan]

Someone on the Twitter the other day had a great comment. His stats say that he's a .917SV% in these playoffs but does he look like it? That's a pretty good number. He's seen a lot of pucks these playoffs. The Flames and Avs have few reservations about throwing the puck at the net. Look at his last five games: 32, 36, 25, 40, 42. That's a lot of pucks. He's made some big stops. But he's also allowed some incredible badly-timed soft ones. The Oilers overcame Calgary, but the mistakes in this series against Colorado have been insurmountable thus far. Full credit to the Avs as well--after everybody got the goals out of their system in Game 1, the Avs have clamped down big time. Oilers have two goals total in Games 2 and 3. Smith could be allowing bananas from the cheap seats, doesn't matter.

They made it this far, and that's a testament. But eventually your luck runs out. I think the Oilers will win tonight to avoid the sweep...but it's a long shot beyond that.

Yeah, it's a very fair point. Overall, his numbers were not awful. He made a lot of big saves. The bulk of the goals he allowed (certainly more than half) were goals that I believe any NHL netminder should have stopped... or had the good sense to not create the situation that led to the goal.

Smith's puck handling is good and bad. It messes with the other team's forecheck, and he makes a breakout pass that can lead to a great scoring chance. He also turns it over a few times a game, and that leads to scoring chances again. You almost had to bank on one goal against, per game, because of a Mike Smith turnover.... is it worth it? Maybe. It looked worth it against the Flames.

He's not an awful goalie, and it's not accurate to pin this series loss on him - but he certainly didn't help things, and he never once looked capable of stealing a game (and that's something they really could have used in Game 3).

The Oil tried their best to make a game of it but Lehky put it away fro the Avs.

Besides watching the last remaining Canadian team eliminated from the playoffs, the thing that disappointed me the most was watching McDavid and Draisaitl's explosive scoring totals come to an end. Connor had 33 points in 16 games while Draisaitl had 32. I have no doubt that these guys would have hit 40 points if they were to continue and could have probably approached 50 if they made it to the SC Final.

Right? I'm not sure how well the masses understand just exactly how insane their pace was. The single season points record (Gretzky, 215) will never be touched. Ever. The single post season record? It's also Gretzky, but with 47. McDavid and Draisaitl just put up the 18th and 22nd highest scoring post seasons ever, without getting to the finals (quick glance, Doug Gilmour in 1993 had 35 points, 8th best, without getting to the finals).

They were both on pace to shatter the all time record, if they could have found a way to get through the Avs.

He did the exact same thing for the Habs last year; but they lost in the Final against Tampa! So does this mean that if the Bolts make it to the last round, the Avs r finally gonna lose against them? I heard a sports journalist on TV yesterday, saying that now that the Lightning know they can beat Shesterkin, the NYR won't win any other games in that series, and that the Bolts are going to get rid of them in 6, winning four in a row... Seriously?! Just because of a 3-2 loss in the last game?! Frankly, Idk... Not sure about that, at all!!!

Yeah man, I'm with you. I think "momentum" is overhyped. I don't believe TB is now an unstoppable juggernaut, just because they won a game. That being said, they are a damn good team, and if they do beat the Rangers it will come as no surprise to me. While I don't necessarily buy into the momentum stuff - I do think confidence can have an effect on how you play. If TB wins via blowout tonight - do the Rangers start feeling worried, or can they shake it off? If TB wins a close one I think it's easier to shake it off "we'll get them at home" type attitude.

I dunno. I didn't have the Rangers getting out of the first round, but the more games that have been played - I'm becoming a bigger believer in that team. The right mix of vets & youth, and they're getting excellent goaltending. Tampa (at times) looks old and slow, but hard to bet against guys like Hedman, Kucherov, Vasilevsky, and Stamkos (they miss Point).

[chakhae1]

lol. I'm getting pretty salty myself.

They've tried to make moves, but it seems they've never had a plan B. Last two summers when the move they wanted to make didn't happen, they just went with the status quo - and I don't think the status quo should have ever been considered good enough. I don't think Smith is the reason they're down 3-0, but he hasn't helped enough either.

I think it's just that hard to find a grade A goalie out there in the market. They usually get locked up pretty quickly and rarely move from where they are. The only chance to land an elite goalie is to get lucky with a team that has an abundance of good goalies and pick up one of those when they become available. Like we did with Andersen. Or draft one and mold them like we did with Potvin in the past. Then again we also signed Cujo and Belfour so again maybe I don't know wth i'm talking about lol.

[RGM81]

He did the exact same thing for the Habs last year; but they lost in the Final against Tampa! So does this mean that if the Bolts make it to the last round, the Avs r finally gonna lose against them? I heard a sports journalist on TV yesterday, saying that now that the Lightning know they can beat Shesterkin, the NYR won't win any other games in that series, and that the Bolts are going to get rid of them in 6, winning four in a row... Seriously?! Just because of a 3-2 loss in the last game?! Frankly, Idk... Not sure about that, at all!!!

Lehkonen may be the irresistible force, but he's going to be up against the immovable object if Tampa makes it through. "The Big Rig" Pat Maroon is a 3-time defending Stanley Cup Champion. However, Corey Perry has also lost the last two Stanley Cup Finals, playing with Dallas and Montreal before signing with Tampa. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

So let's see what happens next! LOL