22 Play-offs.

[creasecollector]

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.

[chakhae1]

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.

[pwskelly]

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 100% agree and have been saying this from the start. Even when he "makes" an amazing save, it is usually because he is out of position or misplays the puck in the first place and he somehow scrambles back in time. The problem is Smith does this a lot, and he usually gets burned by a couple of horrible goals in each series. Up until now, Edmonton has been able to endure the occasional mishap but as we have seen in this series, there is absolutely no margin for error against the Avs.

This is not to suggest that Smith is the only reason the Oil are falling apart at the worst possible time and I think it is clear that it goes beyond Mike Smith at this point. Edmonton has a total of 2 goals over the last 2 games. That lack of offence is not going to cut it at this stage of the playoffs, especially when the other team has buried 8 in your net.

[pwskelly]

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.

Solid point, if there is one guy in hockey I'd be wary about doubting it would be Connor. He's one of a small handful of players who can take over a game at any moment and carry a team.

[pwskelly]

Looks like the Lightning took care of business and are officially back in the series ... although it took 51 shots on Shesterkin to do so.

[sleepn0t]

Solid point, if there is one guy in hockey I'd be wary about doubting it would be Connor. He's one of a small handful of players who can take over a game at any moment and carry a team.

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 consistency 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 inconsistency of their goalie, they assuredly don't need to burry goals into their own net...

[sleepn0t]

Looks like the Lightning took care of business and are officially back in the series ... although it took 51 shots on Shesterkin to do so.

I HATE the Lightning! I really don't want them to be back in this series!!! I had to say it... Go NYR go! Please get me rid of the Bolts, once and for all!

[chakhae1]

I 100% agree and have been saying this from the start. Even when he "makes" an amazing save, it is usually because he is out of position or misplays the puck in the first place and he somehow scrambles back in time. The problem is Smith does this a lot, and he usually gets burned by a couple of horrible goals in each series. Up until now, Edmonton has been able to endure the occasional mishap but as we have seen in this series, there is absolutely no margin for error against the Avs.

This is not to suggest that Smith is the only reason the Oil are falling apart at the worst possible time and I think it is clear that it goes beyond Mike Smith at this point. Edmonton has a total of 2 goals over the last 2 games. That lack of offence is not going to cut it at this stage of the playoffs, especially when the other team has buried 8 in your net.

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.

[Devlin]

Price might be available

[sleepn0t]

It just boggles my mind how anyone in oilers management could possibly think that their goaltending was good enough to be a cup contender.

Yeah, but I think that back in 2010 Antti Niemi was not that good for the Hawks; they still managed to win the Cup that year... It doesn't show that much that you're getting scored five goals a night when you're playing for a great team that (can) scores 6+ every game! After all, as long as you burry one more goal than your opponent, it's enough to win, right?!