Edmonton Oilers Playoff Thoughts: Round 1, Game 5

As I pointed out in my Game 2 preview, the Edmonton Oilers are obsessed with adversity. They’ll start off playing average or terrible hockey, but then suddenly turn into the Harlem Globetrotters on ice when everybody on social media loses their minds prematurely. They went from hating Evan Bouchard’s defense to loving how he kept our season alive with two third period goals. An even bigger play than his second goal was keeping the puck in the offensive zone when Quinton Byfield tried to clear it. When it matters most, he’s a spotlight type of player. Playoff Bouchard is not regular season Bouchard. That being said, don’t pair him with Darnell Nurse anymore. It brought back memories of Nurse’s minutes with Cody Ceci. Leon Draisaitl finally scored the first Playoff Overtime goal of his career. That’s still pretty hard to believe, considering how his production always kicks off in Round 1.

There was debate over whether or not Kris Knoblauch should’ve challenged LA’s goal in the second period that made it 2-0 for the Kings. Warren Foegele drove to the net alone, poked at the puck while it was still touching Calvin Pickard’s pad, and then jammed it into the back of the net. Pickard wanted the goal waived off because he argued it was a form of goaltender interference. Anything is fair game when a goalie leaves his net, and he was just on the edge of his goal crease. If he were still in his net, then I would’ve wanted a challenge. From Foegele’s perspective, where he took the pass trying to score a goal, what else is he supposed to do? I know it’s easier to say this in hindsight after the Oilers won anyway, but I agree with Knoblauch’s decision to just leave the play alone. A coach’s challenge could’ve backfired on him for all we know, just like it backfired on Kings head coach Jim Hiller in Game 3. I didn’t like the first goal Pickard allowed, and he shares blame with Nurse and Bouchard on the third goal. But it was still nice to see an Oilers goalie record a save percentage above .900 for a change.

I’d like Edmonton to treat Game 5 back in LA like Game 6 and then Game 6 back in Edmonton like Game 7. In a best 2 out of 3 situation, it’ll be tough to beat the league’s best home team in their rink twice. The keys to the game are…

Edmonton Oilers Thoughts

Start On Time: Again, the Oilers love adversity. But they love it a little too much, they themselves even admitted they’re too used to it. Open the game strong, then don’t sit back and make the Kings force you into a position where you have to attempt another comeback.

Not A Bakery: Turnovers galore in the first half of Game 4. I said Pickard should’ve stopped the first LA goal, but Nurse made a bad decision shooting the puck around the boards while the Kings were forechecking hard on both sides. On the third LA goal, Bouchard tried deking out a Kings player at the blue line after a faceoff win. But fumbled the puck, and that would lead to a breakaway going the other way. Don’t give a good team chances to score.

Prey On The Weak: Between the third period and Overtime of Game 4, the Oilers outshot the Kings 33-13. Part of that was LA overusing nine forwards while two didn’t even get five minutes of ice time, and 1 got just a little bit over 5 minutes. Not only their forwards, but their defensemen as well. One got just two and a half minutes. That whole team was gassed, and Edmonton took advantage. I’d think Jim Hiller learned his lesson and wouldn’t possibly make the same mistake again tonight. But the idea is the same: make your opponents work to exhaustion.