The goalie that’s shutting them down was on the verge of being benched entering this series. Dallas has had too many passengers, too many guys way below their normal performance. The last two games they have played perhaps 58 perfect minutes except for their crap shooting and the two poor minutes in each game have caused them to get blown out.
I don't have a lot to say about this game, but with around 2:30 to go with an offensive zone face-off with the Stars only one goal down, why pull Oettinger? It's a different calculus if they are two goals down, but they were only one goal down. Let him start at the hashmarks and leave the ice only when the Stars get control of the puck.
I'm sure that the analytics will say that the Stars were better at 5 v 5 than what my eyes told me, but I didn't see the Stars generate very many grade A scoring chances. Lots of shots from areas where goals don't get scored very often. And in the 3rd period, a whole lot of dumping the puck in and the Oilers getting it right back out again. Not good enough. Wasted a great game by Oettinger.
Lot of analysts said it before the series and they've been proven prescient: Dallas can be physically dominated in the dirty areas in front of the net.
Edmonton as DOMINATED that real estate both offensively and defensively. It's why they're able to puck IN the net as opposed to AROUND the net.
Dallas desperately needs some physicality. A punishing DMan who will make opponents think twice about getting in Otter's face AND will deliver a response when opponent's take liberties with your first line center. They don't have that person and teams are more than happy to just dish out punishment and deal with the minor consequences.
Well, they have Bichsel, but the problem is that when you are trailing in a close game against that team, you can't risk penalties.
I agree with your other point about winning or losing the battle in front of the net, especially at the offensive end. It would also help if the Stars stop missing the net so much with their shots. These are connected; if you get your shots on net, you'll generate more rebounds in front of the net and that's how you score most of the goals in the playoffs at even strength.
They look like a team whose video game controller has been nerfed: it only has 3 settings:
1. Directly at the goalie
2. Directly into the goalie's glove
3. Miss the net
"you can't risk penalties" and yet they somehow took 3, all unnecessary, all 200 feet from the goal. Look, if you're going to take penalties get your money's worth.
Every year in the playoffs the Stars get bounced pretty hard by a bigger, more physical team. It seems to me like this team has hit it's ceiling. Unless they tear this team down and replace all of the soft players with bigger more physical players, which is impractical, I don't feel like they are ever going to go further in the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong.
I'm pretty sure Mush has one more year remaining on his contract. I would keep him around anyway, but they do need to get a little younger and faster in their forward group. Players like Duchene and Benn are getting exposed in this series. Frankly, this was happening with the Avs and Jets, too. They got away with it because of Mikko, but mean reversion can be a bitch and it has happened to the Moose against the Oilers.
With all respect to Steve below, when the franchise is 0-16 in playoff series when trailing 3-1, it's pretty much over save for a miracle. You can't win when you don't score first. I'm not even convinced that home ice will get them to a Game 6. Feeling like the old Buffalo Bills. Three straight Super Bowl losses. You want to celebrate their skill and know they are better than 29 other teams in the league, but to win it all, you have to be better than 31. They don't seem to match up well vs Edmonton, nor Florida. Given the disappearance of the offense, Jake would have to play like he did vs Calgary several years ago. Certainly not all on Otter, but objectively, through 4 games, I would have to say that Skinner has outplayed him for the 2nd year in a row. Thoughts?
Oh I agree. I mean, either the Stars forwards are among the worst shooters in the league (like 3rd-pair DMan type at shooting the puck) or Skinner has been better.
Stars are missing the net way too many with their shots. And they aren't getting shots from the prime scoring areas. Not an entirely optimal combination. The effort was there for the first two periods of Games 3 and 4, but it wasn't smart or well executed.
I really don't think Oettinger is the problem. He had one bad game but has otherwise been classic Otter. Skinner also had a bad game (Game 1). The problem is much more that the rest of their team has outplayed the rest of the Stars.
have lost 6 of 7 vs Edmonton in WCF, by a combined score of 23-7.
Non competitive.
Edmonton's better. Indisputably. By a large margin. At every phase of the game.
Even handed? Edmonton by a ton.
Special teams? Edmonton by a ton.
Best players? Edmonton by a ton.
Depth players? Edmonton by a ton.
Goalies? Skinner has been better and if you doubt that check the numbers...they're outrageously divergent.
Captain play? Edmonton (but it's easy to win this when the Captain of one team does nothing positive and seems to do nothing other than turn the puck over and take stupid penalties 200 feet from the ice).
Coaching? Edmonton.
On the last point...I have really enjoyed Pete deBoer's time in Dallas. He took a team that was dull, boring and didn't win and turned it into a team that was fun, exciting and did win. Yay!
But after Evan Bouchard took a whack at Hintze's foot with NOTHING but an intent to injure and the officials did nothing for Pete to deliver the message "don't retaliate, it's not how we play" is to ignore reality. The NHL doesn't enforce their rules; they never have. The message has long been "let the players work it out". So when you tell your players "don't do anything" you're neutering them and encouraging the opponent to continue to take liberties. IMO that's been a terrible strategy for deBoer to pursue.
Said it after game 2, this iteration of the team is clearly not able to climb the hill. No shame in that. They're a good team that's delivered a lot of entertaining hockey the last three years.
But Jamie Benn can't be Captain any more. He, Marchment, Duchene, Dadonov and Granlund are all free agents next year; of those five the one I'd make the most effort to return is Granlund. If all the others left I'd say thanks for some great memories.
Ceci is also a FA but I imagine he won't be a priority.
Which means you could be looking at as many as 5 of the top 12 forwards departing and frankly I think that's needed. This group was supposedly the "deepest and most talented" forward group in the league and when it counted most they couldn't get a goal on Stuart Skinner. Simply not good enough.
So here’s a question (that the analysts have probably answered but when we lose like we have been, I like to generally bury my head in the sand): is this a matter of the Oilers D being THAT good, or is it a matter of our offense drying up to a troubling degree (or is it that unsatisfying 3rd thing: both)? This happened to the Stars last year in the WCF, just no offensive juice, but they played the Oilers then too, so…
Oilers are playing lights out: 11-2 since losing first 2 games to LAK. They deserve credit. But doesn’t change the fact Dallas has against melted like an ice cube in Texas in July. So…both IMO.
I’m sat here thinking, “Why can’t the Stars beat this team?!” and feeling like I’ll never experience joy again. I hate the Oilers and wish them nothing but the worst in this and all future endeavors, but honestly? No one (so far) can beat this team. They made LA look pathetic, they made Vegas look pathetic, and Dallas— 😭
Since losing the two opening games vs LAK and looking like another early exit for Edmonton the Oilers have gone 10-2.
They are MOWING DOWN high quality teams. The combined GF/FA in those games: 52 to 30 (or 4.0 to 2.3 per game).
Edmonton / Panthers will be a titanic matchup but I'll be surprised if even the Panthers can hang with them. Their defensive structure since Knoblauch arrived last year has become stifling; they dominate the area in front of the net then they dominate open ice with their skilled players.
Only missing ingredient really is an elite goalie and last I checked Skinner has surrendered 2 goals in 3 games.
Hey, stats to justify my pain & suffering! Love that 😉
I think what bugs me even more about EDM is that they almost bait and switch: they come out looking super beatable and then they just, like, decide to stop sucking (and, in fact, start kicking ass). Hate ‘em so much 🫠
I've grown to hate them because of cheap, thuggish behavior like Evan Bouchard tonight.
But moreso their ugly, arrogant, Neanderthal fanbase. Have dealt with lots of opponent's fans and they're easily the nastiest, dumbest, least respectful group of fans I've encountered.
The goalie that’s shutting them down was on the verge of being benched entering this series. Dallas has had too many passengers, too many guys way below their normal performance. The last two games they have played perhaps 58 perfect minutes except for their crap shooting and the two poor minutes in each game have caused them to get blown out.
I don't have a lot to say about this game, but with around 2:30 to go with an offensive zone face-off with the Stars only one goal down, why pull Oettinger? It's a different calculus if they are two goals down, but they were only one goal down. Let him start at the hashmarks and leave the ice only when the Stars get control of the puck.
I'm sure that the analytics will say that the Stars were better at 5 v 5 than what my eyes told me, but I didn't see the Stars generate very many grade A scoring chances. Lots of shots from areas where goals don't get scored very often. And in the 3rd period, a whole lot of dumping the puck in and the Oilers getting it right back out again. Not good enough. Wasted a great game by Oettinger.
Lot of analysts said it before the series and they've been proven prescient: Dallas can be physically dominated in the dirty areas in front of the net.
Edmonton as DOMINATED that real estate both offensively and defensively. It's why they're able to puck IN the net as opposed to AROUND the net.
Dallas desperately needs some physicality. A punishing DMan who will make opponents think twice about getting in Otter's face AND will deliver a response when opponent's take liberties with your first line center. They don't have that person and teams are more than happy to just dish out punishment and deal with the minor consequences.
Well, they have Bichsel, but the problem is that when you are trailing in a close game against that team, you can't risk penalties.
I agree with your other point about winning or losing the battle in front of the net, especially at the offensive end. It would also help if the Stars stop missing the net so much with their shots. These are connected; if you get your shots on net, you'll generate more rebounds in front of the net and that's how you score most of the goals in the playoffs at even strength.
They look like a team whose video game controller has been nerfed: it only has 3 settings:
1. Directly at the goalie
2. Directly into the goalie's glove
3. Miss the net
"you can't risk penalties" and yet they somehow took 3, all unnecessary, all 200 feet from the goal. Look, if you're going to take penalties get your money's worth.
The Jamie Been penalty was particularly idiotic and it probably cost them the game.
Every year in the playoffs the Stars get bounced pretty hard by a bigger, more physical team. It seems to me like this team has hit it's ceiling. Unless they tear this team down and replace all of the soft players with bigger more physical players, which is impractical, I don't feel like they are ever going to go further in the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong.
Skinner outplayed Oettinger
again for the second year in a row.
Time to start thinking about who we should keep for next year…
No:
Ceci-Dumba
Duchene
Marchment
Keep Benn only on team friendly deal -as 4th liner
Resign Granlund
Get Robo/Hintz healthy
Get Miro healthy
And
Keep Boosh, Blackwell… I’d keep Smith as budget physical winger, we need that!
Who is Boosh?
Lyubushkin probably. But he’s signed for 2 more I believe, so that’s a given.
Thanks! I have trouble with easy names!
I'm pretty sure Mush has one more year remaining on his contract. I would keep him around anyway, but they do need to get a little younger and faster in their forward group. Players like Duchene and Benn are getting exposed in this series. Frankly, this was happening with the Avs and Jets, too. They got away with it because of Mikko, but mean reversion can be a bitch and it has happened to the Moose against the Oilers.
Well, it was fun while it lasted
Looks like the third straight year of being only the 3rd or 4th best team in the NHL.
Not over yet.
It's pretty much over. They might win Game 5, but beating that team 3 times in a row is going to be incredibly hard.
With all respect to Steve below, when the franchise is 0-16 in playoff series when trailing 3-1, it's pretty much over save for a miracle. You can't win when you don't score first. I'm not even convinced that home ice will get them to a Game 6. Feeling like the old Buffalo Bills. Three straight Super Bowl losses. You want to celebrate their skill and know they are better than 29 other teams in the league, but to win it all, you have to be better than 31. They don't seem to match up well vs Edmonton, nor Florida. Given the disappearance of the offense, Jake would have to play like he did vs Calgary several years ago. Certainly not all on Otter, but objectively, through 4 games, I would have to say that Skinner has outplayed him for the 2nd year in a row. Thoughts?
Oh I agree. I mean, either the Stars forwards are among the worst shooters in the league (like 3rd-pair DMan type at shooting the puck) or Skinner has been better.
Has to be one or the other.
Stars are missing the net way too many with their shots. And they aren't getting shots from the prime scoring areas. Not an entirely optimal combination. The effort was there for the first two periods of Games 3 and 4, but it wasn't smart or well executed.
I really don't think Oettinger is the problem. He had one bad game but has otherwise been classic Otter. Skinner also had a bad game (Game 1). The problem is much more that the rest of their team has outplayed the rest of the Stars.
13-2.
That's the combined score of the last 3 games.
Non competitive.
have lost 6 of 7 vs Edmonton in WCF, by a combined score of 23-7.
Non competitive.
Edmonton's better. Indisputably. By a large margin. At every phase of the game.
Even handed? Edmonton by a ton.
Special teams? Edmonton by a ton.
Best players? Edmonton by a ton.
Depth players? Edmonton by a ton.
Goalies? Skinner has been better and if you doubt that check the numbers...they're outrageously divergent.
Captain play? Edmonton (but it's easy to win this when the Captain of one team does nothing positive and seems to do nothing other than turn the puck over and take stupid penalties 200 feet from the ice).
Coaching? Edmonton.
On the last point...I have really enjoyed Pete deBoer's time in Dallas. He took a team that was dull, boring and didn't win and turned it into a team that was fun, exciting and did win. Yay!
But after Evan Bouchard took a whack at Hintze's foot with NOTHING but an intent to injure and the officials did nothing for Pete to deliver the message "don't retaliate, it's not how we play" is to ignore reality. The NHL doesn't enforce their rules; they never have. The message has long been "let the players work it out". So when you tell your players "don't do anything" you're neutering them and encouraging the opponent to continue to take liberties. IMO that's been a terrible strategy for deBoer to pursue.
Said it after game 2, this iteration of the team is clearly not able to climb the hill. No shame in that. They're a good team that's delivered a lot of entertaining hockey the last three years.
But Jamie Benn can't be Captain any more. He, Marchment, Duchene, Dadonov and Granlund are all free agents next year; of those five the one I'd make the most effort to return is Granlund. If all the others left I'd say thanks for some great memories.
Ceci is also a FA but I imagine he won't be a priority.
Which means you could be looking at as many as 5 of the top 12 forwards departing and frankly I think that's needed. This group was supposedly the "deepest and most talented" forward group in the league and when it counted most they couldn't get a goal on Stuart Skinner. Simply not good enough.
Sad ending to a good Stars team.
So here’s a question (that the analysts have probably answered but when we lose like we have been, I like to generally bury my head in the sand): is this a matter of the Oilers D being THAT good, or is it a matter of our offense drying up to a troubling degree (or is it that unsatisfying 3rd thing: both)? This happened to the Stars last year in the WCF, just no offensive juice, but they played the Oilers then too, so…
Oilers are playing lights out: 11-2 since losing first 2 games to LAK. They deserve credit. But doesn’t change the fact Dallas has against melted like an ice cube in Texas in July. So…both IMO.
I’m sat here thinking, “Why can’t the Stars beat this team?!” and feeling like I’ll never experience joy again. I hate the Oilers and wish them nothing but the worst in this and all future endeavors, but honestly? No one (so far) can beat this team. They made LA look pathetic, they made Vegas look pathetic, and Dallas— 😭
Since losing the two opening games vs LAK and looking like another early exit for Edmonton the Oilers have gone 10-2.
They are MOWING DOWN high quality teams. The combined GF/FA in those games: 52 to 30 (or 4.0 to 2.3 per game).
Edmonton / Panthers will be a titanic matchup but I'll be surprised if even the Panthers can hang with them. Their defensive structure since Knoblauch arrived last year has become stifling; they dominate the area in front of the net then they dominate open ice with their skilled players.
Only missing ingredient really is an elite goalie and last I checked Skinner has surrendered 2 goals in 3 games.
Yikes.
Hey, stats to justify my pain & suffering! Love that 😉
I think what bugs me even more about EDM is that they almost bait and switch: they come out looking super beatable and then they just, like, decide to stop sucking (and, in fact, start kicking ass). Hate ‘em so much 🫠
I've grown to hate them because of cheap, thuggish behavior like Evan Bouchard tonight.
But moreso their ugly, arrogant, Neanderthal fanbase. Have dealt with lots of opponent's fans and they're easily the nastiest, dumbest, least respectful group of fans I've encountered.
Their fanbase is the absolute worst that I have ever seen in professional sports. Even worse than the Philadelphia Eagles fanbase. Total trash.
OMG yes, their fan base is the pits. A bunch of entitled whiners.