Pacific Division Final: (1) Anaheim Ducks vs. (2) Edmonton Oilers

[Kofax]

Just catching up on all this now.

I can see the goaltender interference there, I would have wanted that one called back. The NHL has been all over the map with these all season and all playoffs to the point that I am not sure what constitutes goaltender interference anymore and never know how they're going to call it. That one sucks.

The offside one, by the letter of the law, is offside. To me, by the spirit of the rule, it was fine. I hate how nit picky it has become with the offside. The point of an offside is to prevent players from getting in ahead of the play behind the defense. That wasn't even close to the case here, so let it be. I mean, his leg was almost on the his side of the blue line, just in the air, not overly extended or anything. If it's close enough on the ice that the ref can't pick it up, it's fine. Let the NHL call down when it's a blatant miss, like a half foot or so, otherwise let the refs decide it on ice.

The overtime icing, meh, those go either way all the time. I feel like I see those called off more than called, but ya, you see it go both ways all the time.

[rataylor22]

FWIW, it was definitely goaltender interference.

NHL needs to take reviews out of the refs hands. Make it centralized so that either way, it's consistent.

[JagrBomb]

2nd goal shouldn't even be discussed, Oilers blew their timeout and it was barely offside, refs aren't perfect it happens.

1st goal and last goal happen all the time in hockey. Just a bad break for the Oilers, they need to move on from it and remember it's still 2-2 and they can win.

[hockeyrobot]

2nd goal shouldn't even be discussed, Oilers blew their timeout and it was barely offside, refs aren't perfect it happens.

1st goal and last goal happen all the time in hockey. Just a bad break for the Oilers, they need to move on from it and remember it's still 2-2 and they can win.

Yes exactly. And just remember what they did after SJ crushed them.......I know eyemissgilmour does....

Once again, Randy pulled down a horseshoe from the sky and got Talbot to let in some VERY shaky, Elliott-like, goals.
Oilers will win Gm4, guaranteed. Look how well they responded after the Sharks gave them a shellacking.

[doulos]

The thing is the Oilers have shown they CAN play with Anaheim but not consistently enough. Too many passengers on the second line, McLellan has had some sketchy coaching decisions, and overall they are a young team that needs to learn to compete hard every second they are on the ice. The reffing is garbage but it's garbage for every team on the ice throughout the playoffs since the dawn of time. I've always believed complaining about reffing is generally a waste of time. Oilers need to just play better.

[Mr. Guru]

If the Oilers had a 2nd line they would compete for the Stanley Cup.

Does Draisaitl center the 2nd line in the foreseeable future?

[Shift Disturber]

The thing is the Oilers have shown they CAN play with Anaheim but not consistently enough. Too many passengers on the second line, McLellan has had some sketchy coaching decisions, and overall they are a young team that needs to learn to compete hard every second they are on the ice. The reffing is garbage but it's garbage for every team on the ice throughout the playoffs since the dawn of time. I've always believed complaining about reffing is generally a waste of time. Oilers need to just play better.

Exactly! The example is being well-set by their coach and captain and followed by some - the rest of the team has to get behind this.

[Shift Disturber]

If the Oilers had a 2nd line they would compete for the Stanley Cup.

Does Draisaitl center the 2nd line in the foreseeable future?

Drastic change in the middle of a playoff round. Does RNH move to L3 and the Drake takes Draisaitl's place on L1? Moving him doesn't solve the main problems on that line - Lucic (too slow) and Eberle (too timid).

[rataylor22]

If the Oilers had a 2nd line they would compete for the Stanley Cup.

Does Draisaitl center the 2nd line in the foreseeable future?

If he doesn't develop into the player that can anchor a great second line, I think that's going to be a big disappointment. It's great he can pile up points on McDavid's wing, but long term that's not where he's most useful to Edmonton.

[Mr. Guru]

Drastic change in the middle of a playoff round. Does RNH move to L3 and the Drake takes Draisaitl's place on L1? Moving him doesn't solve the main problems on that line - Lucic (too slow) and Eberle (too timid).

Yeah I wasn't talking about this series. I was thinking more long term forseable future. Like 2-3 years. Like how Babcock is bringing along Nylander.

[Mr. Guru]

If he doesn't develop into the player that can anchor a great second line, I think that's going to be a big disappointment. It's great he can pile up points on McDavid's wing, but long term that's not where he's most useful to Edmonton.

Worst case scenario he's a first line winger. That's not a big disappointment to me.

[rataylor22]

Worst case scenario he's a first line winger. That's not a big disappointment to me.

It's fine, but from a team building scenario, I personally think it's a disappointment. Just like it's a disappointment if long term Sam Bennett ends up a winger.

[EdmontonCrunch]

Classic Oiler fanery. When they win the fans are insufferable. When they lose, it's the refs, the league, Bettman, Americans, etc. etc.

The Ducks put on a clinic in the second period - are we saying that the refs launched 21 shots at the Oiler net?

This is why people love to hate the Oilers...it's not the team its the fans.

I'm a huge oilers fan but I firmly believe they can only blame themselves for not having the necessary energy consistently throughout game 4. The goalie interference call was a very tough one I don't necessarily agree with but I've always thought those offside calls were ticky-tacky anyways. Didn't do enough to win IMO. Now we have a series !!

As for the oilers fans comment that's neither here nor there. Did the fans allow themselves to get outshot at home, or only go 38% in the dot? I'm sure almost any canadian gets annoyed by every other canadian teams' fans at some point or another.

[Jouko-Pouko]

Has Lucic been that slow all season long? I didn't watch the Oilers too much in the regular season, so I'm wondering if he's tired, possibly injured or just lost a step. I don't remember him being that slow in previous years, he looks like a 4th liner at this point. I thought that contract would start looking bad in a couple of years, I didn't think it would start this soon. Maroon looks like an upgraded version of him, and Kassian could actually fill the same role as well.

I can't believe they're letting Eberle and RNH to carry an 'A' on their chest. They wouldn't do it if it was my team.

[lucafen4]

p.s. Eberle is painful to watch sometimes. They have to get rid of that guy and free up cap space for someone more deserving.

maybe they should send him to Pitts too