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Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
Playing a team that shot its bolt manhandling the Oilers in game 4. The San Jose sharks were a dead leg team that has now offered proof positive that its window is closed.
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If that were the case, the Sharks wouldn't have gone up 3-1 in game 5 until the final 2 minutes of the 2nd period. The game 5 debacle wasn't a matter of the Sharks being gassed (in regulation, anyways) as much as it was Peter DeBoer's prevent-defense approach which nullified their forecheck. IE a coaching flaw.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
And look at it this way, during the regular season the oilers were a one line team, the underlying numbers showed it. T-Mac's only coaching move was to open the close the gate for McDavid as fast as he can. The rest of that team looked like the same dead team.
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A large part of that was due to McLellan stapling Draisaitl to McDavid's wing in the new year after Eberle was flopping and Puljujarvi was too inexperienced. It killed the Oilers' ability to roll out two lines at all times. Still, the Lucic-RNH-Eberle trio came on strong to close out the year and had 50%+ CF to finish out the regular season. In these playoffs, McDavid and Draisaitl have fizzled and the Lucic-RNH-Eberle line put up Corsi numbers similar to the Bruins top line in the regular season. Somewhere around 58% I read.
The Oilers best game of the series in game 3 came when McLellan split up McDavid and Draisaitl again, with the latter playing 3C and Letestu shuffling down to the 4th line. I watched the last 40 minutes and the Oilers stymied the Sharks and were able to get rolling on the counter/transition each possession. The winning goal came due to a Draisaitl-Kassian forecheck forcing the turnover.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
Without MacDavid, T-Mac is sending his resume's out to various fast food, insurance and convenience Stores this week. He's actually been a pretty underwhelming coach that road his pony to a rare success.
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C'mon, really? You think a team like the Sabres wouldn't have scooped up McLellan when he was available over a travesty like Dan Bylsma.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch
I'm betting that Carlyle manhandles him in terms of line matchups, and Cinderella turns into a pumpkin in this series.
The Ducks aren't the sharks, and they're getting two of their better defensemen back, and they play with an edge that San Jose only dreams about.
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It will be a very physical, spirited affair indeed. I think it will all boil down to goaltending. If Gibson fades like he did last year, and Talbot continues his play, then this series is for the Oilers.