Quote:
Originally Posted by kevman
That's just not true. Half way through the 3rd the ice was completely tilted in Calgary's favour. I think the Oilers only managed 1 or 2 shots in the first 10 minutes. Calgary then started to flub every pass they could. It wasn't sitting back on purpose, it was handling the puck like a grenade. But during this time the Oilers still managed nothing. Calgary checked them tight, they just couldn't make a break out if their life depended on it. (See Brodie attempted pass/icing call. They had all day to make that play, it wasn't Gulutzan telling him to pass it 2 inches too far.) It wasn't until the last 2 minutes did the Oilers get any sustained pressure in the third.
As for McDavid, they did adjust and did a great job of keeping him outside. That's his move. Wait at the blue line on the right side for the puck and then try to beat the defender outside while driving to the net. If he gets a step on the D, he takes it to the net. If not, he goes deep and either throw it at the net from behind the goal line hoping for a bounce or tries to find the open guy in the slot. McDavid tried this move a dozen or so times. The Calgary D more often then not didn't let him get to the net and they did a great job of covering the trailer in front of the net when he passed it out.
That 2 on 1 that led to the high sticking penalty was an interesting play. Calgary had complete control of the puck for a sustained period of time in the Oilers zone before that play. McDavid wasn't on the ice. At some point during sustained Calgary pressure an Oiler snuck off and made a line change. McDavid didn't enter the play but instead hung out at the red line waiting for the puck to clear the zone. I don't know if it was a "set play" so to speak but they essentially let Calgary have a PP trying to spring McDavid on an odd man rush. At least that's how I saw it live, would love to see a clip of the line change to confirm my theory.
When the entire Oilers game plan is to give it to McDavid and let him skate you're not going to prevent him from "rushing" up the ice. But from all his rushes how many turned into legit scoring chances? The Nugent-Hopkins 2 on 1 save was a close call and a huge save. Then there was a few other in close calls when Smith had an answer. Most of them resulted in McDavid turning the puck over.
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It's possible the last 10 minutes of going into a defensive shell could have blinded me to a good first half of the period, but there is no way that McDavid only had one good scoring chamce. That's just Ludacris. He took the puck to the net multiple times.
As soon as the Flames stopped playing in the Oilers end, not forechecking at all, there was a green light for McDavid to wind up in his own end and carry the puck through the neutral zone at will.
I mean, the guy is a great player, but at least try to not let him play to his strengths.