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Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Edmonton Oilers smashing through yet another post-season wall in Stars goalie Jake Oettinger
The reason the L.A. Kings were going to get past the Edmonton Oilers in the first round this year was Darcy Kuemper. Remember? The Vezina Trophy finalist finished the regular season with a 2.02 goals against average and a .922 save percentage on a Kings team that gave up two or fewer goals in 14 of its last 19 games. The Kings were all set to shut down Edmonton's offence. What happened? The Kings are done and Kuemper sits dead last among all playoff goaltenders with a 3.74 goals against average. The Oilers lit him up for five goals three times and four goals once in dispatching Los Angeles in six games. Vegas goalie Adin Hill? After closing out the Minnesota Wild with .906, .909 and .935 save percentages in the last three games of that series, he was going to be a problem in the second round. What happened? The Oilers reduced his numbers to .857, .865 and .850 in the first three games, then Stuart Skinner posted shutouts in the last two, as Edmonton made very short work of the first place team in the Pacific Division. Which brings us to Jake Oettinger. He was sensational against the Winnipeg Jets, allowing just 12 goals in that six-game series and posting save percentages of .935, .923, .969, .912, .957. What's happening against Edmonton? It's been 12 goals against in three games and save percentages of .889, .880 and .750. Once again, the Oilers have been able to make one of the top goaltenders in the league look pretty ordinary. This doesn't mean Oettinger is down for the count, there is lots of series left, but he and the Stars need to find a way to slow down Edmonton's offence, or this is going to be another short one for the Oilers. 'We wouldn't be sitting here in the Conference Finals without Jake Oettinger and how he's played,' said Stars coach Pete DeBoer, defending the backbone of his team. '(Game 3's 6-1 defeat) was one of those games where they were opportunistic, and once they got the lead, we're pushing to get back in it, and there's Grade As the other way. 'One thing I know about Jake Oettinger is he's one of the best response goalies in the league.' Goals are supposed to be harder to come by in the post-season, but that hasn't been the case for Edmonton. They have a significantly higher goals per game average in the playoffs (3.93) than they had in the regular season (3.16). And it's not just the Big Two who are feasting. Consider the SportsNet stat that showed Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combining to score 47.7 per cent of Edmonton's playoff goals two years ago, then 20.9 per cent last year and just 18.3 per cent this year. That speaks to the evolution of the hockey team. It's been tough to slow down Edmonton's offence because the goals are coming from everywhere. Eighteen players have scored a goal in the playoffs, and seven players already have five or more. 'Guys are bearing down and understanding how hard it is to score and how hard it is to get chances, so when you do get those chances there's maybe a little bit of desperation,' said Oilers winger Evander Kane, adding nobody generates anything in the playoffs unless they're willing to get dirty. 'You have to go hard to the net. The closer you are to the goal the better the opportunity for the goals to go in.' Edmonton is piling up the offensive numbers, for the most part, without the benefit of their power play, which is two-for-22 on the road and five-for-25 over the last 10 games (in which the Oilers are 8-2). Edmonton's 39 even-strength goals in 14 playoff games are second only to the Florida Panthers' 44 and miles ahead of third-place Toronto with 27 and fourth-place Dallas with 23. A team that used to be Two Guys and Power Play is an entirely different threat. 'There are fewer and fewer power plays, so if you want to get deep in the playoffs and eventually in a Stanley Cup, you have to have your five-on-five game at the forefront, and that's something we learned from last year,' said Kane. 'We're having some success, and that's something that has to continue if we want to advance.' At the other end of the spectrum, the top Golden Knights players didn't turn a wheel offensively against Edmonton, and now Mikko Rantanen has just two assists in two games. Frustrating the other team's best players and lighting up its goalie isn't an easy formula, but it's guaranteed effective. And the first part often leads to the second. 'Since I've started coaching, my emphasis has been a good defence is a good offence,' said Kris Knoblauch. 'The more time you can spend in the offensive zone, the more time the puck is on your stick, is really important. 'With this team, we have a lot of good offensive players, and they like to have the puck. That's part of the reason why we're a good defensive team.' E-mail: rtychkowski@ Edmonton Oilers deliver another beat down, pull away from Dallas Stars Zach Hyman has been a hammer for the Edmonton Oilers in these playoffs You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
Calgary Herald
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Edmonton Oilers smashing through yet another post-season wall in Stars goalie Jake Oettinger
Article content The reason the L.A. Kings were going to get past the Edmonton Oilers in the first round this year was Darcy Kuemper. Article content Article content Remember? Article content The Vezina Trophy finalist finished the regular season with a 2.02 goals against average and a .922 save percentage on a Kings team that gave up two or fewer goals in 14 of its last 19 games. Article content The Kings were all set to shut down Edmonton's offence. Article content Article content What happened? The Kings are done and Kuemper sits dead last among all playoff goaltenders with a 3.74 goals against average. The Oilers lit him up for five goals three times and four goals once in dispatching Los Angeles in six games. Article content Article content Vegas goalie Adin Hill? After closing out the Minnesota Wild with .906, .909 and .935 save percentages in the last three games of that series, he was going to be a problem in the second round. Article content What happened? The Oilers reduced his numbers to .857, .865 and .850 in the first three games, then Stuart Skinner posted shutouts in the last two, as Edmonton made very short work of the first place team in the Pacific Division. Article content Which brings us to Jake Oettinger. He was sensational against the Winnipeg Jets, allowing just 12 goals in that six-game series and posting save percentages of .935, .923, .969, .912, .957. Article content What's happening against Edmonton? It's been 12 goals against in three games and save percentages of .889, .880 and .750. Article content Article content Once again, the Oilers have been able to make one of the top goaltenders in the league look pretty ordinary. Article content Article content This doesn't mean Oettinger is down for the count, there is lots of series left, but he and the Stars need to find a way to slow down Edmonton's offence, or this is going to be another short one for the Oilers. Article content 'We wouldn't be sitting here in the Conference Finals without Jake Oettinger and how he's played,' said Stars coach Pete DeBoer, defending the backbone of his team. Article content '(Game 3's 6-1 defeat) was one of those games where they were opportunistic, and once they got the lead, we're pushing to get back in it, and there's Grade As the other way. Article content 'One thing I know about Jake Oettinger is he's one of the best response goalies in the league.' Article content Goals are supposed to be harder to come by in the post-season, but that hasn't been the case for Edmonton. They have a significantly higher goals per game average in the playoffs (3.93) than they had in the regular season (3.16).
Vancouver Sun
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Edmonton Oilers smashing through yet another post-season wall in Stars goalie Jake Oettinger
The reason the L.A. Kings were going to get past the Edmonton Oilers in the first round this year was Darcy Kuemper. Remember? The Vezina Trophy finalist finished the regular season with a 2.02 goals against average and a .922 save percentage on a Kings team that gave up two or fewer goals in 14 of its last 19 games. The Kings were all set to shut down Edmonton's offence. What happened? The Kings are done and Kuemper sits dead last among all playoff goaltenders with a 3.74 goals against average. The Oilers lit him up for five goals three times and four goals once in dispatching Los Angeles in six games. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Vegas goalie Adin Hill? After closing out the Minnesota Wild with .906, .909 and .935 save percentages in the last three games of that series, he was going to be a problem in the second round. What happened? The Oilers reduced his numbers to .857, .865 and .850 in the first three games, then Stuart Skinner posted shutouts in the last two, as Edmonton made very short work of the first place team in the Pacific Division. Which brings us to Jake Oettinger. He was sensational against the Winnipeg Jets, allowing just 12 goals in that six-game series and posting save percentages of .935, .923, .969, .912, .957. What's happening against Edmonton? It's been 12 goals against in three games and save percentages of .889, .880 and .750. Once again, the Oilers have been able to make one of the top goaltenders in the league look pretty ordinary. This doesn't mean Oettinger is down for the count, there is lots of series left, but he and the Stars need to find a way to slow down Edmonton's offence, or this is going to be another short one for the Oilers. 'We wouldn't be sitting here in the Conference Finals without Jake Oettinger and how he's played,' said Stars coach Pete DeBoer, defending the backbone of his team. '(Game 3's 6-1 defeat) was one of those games where they were opportunistic, and once they got the lead, we're pushing to get back in it, and there's Grade As the other way. 'One thing I know about Jake Oettinger is he's one of the best response goalies in the league.' Goals are supposed to be harder to come by in the post-season, but that hasn't been the case for Edmonton. They have a significantly higher goals per game average in the playoffs (3.93) than they had in the regular season (3.16). And it's not just the Big Two who are feasting. Consider the SportsNet stat that showed Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl combining to score 47.7 per cent of Edmonton's playoff goals two years ago, then 20.9 per cent last year and just 18.3 per cent this year. That speaks to the evolution of the hockey team. It's been tough to slow down Edmonton's offence because the goals are coming from everywhere. Eighteen players have scored a goal in the playoffs, and seven players already have five or more. 'Guys are bearing down and understanding how hard it is to score and how hard it is to get chances, so when you do get those chances there's maybe a little bit of desperation,' said Oilers winger Evander Kane, adding nobody generates anything in the playoffs unless they're willing to get dirty. 'You have to go hard to the net. The closer you are to the goal the better the opportunity for the goals to go in.' Edmonton is piling up the offensive numbers, for the most part, without the benefit of their power play, which is two-for-22 on the road and five-for-25 over the last 10 games (in which the Oilers are 8-2). Edmonton's 39 even-strength goals in 14 playoff games are second only to the Florida Panthers' 44 and miles ahead of third-place Toronto with 27 and fourth-place Dallas with 23. A team that used to be Two Guys and Power Play is an entirely different threat. 'There are fewer and fewer power plays, so if you want to get deep in the playoffs and eventually in a Stanley Cup, you have to have your five-on-five game at the forefront, and that's something we learned from last year,' said Kane. 'We're having some success, and that's something that has to continue if we want to advance.' At the other end of the spectrum, the top Golden Knights players didn't turn a wheel offensively against Edmonton, and now Mikko Rantanen has just two assists in two games. Frustrating the other team's best players and lighting up its goalie isn't an easy formula, but it's guaranteed effective. And the first part often leads to the second. 'Since I've started coaching, my emphasis has been a good defence is a good offence,' said Kris Knoblauch. 'The more time you can spend in the offensive zone, the more time the puck is on your stick, is really important. 'With this team, we have a lot of good offensive players, and they like to have the puck. That's part of the reason why we're a good defensive team.' E-mail: rtychkowski@ Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
Ottawa Citizen
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Edmonton Oilers smashing through yet another post-season wall in Stars goalie Jake Oettinger
Article content The reason the L.A. Kings were going to get past the Edmonton Oilers in the first round this year was Darcy Kuemper. Article content Article content Remember? Article content The Vezina Trophy finalist finished the regular season with a 2.02 goals against average and a .922 save percentage on a Kings team that gave up two or fewer goals in 14 of its last 19 games. Article content The Kings were all set to shut down Edmonton's offence. Article content Article content What happened? The Kings are done and Kuemper sits dead last among all playoff goaltenders with a 3.74 goals against average. The Oilers lit him up for five goals three times and four goals once in dispatching Los Angeles in six games. Article content Article content Vegas goalie Adin Hill? After closing out the Minnesota Wild with .906, .909 and .935 save percentages in the last three games of that series, he was going to be a problem in the second round. Article content What happened? The Oilers reduced his numbers to .857, .865 and .850 in the first three games, then Stuart Skinner posted shutouts in the last two, as Edmonton made very short work of the first place team in the Pacific Division. Article content Which brings us to Jake Oettinger. He was sensational against the Winnipeg Jets, allowing just 12 goals in that six-game series and posting save percentages of .935, .923, .969, .912, .957. Article content What's happening against Edmonton? It's been 12 goals against in three games and save percentages of .889, .880 and .750. Article content Article content Once again, the Oilers have been able to make one of the top goaltenders in the league look pretty ordinary. Article content Article content This doesn't mean Oettinger is down for the count, there is lots of series left, but he and the Stars need to find a way to slow down Edmonton's offence, or this is going to be another short one for the Oilers. Article content 'We wouldn't be sitting here in the Conference Finals without Jake Oettinger and how he's played,' said Stars coach Pete DeBoer, defending the backbone of his team. Article content '(Game 3's 6-1 defeat) was one of those games where they were opportunistic, and once they got the lead, we're pushing to get back in it, and there's Grade As the other way. Article content 'One thing I know about Jake Oettinger is he's one of the best response goalies in the league.' Article content Goals are supposed to be harder to come by in the post-season, but that hasn't been the case for Edmonton. They have a significantly higher goals per game average in the playoffs (3.93) than they had in the regular season (3.16).
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Edmonton Oilers discover Missing Link -- and it made all the difference vs Vegas
The Edmonton Oilers discovered their Missing Link against the Vegas Golden Knights — and it made all the difference in the team coming together to beat VGK in the final two games of the series, both Edmonton shutouts. Much has been made of coach Kris Knoblauch putting together a solid checking line to faceoff against the Jack Eichel trio, and while that move was big, even bigger the insertion of Troy Stecher into the line-up to replace little-used d-man Ty Emberson. It's something of a mystery why it took so long for Oilers d-man coach Paul Coffey to switch out Emberson for Stecher. Emberson had had a solid start to the 2024-25 season, with his strongest stretch of play in December thru January. But Stecher had out-played Emberson by a wide margin in the final three months of the season. If you're into hockey stats, you can see these fluctuations and trends in performance in the Cult of Hockey's highly-granular video review of Grade A shots at even strength. Emberson started strong for a d-man, -0.37 Grade A shots per game (a good number for a d-man) from October through January, but finished up weak, -1.06 per game (a poor number for a d-man) from February to April. Meanwhile Stecher trended up from -0.65 per game to -0.46 per game, from a bit below average to a bit above average. Stecher was coming off an ankle injury and surgery that had kept him out of the 2024 playoffs and was slow to heal up over the summer. He started slow this regular season but as his speed and agility took off, he became a solid option, often pairing up with Nurse. For his part, in the final three months of the season Emberson became increasingly uncertain with the puck and less physical on defence. This downward trend continued into the playoffs, with the increased pace of the games. Enter Troy Stecher in Game Four. The Oilers had been leaking a high number of Grade A shots against in the first round against Los Angeles, and did so again in Games 2 and 3 against Vegas, giving up 21 Grade As in Game 2 and 16 in Game 3. If that trend continued, the Oilers were in trouble. But Stecher stepped up big time, moving the puck sharply, defending courageously, helping to settle down the suddenly erratic Darnell Nurse, and bringing coherence, stability and three solid sets of d-man duos to the Oilers line-up for the first time in the still young 2025 playoffs. Coffey trusted Stecher enough to play him 15:45 at even strength in the veteran d-man's first two games back. That's more than twice as much as he was playing Emberson at even strength, just 7:31 in the first nine games of the playoffs. Emberson was struggling to quickly and efficiently make break-out passes. Stecher has excelled at this same task, blasting back into his own zone to retrieve pucks and quickly and accurately moving them out of the Oil's end. This has helped free up Nurse to play a more aggressive game. Nurse had struggled on a pairing with Evan Bouchard in the first nine games of the playoffs. I'm not sure why, but both of them were making a few too many bad reads together, as if neither was sure of his partner, both trying to do too much at some times, but doing too little at others. It's a good thing then that Nurse and Stecher meshed against Vegas, but it's no surprise. They had played together 474 even strength minutes in the regular season, with the team scoring 19 goals and giving up just 16 Their pairing worked then, which only adds to that mystery of why it took Edmonton so long to go back to Stecher in the playoffs. He had been injured late in the year against Winnipeg, but was physically ready to play by Game Four against Los Angeles. But the Oilers were had just won a huge victory in Game Three against the Kings. And they kept winning, even as Emberson and Nurrse struggled. Perhaps the Oil stuck with the same line-up out of fear of upsetting a winning line-up formula. Maybe Coffey was hesitant not wanting to mess with success, even as it was increasingly clear that something was amiss with the defence, and that constantly juggling the pairings at even strength was a big part of the problem. Two ideas come to mind with Stecher's strong run of play. First, that if he had been healthy last season for the playoff run, it might have made a huge difference for the Oilers. Nurse had his worst playoff season, struggling until the final when he was played with Philip Broberg. But if Stecher had been there, maybe Nurse's game would have come around sooner. And maybe Broberg would not have caught the eye of the St. Louis Blues. Second, now that the Oilers have three solid defensive pairins — Kulak/Bouchard, Walman/Klingberg, Nurse/Stecher — there's not nearly so much of a push to rush Mattias Ekholm back into the line-up. This is excellent news for the Oilers. I've noticed that when players come back too soon and when players try to fight through major injuries, their performance is often below-average to wretched. Nurse, who was banged up in the playoffs in 2024, is a prime example of that. The Oilers don't need an injured Ekholm who struggles to make plays. That's the Ekholm we saw when he tried to play through sickness and injury in the final months of the season. But if Ekholm can get healthy enough to play as he did at the start of this 2024-25 season, he can help Edmonton win a Stanley Cup. The Oilers now have the luxury of not rushing, of making sure Ekholm is good to go before he steps in.
