The Cult of Hockey's "Oilers play great but not enough to beat Vegas" podcast

Let's do this! The Cult of Hockey podcast. By the Faithful and for the Faithful. Today Bruce McCurdy and David Staples dig into the Oilers of Edmonton's 1-0 loss the Knights of Vegas.

[@doncassidy4428]

The stop by Skinner on Hertl's backhand shot was fantastic. Some nights the puck just doesn't go in even though the team effort was there, especially in the third period. Quality hockey!

[@happytrails151]

Skinner deserves his criticisms. It can help to harp on this if it gets management to at least get a goalie to genuinely share the net with Skinner. He needs to be pushed

[@flytheskymyway]

He did well. And he is a 3rd year NHL goalie. My money is on him in the long run.

[@epiphany519]

Game 25. Long post follows with base game statistics including some for the Vegas Golden Knights. Read, don't read, up to you. These are BASE stats not detailed ones like the Cult of Hockey compiles. My comments and observations at the end. Statistics for Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights December 3rd, 2024 Edmonton Oilers: S Skinner 15 Saves on 16 Shots = .938 Save %age (Exceptional) Vegas Golden Knights: Barbashev 1 Goal Hill 28 Saves on 28 Shots = 1.000 Save %age (PERFECT, Shutout) Oilers VGK Shots on Goal 28 16 Hits 12 6 Faceoffs Won 30 21 PP 0/0 0/0 Penalty Mins 0 0 Giveaways 14 (13 per NST) 19 (18 per NST) Takeaways 8 (7 per NST) 6 Blocked Shots 16 (15 per NST) 22 (20 per NST) 3 Stars: 3-McNabb, 2-Barbashev (1G GWG), 1-Hill (1.000 Save %age (Perfect)) Player TOI PP TOI PK TOI SOG +/- PIM Hits Blocks Giveaways Takeaways Bouchard 26:36 0:00 0:00 3 -1 0 0 1 0 0 Ekholm 25:28 0:00 0:00 1 -1 0 2 2 1 0 Nurse 22:17 0:00 0:00 4 0 0 2 3 0 1 Kulak 19:05 0:00 0:00 2 0 0 0 3 1 0 Emberson 14:15 0:00 0:00 2 0 0 1 2 0 1 Stecher 12:32 0:00 0:00 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 McDavid 24:58 0:00 0:00 4 0 0 0 0 2 0 Draisaitl 21:46 0:00 0:00 1 -1 0 0 0 0 1 Nuge 18:23 0:00 0:00 2 -1 0 0 0 2 0 J Skinner 15:50 0:00 0:00 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kapanen 15:50 0:00 0:00 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 Henrique 15:13 0:00 0:00 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 C Brown 15:09 0:00 0:00 1 -1 0 1 1 1 1 Podkolzin 14:04 0:00 0:00 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Janmark 13:29 0:00 0:00 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Perry 13:14 0:00 0:00 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Ryan 8:51 0:00 0:00 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 Caggiula 5:44 0:00 0:00 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 Oilers Faceoff Breakdown: Won Lost Percent Draisaitl 11 6 64.7 Henrique 8 3 72.7 McDavid 5 3 62.5 Ryan 3 5 37.5 Nuge 3 1 75.0 Podkolzin 0 1 0.00 Janmark 0 1 0.00 C Brown 0 1 0.00 VGK's Faceoff Breakdown: Won Lost Percent Karlsson 9 3 75.0 Eichel 6 10 37.5 Hertl 3 5 37.5 Roy 2 6 25.0 Barbashev 1 0 100.0 Schwindt 0 5 0.00 Howden 0 1 0.00 Again, waiting for surgery, couldn't watch or listen to the game just some highlights after the fact. This was an interesting game, one for the record books. Zero Power Plays, One Goal. Only happened 5 times in NHL History. Sucks that we were on the bad side of the one goal. So from the little I could make out it looked like a botched drop pass by Leon goes straight to Barbashev and Bouch stops the first shot (flopping about on the ice) and the 2nd try went through Skinner's 5 hole. This was a game of D and Luck. Vegas got one breakaway, got a lucky bounce off of Bouch and boom in the twine. The D sewed it up from there. No one could get anything either to or past Hill. It's not that they didn't try. This wasn't a game of apathy. It was a game of denial. Ultimately the Oilers were denied either by the Vegas D or by Hill. This wasn't on Bouch. Leon made a drop pass and flubbed it right to Barbashev. Most times he makes it. Some times he doesn't. When he doesn't its typically bad. Oilers outshot Vegas 16 to 2 in the final period and they had chances but changes doesn't always mean goals. Stetcher took a shot to the ear but post game Knoblauch said he was fine. Caggiula was also loaned back to Bakersfield so Hyman will be back next game. Stats wise Oilers outshot Vegas 28 to 16 (not inconsequential), out hit Vegas (yes, I know it's end times) 12 to 6 (so double), won more faceoffs (30 to 21), had fewer giveaways (14 to 19), more takeaways (8 to 6) but fewer blocks (22 to 16). Take care all

[@zacharyhoehn6127]

tx 4 the pod

[@joetoh6675]

I blame Drai's bad pass for the goal.

[@fontainefitness5698]

And again they make a goalie look like Hasek

[@joetoh6675]

If COH's Grade A shot count is accurate (12-5, with five-alarm subset at 4-2, both in favor of Oil), then credit goes to good goaltending by Hill. And, Natural Statrick's expected goals of 3-1 for Oil. Give credit where it's due. Kinda looked like a competition to represent Canada.

[@maritimer771]

Hill could just stand there with his size. Skinner played well..shame for that softy & Leon's drop pass after all that pressure. But Skinner made some great saves. Need some goals. No hitting and lack of secondary scoring scenario again. This team relies to much on a couple guys. Good tight game on both sides. Couple key players back will help.

[@thekiltedzombie8230]

Vegas is a big team with great defensive structure. The Oilers we're for the most part easily kept to the perimeter and active sticks by Vegas broke down the majority of cycles and seam passes! Vegas can only be broken down with more speed or more grit. I did find the game pretty entertaining though.

[@thenaj1956]

Skinner let in a softy, Hill was great. that was the difference

[@flytheskymyway]

It was unfortunate

[@Ace96x10]

Yep. Again. Nothing new there.

[@aaronst.pierre3080]

That was the best game the D has played all year. I thought they were all fantastic! All of them. Vegas really has the Oilers numbers. I thought the entire first and most of the second was mostly nothing. Fell asleep twice. Then third they were great but it was way too late. The speed game in transition was missing in the first 2 periods for sure. Nice to see Holloway ripping it up in St.Louis under Montgomery.

[@ssimpson5178]

Can’t blame Steward Skinnerfor this one. He has been quite good for the last few games. And what has happened with the defensive coverage? Lately? Better penalty kill better all over game results. Due to better defensive performance.

[@raytothet7665]

Did you notice a couple of new feed pans in 123?

[@Ace96x10]

Some differing opinions about that goal. Many feel that it was just a fluke and in no way was on Skinner. I'm more in the camp that it was a fluke and still 100% on Skinner and a really weak goal. I'd also add that that type of thing can and does happen to even great goalies. It's more the fact that is just isn't surprising since it's something or other causing 1-3 weak goals most games. After that he was really good. Almost as good as the other Goalie. Again. lol.) Dria is awesome. I have nothing more to add. I'm choosing to ignore that they uploaded the wrong Video.

[@Apex1000snow]

Stu was good only letting 1 by, team was pretty solid all around just couldn't finish! Bouch was much better on D and caring the puck across the blue line. Even though we lost we are playing more consistent.

[@alhunt3587]

Doesn't the league REQUIRE players to have social media accounts?

[@froma69]

Oilers didn't get inside the umbrella near enough imo

[@Feedback4Utoday]

Exciting game! At some pt Coach (& vet players) will have to look & see if their name isn't McD/Drais,

[@KptKrunch9481]

This game reminds me of exactly why the Oiler have ZERO chance of winning the Cup this year. In fact, I don't think we'll win a series this year. No way, no how, could this team EVER go into a 3rd period up 1 to 0 and win a game being dominated like Vegas was in the 3rd (just look at the last Vegas game here for my proof). Conversely, best two players in the league (supposedly) and we can't get ONE goal in the third despite all the chances we had?? Unless McD or Drai are scoring, we have no finish whatsoever around the net. Holloway has EIGHT goals now in St.Louis. EIGHT! How the heck does he have EIGHT goals in St.Louis in 26 games and he's got 9 goals in 89 games in Edmonton - tells me all I need to know about this team.

[@flytheskymyway]

Not to mention Broberg. 10 points (and +6) in 14 games. The Broberg, Holloway waivers situation hurt. Jeff Jackson was to blame on that loss.

[@joetoh6675]

Geez where do you get the historical facts Bruce? Your memory?

[@aaronst.pierre3080]

It was a bad goal and the time he let it in was bad too. He had a good game but that goal was the shits. It wasn't his fault they lost, they didn't score but going down 1-0 in the first and really not being ready to start the game is the Oilers mo.

[@kimomann1]

How many times this year have we been shutout ?? Gotta shoot more keep it simple way to many passing. Ya good game but I’m not happy this team still isn’t looking like a cup contender. How many nights they make the goalie on the other team look like a venza winning goalie? Sorry I’m upset. Not very positive.