Sean Maloughney: History Repeats Itself for 4th Time: Oilers Beat Kings in 6

Prock deserves to be called out

Was an interesting series, even though LA won 2 games I don't believe they truly beat us. The Oilers were just gifting the Kings chances. Now it does appear that was limited and I'm not sure if it's a confidence thing with Pickard in net or if it was just guys being stupid. Even yesterday they were still doing things they shouldn't be doing.

Think Hiller lost the series for LA. The book is out on our defense yet he choose not to put pressure on them for much of the series.

Klingberg sure looked good, but you put pressure on him Bouchard, Nurse and Wallman and they will make mistakes.


Cassidy is a much more shrewd coach and I suspect we see Vegas making our d work a lot harder next series. Our forwards aren't going to be able to take shifts off and will need to be coming back to support the d. If not it will be a painful series.

I also don't suspect Cassidy is going to go nuclear and cut his bench short so early in a series. Still a baffling move by Hiller.

The weird thing about the Oilers is, for several years now, they somehow find ways to pull a rabbit out of the hat, and do things that no one expects them to do.
Like beating Calgary in 2022,
Beating Vancouver and then Dallas in 2024 ,
And then coming back from 0-3 against FL in 2024.
2025, after looking completely horrible in games 1,2, and 3, but turning it around and winning the series.
I'll tell you this tho, no goalie can stop the Oilers from scoring, but also the Oilers can't stop anyone else from scoring either.

You almost don't know what to expect, they somehow find a way to adjust to the team they are playing.
Don't know what to expect against VGK LOL. But I'm sure not many will pick them to beat VGK, other than Oilers homers.

Oilers in 6

And its looking like the Oilers have a few veterans that aren't exactly very interested in regular season, but when playoffs come...

Henrique, Janmark, Brown, to name a few

And its looking like the Oilers have a few veterans that aren't exactly very interested in regular season, but when playoffs come...

Henrique, Janmark, Brown, to name a few
- ifiwasgm

It was a bit of a weird year for a lot of guys, but when all those injuries hit us late in the year we did see depth guys step up and start putting up points.

Then you have to also add the impact of finally having a healthy forward group. Having that top 6 finally going has made the minutes played by the bottom 6 easier on them to be effective

The weird thing about the Oilers is, for several years now, they somehow find ways to pull a rabbit out of the hat, and do things that no one expects them to do.
Like beating Calgary in 2022,
Beating Vancouver and then Dallas in 2024 ,
And then coming back from 0-3 against FL in 2024.
2025, after looking completely horrible in games 1,2, and 3, but turning it around and winning the series.
I'll tell you this tho, no goalie can stop the Oilers from scoring, but also the Oilers can't stop anyone else from scoring either.

You almost don't know what to expect, they somehow find a way to adjust to the team they are playing.
Don't know what to expect against VGK LOL. But I'm sure not many will pick them to beat VGK, other than Oilers homers.

Oilers in 6
- ifiwasgm

It's true, Oilers can score almost at will but are having trouble keeping the puck out.

That is because they don't have Ekholm. If he was playing this team would be very close to the team that went to game 7 of the Finals.

I would argue that Ekholm is just as important to the team as Drai and McD, on the defensive side.

It's true, Oilers can score almost at will but are having trouble keeping the puck out.

That is because they don't have Ekholm. If he was playing this team would be very close to the team that went to game 7 of the Finals.

I would argue that Ekholm is just as important to the team as Drai and McD, on the defensive side.
- Oildrum

I still don't know that I like our defense even with Ekholm

I still don't know that I like our defense even with Ekholm
- Lahey

Or goaltending

Or goaltending
- Reveen

I think a cup can still be won with those 2 jabronis

I still don't know that I like our defense even with Ekholm
- Lahey

Definitely not the strong part of the team. Like you said, the forwards need to dial it in. Vegas is beatable, I’ll never count out our big guns. Getting Kane back is huge. Should be a good one.

I think a cup can still be won with those 2 jabronis
- HonkyTonkMan

It almost was last year.

I think a cup can still be won with those 2 jabronis
- HonkyTonkMan

Obviously the team was much better balanced but Antti Goaltendiemi won a Cup. Why not the Skinhead or Craptain Pickard?

Obviously the team was much better balanced but Antti Goaltendiemi won a Cup. Why not the Skinhead or Craptain Pickard?
- AdamFrench

Yep. This isn’t the 90’s where you needed a top 5 goalie to get the cup. It helps for sure, but the Oilers high end fire power and clutch depth scoring might be enough. Might.