As always, we’re back with a brand new mailbag to help you make sense of all things Oilers. I always need you guys for this feature so email me your questions to baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or hit me up on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk. Now sit back, relax, and pretend to look busy for as long as possible. Have a good week, everybody.

I think the Oilers got in a hole early, and the penalties buried them. It’s important to remember that the Sharks are a veteran team who made the SCF’s a year ago. Their backs were against the wall, and frankly, the Oilers didn’t handle it well. It’s one game, and we should hope (this is being written Thursday before G5) the Oilers respond. Part of the learning process.

San Jose was ready to go and the Oilers were not totally committed. The Sharks knew how big a game it was and pushed the Oilers out of the game early. To a man, the Oilers were not ready to compete at that level.

Pavelski made a great deflection 15 seconds into the game. Oilers hadn’t made a bad play. Suddenly that goal gives Sharks huge momentum and Oilers couldn’t get it back. Had RNH scored rather than missed the wide open net which would have made it 2-1. Had he scored maybe game changes, but I don’t think the loss was based on Oilers not being ready. The Sharks got an early goal and carried the momentum through the game. The Oilers rebounded with two solid efforts in games five and six.

Game 4? The Oilers are getting ready for Game 1 of their series against Anaheim. That in itself should put to rest any questions you have about Game 4, no? It was one bad night.

It’s frustrating to see them come out and hit everything in site in game 2, and then barely hit anyone in game 4 and five…. and then BACK to hitting again in game five. I think it’s a combination of San Jose being in a must-win situation, as well as energy levels within the group. Crazy how all of a sudden Draisaitl found his legs in game five that were non-existent in the last four. Must have had a good breakfast that morning.

The Oilers weren’t able to handle the pressure that the Sharks put on them early and from there the wheels completely fell off. They looked much better in Game 5 and it was the kind of bounce back effort that they needed to get to not only maintain home ice advantage but also to get themselves back to where they needed to be.

It is rare to see it, but McDavid has had periods of frustration at points during his two NHL seasons. The checking is tighter and the game is being called in a different way. I would call this a period of adjustment and suspect McDavid will be pushing the limits again soon.

It is a learning experience. From what we have seen up to game 5 the Sharks have done a great job limiting 97’s space. We haven’t seen him crank it up and blow past people often. He now has to readjust.

Learning experience. There is a learning curve on how to deal with it. He’ll be fine. I thought he was very good in the final two games.

Connor McDavid is competitive or he wouldn’t be the player he is. Competitive players get frustrated. I don’t see it as a problem. Everything at this point is a learning experience. He’s 20.

I sadly would just give San Jose credit for doing a good job shutting him down. They’re getting the matchups they want against Connor 90% of the time and don’t give him any space to get his speed going. I’m so frustrated watching through my tv, I can’t imagine what he’s going through right now not being able to score for the first time this season.

This is the first time that Connor has had to deal with playoff pressure, refs throwing whistles away, and the added expectations of trying to make things happen against the same team in a seven game series. As the series has gone on he’s played better and better and it’s only a matter of time before he goes full Connor.

A combination of injury, tighter checking and a massive surge in penalty killing. Edmonton is shortening the game with their own penalties.

There is less space and time in the playoffs. There is much less cheating and way more physical play. Up until Game 5, the Sharks have done a really good job rolling out their game plan.

Sharks were playing well, and while the RNH line never scored in the series, outside of Lucic’s PP goal, I thought they created many chances and were very good defensively. Of course you want them to chip in more, and for the Oilers to win another round they likely will need the second line to bury some of their chances. Draisaitl was excellent in the final two games and his average play in the first few games was due to the flu.

There’s always less time and space at playoff time and that results, generally speaking, in fewer goals. The Sharks stuck with Braun and Vlasic against McDavid and they did a very good job.

I’m convinced there was/is something wrong with Patrick Maroon/and or Leon Draisaitl. None of them looked like them normal selves out there. Sure, San Jose got all the matchups they wanted but when you look at game five where everyone was flying, it really proves what kind of effort they can give.

Patty Maroon scored a big goal in Game 5 and Leon Draisaitl was as good as ever. Drai has been coughing up a lung in his pressers and it doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure out that he’s battling some kind of bug. That said, no one is playing at 100% in the playoffs and I expect that both of them will perform when it matters most.

Ottawa Senators versus Boston Bruins. Losing defenders has impacted Boston but I thought they would win this series anyway. Erik Karlsson is a God.

Hands down the Leafs and Caps. I expected the Caps to roll them in four and I wasn’t alone! I hate to say this but the Leafs are very fun to watch play. If the baby Leafs don’t have too much of a pull back in season two and they can add a D or two, they could be a handful again next season.

Toronto. I didn’t think they would keep the games that close.

Chicago. I didn’t foresee them being swept. Likewise Calgary. I wasn’t sure the Flames had enough to win the series but they didn’t show much at all.

Definitely the Nashville series. If anybody was to upset Chicago, I knew it would be the Preds. There was no way I expected it to finish in four though.

Who would have expected the Preds to sweep Chicago? I would never have seen that coming. Same goes for the push back the Leafs have given the Caps.

It’s unusual, hard to say from a distance. The firing of GM and coach tells me the owner was as frustrated as Eichel, and it’s anyone’s guess how this turns out.

The timing is very suspicious. It would be very dangerous to have a 20-year-old player have that big a voice within an organization.

His agent was adamant he didn’t say that. I’m sure the truth is somewhere in the middle. There is no doubt Eichel didn’t love the style Bylsma coached at times. He was vocal about that during the season. The reality is Eichel is their best player and he was fantastic from January on once he recovered from the high-ankle sprain. It is easier to find a replacement for Bylsma than it is to find another Eichel.

I didn’t once hear anything from a credible source so I didn’t give it much thought at all. Murray and Bylsma were already in trouble and on their way out the door, as we later saw.

I hate when players become drama-queens and give their teams an ultimatum. But it’s hilarious when the team follows through with it. Eichel might as well suit up and sit in the GM’s office during off days working on contracts for everyone else too. At the same time, I know the exact same thing would happen if Connor demanded something. What Connor wants, Connor gets.

It worked didn’t it? Both Bylsma and Tim Murray got the axe last week and you have to think that Eichel’s (alleged) comments were on the owners mind when he dropped the hammer.

ATB listens to Albertans, so we know that “mortgage” really means “home”. See how listening changes everything at atblistens.com