We’re in the hours leading up to Game 4, and the Oilers find themselves in a familiar, albeit uncomfortable position. Win, and the series is tied, lose, and they’ll backed into a corner. That’s life in the playoffs when you can’t stop shooting yourselves in the foot.

I started this week’s podcast with a quick recap of our trip down to Dallas and how it was a welcomed change after spending the first two rounds in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Unlike our first two stops, the people in Dallas were incredibly friendly and seemed almost amazed that we would fly all the way to Texas to watch the Oilers play in their rink. We had drinks bought for us, plenty of conversations on what we thought of the city, tips on what to do and where to eat, and to be honest, I had a hard time disliking any of them.

Turning back to the Oilers, there was plenty of news and noise surrounding the team after Monday’s Game 3 loss, and one guy who took more shrapnel than anyone was Darnell Nurse. Ol’ Darryl has struggled mightily at points in the playoffs, but the reality is that the Oilers are going to need him if they’re going to get back into this series. I personally believe that he’s so much better than what we’re getting from him right now, and I really hope he can find a way back there before it’s too late.