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Sunday Scaries: The Oilers need to be better because for the first time in a long time, I’m scared.

Photo credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

By Kylie Salai

May 14, 2023, 15:43 EDT

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After a slow start to the second round, thanks to NHL schedulers last week, this week was a whole lot of Oilers hockey.

On Monday, the Oilers hosted their first home game of the series, and they played, sure, but not very well. The Oilers came home for the first time since game 5 in the LA series, and personally, I was thrilled to have them back. Unfortunately, they did not seem to be as thrilled. Warren Foegle and his linemates came out firing, getting the Oilers an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, Jonathan Marchessault would score two in the remainder of the first and leave the Golden Knights up by one heading into the second period.

Before I make my next statement on this 5-1 loss at home, I would like to preface this by saying- it is not a fluke that the Oilers lost this game. They did not deserve to win. But have you ever heard anything more ‘Oilers luck’ than having a goalie play for the first time since March 7th and technically shut us out on home ice in the playoffs… no? Me either.

Wednesday came quickly after getting used to waiting several days between games, but as we know by now, the Oilers perform better off a tight schedule, and Wednesday was no exception. Nick Bjugstad had the game’s first goal, and less than two minutes later, Bouchard kept them coming. Now, I was lucky enough to have been at Rogers this game, and it was rocking before, but with an early two-goal lead, the arena was BUZZING. Mattias Ekholm would add another goal before the end of the period, leaving us with a 3-0 lead going into the second period.

Tyler Yaremchuk

@tyleryaremchuk

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Replying to @tyleryaremchuk

Literally all I could think of idk

2:26 AM · May 11, 2023

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Then finally, the clouds opened up, and Ryan Nugent Hopkins finally scored his first goal of the playoffs to make it 4-0. It was the only goal of the second period, and Nuge sure made it worth it.

The third period saw basically nothing but chaos, including but not limited to the following:

A Nicolas Roy goal
attempted murder on Leon Draisaitl from Pietrangelo
Nick Hague asking Darnell Nurse to fight
Nurse taking the instigating penalty for said fight
an almost Connor McDavid fight

And then after, somehow, the Department of Player Safety decided that a consensual fight and a slash with clear intent to injure deserve the same discipline… but I will leave it at that because I’m sure we are all on the same page of disapproval.

Pete Blackburn

@PeteBlackburn

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I know Nurse's suspension was by the book but it's kind of insane he gets the same punishment as Pietrangelo trying to chop a guy's hands off 30 feet away from the puck

12:28 AM · May 12, 2023

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NHL upholds the suspension for Darnell Nurse, which is brutal. Mark Stone said after the game that Nic Hague asked for the fight before the faceoff.

NHL Player Safety

@NHLPlayerSafety

Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse has been automatically suspended for one game and Coach Jay Woodcroft has been fined $10,000 under rule 46.21, Instigating in Final Five Minutes of Regulation.

7:16 PM · May 11, 2023

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Game 5 was back in Vegas, and Connor McDavid got us on the board early. Unfortunately, Jack Eichel had the same plans, tying it up moments later.

In the office before the game, Tyler and I decided to book the Zach Hyman goal, and apparently, Hyman did too because he put the Oilers up 2-1 heading into the second. The second was quiet before the Golden Knights scored three goals to take a 4-2 lead into the third period.

A sloppy minute and a half of play cost the Oilers this hockey game.

Another Goal from Connor McDavid would bring us within one, but it would not be enough.

Baggedmilk

@jsbmbaggedmilk

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Nothing says Oilers sadness quite like angry blogging at midnight while eating bologna straight out of the package. I’m a mess. Oilers in 7.

5:56 AM · May 13, 2023

101

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The Vegas Golden Knights currently lead the series 3-2 and game 6 goes on tonight. The Oilers have home-ice advantage, and being on the brink of elimination, they’ll need it.

This Sunday, I finally have a list of Scaries:

Staying out of the penalty box is going to be crucial tonight, we need to be playing 5 on 5, and if we’re not, we need to be the ones with the advantage
Play our best hockey. I know this seems simple, but very few times in this series have we seen the Oilers playing their best game.
Don’t let the Golden Knights run away with the game. Again, seems simple, but in game five they showed us that if we take our foot off the gas for even two minutes, it’s enough time to lose the hockey game.
Another fear, but maybe it’s more of a key to victory is Jack Eichel. The Oilers need to be better at shutting him down if they want to win this game and this series.

Outside of these four things, I’m excited about the game, and I feel great vibes today.