How did Oilers solve Darcy Kuemper?

The Edmonton Oilers win game five. They’ve got a 3-2 series lead over the LA Kings. They’ve won the last three games even though they’ve trailed in all three of those games. In the last three wins, Evson’s outscored the Kings 14 to8 and Calvin Pickard allowed just one goal in game number five. Here he is with the TNT crew. Here, uh, how did you quiet down the harmonicas and how did you feel playing in their building tonight? I feel like I’m giggling every time they come on. It’s hilarious. It’s great. It’s good stuff. Uh that was a secret weapon there at game one and game two, but uh I still got a chuckle out of it tonight. But uh yeah, I mean, right from the get-go, we were fantastic and um you know, we I think the shots were maybe 20 to four in the first period. Just couldn’t uh couldn’t get one by Kemps. He was uh he was great tonight. Um gave them uh you know, a fighting chance, but uh yeah, no, it was a it was a good effort. Cal, it’s ace. Uh yeah. Isn’t that interesting? Uh here’s Ryan Rashag, our our Edmonton bureau chief from the Edmonton bureau. Uh Calvin Picker gets the win, but he keeps praise on Darcy Keer because he’s right, Ryan. Darcy Keer was outstanding. 43 saves. Uh how are the Oilers eventually able to solve the Kings net minder? Yeah, and by the way, Jay, that right there is an example of why Calvin Pickard is the popular player that he is in that Oiler locker room. Uh beloved by his teammates, and it’s it’s that kind of thinking and that kind of stuff. But to your point about Darcy Camper, I mean, this was stick tuitiveness by the Edmonton Oilers. I mean, they brought the right stuff finally early in a game in this series, like they they had not been good early on. They’d allowed the LA Kings to dictate play in the opening period of of most of the games. I would say three of the other four games, but tonight they came out with all kinds of jump, all kinds of opportunities and they had to stay patient cuz Darcy Keer, you know, the Kings regarded to have the goalending advantage coming into this series because of Keer. He was at his best tonight. And then it’s the depth scorers of Ander Kane just back into this series. And uh then Matias Yanmark with that’s Victor Arvdson putting a a shot off the pad. So look, they had to stay patient. the depth guys helped chip in. Um this was a much better overall performance by the Oders, Jay. They they’ve done a lot better job of finding their game quicker. And then you know we were just talking about Calvin Pickard. Chris Knobblock hands him the starter role in game number three and he’s never looked back and now the Oilers are one win away from moving on. Just how impressive has Pickard been? I mean we saw him Ryan right in the regular season down the stretch. He was terrific for the Oilers then. Now he’s terrific for them now. Yeah, he’s amazing. An amazing story overall, Jay, when you consider that his NHL future was very much in question a number of years ago. The Oders basically bring them in to be an extra guy in their organization behind Jack Campbell and Steuart Skinner. And then he gets the call up when Jack Campbell got sent down and he has not looked back. So keep in mind 2210 and one was his record during the regular season. He was steady for the Oilers coming down the stretch when Steuart Skinner was injured. Look, he this this night kind of mirrored his season a little bit, right? Didn’t see a ton of action. Skinner was the starter, but when it mattered, he came up big. He came up with some huge saves in this game. And in particular in the first half, after doing a lot of standing around and waiting, I mean, that’s their best player barreling down on him. And sure, did it squeak through, but he made the save when he needed to make the save. If you look at the statistics on paper, it doesn’t look fantastic, but the quality of his play, um, you know, he’s made big saves when they need him. Jay, it’s been a big swing in this series. It was tough after the first couple of games, and Calvin Pickard has come in and stabilized at that position. And now Calvin Pickard and the Oilers are one win away from eliminating the LA Kings for a fourth straight year in the first round, the Stanley Cup playoffs. They can finish the job Thursday night. Edmonton and we’ll speak to Ryan from Edmonton after that game. Shaggy, thanks for this.

The Oilers fired 45 shots at Darcy Kuemper and managed to get two past him plus an empty netter in their 3-1 win over the Kings. How were the Oilers able to solve Darcy Kuemper? How impressive has Calvin Pickard been? TSN Oilers reporter Ryan Rishaug joins SC with Jay Onrait to discuss.

39 comments

  1. Uh, Kuemper has not been "solved". 45 shots and 2 went in. He's been the best goaltender in the postseason so far. The Kings' neutral zone phalanx has been solved by hard work and relentless pressure. It's the D grinders, Klingberg and Kulak and Welman, who lately have done the solving.

  4. The hype about Pickard is ridiculous, he has at best been steady, not fantastic just steady. Which might be enough, as they go deeper, if they get past L.A they will need more, and that will be the challenge.

  5. Stick-to-it-ness? The word is determination. I love hockey and I know the announcers have a tough job. But for God's sake, use a thesaurus. Anyone who says that sounds like a complete moron.

  6. the refs solved the Kings . Kane Knee on Knee no 5 min. Major. the Habs the wild, and every year whoever plays Edmonton is getting screwed by the refs and players safety. its terrible this year

  8. Title should be,"How can the oilers beat kuemper?" He's been standing on his head. a 0.956 save percentage last night. Also, Pickard has a .927 and .955 last two games with a .913 save percentage average for his starting games this postseason, what part of that "Doesn't look good on paper"???

  9. They didn't solve him. He made dozens of amazing saves in that game. But he's not super-human, and when his team doesn't play defense, and the other team is the Oilers, he's going to face an unending torrent of high-quality shots, and he can't save them all.

  10. The oil have not solved kuempers. He's the only reason the oilers haven't won this series already. The oilers have solved the kings game and are getting healthier and we are now seeing that the kings still suck and the oilers are better then them.

  13. If anything Kuemper was close to solving Oilers? The first games he got lit up, only issue is Skinner got even more lit up lol. Now Kuemper suddenly becomes a wall only letting 2 in 40+ shots.

  14. Kuemper not solved, the team in front of him was. Then you just gotta get good quantity and quality shots on him. Looks like Oil coaches figured a scheme to move it quickly thru neutral zone, not letting Kings set up their 3-2 behind the red line.

  15. Game 6 is next and oilers must win this one. Play your best game. Kings are coming hard. Play offensive and be good in defence. Never give them time to shoot stay focused. No sloppy plays.

  16. Letā€™s see. Out shooting them almost 3 to 1 helped. Keeping them from a shot on net for the first 10 minutes helpedā€¦.. not a huge mystery. Kuemper was unbelievable but in the end some had to go in!

  17. As a goalie let me tell you folks, Edmonton didn't "solve" Kuemper, they laid an overwhelming beat down on the team in front of him and kept firing grade A chances until they finally slipped a couple by.

  23. "Edmonton's Bureau chief from Edmonton's bureau" because that sounds more professional than 'Shaugers Basement' Hahaha kidding
    It's all love. Made me chuckle šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚

  24. Ref's gave this game and last too Edmonton, The League wants Edmonton to win the cup so they will make it happen RIGGED!!!!!! all the way!!!!!!!

  34. Iā€™m old enough the remember when Dallas and Colorado ate the oilers playoff lunch every first round through the mid to late 90ā€™sā€¦feels good to be on the winning side.

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