Oilers Can’t Solve Wallstedt | The GCL Diesel Oil Stream Postgame Show | 12-02-25

Oilers Can’t Solve Wallstedt | The GCL Diesel Oil Stream Postgame Show | 12-02-25

Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Music] Jesper or Yesper. Walstead does it again. his fourth shut out in just his 10th game this season as the Wild blank the Oilers 1- nothing in uh an interesting game between an Oilers team looking to build off of a nice win on Saturday and a Wild team that was looking to bounce back after a shootout loss to Buffalo but had won seven in a row. Lots to get into here on the GCL Diesel Oil Stream postgame show. Tom Gazola and Sean Bell with you from the EST satellite studios downtown just outside of Ice District aka Casad Gazola. And then you’ve got Benny Thompson back at EST Global HQ. Reed Wilkins will stop by later on for Reeds. Reed, of course, we want to hear from you. 780218999. Hop into the nasty chat on YouTube. I’ve I’ve noticed a lot of discussion on YouTube and a bunch of texts coming in. We will get to as many as we can. Of course, GCL Diesel, providers of the best diesel engine components around. From turbochargers to injectors, fuel pumps to sensors. They are the critical engine component experts, proud to serve Edmonton and Northern Alberta for over 50 years. Let’s welcome in our game analyst, Sean Bell and Benny Thompson as well. And boys, there’s some some people upset about Stu Skinner. He let in one goal. And I just I went back and I watched uh the replay a couple more times and the different angles and Belle’s you’re like quick screen quick screen off that face off quick screen. I’m like I don’t know. And then you see the low angles and you’re like yeah okay I see it. So I I mean he made some big saves tonight and then the guy at the other end made all the saves tonight including big ones. And ultimately the Oilers can’t find a way to capitalize on a bunch of opportunities. Honestly guys, I thought they played an okay game to be truthful. Um, Belie, your take on tonight? Yeah, I I thought it was um I thought it was a good all-around game. Um, first period I’m trying to figure out if they played well in the first period because, you know, at one point up in the press box, they’re like, “Ah, it’s the shots are seven to seven.” You’re like, “Well, I feel like the game has been in the Oilers zone the whole time.” But I mean, they did a good job of defending. Now, the goal that was scored off a face off, you know, there’s a quick flashing screen. Um, you know, he shot it at a perfect time when there was a guy right in the lane and and he just picks it up late and it goes in the net. Um, but at the end of the day, like you can I I thought it was a good goal. Um, but at the end of the day, you need some run support and you need to be able to find a way to to solve Walstead. And hey, he played a played a hell of a game. Um but all around it’s another pretty good effort, pretty good game by the Oil Oilers. Like you you limit a lot of gradea a chances when you did um give up a chance. Your goalender at the other end was solid um outside of obviously the one goal. So it was uh it was an all round decent game. Uh there’s not much you can really you know nitpick in in terms of um you know game play and how they they kind of handle themselves. I mean, a few plays that I don’t want to say died on their stick cuz I think that’s a wrong usage of the word, but you know, there there was some opportunities missed for sure. Um, I think the one that we we all saw was the Henrique pass where he had an opportunity to kick it far side. I think it was to a defenseman, you know, jumping down the slot. He completely misses that. Yeah. Um, you know, so there’s a there’s a few chances that were missed um that maybe could have went in the net. You never know because of the way that obviously Walstead was playing. But once again, all in all, I thought it was a pretty good effort from the others. Hey, second period they really I thought did a great job of gaining momentum. Uh they had a lot of zone time. Again, couldn’t solve Walstead, but you’re right. Yeah, we were looking at the the shots in the first period going, hasn’t the play been in Edmonton zone most of the time? But second, I thought the push back was good and the third Yeah, I thought the third period was good, too. Betty Thompson, what did you see tonight? Yeah, a lot of the same thing. Um, I I honestly like the the first period, I I thought their first 10 was pretty good. And to me, the what changed in that first period was when Emerson takes that penalty. They didn’t do a horrible job on that penalty kill. Uh, but you can tell it kind of just took the wind out of their sales a little bit. And then that’s where I think Minnesota had their push back. Um, I’m honestly I’m willing to claim this loss as the first Oilers loss this season where the Oilers probably deserved better. I think it’s the first time we can say that this year is they played well enough to win the game tonight. Um, they ran into a hot goalie who ironically was making a name for himself this week cuz he was the supposed Oilers goalie even though they weren’t going to pick him. Um, of course he comes into Edmonton and shuts him out. Shocker. Uh, nobody has brought that up at all. Well, yeah. Welcome to Oil Company. Um, but honestly, like guys, I I I’m not really mad or disappointed or anything with this with this effort. If they put this effort out every single game for the rest of the season, I like their chances of having a pretty damn good record. Uh, obviously, it’s just tough to expect them to have that effort every night. But, um, yeah, I honestly I I’m I’m not too ticked off or mad about this loss. You ran into a good team with a great goalie right now and and you couldn’t score. It is what it is. Uh you’re missing a a score in Rosik, but overall I I’m think if if you’re an Oilers fan, you can’t be too mad at what you saw tonight. There is frustration. I’m going to read a few texts here. 78021899. Yeah. Uh this text says, “I’m watching that terrible only goal of the game after Walstat stands on his head. It hurts my heart a lot. And the goal looked bad because Skinner’s reaction looked like my dad when he abruptly wakes up from a nap. I started laughing when I read that. Uh, this one comes in says, “Pretty solid effort by the Oilers tonight. Interested to know your thoughts on the line shuffle at the beginning of the third. Thought it was a bit unnecessary. 9729 93 down the middle is a pretty good way to generate offense.” Uh, boys, would what did you think of the switching up of the lines? I wasn’t surprised cuz they’re looking to get something going and uh they couldn’t they couldn’t generate any offense. So, um any any thoughts from you guys on that? I’m you’re just trying to dig in and find something. That’s how I look at it. Yeah, it’s you gra Well, they’re they’re trying to get themselves back in the game. You’re you’re putting Conor McDavid, Leon Dryel, Nan Hopkins, Heyman out as much as you possibly can. Um I think Clattenburgg sat for quite a while. Yeah. So, he wasn’t in the rotation. Um, yeah, he had a he had turnover in the second period and you didn’t see the ice for quite a while and um, you know, they they added Frederick to the top line for I think one or two shifts and they just kind of rotated guys in and they were just trying to get a spark and trying to get their big boys out so they can they can get some goals. I mean, they they were close on few, but like I said earlier, they just they also missed on on a few chances that were, you know, could have been gradeA scoring chances. And and like I said earlier, once again, it’s just that that one from Henrique where he just misses that pass. Yeah. And it was, you know, clear sailing right to the net. So, um, Ekholm off the crossbar, that was one that was missed. Like, there was some there were some chances and the Oilers just didn’t capitalize. Iman had a couple had a couple around the net too oright like just one one bounce goes the other way and it’s in the net. Um I to me the reason why I I I don’t love the line change is is mainly because I felt like the offense was going I understand they hadn’t scored but they had I felt like they had looks. I I feel like this wasn’t a the a Minnesota Wild defensive masterclass where we’re sitting there going they are suffocating the Oilers offense. I I thought the Oilers offense was pretty good tonight. They had looks. um it just wasn’t clicking. It just wasn’t going in for them. They ran into a hot goalie. So for me, I thought that you can go in that third period with the same lines and just and just hope that it would eventually fall for you. Um but obviously I I don’t I don’t hate the move. I just I know it down. I’m like I just don’t know if I would have personally if I was the head coach, I don’t know if I would have made the line change heading into the third period. If it’s late in the third, sure. But um I would have kept the same lines going head in the third. Mowgli. Oh, sorry. No, I was gonna say I think they went down to 10 forwards at one point. Flattenburg was sitting Yanmark or Lazar was down. They they had Mitch Frederick in there for the top guy sometimes and which I don’t mind honestly. I thought I thought his his game’s kind of starting to turn around a little bit. He’s fighting it, but he’s it’s I think they’re trying to give him a look. So, yeah, they had 10 forward. So, having you’re not going to have a set line. So, it’s like, let’s try to get Connor, Leon, Heyman, and Noo out as much as we possibly can and then we’ll slot guys in around those particular players and let’s see if if our players, our stud players can can generate something. Uh, Clattenburg 441 time on ice tonight. Six shifts. He had a hit and a giveaway and and Belle, you and I noted after that giveaway in his own zone, he missed a bunch of shifts after that. Frederick, just 11 shifts. Same with Curtis Lazar. Frederick ends up at 8:30 time on ice. Lazar at 8:45. So yeah, they went down to to 10 or nine forwards essentially uh pretty much all game. Um the other thing it was Mowgi in the nasty chat said, “Didn’t Chris Knoblock come from uh the AHL, which is a development league? Why doesn’t he develop anymore?” I understand where Mowgli’s coming from with that comment, but uh the pressure is a little bit different up here and and the pressure to win. So, um Yep. I I get it, but that’s that’s why the circumstances are a little bit different up here than they are down with the Hartford Wolfpack. Can you repeat can you repeat that question? Yeah, it was it was a comment. It was from Mowgli. He said, “Didn’t Nblock come from a development league before coming to the NHL? Why doesn’t he develop anymore?” Questions. Who isn’t who is he trying to develop? Like who’s the guy I I that’s that would be my question back is who who is he mismanaging with development cuz to me the the I would I think I expect that comment if Seavoy was playing four minutes but he was getting paid play the top line guys all pretty much all night tonight. Is is a comment around is it a shot at at null block and saying like hey you’re you should be still in the minor. Is that what the comment is? Like I’m that’s what I’m trying to figure out. I asked you to repeat it cuz I I didn’t really understand the question or the comment, sorry. Um because I mean the reality of the the situation is like any rookie does. Uh um Conor McDavid might be the only guy on that team that didn’t play in the miners, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Probably. Yep. Um a few people pointing this out, you guys. Uh McDavid needs to shoot the damn puck, but there’s uh other things to take from that game for sure. In in that on the power play in the dying seconds, uh McDavid tried to what was he looking for? Dry Cidle Bells, you and I were watching and and they’re they’re down to like 25 seconds and there’s been a few people that brought it up. I mean, I have a really hard time questioning his offensive ability ever. Yeah. So, but I I get it, too. I I do I agree. I I thought that he tried to force that pass to to Dry Cidle in the dying seconds. I think I actually made a comment about it be like, “Oh, you got to you’re looking for Dryle again.” I do think he’s got a good shot and he should use it. And you know, people know that he’s trying to look for Leon and you know, Leon scores from his uh Avetchkin spot on the ice more often than not. But I do think, you know, in a sixon five situation or six on four rather, he’s got to become a threat and he’s got to, you know, try to take that puck to the net because the minute he does do that and he starts attacking downhill, he always draws at least two guys to him. So instead of trying to force that pass, attack downhill, you know, act like you’re going to be a threat shooting it and then make maybe make a play from there, but I mean this guy’s also the best player in the world, so I don’t really have much to say on that. Let’s go to the text line. 780218999. The orders fall one zip to the Minnesota Wild. This text says, “The wall of St. Paul was fantastic tonight. The orders played all right, but there’s still some obvious ghosts that have followed the team for years. started well but deflated quick after they got scored on. I thought they pushed back in the second period. Didn’t turn on the afterburners until the third. This team is like an old farm truck on a cold morning. Cranks strong but no ignition. Got to prime the fuel pump a few times. Maybe give it a little sweet talk, but eventually the engine finally turns over and runs as strong as ever. But for the Oilers, it takes far too long to start that engine. Ah, good analogy there. The gray-haired teacher says, “I do wonder why McDavid’s quote unquote magic is far from in between uh this year. Seems more games than not he forces plays, turns pucks over. Don’t get me wrong, he’s the best player in the world. We’re lucky to have him, but I wonder why he isn’t at his best lately.” And that’s from greyhaired teacher. That’s valid. And and you saw TD Force working on McDavid there. Looked like his like side or his back. That’s the first sign I’ve seen of any kind of physical uh ailment. And uh I don’t know when TD was working on him, he didn’t seem to be wincing or anything like that, but gray hair teacher does have a point. Like McDavid has had he’s put up a lot of points, but those like flashes of brilliance that we’ve seen in years past, we’ve we’ve seen less of that this year. You guys noticing it, too? I think just teams are are finding different ways of uh I guess defending him. Um you know, if you look back at the the Stanley Cup finals and the way that the the Florida Panthers kept them at bay, like they always kept players above him so that even if he did wind up, you know, you still had to go through that extra player as opposed to, you know, giving him time and space. So, you know, the league’s a bit of a co copycat league and right now you see more guys playing above McDavid, which is limiting his his opportunities to, you know, come flying in full speed where he can, you know, maybe dance guys one on five and then make plays after that. So, um, it’s a different way of defending him. Um, but I mean he’s still going to figure it out and he’s going to, you know, he’s going to get his points and he’s going to start to score and McDavid will be doing McDavid things and people won’t be having this conversation in, you know, a month’s time. Jeremy texting and says, “Why go six on four if you’re just going to look for the same damn play every time.” So, a little bit of frustration there from Jeremy. I I I I get it. But same It’s How many times do they go to the dry settle spot and dry scores all the time there? I mean, it’s it it’s no different than if you look at Washington and you you know that they’re going to go to Avetkin. He’s standing there. He’s not even moving and at some point the puck goes there and it ends up in the back of the net. So, I fully understand the frustration because you’re trying to force that puck to him. But at the same time, they do get that puck to him and he usually scores. So, it’s it’s one of those things where it’s like it’s a double-edged sword because you’re trying to force a puck and it turns over and it gets out of your zone and you end up losing the game. Not saying it’s because you lose because of him, but the puck goes out of the zone and now you’re chasing it, but at the same time, if you’re going to if you’re going to pick a player who’s going to score a clutch goal off the Edmonton Oilers, who’s that guy going to be? Well, it’s been 29 for the most part. agree. Uh, this text from Dusty via the nasty chat says, “At this moment and so far this season, McDavid is not the best player in the world. McKinnon is.” And then somebody replied with, “Uh, troll.” I mean, if we’re going off this season, Yeah. I mean, I’d agree. Yeah. Yeah. Hello, Dusty. All right. Let us know your thoughts on the Oilers one- nothing loss to the Minnesota Wild. I’m not surprised that it was a low score. I didn’t expect it to be this lowc scoring. Everton did have chances. Walstead did make some big saves. A lot of people talking about, oh, the didn’t pick Walstead. Very impressed with him, you guys. Just really solid and and like the Oilers had a few scrambles in front of him and and some close calls I think of of Hyman and Benny. You alluded to that earlier, but um I also think Minnesota’s defense did a decent job of clearing things out after like the first shot. So, um, yeah, I mean, four shut outs in 10 games this season is super impressive. But that team is humming along nicely. Like they they look like a dialedin team right now. When you have eight wins in your last nine games, the the results kind of speak for themselves. What did you guys think of Walstead and the way he shut out the Oilers, uh, what did he have 33 saves at the other night? I believe so. Yeah. Yeah. He he was awesome. He played big. He had he was like, “This is gonna actually sound like a very crazy comment. He kind of reminded me a little bit of Kerry Price.” Oh. Just based off of how calm he was in the net. He wasn’t his movements weren’t, you know, erratic. They weren’t all over the place. When Carrie was has his best, like he was just very compact in the net, right? He played big, but his movements were compact. And he just made he made it look effortless. And if you look at Walstead and what he did today, like some of the saves that he made were just like, “Oh, that’s it. No, it’s not.” Just kicks that leg out. It just looked very smooth. It was um he was calm in the net and he’s like he looks like he’s been playing in the in the league for like 10 years. That’s that’s what I thought of him today. So, do I think he’s Carrie Price? No. So, make sure you just listen to the details. I’m gonna clip that part and post it on social media and I’ll I’ll get you I’ll get you some slander on that one. Please do. Oh, you can feel the wrath now, By all those people. Mhm. Mhm. Um now listen kind of making that that um comparison to Carrie Price I think is valid from your point of view considering you’ve played with Carrie Price a couple of times, right? Junior and in the pros. So, uh, and again to re-emphasize elements and and flashes of Price, not he is Carrie Price, but W he looked very calm, cool, composed. Um, the the kick saves you’re talking about. I mean, there was that Bushard one-time that he just like razor quick and it was out and he kicked it right to the sidewall and I was like, geez, this guy really solid. And, uh, the Oilers tried different things. I I remember at one point in the third period it was Dry Saddle had it kind of in the circle and there was a screen in front. He tried to sift one through about 78 in off the ice and you know Walstead found a way to get in front of it. So hell of a goalie. They they have a good situation in Minnesota with both of their goalenders because Gustoson’s been really good. Wallstead obviously what is he 8 0 and2 now uh this season four shut outs just uh they’re on it right now they are right on top of it they’re playing well and and you know they’ve got two solid net minders what a concept um a lot of people bringing up uh Tyler Wright and and the Oilers passing on him but what did Walstead end up going like 19th if I’m not mistaken yeah believe so other teams passed on him So, um, wasn’t just Ebon, but yes, he was there and, um, they decided not to go with the Net Minder, but he bites them in the butt with his first appearance versus the Oilers. I feel like he’s going to bite a lot of teams in the butt with uh the way he could play if that continues and he continues to uh evolve and become a better goalie uh throughout his career. Uh, Mowgli replied to us as Tom and By this is what I meant by my comment. Knoblock stated that he doesn’t develop in this league, but is that what he was brought here to do, especially the rookies? I don’t think so. I think they thought he was the right coach to help them win and push the right buttons, which he has done and did get credit for, especially his first year when he helped, you know, turn the ship around. And obviously, it wasn’t just him. he had um you know players pick up their slack and play much better after that 29 and one start. But even last year there were times where it seemed like every thing he tried uh was working and and they would get on to nice hot winning like hot streaks and winning streaks and um this year hasn’t really been the case and he’s been questioned a lot but um yeah no it’s I think they felt he was the right coach to help them win not so much develop. At the end of the day, the NHL is not a development league. It’s a what have you done for me lately league and it’s the only one in the world that’s not a development league. Every other league you’re you can develop all the all you want. But when you get to the NHL, it is about as simple as what have you done for me lately? That’s what you get slotted into. So yeah, he’s not developing players anymore. Will they develop? Yes, they will develop because they’re playing longer in the NHL. They’re they’re going to sharpen their skill set. They’re going to do different things. But at the end of the day, if Clottenberg turns over puck today, and I’m only using him because it’s uh it’s fresh in their minds, but he turns a puck over, well, he plays four minutes. Yeah. Okay. Well, he averages usually what in and since he’s been up, he’s been around that 8 minute mark. Uh he had six the other night or other afternoon in in Seattle. So, he’s two minutes less because he turned the puck over. So, for him, like his development is going to be based on, well, what are my minutes going to look like moving forward throughout my NHL career? Am I going to challenge McDavid for his spot? No, I’m not. Am I going to challenge dry settle? No, I’m not. So, how do I find valuable minutes where I can make an impact based on my four, five, six, seven, eight, even nine minutes of ice time? I can’t turn over those pucks. I have to be the guy that gets the puck to the red and I got to chip it in. So, that will be his development when he gets here. But because he’s in the NHL, it’s hey, you might have got away with that down in the miners, but not here. You’re going to sit down and you’re going to have to learn from what you just did. And it is what it is. Now, people are going to turn around and be like, well, Bard and blah blah blah. Like, once again, it’s what have you done for me lately? And Buchard, what have you done for me lately has gotten better. has gotten better. Absolutely pretty damn solid. At at Ble, you are correct. Clattenberg came into action tonight averaging 827, although he had only played three games. Tonight being his fourth. Um, Benny, did you want to add anything or do you want me to dive into the inbox here? I just want like I for me I think there’s been obviously a lot of hype around Clattenburg and and I love every minute of it. I think I think he’s a rock star and and he’s 20-year-old kid showing up and and having some confidence already in NHL is great. Um, but tonight was what his 20th uh pro pro game in his in his career, right? I I am in the mind of I don’t think his outside of, you know, having the puck on his stick or outside of his physical side, he’s not NHL level in my opinion. I don’t think he is an elite level guy in his own end or a guy with that has an immense amount of talent with the puck on his stick. He’s there for a certain job and that job is to go run a guy, cause a muck, bring bring that energy that to the to this team that really needs it. Um, and so I I think for a coach that’s in this position, I think that’s that’s Clber’s role for the rest of his career. Honestly, I I don’t really see that much more of a peak for him. like if he could be a bottom six guy um and do what he’s doing now except probably with more minutes later down the line in his career, I think that’s a great career and I think that’s probably what’s best for him. Um but just right now I I I could definitely see why he he those minutes are subtracted. It’s it’s he’s just not he’s not as wellrounded of a player um as I think he will be in a couple years. Well, hey, like here here’s a perfect example of it and I’ll just use my own career. Um I was playing for Minnesota. I was playing in Miners. I got called up from Houston. I traveled all day to get to Edmonton. I arrived here in Edmonton at 300 p.m. Edmonton, I’m ready to play. Like, let’s go. I got a nap. I got it. I got a chance to eat something quickly. Jumped on the bus. Was at the rink. Did my thing. First shift plus. Oh, no. It was my second shift plus. Okay, cool. Third shift, the puck jumped over my stick. Not like I was playing bad. The puck jumped over my stick. I didn’t see the ice for the rest of the game. It was a minute and 45 seconds. I remember coming off the ice after the first period and Jean came to interview interview me, but somebody was like, “Hey, he’s had a rough period. He’s only played very like not a lot.” And I’m just like, I didn’t turn the puck over, jumped over my stick, right? Jacqu Laair thought, was it Jacqu Lamair? I don’t know. He was your coach. It doesn’t matter who it was. But the reality is he’s like, “I didn’t think you were ready.” He talked to me after the game. He goes, “I didn’t think you’re ready. Puck jumped over your stick.” The next night, I believe we played the Oilers again and then I had 19 minutes of ice. So it was like, “So what have you done for me lately?” According to the coach, so he didn’t think I was ready. Guess what? You’re not going to play. I was her top prospect at that particular time. Then the next the next day, I was playing top four minutes. So, it’s just like you live and you learn and you try to figure it out as it goes on. I’m looking at your game log. Uh, that game that game in ‘ 06 07 was January 12th. Yeah. You were plus one. Yeah. You had three shifts and you played a minute 45. Oh, I know. I I I remember it vividly. Yeah. Do you remember every second? Yeah, I remember every single second of it. I was feeling like I was pretty good. high stepping and warm up. I’m ready to go. I’m like, man, this is sick. My hometown off. Bucky on my head. No, he wanted to bad sty. But I’m telling you, it was like second shift in we I was plus one. I’m like, man, this is sick. I’m going to play a lot. Boom. Buck jumps over my stick. Don’t even get off this bench again. Actually, you know what? Sit right in the middle and warm up my feet. It gets cold in Rexol. It did. It did. Um you played then the the next game at Chicago you were plus one again. Uh you played 437 with six shifts and then like you said you were getting uh heavier minutes. You played against Edmonton at Mini 1738 that game. You played January 19th at Chicago 1247 and then you were at Phoenix on February 3rd and you played 1032. Um yeah that’s that’s tough man. It is what it is. Yeah, it is what it is. But I mean, listen, Clattenberg’s got so much ahead of him in his in his NHL journey and pro journey, but um yeah, it’s kind of a harsh lesson, but don’t don’t make that mistake again. Yeah. Don’t do it. Yeah, exactly. All right, let’s go into I I love how we went down memory road. Uh I just Well, it’s just it’s very real, right? Yeah, it’s it’s one of those things where it’s like, okay, yeah, in theory, guys up and you’re like, he’s got to develop and he’s got to play, but like coaches don’t care. They they want to win. They’re paid to win. So, when you get to the NHL, it’s play or don’t. Like, just don’t play. Like, that’s the most simple terms I can possibly put it. Be ready to go. Don’t do stupid things, especially when you’re young. or you’re gonna end up becoming the grocery stick where you’re just dividing the defense and the forward and you just keep moving back and forth. That’s that’s what you become. So, I don’t know. Lived it sucks. Uh JC says, “Hi, Tom Gazola, my love.” Hello, darling. Always working, Tom. I don’t. Yeah, I guess so. Uh let’s go to the wolf. The Wolf texting in says, “I feel that if McDavid would have drove the net, he we would have had a better chance at getting a down and dirty goal at the end of that game rather than him looking for the halfway perimeter play. That’s why I’m so dry all pissy right now.” Signed the Wolf. Oh, what’s up, Wolf? Good to hear from you. Calgary Glenn, hello Calgary Glenn says, “Good game. The Oilers played a solid game except for one lost faceoff. The Wild play some of the best team defense in the league. They box players out. They get sticks in passing lanes. They win board battles. They don’t give up very many great AA chances. I wish the Oilers played team defense like that. And Calgary Glenn, I like that you bring up uh Oilers team defense because to me it looked like the Oilers defensive game in their own zone seemed improved. Mhm. Like more attention to detail. Bsey, what did you see there? Yeah, I I thought they were better. I thought they were taking away time and space a little bit more. Like they didn’t just sit in, you know, in their structure and allow, you know, Minnesota to make plays. Um, I thought they forced better. I thought they they did a good job of being positionally sound, getting sticks in the lane. Um, keeping Yes, they did keep them to the outside for the most part and then when there was a shot, they they went and they boxed guys out. So, I I thought they did a better job um of defending, which is nice to see because that’s what’s going to help them get out of this slump. And if you’re giving up one goal a game more often than not, you should probably win. Yeah. Yeah. I on the thumbnail uh I I felt like I can give this guy a little bit of love. Uh Alec Regula uh I have on the thumbnail. Uh mainly because to me in that first period uh I saw a lot more shot blocks by the Oilers defense and I don’t know maybe I’ve missed that throughout this year but like at least in that first period it looked like they were blocking a lot more shots and like than they used to and Regula was with with a couple of the big ones there. And I think that that’s a I think that’s more of just a point that they’re in they’re positionally sound, right? Like they they are in position to block the shot, right? They’re not scrambling around their own zone and having to fly across their own zone cuz try to make up for one guy uh misreading a play. Like I I think of the uh the begoian chance that he had in the slot where Regula comes out and just takes it right off the the knee or whatever. like that that block was able to happen because every guy had their guy and yes, Minnesota made some good tic-tac-toe plays, but it all led to Regula following Bejan the whole way and getting square in front of the shot. So, I that that type of stuff I think if they carry that stuff on throughout the season, their their their goal totals against are going to come down. Uh, this text I’m going to make a joke here, but it’s from T-Man. Says, “I’m seriously wondering what kind of leadership these guys are getting behind closed doors, cuz they sure don’t get pumped up unless they’re winning.” Don’t even question it. Nope. Don’t even question it. Lol. Lol. Yeah. So stupid. Um, yeah, we’re not going to go there. It’s just a waste of time. Let’s go to the inbox 780218999. Uh, this one says, “I like that they attacked more than letting Minnesota come at them. That was a real nice change to what we have seen so far.” Yep, that’s a good point. I’m with you there. Um, this one says that Broaddin is such a good defenseman. He and uh, Faber have to be one of the better pairings in the league. Broaddin’s been doing it for a long time. Remember, he was drafted the same year as um, Oscar Cleftbomb. They were very good friends. A couple of decent or really good smooth Swedish defenseman. So that Faber is pretty good too. They have a good team in M. Like the roster is good on paper. They play well. I mean uh John Hines is a good coach. The goalending’s superb and then they’ve put it together. I know last year they were dealing with injuries and that really set their their season back and they got healthy late in the year, but uh they until those injuries hit, they were like top three in the league. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Um that’s a good point. Uh let’s see what else we got here. Chris says, “I put this loss squarely on Tom and Jay for not calling out players and bed posting that to his.” Come on, guys. Don’t mess with Yes. Yes. Chris, sorry. I I see what you did there. Uh, all right. Do we have clips yet, Benny? Nothing. Nothing’s came out yet. I Someone was mentioning that I need to grab McDavids because apparently he’s salty. Um, I don’t know. True, but we’ll we’ll All right. Well, we’ll get to that when it’s available. Um, all right. Let’s get to the turning point of the game. I mean, it’s pretty straightforward what happened tonight. Uh, turning point of the game brought to you as always by Advantage Sport Medicine and Physiootherapy on the Postgame show. Cutter McDavid, apparently salty, has a team of specialists. You’ve got a bag of frozen peas. Get the same locker room approach trusted by the best in the game at Advantage Sport Medicine. Book your assessment today. www.advantportmed.ca or call 78-4609977. I mean guys, it was a tight game. I thought the played well overall. Obviously Minnesota’s on top of their game. They’ve been playing very well. Eight wins in their last nine and then they had the shootout loss the other day against Buffalo. But uh at 1311 of the first period, Jonas Broaddin screen, quick screen, the flash screen you called it, right Bsey? Yep. Uh on the Nico Sturm faceoff win on Leon Dryidle. Uh Broaddin burries his third. Sturm’s first assist of the season and it ends up standing up as the game winner. Edmonton peppered Walstead with 33 shots. Some of them are pretty good chances. They tried to get some some stuff on him in tight. They tried going uh across the ice and across the crease. And you saw Heyman with a couple opportunities where he couldn’t really stuff it home. But um that goal at 1311 of the first period is the winner. And it will be your advantage sport medicine and physiootherapy turning point of the game. You need to get a little work done on your body. Maybe you’re feeling your back your back is sore like Conor McDavids. You need somebody to work on it. Go see the crew at Advantage Sport Medicine and Physioop uh therapy. www.advantagportmed.ca. CA and the number again for is 780460997. All right, you got Ben Thompson, Tom Gazola, and Sean Bell with you. Benny back at EST Global HQ. Uh Belie and I at the EST Satellite Studios in uh downtown Everton, aka my place. And uh why why are you smiling, Belle? What do you got? Freddy Bradley responded to me. He saw the clip. Yeah, he did. What did he say? He just said laugh out loud. Oh yeah, it’s it’s funny who sees like all of us are station laugh out loud actually is serious and that is that is laughing at it. Yes. In a in a funny manner. So ridiculous. I was It was funny. I was I was uh going through hell hockey last night to think of like what clip I wanted to make and those two stories I we’ll be posting another one later. Uh the Zuboff story. I’m like those are hilarious. Those are your Zub story was great. Yeah Zuboff one’s pretty funny. Yeah. Benny will put that up. Benny’s been doing a great job with the social media side of things and uh people are giving you Norman a combine giving you some love for your producing ability. I I Benny I think you’re average. I’m just kidding. You’re fantastic. He’s doing a great job. He’s doing a great job. Um Mowgli wants us to talk about the the screen on that goal. He didn’t see it. Uh Bely, I thought you had a good way to explain. Well, yeah, the the screen happened like off the face off. So the puck basically went straight back to Broaddin. That inside winger kind of rolled through. So as Broaddin shot the puck, he rolled just off to the side. So as he shot it, you can’t see where the puck is because it’s actually going to hit the guy, but he moves kind of at that last second. And that’s why Skinner like the way that he reacted. Yeah. He’s just like like he Yeah. Like it’s he’s didn’t catch up to the puck. Yeah. So usually that’s what happens when when a guy can’t see it. you’re like, “Oh, it’s a late reaction.” As opposed to like you’re up here and then you come down off of like a tip. So, I mean, it’s it’s something that teams practice. Now, maybe that particular play wasn’t a practiced or rehearsed play. Um but yeah, teams teams practice trying to do flashing screens all the time and you know split second taking away his eyes so that you know goalender loses track of that track of the puck for a split second and then you know maybe they bobble the puck and it’s sitting right on top of the crease and you can you can bang it home off a rebound. Um so it’s just you know things that uh small detail things that that teams try to do. Um I want to get to this one uh via the text lines from Herszy. Herszy has a question. Says, “Evening guys, I like the effort. Thought the Oders played a good game. One thing I keep noticing is how much Ekome is regressing. He turns over the puck way more than he used to. And it’s not like they are forced turnovers. He just gives the puck away. At this rate, he’ll be unplayable a year and a half from now. Any thoughts, Herszy?” Well, if he continues to um, you know, go the opposite way, he becomes a perfect six defenseman. He’s it’s like it’s a fading into you fade into six. Yeah. And he’s he’s making four million bucks near the end of that with the cap going up. Like I I wouldn’t be surprised if bottom pairing defenseman are getting paid that type of money. So I I I don’t I don’t that’s why I didn’t mind the contract extension. It’s not like he got paid more than what he makes now. It’s like it’s like they are factoring in that he is going to continue to digress and and and or I think is that the right word? Digress now or No, digress is like when you make a point. Yeah, but you you understand the point the the of him just making regress. There you go. I know there um but uh yeah, you know, he was regressed a little bit more throughout his career throughout that contract. I I think the money kind of suits it though. So, I’m not The only thing that you would have to worry about is okay if you know the situation where he keeps regressing if he does. Um how are you going to fill his spot? That would be the one thing that you’d be want you’d want to be concerned about. But I mean, that’s a tomorrow problem. Uh, and right now he he hasn’t got to a point where he’s a he’s a 60 man. He’s still a he’s a top four defenseman in the NHL. So, you know, he’s Yeah, he turns over pucks a little bit more. And maybe it’s as simple as they’re trying to force plays a little bit more, right? Guys aren’t settling into the game. you’re starting to see guys settle into their games, but from time to time guys just they start rushing things and because they they’re trying to make up for, you know, bad play that they had maybe earlier in the season. They’re trying to make it all up at the, you know, in one, two, three games as opposed to just letting the game come to them. And I I think you’ll see him um at home be fine as it uh as the season progresses. Um he’s a wy veteran. You’ll figure it out. 780218999 jumping to the nasty chat as well. Corey J asking, do you know why Tyler Wright and Ken Holland passed on Walstead? Um, we talked about on the pregame show and this was something that was discussed. It was the people had uh questions about his personality, character, whatever you want to call it. Um, not just the Oilers but other teams as well. And uh that’s what I was told at the time and then you’ve heard uh people talking about it as well recently. But the guy’s on fire. Obviously the talent is there. We saw it firsthand tonight. Um they’ve developed him into a really good goalie and the fact they have Gustoson there that’s turned into a really good tandem. But uh just to to discuss it again, that’s that’s what we were told and why the owners really wanted Sebastian Kosa and the Red Wings got to him first. Jordan texting in says that’s the first loss all season that the Oilers actually deserve better. Is this progress? What do you guys think? Well, I I think that they put together four or five pretty decent games. So, are the engines on? Maybe. It’s better than what it was. So, I think you you got to take that and acknowledge the fact that, you know, where were they started to where they are now? It’s it’s definitely strides in the right direction. Um, you just hope that they continue to improve upon it and find some goal scoring in tight games like the one that we just saw tonight. Oh, go ahead, Benny. Sorry. Uh, the to me I think when teams are in or aren’t playing well, it’s about stacking solid efforts on top of solid efforts. And the worst thing you can do is when you have I think when you when you have some solid efforts going, you completely just let one completely put a stake on all of it and ruin it, right? and and that could have been the case in the Dallas game. Um, but with tonight’s loss, to me, they don’t they don’t lose any momentum that they’re starting to build. To me, it it this can very easily transfer over into the game against Seattle on Thursday. So, I to me it’s it’s about more the effort than the actual score of how the game went down tonight. And overall, I thought the Oilers effort was there. So, I I don’t I don’t see tonight ruining their their their progress and and anything like that. Yeah, that’s a good point. Fair point. Colorado Rusty text in says, “Solid game. Difference between the team uh these teams is one team’s defensive game collapses around the goalie and absolutely sells out to stop block/ chip pucks away and in their own zone. Give up nothing on rebounds or scrums. They always win. Oilers need to learn how to do this.” That’s from Colorado Rusty. All right. Uh Reed Wilkins is standing by. We also have Zack Heyman ready. Uh we have McD who Reed says wasn’t salty. And Ble, do you do you want to stick around? I mean, we have a little bit more time left. Or do you are you I’ll probably head back to the uh the dirty south here. I got to be up early for a quick practice. So, I’ll uh I’ll bounce and you’re in safe hands with Reed. Yes, we are. All right. Do you want to take a look ahead to Thursday’s matchup real quick with the Seattle Kraken? Yeah, it’s going to be uh revenge match up for obviously the Kraken. Um you got to find a way to to kind of bring that same effort that you did today uh defensively. Uh they’re very sound tonight. You got to bring that back again. Um it’ll be it’ll be a good test because it’s another team that is ahead of you right now in the standings. And right now, you’ve got to bring it every single night, you have no you have no off nights anymore because the more off nights that you have, uh, unfortunately, the the further back in the standings you go. So, um, you got to bring it every single night and the Kraken would be a good test. One of those four-point matchups that we talked about because the Kraken, I believe, have 28 points and the the Oilers have 27. So, you can leapfrog a team. Um, this up, what was it Thursday? Um, yeah, you can leaprog them and and start to try to put a little distance between you yourself and and another team in your division. Ble, uh, you know where the beer is if you need one before you head off. Great stuff as always, my friend. And I’ll see you tomorrow on the hangout. Sounds good. See you, boys. Nasties. There’s our game analyst, Sean Bell, helping us break down Edmonton’s one- nothing loss to the Minnesota Wild. All right, Reed Wilkins is standing by. We do have McDavid. I’m assuming it’s not particularly long. So, let’s hear from McDavid. We can discuss amongst ourselves if he was salty or not. Reed says no. No salt. Let’s go inside the orders locker room and when we come back, we’ll have Reed with us for Reed’s Reed brought to you by Ewell. All right, here we go. Conor McDavid, especially you had the puck a lot in their end. Uh just how do you look at the opportunities you had this evening? Uh yeah, I mean we had some looks. Um thought they their goalie played well there. They defended hard. um just maybe not clean enough to uh to score in a game like that. I mean, he’s obviously on a hot streak as a goalender, but how how were they in terms of defending the slot maybe compared to some other teams you’ve seen? Uh yeah, they defended well. Obviously, they’re playing well, playing well. They’re doing a lot of really good things. Um yeah. Did you like a lot about your team game? Um, yeah. I mean, I thought we Yeah, we uh, as I said, generated looks, only gave up one. Usually when you give up one, you’re going to win a lot of games. We didn’t. Overall, just the quality of the offensive looks that you had tonight, Connor, like was it uh what do you think what you guys were able to generate overall and the danger level you were able to create? Yeah, maybe not the most great a grade a chances, but um, you know, we definitely threw pucks there. um had some looks, passed some away myself more than anybody. Um so you mentioned passing those away, Connor. Um you you’ve talked lots about you you want to shoot more. What kind of what did you see there that led you to want to pass it rather than fire? I stand on the backside. So obviously trying to get on the puck. Um but yeah, I can take those. Then you guys are trying to find your game and and stack good games on each other. Just because you lose, does it not I mean, can you count this as a good game stacked on the last good game? Do you you know what I mean? If you are you building something here? Yeah, you know, I thought there were some good signs. Um played real solid in Seattle. I thought we played another pretty decent one here today. That’s a good sign. Okay. I didn’t think he was salty. Conor McDavid after one- nothing loss to the Minnesota Wild. Not that salty. I just more disappointed, maybe frustrated than anything. Yeah, I think he was disappointed. I think he was maybe a little angry at himself. I mean, he kind of referenced there that he felt he made a couple bad decisions offensively. I I think what the pass with about 8 seconds left, tried to make a play, I believe it got tipped away or or didn’t get completed. So, yeah, I mean, he’s the top offensive player on a team that got shut out. So in that situation, you probably feel a little more responsibility than other people or at least take more um than than other nights. I mean, Kelly Rudy told me a story Mike Bossy once. He said if uh if Mike Bossi didn’t score and the Islanders won, he was the happiest guy in the world and slapping the backs of the guys who did score. If the Islanders lost by a goal and Mike Bossy didn’t score, he took it on himself. It’s my job to score goals and we were one short. So that’s that’s on me. That’s how he would look at it. So I probably some of the offensive players are feeling a bit like that tonight. Um it is Reeds Reed. Uh I love that about Mike Bossy by the way. One of the greatest goal scorers of all time. Uh Reeds Reed brought to you by Ewell, your power play specialist. Ewell has the gear you need for your next electrical project with three Edmonton area locations and you can order online anytime at ewell.ca. Ewell your Edmontonbased partner in power and source for all things electrical. Read I’m going to uh read this message from Dirty Curtis says Oilers most predictable result ever. Someone take Tyler Wright’s laces. I can’t even keep track the number of poor force passes that were intercepted. Mini a good Dzone team with excellent tending. Go figure. Dirty Curtie. Rick, how’d you see tonight’s game? Well, I I thought other than the first few minutes of the game, Minnesota dominated the first period. I I think the Oilers had a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal early in the game and it ended up uh 97 Minnesota in the first period. I thought they looked quicker than the Oilers. I thought their forch check was excellent. I think Minnesota is a good defensive team, but I also think some of their quote unquote defending is that they’re good enough to spend a lot of time in the other team’s end of the rink. And I thought that’s what they did in the first period. I do think the Oilers, even when they were getting hemmed in in the first period, they played more under control. You know, they they were doing a good job. Uh maybe not a a good job, but they were battling. They were they weren’t being pulled out of position. They they were collapsing to the net. They were trying to take away the slot. I heard you when I was driving home talking about couple of the shot blocks, you know, that’s just because they were kind of staying near home plate. They weren’t getting sucked out or running around. They were protecting the front of the net. Mhm. So, you know, that that was a good sign that even though they were being outplayed, it didn’t spin out of control like we’ve seen in several games this season, including two of the last three home games. Um, so, so that was a positive and and then once they they got going in the second period, I mean, they they did carry most of the play. Yep. Uh, certainly territorially. I I think their their best chance to actually score tonight was on their first power play. There was the Heyman opportunity where he put it to the backand. They had a couple other good looks on that they didn’t they weren’t able to convert. Um, I mean, they clearly outshot Minnesota quite significantly over the Where’s the shots by period here? You know what? I just realized that they made a mistake on the stats they handed out. Both sides are the same. Usually Usually one side has the scoring summary and the other side has the I’ve never seen that before. Someone’s in trouble. So, so the shots after the first would have been 2615 I think for Edmonton just off the top of my head. So, it it it is it is a frustrating loss though, 22. Um I actually didn’t think there were a lot of great a chances at either end. I mean the the certainly five on five the Walstead save on Heyman was the save of the night. That was the best chance. The orders had a couple other chances, you know, with bouncing pucks in front. I think Majapani edged one just wide off a rebound in the third period. The wild too, like they had some bouncing pucks or ones that went into the crease, but there wasn’t a lot clean in this game. Uh, I’d have to go back and watch it. Knoblock said in his post game that he thought the point shot that beat Skinner was changed direction up high and fooled him a little bit. Um, clearly off a clean faceoff loss. Um, so the I mean the orers just couldn’t convert. Now, now the thing is and somebody sent in a text along these lines that they said this was maybe the first time this season the orders should have won and they lost. Yeah, sometimes that happens. The the problem is the orders probably already have six maybe even eight or nine points in which they should have got zero or one in a game. True. So, the the the the scary thing is, and I do like the way the order is played for the most part tonight, but this the scary thing is to be on the negative side if I’m going to be pessimistic, which I won’t be this entire time, but if things are going to even out, they’re they’re still going to even out with the maybe losing some games that they should have won because they should have lost to the New York Rangers. Skinners stole it. They should have lost to the Montreal Canadians. Yep. You know, they should have lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets when they were down 4-2 and then got a fluky short-handed goal by Walman. So, there’s six points right there that probably should have been zero or one. Mhm. Uh so, tonight, you know, you probably deserved at least to get this game into overtime and then roll your dice, but they didn’t get that. Um so, you know, that that is something to keep in mind. Like I wrote down with 11 minutes left the shots were 318 for Edmonton, you know. So, and then what did what did they end? 30 3326, I think. 33 24 33 24. So, the Oilers actually only got three shots in the final 11 minutes. But Minnesota’s good. Like, they didn’t give up a lot clean, but I but I think we also I think I should we should recognize that the Oilers didn’t give up a lot clean either. The Wild just happened to take the shot that went in tonight. This text comes in from Greg the sound guy says, “How great was Xavier Borggo tonight. They blew another one when I can watch poor Stew let in another week goal glove side. I’m beyond frustrated with everything Oiler. Have a great show, boys. I’m going to drink now.” That’s from Greg the sound guy. This one says, “Death, taxes, and Walstead shutting out the Oilers tonight.” Uh, this one from Sean says, “The Oilers got goalied, or should I say Walstat.” Uh, and then another text says, “A highly entertaining one- nothing game. Too bad the orders were on the wrong side of it. Hopefully they can keep playing well, but get some good results on the home stand.” Uh, keep those texts coming in. 780 21899. Uh, I mean, I don’t think they have anything to be discouraged by outside of the result tonight. Reedrich and Benny, you go into Thursday, try to do what you did to Seattle. Obviously, they played a very good game on Saturday and then um I do we see much change? Do you tinker with the lines? You just roll it out the same way if you’re Chris Nlock on on Thursday, pardon me. Yeah, I think you got to hope they repeat this effort and build on it and and stick to the details. I mean, Clattenberg’s ice time got really cut after he turned the puck over in the second period. Um having said that, I would not bring Tamasic back in for Clattenberg. I I I would go I would go with the same lineup. Um yeah, I I just want to say this to everybody and I’m not defending the Oilers draft record because quite frankly it’s been below average to terrible for about 35 years. Okay. I I want everybody to hear that it has been bad. It’s it’s been quite putrid. Mhm. And I and I agree about Borgo not obviously didn’t turn out to be a great pick. No. Walstead’s played 10 games as an NHL regular. Okay. I’m not ready to anoint him Ken Dryen quite yet. Okay. RIP. His his his save percentage now I believe would be above 940. If he can do that for the entire season, then please indicate that on my show later in the season. Like it is it is an incredible start to to his to his career. I know he played I think three games last year and one or two the year before or or appearances. Yeah, he’s played like 15 games now. Let’s just let’s just see how he does. Let’s just see how he does. I mean, right right now it looks like Minnesota absolutely nailed it. Right now it looks like he should have gone first overall. Forget about 20th, right? Let’s just see how he does. But but he was very good. I I liked his movement. I I thought he was really quick with his pads. Uh you know, he read the he read the play pretty well, but he’s not going to be a 942 safe percentage goalender for his career. Let let’s see how low his lows are. Let’s see how he he deals with those. But yes, short term he’s winning Minnesota games or he is a big reason why they’re they’re winning games. So really I thought he made one one spectacular save tonight and a bunch and a bunch of good saves. And and yes, I get it from Greg the sound guy. That’s a frustrating goal to see Skinner allow. Mhm. Having said that, Skinner’s allowed one goal on about his last 55 shots. So uh this this was an this was more an offensive failure to me than a than a goalending defending failure. Yeah, and I mean that is a theme that has uh been maintained throughout the season is the inability to score enough goals and we saw it again tonight. Granted, yes, the Wild are very good. They defend well and yes, they have two goalenders playing very solid, too. Uh, I want to get to this text says, “Games like this show why Connor Brown and Cory Perry are needed on a team like this, especially when Skinner lets a goal in on the first five shots every second game. Go BAC U1A Blazers on in Saskatoon this weekend. Signed Jet ski and Brado.” Hello Jet ski and I think they Sorry. Go ahead. I think they miss Corey Perry way more than Connor Brown personally. Uh, Jet ski and Brado are like 10 years old. So, they’re Patty Ketty’s. Uh, they’re with Patty Ketty’s. Oh, that’s the guy on my show, right? Yeah. Uncle Uncle Reed’s a little upset, right? I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding. Uh, all right. It’s Reed Reed brought to you by Ewell. Keep those texts coming in. Uh, what are you laughing at, Betty? The pizza boy chat. Reed said they go 5 and0 on this home stand. He did. He said it on the oil stream yesterday. Well done. I say a lot of things. Yeah, you do. We all do sometimes just to entertain people. It’s up to the audience to try and figure out which I’m doing at what particular time. Right. Right. Uh okay, Rito. Uh Red, uh take a peek ahead to Thursday against the Kraken. Well, a team they just beat quite handily. Uh and I think if you play this way, a team you got every opportunity to beat be beat again. I just think don’t get discouraged. try try to recognize the the good things that you did. And now Seattle won’t have played since Saturday, right? For them, it’s a home at home. Yeah, it won’t be for Edmonton. But weird is going to keep building. Like they need points. They probably need 60% of their points the rest of the way. So if you look at that, you need this to be at least a three- win home stand. So don’t don’t go down 0 and2 and put all that pressure on yourselves to win the final three. Hey, I enjoyed sitting with you tonight in the press box. Yes, it was quite nice. You’re quite nice. I’ll see you tomorrow. All right. Thanks, guys. There’s Reed’s Reed brought to you by Ewell. Uh, I love it. Thank you, Jet Ski and Brado for the text. A couple of youngsters allowed to stay up late and uh that’s what that’s what happens when you have a cool dad like Pat Ketty. Just a cool dad straight up. Love it. Uh, all right. A few more texts here, then we’ll get to Benny’s Player of the Game, brought to you by Damon Bunting Real Estate. Uh, this one says, “I think this group is better than the record. I’m okay with letting this play out. I’ve been disappointed with the end result for the last couple years. I think I can handle this one. No name on that text.” Uh, Juan Juan pointed out that Reed Schaefer scored his first NHL goal tonight. Yes. For Nashville in a 51 Predators win over Calgary. And then Juan also pointing out that Troy Stetra scored tonight. One of those nights, Juan. One of those nights. Uh, this one says, “Love the perspective on your show. Hope they build on these performances. Hopefully the wins will come.” Stu made some nice saves tonight as well. Love the show. Thank you. Appreciate that very, very much. And the more the merrier on this show. Uh, Greg the Sound Guy followed up with, “Thank you, Reed. That’s very true. Love it. Love it. This has been good.” Uh, all right. Uh, Benny, let’s get to the player of the game. Brought to you by Damon Bunting Real Estate. Damon Bunting, consistent top producing realtor in the greater Everton area for over 18 years. Community driven. Damon understands what it takes to make a difference in our city. Check him out, damon bunting.com, or visit his Instagram, Damon Bunting Real Estate. I think he’s doing his days of Christmas right now. So, follow him. He’s got like giveaways. I think I think last year it was like Oilers tickets. Damon likes good stuff. I’ve known him for a bunch of years. He likes good stuff and he wants to give good stuff to to people. So check him out. Damon Bunting Real Estate on IG. Okay, Benny Thompson, take it away. Okay, so in in a game where final score is one- nothing, um I mean I’m I’m going to I’m going to keep this to the Oilers. Um because if if I were to pick an actual the the first first star is is is canceled out. Okay. Jesper Walstead. I’m I’m avoiding the first star. Okay. I Well earned first star from Walstead. Well earned and he’s of a player of a game. Uh but I’m going to give it I’m going to try to keep it off of uh the three stars. I I’m going to give it to this guy mainly because one, I don’t think he’ll get it for the rest of the year. Uh and that’s not a that’s not a dig at him necessarily. It’s more just the role he plays. Um, and I thought he made some some pretty stellar uh plays on the on the defensive end. I’ll give it Alec Regula. He had some big shot blocks that uh that that kept the I believe his one of his first blocks was to keep it 000 and then I think he had another big one after the the goal. Um cuz I mean if if if Minnesota scores two or three in the first period, you could totally see a different strategy for the Oilers in the second and third period that could make them a little bit more um prone to giving up more high danger chances and all that stuff. So um honestly I I’m going to give it Alec Regula cuz you know I guys like him don’t get a whole lot of love and uh I’ll give it to him because I thought he had a pretty solid performance on the back end tonight um keeping Minnesota just to just one goal but unfortunately not getting the W. I’m just checking the nasty chat to see if Dusty is going to be all over you. I’m getting fired. Yeah. Uh he he does not like Regula right now. So I think Dusty went to bed, but uh yeah. So Alec, that’s very nice of you, Benny. You’re very thoughtful. You’re a nice You’re a nice young man. Thanks. I I try. I try. You do all the time. You do good work. You do good work. Uh all right. Uh let’s see. Oh, Nash and White Court. I’m sorry, Nash. I didn’t I didn’t have your name saved in my system with our text line. I apologize. Uh, good to hear from Nash in White Court. Hope everything’s good over in White Court. What are you laughing at? Dusty responded. Oh, he’s in there. Solid answer, but Regula isn’t good. Dusty. Oh, Dusty, go to bed. You need to rest. I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding. All right, Thursday night. Try to bounce back. Listen, they’re playing better hockey. They’ve been playing good hockey outside of that game against uh Dallas last Tuesday, but you know, you look at the end of the road trip, the seven gamer. Played good. Didn’t get the result in Tampa. Picked up a point. Finished it strong with that win in Florida. Get their asses kicked by the Dallas Stars. Then they bounced back Saturday with like one of their better performances. Like satisfying allound wins. Played good tonight. Ran into a hot goalie and a hot team. They only lose one- nothing. Couldn’t score. Obviously, you’re concerned about that. It’s kind of been an issue all season long like we were talking about. Go back to what worked on Saturday. I mean, you could even stick with I think if you play this game tonight the same way on Thursday, you’re winning. Yep. You know, so yeah, and 111 and five. Listen, it’s not good. Um, this team should be better, but there’s a lot of teams that are, as Benny would say, mid right now. And the Oilers unfortunately are mid and this result uh adds to that. But bounce back on Thursday against Seattle and we’re talking about maybe a good weekend against a a weak weakened Jets team on Saturday and then you know Buffalo comes to town, you wrap it up against Detroit. There’s opportunity here and if this team continues to play this way, I think they’re winning a couple of games uh coming up on the the rest of the week and then maybe even to next week. So that’s my thoughts on that. Benny, any final thoughts from you? Yeah, I I think you touched it pretty well there. I the if if the effort is the same tonight uh against Seattle on Thursday, I like their chances of winning. Um and to to me, it’s like I said earlier, a loss like this, you can’t to me, you don’t ruin your momentum with you had a solid effort. There’s there is stuff to build off of and you’ve been playing well, you know, the past four of five games. That one game is a is a big big pile of crap. Uh but if you if you push that aside, it’s been pretty good. Uh outside of that, so if as long as they keep playing this this this kind of new style of hockey that they’ve been playing that’s or at least maybe their old style that’s now clicking, um I I like their chances of winning Thursday. I like their chances of kind of turn this around. Um, I understand the record is is not good and um there you can say whatever you want about that, but to me it’s I I look at it how the team is playing and what they deserve and and and their effort and I think it’s starting to turn around here. So, uh yeah, we guess we’ll see what happens on Thursday, but um I’m a little bit more confident in what the orange and blue will do. All right, they get going on Thursday at 7 o’clock. will be on the air 6:00 for the GCL Diesel Oil Stream pregame show. Oilers looking to get back into the wind column. Welcoming in the Seattle Kraken. That’s going to do it for the GCL Diesel oil stream postgame show right here on Edmonton Sports Talk. A full day of shows. Uh it’s been a good one and we’re back at it tomorrow 6 a.m. Dusty, Eric, and uh Trev with the Neielson show. Dusty says good night everyone. Good night, sweet prince. Good night to everybody that watched and listened. You know, we appreciate you very, very much. For Belleie, for Reed, for Benny, I’m Tommy saying have a wonderful night. Thank you for watching. Thank you for listening. We’ll see you tomorrow.

The Oilers fail to solve Wallstedt as they lose to the Wild by the score of 1-0. Tom Gazzola, Ben Thomson, Shawn Belle and Reid Wilkins break this game down with lots of talk around the possible Oilers goalie at the 2021 NHL Draft. Did you like the Oilers effort? Should Skinner have stopped the only goal tonight? Can the Oilers still build off this loss? All of this discussion and so much more on this edition of The GCL Diesel Oil Stream Postgame Show here on Edmonton Sports Talk!