TrueBlue4ever

As dour as the Sportsnet panel has come across this playoff series, I am not sure they are rooting actively against the Jets. But they certainly want exciting storylines, and McDavid and the Leafs will drive their ratings, so they are absolutely taking an Oilers-centric approach. From the “non-called penalties” take in game 2 and before game 3 where they claimed “you don’t want to take chances against this power play, the Jets just haven’t gotten caught yet” to the post game review by the Oilers broadcast panel, the entire take was “Oilers choke” and zero credit for “Jets fight back” which is an angle you know they would have taken were it the Leafs storming back (we saw that last year against the Blue Jackets). But I remind myself that Rogers has a stake in the Oilers and not the Jets (broadcast and arena naming rights), but they seem to forget that they are supposed to be a national broadcaster. Meanwhile on TSN, Jay Onrait was positively giddy and celebrating a remarkable comeback and exciting game. And then there was this gem: Sara Orlesky is awesome!

Josh Archibald to have a hearing tomorrow with NHL player safety over the Logan Stanley low bridge hit. My bet is he gets fined the max.

Came late the the thread, so just reading through it all. The first 2.5 pages here was a flashback to the Bomber-Stampeder 2019 West-semi thread in the first half of that game. Jets did not quit tonight, a shame some fans on here did.

Nah. We scored 17 points in that game and we were a bad team running out the string against a division champ. Even the 68-7 playoff loss in Edmonton, as embarrassing as that was, felt different. In that one it was clear the “can’t call them that anymore”’s were blatantly cheating, and the refs turned a blind eye. Was as angry as I was sad. But 52-0 in Sask on Labour Day right after Mack scapegoated LaPo with Joe standing on the sidelines “for inspiration” was much worse. An entire team quit on their GM right in front of his face. They were never even close to getting a point the board. And then Mack doubles down at the not-so-mea culpa press conference on Monday by jokingly offering the media milk and cookies. Talk about not reading the room.

The defensive stick positioning and shot blocking has also been a big factor. Defence has played a simple smart game and the only really clear shots the Oilers are getting through are coming from the outside. Lots of tipped or blocked shots.

Garth “frosted tips” Buchko. Was dealt a bit of a bad hand with many things related to Mack and stadium issues out of his control, but ultimately he does have to wear the failures too. Not trying to make excuses for him, he was very fallible.

And I have been critical of DeMelo but his save may be the play of the series when it is all said and done.

YES!!!!!!!!Stastny!

Free hockey!!!!

So saw a stat that Draisaitl averages 1.25 points in a game after he is held scoreless, and McDavid averages 1.57. Don’t know about anyone else, but if we hold them to 3 points combined tonight I would happily take that. Would likely mean only 2 goals against.

He’s been with the organization for 4 seasons now and has not shown any consistent growth to me in that time.

Reminded of the quote from A Few Good Men: “This code of honour of yours makes me want to beat the $#!t out of someone!” Refs should have given Foligno the instigator, even if Perry dropped the gloves first. Getting tired of players having to “answer” for clean hits and accidents.

Vesaleinen shows flashes for brief moments given his size, but we need more from a second liner than one wrist shot chance a game. Not sure what will get him going to that next level. Leaves me often wondering why the hype around him?

I have seen some depressing stuff in my 40 years of Bomber watching, but I would say that the 52-0 Labour Day blowout right after Mack fired LaPo is the single lowest in-game moment I have witnessed in club history. Does anything rank lower to others?

Since I can see all the games for free on TV, I doubt I would unless it was the Bombers. Add in the fact that I live out of town and the practical likelihood is low. But if they had really cheap ticket prices ($5-10) or free and free parking it could be a fun time, and the team would probably soak me on concessions. As long as the league covered the cost of hosting the game and the Bombers did not have to eat the cost of game production, it might be an idea to consider. As has been said, getting out to do anything social would be a welcome change.

A road win is great but seems less significant this year knowing we don’t have the whiteout at home waiting to carry the Jets and suck the life out of the Oilers.

They were a bit snakebit in some games, got goalied in a few, and had a couple of stickers for sure. They were never as bad as the 1-9 record would indicate, and never as good as the 27-13 record before that would suggest. But this is fandom, where relevant concern and criticism can come off as doom and gloom, and the counterpoint can come off as blind allegiance and refusal to see reality. And neither stance is quite right. But good on you for not doubling down. And it was only one game. Measured confidence is appropriate, and there are still things to clean up. But I am enjoying all the media experts backtracking a bit on the “McDavid and the 7-2 regular season Oilers will steamroll” storyline. Best not to argue with each other when the rest of the hockey world is already mostly dismissive of us. Let’s all just bask in the glow of a nice win for one day.

Got to say I am enjoying the shock on the faces of the taking heads at Sportsnet (mainly the Sports Central desk) who can’t believe that the Jets were even competitive, much less won and shut down McDavid and Draiseitl.

Well, for one game at least a one-man team does not mean more than 4 line depth. And although I would not recommend 9 minutes of zero shots and dump outs after taking the lead, I will take the result. And just a casual observance, but the Jets showed some determination tonight, no? 😉

Mine Smith with a poor decision to head off and we have our first shot since the Toninato goal. And another one past the invisible goalie!

I guess choosing Toninato over Harkins paid off. Fire PoMo!

If the refs aren’t going to call that McDavid hook on Wheeler I don’t see them getting an even up power play this game. But we have a phantom goal!!!!!

All year the 2nd period was by far the Jets’ worst against the Oilers. On average for the 9 games they were outshot 14-9. Tonight was 16-8 Oil. The good news is that the 3rd period was typically the Jets’ best on average with an 11-8 shot advantage. Now they just need to find a way to win a close one going into the 3rd.

Jets slower and not hitting in the 2nd. Simple plays not being made to get out of their zone. But Mike Smith having trouble controlling high shots and it leads to the rebound goal by Poolman.

I recall hearing after Mack’s departure that he sat in the draft board room, and when the scouts and Walters all talked about a player, it was not uncommon that 5 people would recommend one guy, Mack was the lone outlier wanting someone else, and in the end Mack got his way because he was the GM and that was just how it was going to be. I vaguely recall Walters alluding to the fact that in his first draft as GM it was going to be enjoyable to have his opinion considered. Taking Poblah off the supplemental draft in favour of the top pick in the regular draft, moving up to grab Pencer with his injury history and off-field issues, Etienne and his size, Johnny Aprile getting picked up as a receiver and then Mack immediately declaring they were going to convert him into a DB - so many off the board picks that defied everyone else’s conventional wisdom, including his own staff’s.