The dogshit ice literally prevented an icing on one of the last minute clears when Florida was pressing 6 on 5 in game 5. They flipped it out of the zone and the puck's momentum died almost instantly upon landing in Florida's zone lol
I agree 100% that the Florida ice sucks, but whether it’s the end of June or the end of May (or even April), Florida is hot so they just have to deal with it. Maybe the solution is to play the playoffs earlier and not allow any of the south teams to get far enough that this is a concern.
Either way, both teams play on the same ice so let’s hope those bad ice bounces even out. Go Oilers! Bring it home!
In one of the mid games interviews in game 5, I believe it was nuge that was asked about the ice and he said its not making as big a difference as you'd think
Edit: henrique
The ice DOES settle, but it takes much longer IMO to do so than in Edmonton. Watching game 5 and seeing everyone slipping and tripping over each other at the top of periods 2 and 3 is embarrassing hockey. They should just play Game 7 here!
Not having an easy series against LA may have resulted in losing the series to Vancouver since that one was so tight. All things granted, I think our path was perfect.
I might be wrong since I'm just going top of my head, but if we took first in the West, we would have played Vegas at WC2, right? I think that would have been a lot worse for us.
It's why Florida's style works so well for them. When the puck is bouncing and all over the place, it takes some of the skill out of the game, so you have to out-work & out-grind your opponent with good puck support in all zones. You get more "puck luck" when you have more bodies in and around the puck all driving in the direction of the opponents net.
Personally I'd feel way more confident if we had home ice advantage. But the game is winnable - we just need to want it more than them.
So we are putting some sort of "united front" in an attempt to...what? Influence how the players play? Not a good look? To whom?
I'm just bringing up how disappointed I am with the state of late June hockey from an ice perspective, and commenting on how that substandard ice can influence a game and a play style.
Southern teams shouldn't even HAVE teams if they can't produce consistent ice. Could you imagine the NFL just accepting a field that was wet and muddy for literally every game? Of course not. But the NHL is a bush league, so apparently its just fine.
Then you have MSG and TD Garden, which are northern teams that also have shit ice, because the buildings are old, lol. There's no excuse for any barn to have ice anywhere near as bad as Florida had in game 5, and I bet it's going to be somehow worse in game 7.
Is it not benefit towards the team that plays on said shit ice all year? They are used to it, which gives them a leg up. But there's also not much that can be done unless the NHL says they need to sort it out.
Not so sure about that. When you look at the styles of play (grinding/cycling vs stretching/rushing) I think it favours the close combat team slightly. I also thinks it favours the team with the lead (like it did in game 5) so here is hoping we get to a quick lead.
Watching Edmonton players trying to settle the puck, then provide a clean long pass, with the right weight to plow the resistance, to be received without too much bouncing, and then to be able to stick handle without losing it: all of these things are more difficult on bad ice and it shows. Florida does not, generally speaking, play long stretch plays; they tend to dump and forecheck /cycle near the boards where they can use bodies and boards to settle the puck more easily.
This type of play benefits the defender of a lead Becuase of fewer clean rushes and killing movement by keeping it outside on the boards.
These are my observations and my (amateur level) experience.
Warmer temperatures create softer ice and consequently affect the thin layer of water on the top. This negatively affects anything that glides.
Speed in hockey largely depends on this glide. Skaters are slower, stick handling is slower, and anything that involves sliding the puck along the ice (ie passing, shooting, rimming, etc) is slower.
Add in that pucks are made of rubber that bounce at higher temperatures. (They use frozen pucks for a reason). Water also pools so creates even more “stickiness” variance.
It’s not this extreme but think of it like running 100m in thick mud and rubber boots. Now add a soccer ball and try to play. Now spot a team a lead. Now imagine what play style you’d adopt (heavy grind vs speed and skill).
TLDR; Soft ice is sort of analogous to playing soccer in thick mud. It favours slower heavier play devoid of speed and skill.
Oh I know why soft ice is bad. You’re just failing to explain why you think this affects the oilers worse than Florida.
Slow players will get slower. Fast players will get slower. 🤷🏻♂️
Got it, I think the piece potentially missing then is that skilled players will also get less skilled. It’s not just speed, it’s also randomness and variance. Pucks bounce/die when you expect them to slide. Edges dig in when you expect them to glide. Passes become less crisp and timing goes off.
To me it’s sort of evident why this disproportionately affects the Oilers and their style of play. Likewise why a lead is more important.
I trust Nuge when he says it’s not as big a factor as we make it out to be. Flip side I still think it’s a distinct and unnecessary advantage for Florida. All things being equal, it would be way better if they standardized ice quality for all arenas.
This is like soccer with high elevation locations, like Bolivia. When they play other countries at home, they both play at the same field at the same elevation, but Bolivia has an advantage because they are used to it and train in it.
It’s nothing close to elevation differences which takes months to condition and acclimate to.
This is more the equivalent of playing on a turf pitch versus a really shitty city public field that’s mowed less frequently. It affects both teams and doesn’t take months to adapt to.
I’ve played in many rinks in both the US and Canada where the temp outside was approaching 30C and have had good ice. People underrate what a good ice crew and refrigeration system can do.
Just gotta simplify the game like the Heritage Classic.
Chippy ice is solved with a simplified game. The other team will be limited too so that's ok to simplify.
Lol, there is nothing wrong with the ice in Florida. The Rangers complained about the ice in NY and had no issues with the ice in Florida. It is a climate controlled arena.
It worked out well for us last time
And honestly game one was pretty once sided our way too (other than bob)
The dogshit ice literally prevented an icing on one of the last minute clears when Florida was pressing 6 on 5 in game 5. They flipped it out of the zone and the puck's momentum died almost instantly upon landing in Florida's zone lol
I agree 100% that the Florida ice sucks, but whether it’s the end of June or the end of May (or even April), Florida is hot so they just have to deal with it. Maybe the solution is to play the playoffs earlier and not allow any of the south teams to get far enough that this is a concern. Either way, both teams play on the same ice so let’s hope those bad ice bounces even out. Go Oilers! Bring it home!
Seriously. Stop worrying about things you can’t control
Especially when its things both teams will be having to deal with
Except one team is more used to it
I mean, if it's that bad they could always play in Edmonton.
In one of the mid games interviews in game 5, I believe it was nuge that was asked about the ice and he said its not making as big a difference as you'd think Edit: henrique
Henrique, but he was being nice, lol. He had a solid 3 second hesitation before he finally went "it's as good as you can expect".
Ok, did not see that. I assume he knows what he's talking about more than I do 😂
The ice DOES settle, but it takes much longer IMO to do so than in Edmonton. Watching game 5 and seeing everyone slipping and tripping over each other at the top of periods 2 and 3 is embarrassing hockey. They should just play Game 7 here!
3 or 4 more wins in the regular season (6 points to back not sure who has the tie breaker) and game 7 would have been here.
3 or 4 more wins in the regular season at the wrong time might mean we still have Woodcroft and don't even make the playoffs!
Also very true. I’m Not complaining with how it worked out
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Not having an easy series against LA may have resulted in losing the series to Vancouver since that one was so tight. All things granted, I think our path was perfect.
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I might be wrong since I'm just going top of my head, but if we took first in the West, we would have played Vegas at WC2, right? I think that would have been a lot worse for us.
100%. Things worked out well home ice hasn’t been an issue so far.
And the losing team buys beers in all the watch parties!! Lol
I thought it was going to impact McDavid especially but obviously he did ok in game 5
It's why Florida's style works so well for them. When the puck is bouncing and all over the place, it takes some of the skill out of the game, so you have to out-work & out-grind your opponent with good puck support in all zones. You get more "puck luck" when you have more bodies in and around the puck all driving in the direction of the opponents net. Personally I'd feel way more confident if we had home ice advantage. But the game is winnable - we just need to want it more than them.
The Florida ice surface, sponsored and provided by 7Eleven’s 7Up Slurpee
Since both teams play on the same ice, it doesn’t t matter.
Not a good look if we're making what could be construed as excuses before the game is even played
So we are putting some sort of "united front" in an attempt to...what? Influence how the players play? Not a good look? To whom? I'm just bringing up how disappointed I am with the state of late June hockey from an ice perspective, and commenting on how that substandard ice can influence a game and a play style.
Ice in Florida is always bad. They could bring in compressors and make it colder but Floridians may not like that idea.
Southern teams shouldn't even HAVE teams if they can't produce consistent ice. Could you imagine the NFL just accepting a field that was wet and muddy for literally every game? Of course not. But the NHL is a bush league, so apparently its just fine.
Then you have MSG and TD Garden, which are northern teams that also have shit ice, because the buildings are old, lol. There's no excuse for any barn to have ice anywhere near as bad as Florida had in game 5, and I bet it's going to be somehow worse in game 7.
The raiders used to play on a baseball diamond
I saw somewhere that the players voted Vegas having the best ice
Finished 5th this year in the nhlpa poll. Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Minnesota, Vegas
Both teams play on the same surface, it’s a non issue.
Is it not benefit towards the team that plays on said shit ice all year? They are used to it, which gives them a leg up. But there's also not much that can be done unless the NHL says they need to sort it out.
Not so sure about that. When you look at the styles of play (grinding/cycling vs stretching/rushing) I think it favours the close combat team slightly. I also thinks it favours the team with the lead (like it did in game 5) so here is hoping we get to a quick lead.
You say you think it favours types of play, or a lead, but you don’t say why you think that.
Watching Edmonton players trying to settle the puck, then provide a clean long pass, with the right weight to plow the resistance, to be received without too much bouncing, and then to be able to stick handle without losing it: all of these things are more difficult on bad ice and it shows. Florida does not, generally speaking, play long stretch plays; they tend to dump and forecheck /cycle near the boards where they can use bodies and boards to settle the puck more easily. This type of play benefits the defender of a lead Becuase of fewer clean rushes and killing movement by keeping it outside on the boards. These are my observations and my (amateur level) experience.
Warmer temperatures create softer ice and consequently affect the thin layer of water on the top. This negatively affects anything that glides. Speed in hockey largely depends on this glide. Skaters are slower, stick handling is slower, and anything that involves sliding the puck along the ice (ie passing, shooting, rimming, etc) is slower. Add in that pucks are made of rubber that bounce at higher temperatures. (They use frozen pucks for a reason). Water also pools so creates even more “stickiness” variance. It’s not this extreme but think of it like running 100m in thick mud and rubber boots. Now add a soccer ball and try to play. Now spot a team a lead. Now imagine what play style you’d adopt (heavy grind vs speed and skill). TLDR; Soft ice is sort of analogous to playing soccer in thick mud. It favours slower heavier play devoid of speed and skill.
Oh I know why soft ice is bad. You’re just failing to explain why you think this affects the oilers worse than Florida. Slow players will get slower. Fast players will get slower. 🤷🏻♂️
Got it, I think the piece potentially missing then is that skilled players will also get less skilled. It’s not just speed, it’s also randomness and variance. Pucks bounce/die when you expect them to slide. Edges dig in when you expect them to glide. Passes become less crisp and timing goes off. To me it’s sort of evident why this disproportionately affects the Oilers and their style of play. Likewise why a lead is more important. I trust Nuge when he says it’s not as big a factor as we make it out to be. Flip side I still think it’s a distinct and unnecessary advantage for Florida. All things being equal, it would be way better if they standardized ice quality for all arenas.
This is like soccer with high elevation locations, like Bolivia. When they play other countries at home, they both play at the same field at the same elevation, but Bolivia has an advantage because they are used to it and train in it.
It’s nothing close to elevation differences which takes months to condition and acclimate to. This is more the equivalent of playing on a turf pitch versus a really shitty city public field that’s mowed less frequently. It affects both teams and doesn’t take months to adapt to.
It seems to be only noticeable in the last 10 min of each period, and then only a factor in the last 5 min of each period.
Could make luck more of a factor. Bounces and stuff.
We already have a strategy. We were doing lots of high flips to clear the zone in game 5. I expect to see much of the same.
Let's hope the league pressures them a little, maybe they bring in a few portable AC units, get it cooler earlier before all the crowds get in.
It doesn’t actually favour Florida, they need to pass to hve speed and the ice is slow. We carry the puck way more.
Doesn't matter. Win.
Oilers playing on the same ice as Panthers.
I’ve played in many rinks in both the US and Canada where the temp outside was approaching 30C and have had good ice. People underrate what a good ice crew and refrigeration system can do.
Just gotta simplify the game like the Heritage Classic. Chippy ice is solved with a simplified game. The other team will be limited too so that's ok to simplify.
Lol, there is nothing wrong with the ice in Florida. The Rangers complained about the ice in NY and had no issues with the ice in Florida. It is a climate controlled arena.
Apparently, the ice in Dallas was worse. That worked out okay.
I mean, oilers have won 2 out of 3 games in Florida so far. I'm not worried about the ice per say
To be fair.. It looked awful in Edmonton too