Smith to start Game 2 for Oilers against Flames after being pulled
Allowed three goals on 10 shots in opener of Western Second Round
Smith, who was pulled after allowing three goals on 10 shots in the first 6:05 of Game 1, a 9-6 loss here Wednesday, said he's mindful that he can't change the past.
"I wasn't very good [at shaking off bad games] earlier on in my career and that's probably why I bounced around a little bit," Smith said Thursday. "The experience helps. You can't take it back, what's happened in the past. I could sit here and boo-hoo myself but there's nothing I can do about it now. All you can do is think about what happens next."
The 40-year-old, in his 16th NHL season, has played for the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes, Flames and Oilers. He is 299-263-78 in 670 NHL regular-season games (645 starts) with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage, and 15-20 with 2.41 GAA and .931 save percentage in 37 playoff games (35 starts).
Smith is 4-3 with a 2.68 GAA, .930 save percentage and two shutouts in eight playoff starts this season after going 16-9-2 with a 2.81 GAA, .915 save percentage and two shutouts in 28 regular-season games (27 starts).
He said Thursday he was not feeling tired, even though he's started every playoff game for Edmonton. Smith never had more than four straight starts for the Oilers during the regular season, and the last time he played nine games in a row was the start of the 2017-18 season with the Flames.
"No [I'm not tired], it's the playoffs," Smith said. "There's no excuses at this point. You want to play your best hockey at this time of year and I've said it numerous times. It's a long series. Stuff can happen throughout the course of a series. It's about staying the course and not letting games like that affect you mentally and physically.
"I feel as good as I've felt all season long. It's about getting the job done when you're given the opportunity. No panic in your game. That's one game. We learn from it and move on."
On Thursday, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft was quick to name Smith the starter for Game 2 of the best-of-7 series (10:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS).
"Mike is quite clear on the team's faith in him," Woodcroft said, "and certainly the coaching staff's faith in him."
Woodcroft said his decision to pull Smith was about the early sequence of events, with poor execution leading to the goalie being scored on twice in the first 51 seconds of the game, and that the coach was trying to slow the pace to give the Oilers time to collect themselves.
Woodcroft also said that Smith is not tired, mainly because he missed most of the first half of the season because of a variety of injuries. Smith played six games for the Oilers before Feb. 8.
"He didn't play a lot of hockey this year compared to a regular, normal season for Mike Smith," Woodcroft said. "So the accumulation of rest over his first four or five months in the season, I think sets him up to play good hockey down the stretch. He's been excellent for us. Last night, I didn't think our team was anywhere near where it needed to be. He didn't play many minutes last night. But he'll be going back in tomorrow."
Edmonton trailed 3-0, 5-1 and 6-2 before tying the game 6-6 at 1:28 of the third period. But Calgary retook the lead 1:29 after that and scored the final three goals.
Mikko Koskinen replaced Smith but didn't fare well either, allowing five goals on 37 shots. Smith said he had no desire to go back into the game while Calgary kept scoring.
"After you come out and sit there for a little while and you cool down, it's not an ideal position, not an situation, especially for an old goat," he said.
The Oilers said they're looking to correct more important problems from Game 1 than goaltending.
"The bottom line is not good enough for us," Woodcroft said. "Scored six even-strength goals. That should be enough to win the game. For us, our checking skills, our defending fundamentals have to really improve. We scored six, but we gave up seven [at] even strength."
Forward Zach Hyman, who scored twice Wednesday and has six points (four goals, two assists) in eight playoff games, said the Oilers' problems were evident from the opening face-off.
"A bunch of things to be honest," Hyman said. "Defensive awareness, being physical, being hard to play against, gave up way too many Grade A chances early on. Before we could blink, we're down 2-0. So that can't happen in a playoff game and in Round 2. So you just wash that one away and get ready for the next one."
Another concern for Edmonton is that two of its top players, forward Leon Draisaitl and defenseman Darnell Nurse, aren't 100 percent, though the Oilers have not provided specifics. Nurse missed the final four regular-season games with a lower-body injury.
Draisaitl has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in eight playoff games and is averaging 19:45 of ice time per game. He averaged 22:21 during the regular season. Nurse has two points (one goal, one assists) in seven playoff games and is averaging 21:04 of ice time. He averaged 25:03 during the regular season.
"First of all, they're giving us great minutes," Woodcroft said. "I think you want to make sure you're playing people toward their strengths. We've done some things specifically with Leon, where we've moved him around the lineup a little bit. He's still playing big minutes for us. He's still making plays and has an impact on the game. And he's just a warrior.
"In terms of Darnell, Darnell is someone that has a champion's mindset. He's somebody that refuses to be deterred. While he might not feel at his 100 percent marker, he's going to give you everything that he has and he makes us a better team."
