BLOG: Friday's full practice at Rogers Place 05.07.21

EDMONTON, AB - The Oilers held a full-pull practice at Rogers Place on Friday.
Slater Koekkoek and Devin Shore participated in the skate. Dmitry Kulikov, Patrick Russell, Gaetan Haas, Zack Kassian and Kris Russell were not on the ice.
Get all content from Friday below.

Head Coach Dave Tippett on Dmitry Kulikov's absence on Friday:

"He got bumped up a little bit last night. We left him off as kind of a maintenance day. We'll see where he's at in the morning."

Coach Tippett on the team's goalie rotation going forward:

"We'll stick with Smith tomorrow. We've got a plan in place. We want to make sure both guys are playing before the end of the year here. Koskinen's played well for us. He had a tough night last night but he's played well. We'll stay with our plan. We don't know when the playoffs will start just yet, so you're kind of judging when that day will be. We'll make sure our guys are up and running before that."

Tippett on Mikko Koskinen bouncing back from Thursday's game:

"Since Schmiddy's come back, both of them have played well. Our team didn't play well early in the game and then he had a couple he's probably like back but if you look at the games before that, he's played solid for us. Our goaltending hasn't been an issue for us at all. Tough night last night but you move on and prepare for the playoffs."

Tippett on Ryan McLeod's first seven games with the club:

"Still feeling his way a little bit. I think he's been a little unselfish with the puck. There have been some times where he could have shot the puck when he's looking to pass it. That's a young player just trying to make his way in the League. They tend to over-pass a little bit to satisfy the people they're playing with. He has the ability to transport the puck through the neutral zone, hold pucks and positionally, he's really sound.
"We've got him up and going on some penalty killing now. It's just continuing to get up to the flow up the game, the speed of the game and the strength of the game. I think you'll see him continue to build his game with the puck and then find those opportunities where he can get closer to the net and shoot the puck. He's finding his way. There are a lot of parts of his game that have been really solid. I'm sure he'd like to contribute offensively a little bit but that will come."

Tippett on the Oilers allowing the first goal of the game in two straight outings:

"What you do is relate them to a playoff game. Is that how you want to start a playoff game? You've got to have good habits right now. That's what you're into. That's the thing that bothered me the most about last night's game. It was a tough start but the first two goals were not on the goalie, they were on the players. Those are A chances against. You can't give up chances like that early in the game. That's just focus, attention to detail and creating good habits. Those are areas that continue to be addressed here."

Tippett on how the team's opponent in the playoffs will determine the club's lineup:

"There is some thought to that, depending on who the matchup is. The one thing we do, when you have as many players as we have around, you have some different options. That being said during the regular season here, we're limited somewhat with the call-up situation.
"We've got some players on emergency (recall) right now that we've been able to get into the lineup. Some of those options might be taken away from us here in the last few games. But there's lots of thought about the matchup, who we're playing against and what gives us the best lineup to be successful."

Defenceman Ethan Bear on what he learned from last season's Qualifying Round and how he can apply it to the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

"Just the experience. Knowing how, when you go out there, it's the same game. Higher stakes and a little bit more pressure but at the same time, you got to play the same game. You see how important it is that we play as a team. We have to use all lines and everyone is important. Everyone is going to have to chip in."

Bear's anticipation of the intensity of playoffs:

'I think it will be. Especially Canadian teams, we all want to beat one another. Everyone wants to be the best in Canada. I think it's going to be very emotional, it's going to be very physical and it's going to be playoff-type hockey. It's the most fun time of the year."

Bear on the internal competition in securing a spot on the lineup for playoffs:

"For the team, it's good. You want that. Everyone pushes each other to get better and be in the lineup. We need that. Going into playoffs, all lines are important. You need your third and fourth lines to chip in and score goals.
"You look at the teams that go deep, they have that depth scoring. In playoffs, everything tightens up and everyone's trying a little bit harder. It gets a little tighter. It's not always your first and second line, and teams do everything they can to shut them down. We got a lot of options and a lot of good guys in that room that when the time comes, they'll do their part."