I’m running out of positive things to write about this team. The Edmonton Oilers won again- great. 15 in a row- fantastic. There’s your coverage; moving on. It was easier and more depressing to write about the Oilers when they were losing. That feels like a year ago now, and we’re only a month into this year.
I will say that even though Edmonton won by three goals on Thursday night, it didn’t feel at all like a 3-0 game. I admit to having misjudged the Chicago Blackhawks. Although we all viewed them as a team to absolutely win against, our team’s last two meetings against them reminded me of the Oilers in the 2015/2016 season. Connor McDavid had the infamous injury in his rookie year just like Connor Bedard, but Edmonton played solid hockey that had them working hard and keeping games close, despite being at the bottom of the standings again and getting countless key injuries. With Thursday being the last time these teams see each other this season, it’s a shame that Bedard stepped onto the ice for only one match-up against the Oilers. But there will be more to come in the future. Connor v. Connor will be a fun watch every season.
Back-up goaltender Calvin Pickard was the starter for this one, giving Stuart Skinner a needed break. The biggest highlight of his 27-save shutout was stopping a penalty shot taken by Mackenzie Entwistle late in the second period. There was a change made to Edmonton’s top six before puck drop, as Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins switched spots. Head coach Kris Knoblauch felt there needed to be a slight jolt after their game against the Blue Jackets. Knoblauch often stays consistent with his line-ups and doesn’t like making too many changes when his team is succeeding, so you can expect the top six change to stay for a bit. At the same time, I do wonder if Warren Foegele and Evander Kane will have the same chemistry with Nugent-Hopkins. Foegele especially always plays his best games with Draisaitl, even before the coaching change happened. Here’s hoping that new second line can prove me wrong. This afternoon is the last game for the Oilers before the All-Star break. They can be one win away from tying the NHL’s consecutive wins record and then spend a week recovering any bumps and bruises before returning to try keeping the streak alive. The keys to the game are…
A Good First Impression: Barring any last-minute news, Corey Perry will be playing his first game as an Oiler. He will have Ryan McLeod and Dylan Holloway as his linemates. A high-pedigree veteran with two young guys; I like it. This mix of speed, tenacity, and annoyance can make for a very solid third line.
Tennessee D: It always amazes me how many good defensemen Nashville keeps coming up with out of nowhere, led notably by Norris trophy winner Roman Josi. They rank 15th in goals against, but their penalty kill is 25th. Even good things aren’t perfect. There were three total minor penalties called on Thursday night, but Edmonton did manage to score on one of them. With Draisaitl historically having his best games against the Predators, the Oilers must force them to take as many penalties as possible.
(O’)Really?: Ryan O’Reilly scored a hat-trick and added an assist in a 5-2 victory the last time the Predators played the Oilers. He has 42 points in all 48 games played this season and 36 points in 46 career games against Edmonton. I just praised Nashville’s defense history one key ago. It also helps when you have one of the best two-way forwards in the last decade.
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