No F-bomb from the coach this time. The second game at Rogers Place was sort of like the first game at Rogers Place. The difference is the quality of shots, not just quantity, not finding the back of the net. Edmonton’s scoring chances looked more organized in this game than in their home opener, where there were multiple mad scrambles in front of the net. It doesn’t make Oilers fans feel better because they still lost. The bleak-looking start to the regular season continues, and, making matters worse, Connor McDavid will be missing 1-2 weeks with an injury.
Related Article: Connor McDavid Out With Upper-Body Injury
Although the season’s first couple of weeks have been negative for Edmonton, there are positives to take from Saturday night’s game. The first positive is that both of their goals came from defensemen, which is good for secondary scoring. The second is the loss was in overtime, so they at least got a point out of it. In previous seasons, when the Oilers went through long losing streaks, they constantly lost in regulation. However you’ve felt about loser points in the last couple of decades, they do help with comfortability in the standings. The Oil are on the road for one game, and then they come back for a four-game home stand. The keys to the game are…
History Not On Our Side
Edmonton is to Minnesota, what Nashville is to Edmonton. The Oilers can rarely beat the Wild, dating long before the McDavid/Draisaitl era. The rare times they have won against them felt like a miracle. Tuesday night feels like a scheduled loss for a fan base that has their heads spinning over this lousy start to the season. If you get a win here before going back home, maybe performing a sports exorcism can help ease tension on a roster needing to catch a break.
Life Without Connor
This will always be a key until McDavid returns. However, in many of my articles since last year, I have made it a theme that the lack of a consistent work ethic from the 20-man group holds the Oilers back on most nights. Hard work beats talent every time talent doesn’t work hard. Of course, there are other good players in Edmonton. Although, losing THE best player should encourage the rest of the team that they need to pick up the slack. It might be early season adversity for them to face and learn from. Prove the hockey world’s “One-guy” narrative is wrong.
Stay In Your Net
Aside from his Mike Smith impression, Stuart Skinner actually played a decent game on Saturday night. I just do not for the life of me understand why goalies feel a need to play the puck when the situation does not call for it. Let the defensemen in front of you handle the puck, especially on the powerplay, so you don’t allow a shorthanded goal by fluke. Minnesota’s goaltending hasn’t started well, either. That might be something Edmonton can take advantage of. Whether it’s Skinner or Jack Campbell in net for the Oilers, that gaffe against the Jets should remind them that less is more. Making simple saves doesn’t have to be complicated.
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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