Follow @SMaloughney The Edmonton Oilers find themselves 3-1-1 in the Hitchcock era, and in a short amount of time the team seems to have responded.
It's not often a team can have a winning record while having allowed more goals than they have scored, but as the old saying goes, "it doesn't matter how you get wins as long as you are winning." In fact, despite a 5-2 loss at the hands of the Kings, the Edmonton Oilers have found ways to win close 1 goal games. Personally I would like to see some more offense, but Hitch is making the team responsible in their own end first.
Mikko Koskinen, who I have always been a fan of and definitely never questioned his signing has completely taken over as the Oilers starter. He had four starts in the last five games and through those starts has only allowed 3 goals at EV while boasting a 0.935 SV%.
A few weeks can change everything and the Las Vegas Golden Knights who once sat close to the bottom of the division now find themselves in 4th place, and have had an even better 5 game record than the Oilers. The Golden Knights have won 5 straight.
Marc-Andre Fleury has recorded two shutouts in his last 5 games. The Golden Knights have run the show beating the Blackhawks 8-3 and the Sharks 6-0. Edmonton has done a solid job of pushing out one goal games but that may not be possible tonight. We are likely going to see some offense tonight ladies and gentlemen.
LINEUPS
OILERS
Chiasson-McDavid-Draisaitl Caggiula-RNH-Puljujarvi Lucic-Brodziak-Kassian Khaira-Spooner-Rattie
Klefbom-Larsson Nurse-Russell Gravel-Wideman
Koskinen
GOLDEN KNIGHTS (via DailyFaceOff)
Marchessault-Karlsson-Smith Pacioretty-Eakin-Tuch Nosek-Carpenter-Carr Carrier-Bellemare-Reaves
McNabb-Schmidt Theodore-Engelland Holden-Miller
Fleury
4 KEYS TO VICTORY
1) Koskinen Save Us. Mikko Koskinen has come a long way from allowing Dillon Dube to score a hat trick in the pre-season. Aside from one poor goal (which never counted thanks to an offside challenge) Mikko has been exactly what the Oilers have needed. The Knights are firing on all cylinders right now and he is going to have to be sharp.
2) Rattie Returns. I am writing this blog early so hopefully this is the case. With Patrick Russell sent down and Zykov likely not in the lineup tonight, Ty Rattie will return to the lineup. Rattie is likely the only Oiler not excited about Hitchcock coaching because of how things ended between the two in St. Louis. Tonight Rattie should get a chance on the fourth line, which will also mean some McDavid time when he double shifts. Rattie needs to show his old-new coach he is a different player than he was before.
3) Still Not Going To Call It The Identity Line. Lucic-Brodziak-Kassian have done everything but score for the Oilers. The trio have generated ample time in the offensive zone and are utilizing what all three do best; play tough grinding hockey. Through the Oilers last 5 games they have had no goals from the bottom six. The chances have been there but eventually these guys need to pot a few. 4) Playoff Hockey. That is the mentality the Oilers need tonight. The Oilers are playing catch up in their division and need to win these divisional games if they want to make it into the post-season. Currently the Knights are three points up on the Oilers, but Edmonton has two games in hand. Three of Edmonton's last four wins have come in overtime. I will take the wins however they come but in a perfect world, Edmonton needs to find a way to win this game in regulation.
FILM OF THE DAY
Not going to overthink this one. The Oilers are playing Vegas. The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas is an awesome movie. Prove me wrong.