So...about that game against the Nucks. That was something else. The Oilers managed to keep it close but the reality was that even though they were successful in certain areas of their game, they completely undid all the good with really undisciplined play and defensive gaffes.
Kris Russell had a goal and an assist – which was awesome – but he was also directly responsible for one of the goals against. That said, his partner Matt Benning stood out as much worse to me. He was beaten to the outside a few times and looked very ineffective overall in his own zone. The 2nd pairing is going to be Jekyll and Hyde all season long, I fear.
The Oilers looked like a team that wasn’t prepared to match the energy level of the Canucks that lead to a few of the 7 penalties they took. The tripping, slashing, and holding penalties are the ones that players take when they’re getting beat. With the new rules in place, it’s going to really penalize the players that lose their angles and bring sticks up to hand level. It was commonplace to make that kind of stick-check before, now it’s a 2 minute penalty.
Teams that aren’t skating with their opponents are going to find themselves in a parade to the penalty box, and that’s what was happening against the Canucks. The Jets have had a reputation for years as a club that would take those dumb penalties, and that was before the crackdown. Edmonton’s faster players need to put the Jets in a position to take those penalties, not the other way around.
Last season the Jets took 307 minor penalties. The Oilers took only 251. This is a team that had to request Paul Devorski spend time with the squad in preseason to teach them how not to take penalties. It has to be a weak spot that the Oil need to put some pressure on. Connor McDavid drew more penalties than any other player in the NHL. That speed forces defenders to go outside the rules to stop him.
The Oiler Power Play was not particularly scary against the Canucks and that’s a problem. They have too many solid players to let teams off the hook, especially when the Oilers are down in games and looking for that clutch goal. The 2nd unit is missing something and it’s probably the same thing that’s missing from the 2nd line.
LINEUP
Caggiula was hurt, according to the team, and Khaira is sitting this one out to make room for Yamamoto and Slepyshev
Maroon McDavid Draisaitl Lucic RNH Slepyshev Jokinen Strome Kassian Pakarinen Letestu Yamamoto
Klefbom Larsson Russell Benning Nurse Gryba
Talbot
OILERS KEYS TO THE GAME
1) Keep it 5v5. The Oilers were not particularly good in the game against the Canucks, but when the team was 5v5 they dominated the shot clock. It was 25-12 for the Oil when they weren’t in a parade to the penalty box. As disappointing as the game was overall, the team doesn’t have to throw out the baby with the bath water. There is no reason to panic just yet. Edmonton’s 5v5 shots this season are now 65 to 36. It’s way too early and that’s way to big a gap to think that will continue, but at the same time you have to take the positives when they come. Next question is going to be why they aren’t capitalizing on this.
2) Tryouts Continue. Edmonton is 3 games into the season and the constant change of right wingers continues to be the early story of the season. Tonight Slepyshev makes his season debut after missing the entire preseason with an ankle issue. He got a warm up game with Bakersfield but the coaching staff is giving him an opportunity to grab the 2RW spot. We’ve gone through Caggiula, Yamamoto, Strome, Kassian, and now Slepy gets his turn. There’s a player there, but his career high point in North America is 21 points in the AHL. He needs to grab this spot by the throat and finally show what the team sees in him.
3) Hellybuck. The Jets are in trouble because of goaltending yet again. After years and years of being completely undone by Pavelec, they decided to upgrade to Mason...which would be good if Mason was an upgrade. The Jets starting goalie is rocking an .831 save percentage and a 6.56 goals against average. Hellybuck actually has a worse save percentage of .828 with a 6.19 goals against average. Hellybuck is getting the start against the Oilers, who he has an 0-4 record against in his career.
Puck drops tonight at 7PM Mountain Time on Sportsnet Oilers. Game On! Follow me on Twitter @Archaeologuy