Late in the second period of last night's 5-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, the Edmonton Oilers were feeling the game slip away once again. It wasn't a dramatic, banana-peel slip, but the kind that takes place gradually, like an elderly man forgetting where he's going while driving, then forgetting where he lives, then forgetting who his children are, until ultimately he forgets his own name. It's disheartening on multiple levels.
For the second game in a row, an early lead had been wasted. The visiting team had taken control of the action, and the capacity crowd was getting restless. Trailing 2-1 with two minutes remaining in the middle frame, the boo birds were beginning to circle overhead, and you could envision Oiler fans loosening the tiedowns on their jerseys, ready to let them fly. Then, out of nowhere, we saw a shot at redemption.
Oilers center Sam Gagner received a centering pass and was all alone in the slot. I don't just mean all alone as in "sometimes when I'm in a crowded elevator I feel all alone." This was a different type of all alone. This was a "there's an unmanned food sample station in the back corner at Costco, and I can stuff as many chicken teriyaki meatballs into my mouth or pants as I want before someone sees me" type of all alone.
They say that no man is an island. I don't know what that means, nor do I particularly care. The Oilers are my only existential riddle. However, if Gagner was an island on this play he wouldn't have been Staten Island, or even Vancouver Island. Gagner was Bermuda. He was the type of island that causes you to look at a map and think to yourself, "What in the name of all that is holy is that thing doing out there?" Gagner was that wide open.
It should have been a bang-bang play. The puck should have been off Gagner's stick and behind Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi before he had a chance to react, tying the score 2-2 and changing the entire complexion of the game. Instead, Gagner passed on the forehand one-timer, pirouetting to his backhand as the puck bobbled away harmlessly. Moments later, San Jose forward Marty Havlat scored to give his team a 3-1 lead heading into the third period.
We'll never know what Gagner was thinking on that play. Then again, we'll never know if Gagner was thinking on that play. He might have been certain that his 24-karat scoring chance was going to be stopped, he might not have realized how much time and space he had, or he might have just been looking to do too much. Assuming the latter is true, I think the play sums up the Oilers' entire season in a nutshell.
Too often this season, at both ends and each side of the ice, Edmonton players have been guilty of looking to do too much. Defensemen abandon sound positional play in order to chase the opposition, forwards deke or pass their way out of prime scoring opportunities, and goaltenders attempt to make the routine look spectacular and appear foolish in the process. Up and down the roster you can see examples of players failing to trust one another and the system.
Whether or not the system is one to be trusted is another discussion entirely, but let's give Dallas Eakins the benefit of the doubt for a moment. Don't worry, that's not an endorsement. I still want this man on the next turnip truck out of team immediately after game 82. However, assuming that he's attempting to implement a strategy that will lead to success, his inability to get his players to buy into that system signifies a horrible failure on his part.
The Oilers' lack of structure, consistency, discipline and effort has been commented on by nearly each player who's departed from the team, as well as almost every new arrival during the season. That lack of trust in the overall team structure results in a lack of success, and that lack of success translates into a lack of trust in one's own abilities. I believe that's the reason Gagner couldn't make the simple play last night. Players aren't used to the reward coming without an exceptional level of risk.
Compare the Oilers' confidence level to that of the Sharks and you see a stark difference. San Jose jack-of-all-trades Joe Pavelski had a hat trick last night, but his goals weren't remarkable. For the most part he simply found space, received the puck, and shot it past the goaltender. Pavelski doesn't have a hat trick every night, in fact he doesn't score most nights, but that doesn't change the process, or his trust in it.
Seeing success while adhering to the system, versus expressing belief that the system will produce it, is really a chicken-and-egg discussion. However, the Oilers have spent the majority of the season failing to either have success or believe in themselves. It's become painfully evident, and leads to simple, game-altering plays like the one we saw from Gagner last night. It's just one more troubling sign in a season that continues to mercilessly slip away.
ryan.garner@hockeybuzz.com