The Edmonton Oilers dropped their second straight recreation to open the season with a 5-2 choice by the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks on Hockey Evening in Canada (Oct. 12). Chicago was the Thirty first-place staff final season, and rolled into city on the second half of a back-to-back, shedding in time beyond regulation to the Winnipeg Jets the evening earlier than. Regardless of that, the Oilers nonetheless couldn’t discover a method to win.
The Blackhawks opened the scoring 15:50 into the primary interval on a degree shot redirected in entrance by Philipp Kurashev. It took the Oilers nearly 85 minutes to attain their first aim of the season, coming off the stick of an unsuspecting suspect in Corey Perry. Nevertheless, the Blackhawks regained the lead with a power-play aim from Seth Jones on a wrist shot from the purpose, adopted up by an absolute missile from Connor Bedard over the glove of goaltender, Calvin Pickard simply over three minutes later. Teuvo Teravainen added two extra power-play targets for Chicago within the third interval which sealed the deal. The Oilers have been outscored 11-2 whereas outshooting their opponents 68-40 by means of their first two video games.
Associated: Oilers Look Nothing Like Contenders in One other Season-Opening Shellacking
The Oilers look nothing like Stanley Cup contenders, and the sellout crowd at Rogers Place was as soon as once more left extremely underwhelmed and disenchanted. There’s not a lot to be optimistic about after this recreation, so listed below are three takeaways from this lacklustre efficiency:
Oilers’ Penalty Kill Struggles
The Oilers penalty kill appears nothing like they did throughout their playoff run final season. They killed off 94.3% of their infractions, together with a stretch of 21 straight on house ice. Their elite penalty kill carried them all through the playoffs. Nevertheless, by means of their first two video games, they solely have one profitable penalty kill on six alternatives. Chicago scored on all three of their energy performs en path to their 5-2 win.
Edmonton did lose some key items of that penalty-kill unit that was so profitable within the playoffs together with Ryan McLeod, Warren Foegele, and Cody Ceci. Nevertheless, that’s no excuse. Everyone must step up and fill these roles in the event that they need to enhance.
Edmonton made it extraordinarily simple on Chicago. They allowed them simple zone entries, they weren’t aggressive in making an attempt to pressure errors, they usually weren’t moving into the capturing lanes. The Oilers solely had 12 blocked pictures whereas the Blackhawks had 35. That discrepancy is unacceptable and must be addressed.
Oilers’ Massive Weapons Have to Step Up
For the second straight recreation, the Oilers’ high gamers had been held off the scoresheet at even power. Whereas Leon Draisaitl acquired them on the board courtesy of a power-play tally halfway by means of the third interval, their high gamers had been comparatively ineffective as soon as once more. Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard are nonetheless pointless, and Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins every had one power-play help.
This staff gained’t win many video games when the fourth line is your finest. The massive weapons must step up and be your finest gamers on a constant foundation. Sure, it is necessary for the depth gamers to contribute, however that’s solely efficient if the star gamers are additionally enjoying effectively. That was not the case tonight and the outcome demonstrated that.
Oilers’ Goaltending and Defensive Woes Proceed
The Oilers failed so as to add a right-shot, top-four blueliner to pair with Darnell Nurse courting again to final season and it’s coming again to chunk them. Not solely did they fail to improve that place, however they seemingly acquired worse. They misplaced Ceci, Philip Broberg, and Vincent Desharnias, and changed them with Ty Emberson, Travis Dermott, and Josh Brown who’s at the moment within the American Hockey League (AHL). This unit is solely not adequate and it exhibits. Regardless that they haven’t allowed many pictures, they’ve given up method too many high quality possibilities. Their hole management has been horrendous as evidenced by Bedard’s snipe within the second interval. He was in a position to stroll in uncontested and decide his spot with out hesitation.
Sophomore season Connor Bedard is right here! 🤩🚨 pic.twitter.com/iwifnrMjaQ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 13, 2024
Identical to their first recreation, Edmonton held their opponents to solely 20 pictures, however that wasn’t sufficient. Pickard fared no higher than Stuart Skinner, permitting 5 targets with a putrid 5.26 goals-against common (GAA) and a .750 save share (SV%). These numbers are usually not going to chop it, and this staff will want significantly better goaltending transferring ahead.
The second Blackhawk aim is one which Pickard wants to save lots of, particularly after the Oilers tied the sport at one. It was a easy wrist shot from the purpose that went proper by means of the Oilers’ goaltender and into the again of the web. This staff wants huge saves at essential factors of the sport they usually haven’t gotten that to date. Due to this fact, the Oilers have been pressured to play from behind which hardly ever results in success.
No side of their recreation is working proper now. They will’t rating, their particular groups have been abysmal, they aren’t defending effectively, and they’re getting subpar goaltending. All that blended collectively leads to a document of 0-2 to begin the season and deservedly so.
The Oilers are again in motion on Sunday (Oct. 13) once they host the Calgary Flames within the first installment of the Battle of Alberta. Each groups are within the second half of back-to-backs. Edmonton wants a significantly better effort in the event that they need to get again on monitor and at last get into the win column.
