It is weird that we can say this with certainty, but for the final time this season, the Edmonton Oilers faced the Florida Panthers. The Cats, on the season, lost too many man games to injury to overcome. As a result, barring the mercury being in retrograde, they won’t even make the playoffs this year. The Oilers, meanwhile, have some standings stuff to sort out.
Gifted the opportunity to leapfrog the Anaheim Ducks for sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division, however, Edmonton just couldn’t take advantage. The Panthers came in smarting from a loss to the Vancouver Canucks, and took it out on the hosts. Very seldom did the Panthers allow shots on goal against. When the Oilers did get shots on goal, most of them weren’t that dangerous. This evoked the mental scars of Game five last year, and thank the Hockey Gords the Oilers don’t have to see this team do that to them again in the playoffs.
Oilers lose 4–0.
Of all the games to have no answers for, it had to be this one. It counts the same as every other regulation loss this season standings-wise. But you must admit the sting is extra painful given the team the Oilers were facing. Here’s the game story.
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No Grit, No Grind, No Greatness (Western Canada Edition)
This game was lost the moment the Oilers decided to try making it through the first period with less than full effort. You can’t do that against a Panthers team looking to assert that it still owns you, after their own embarrassing home loss. One fellow pundit summarized it best: the start to this game was shameful.
There was also an issue with giving up on plays. Evan Bouchard has been really solid the last few months, and yes, his player has the inside track on him. But don’t give up mid-play. Take a penalty, if you have to, and let your teammates help you out.
The second goal was more of the same. We’re going to dissect something further on the next goal. But the opposing player can’t sneak into the net-front through the back-door. That’s an awareness failure.
The third goal is a puck up for grabs in the slot area, as the Oilers are killing off a penalty. Too many players are caught straight-legged, not moving their feet, and not clearing Panthers out of the slot area. Darnell Nurse is the worst for this error; on the previous goal he did the same thing. Under no circumstances should you, as a defenceman, be still as a statue. Keep moving your feet, even if it’s just to make your opposing man have a brief second thought.
There was little energy shown at times by the Oilers. There was much less physicality, despite what the hits suggested. And the Oilers were outshot 13–8 in a first period they were outscored 2–0 in. Unacceptable.
The Oilers have a lethal issue with passing the puck too much
Head Coach Kris Knoblauch, after the game, said that he liked the team’s game and thought them unlucky to score. If, say, Edmonton outshot Florida 40–15, outhit them by 10, and dominated possession, then this is a valid thing to say. None of those three were true about this contest.
Far too many times in this game, offensive zone possession died because the Oilers tried one too many passes. They try to look for a highlight-reel goal, rather than a mucky one like Max Jones scored two nights prior. And because of that, they are often guilty of over-passing the puck.
You’re going to run into teams in the playoffs who play similarly to Florida. They’re going to have active sticks everywhere, they’ll keep moving their feet like the Panthers did on this night, they’ll give you nothing for free. Against teams like this, pucks have to go to the net and greasy goals have to be scored sometimes. The habit of too much passing is something the Oilers have to wean out of their game in the final 12 regularseason contests.
Not Ingram’s finest night, but he’s earned some benefit of the doubt
Connor Ingram came into this game on a nice bit of a personal run, stats-wise. This guy was once thought of as the future number one goalie for the Arizona Coyotes, prior to their “relocation.” He is still just 28-years-old, and goalies’ peaks often happen later than skaters’, so he could still be that for Edmonton, even.
The stats did not shine brightly for him tonight. 19 saves on 23 shots, for a paltry .826 save percentage. But, at the same time, he made saves early on in the third period to keep the game somewhat within reach. And with the above three Florida goals, as well as this one from Carter Verhaeghe to ice the game, can we really fault Ingram a whole lot?
Given the entire team got little done in front of him, and considering recent play, Ingram has earned a mulligan. Everybody had a rough night, so before we try running a zillionth goalie out of town on the rails, let’s pump the brakes. Let Ingram have a do-over Saturday night (especially since the alternative is Tristan Jarry). He’s earned a little bit of grace, at least.
The same thing cannot happen again against Tampa Bay
Fresh slate on Saturday night, against a team the Oilers have no playoff history with. Two days off following that game, so even more reason to leave it all out there. Edmonton must come out with a lot more urgency against the Tampa Bay Lightning, or they’re in trouble.
One thing the Oilers have to do is match the nastiness level, even if Trent Frederic is unable to go. The Lightning once again have one Corey Perry on their roster, along with a few other players who will make you have a bad, awful night. Even a slight lack of compete level isn’t going to be good enough.
Show up on time; that’s all we’re asking. Play like you mean it. And if Anaheim loses again tomorrow, for the love of Clare Drake, take advantage of the opportunity.
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