2019-20 Game 69: Blue Jackets at Oilers

by Lowetide

I think this might be the best of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, here and now. He’s productive across 200 feet, he has help and he’s playing a feature role. I find it satisfying that he has been able to survive the strain over many years and emerge on the other side as a strong contributor. Those losing years can rob a player of the skills that brought him here, but Nuge is scoring more than ever while also checking like a demon. I hope he gets to hang around for the good times. To quote my favorite western, I guess we all died a little in that damned war. I’m thrilled to see his success.

THE ATHLETIC!

The Athletic Edmonton features a fabulous cluster of stories (some linked below, some on the site). Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. Proud to be part of The Athletic, less than two coffees a month offer here. 

  • New Lowetide: Oscar Klefbom’s return and usage a key element for Oilers stretch run
  • New Daniel Nugent-Bowman: How ‘little firecracker’ Josh Archibald went from unknown to vital with Oilers
  • Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Determining Connor McDavid’s linemates remains a pressing and perplexing problem
  • Lowetide: Reasonable expectations for Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Ennis over the next 15 games.
  • Jonathan Willis: Ryan McLeod offers the Oilers size and speed. But will he score in the NHL?
  • Jonathan Willis: Which players pose the biggest threat to Leon Draisaitl winning the Hart Trophy?
  • Lowetide: How the Oilers deadline deals might alter summer plans
  • Jonathan Willis: Splitting Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl saved the Oilers’ season
  • Lowetide: Is the OHL still the Oilers’ primary resource at the draft?
  • Lowetide: The Oilers’ 2017 draft and the value of waiting five years
  • Jonathan Willis: Oilers’ AHL factory has produced three NHL defencemen, with more on the way
  • Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Are Oilers poised for a long playoff run after Ken Holland’s deadline moves?
  • Lowetide: Making sense of the Oilers forward depth chart for the summer
  • Daniel Nugent-Bowman: Stepping out and up, Leon Draisaitl puts himself in the Hart Trophy mix in Connor McDavid’s absence
  • Lowetide: Making sense of the Oilers defensive depth chart for the stretch run and the summer

OILERS AFTER 69 GAMES

  • Oilers in 2015: 26-36-7, 59 points; goal differential -33
  • Oilers in 2016: 36-24-9, 81 points; goal differential +16
  • Oilers in 2017: 30-35-4, 64 points; goal differential -36
  • Oilers in 2018: 31-31-7, 69 points; goal differential -20
  • Oilers in 2019-20: 36-24-8, 80 points; goal differential +6

Edmonton probably needs 14 points in the final 13 games, and that total is a moving target. My pre-season prediction was 88 points, we might see Edmonton reach that mark on the home stand that begins this evening.

ON THE TENS

  • First 10 games: 7-2-1
  • Second 10 games: 5-4-1
  • Third 10 games: 5-4-1
  • Fourth 10 games: 3-6-1
  • Fifth 10 games: 6-2-2
  • Sixth 10 games: 6-3-1
  • Current 10 games: 4-3-1

OILERS IN MARCH

  • Oilers in March 2016: 3-1-0, six points; goal differential +3
  • Oilers in March 2017: 1-2-1, three points; goal differential -2
  • Oilers in March 2018: 2-2-0, four points; goal differential -2
  • Oilers in March 2019: 3-1-0, six points; goal differential +5
  • Oilers in March 2020: 2-1-0, four points; goal differential +5

WHAT TO EXPECT IN MARCH

  • On the road to: NAS, DAL, CHI (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 2-1-0)
  • At home to: CBJ, WPG, VEG, NYI (Expected 2-2-0)
  • On the road to: PHI, WAS, OTT (Expected 1-1-1)
  • At home to: TBY, ANA, COL, SJS, ANA, VEG (Expected: 3-2-1)
  • Overall expected result: 7-6-3, 17 points in 16 games
  • Current results: 2-1-0, 4 points in three games

This four game home stand will be important, if the club can grab four points that places them at 84 points with 10 games to play. Columbus is hanging on to a wild card spot and have been getting points from the Bettman aisle (2-4-4 in the last 10) recently. Perhaps that predicts tonight’s game.

OILERS 2019-20

Who would you run with McDavid tonight? I vote Ennis and Kassian, but Dave Tippett has several options available. Oscar Klefbom’s return gives us a chance to dream about deployment, I wrote about it for The Athletic this morning. He’s had a fascinating year.

JOSH ARCHIBALD

In his first eight games for the Edmonton Oilers this season, Josh Archibald didn’t impress. He didn’t post a goal or an assist, and in the game against the Washington Capitals October 24, he was the penalty killer who failed to cover Alexander Ovechkin. Not good! He turned it around (last 40 gp: 12-8-20) and yesterday signed an extension with the club. He can score, he can skate, he can check and he can penalty kill like a demon. He was a good bet in the summer, and he’s an Edmonton Oilers NHL player for the next two seasons.

OILERS SIGNED FOR NEXT SEASON

UFA: Gaetan Haas, Riley Sheahan, Tyler Ennis, Patrick Russell, Markus Granlund, Tomas Jurco, Mike Green, Brandon Manning, Keegan Lowe, Brad Malone, Josh Currie, Mike Smith, Shane Starrett.

RFA: Andreas Athanasiou, Ethan Bear, Matt Benning, William Lagesson, Ryan Mantha, Ryan Kuffner, Nolan Vesey, Cam Hebig, Colby Cave, Logan Day, Angus Redmond.

Among the UFA’s, I would bring back Tyler Ennis and Riley Sheahan if he’s affordable. I want to sign Gaetan Haas but you can’t bring back everyone.

Among the RFA’s, Ethan Bear is the priority, would also sign Matt Benning, William Lagesson, Andreas Athanasiou. The big question with Athanasiou is how much and how long?

50-MAN 2020-21 (39)

I could see as many as six RFa’s being walked and Broberg could slide another year. Ken Holland is signing guys like he plans to take the summer off, but there’s plenty of room to wheel on the 50-man.

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Bank Shot

godot10: Nurse won’t be paid for that role.He will be paid to be a physical Jay Bouwmeester who can do everything else, play big minutes, and play at a high level till his mid-thirties.

Maybe the Oilers will sign Pietrangelo and then have to make some hard choices about salary on the rest of the D-core.

godot10

OriginalPouzar:
Drai and Ennis starting to find some chemistry…..

Ennis can’t finish like Nuge, or make as sweet as give and go passes. So the “Porche” line was sputtering.

It is better to have one line tilting the ice and providing momentum than none.

Tippett should tell McDavid and Kassian to concentrate on their checking and their offense will come.

godot10

LMHF#1:
Don’t understand Tippett’s blind spot regarding how bad Nurse is on the power play.

He can’t fill that role.

This is also one of the reasons you don’t break the bank for him.

Nurse won’t be paid for that role. He will be paid to be a physical Jay Bouwmeester who can do everything else, play big minutes, and play at a high level till his mid-thirties.

OriginalPouzar

I would think that Mikko starting tomorrow night is a no-brainer.

Now, starting with the game tomorrow night, I expect the “lack of energy/juice” to be a rare occurrence. Last night was the 9th game in a row in a different arena and having to gut it out with their C game was definitely expected.

With that said, they finally got to go home after the game last night and not to the airport, fly and arrive in another city in the middle of the night.

They should be raring to go on Monday night with full energy and juice (subject to illness) and should be able to take advantage of a tired Knight’s team who will be playing their 3rd in 4 nights on the road.

Its March 8 and the Oilers are in first place in the division. If Vegas loses tonight in regulation the Oilers can open up a lead tomorrow night with a game in hand. Here is hoping for a 2-point game tonight between the flames and the Knights.

I expect the nucks to crush the Jackets on the back end of back to backs but we’ll see.

A nuck and flames win would make it very tight from 1-4 in the Pacific – hopefully a flames win (spits) and a nuck loss is on the sched!

Gym Time!

Wilde

Bakersfield Condors vs. Stockton Heat; March 7th, 2020; first run

Kuffner – Esposito – Gambardella
Stukel – Cave – Currie
Benson – Granlund – Koules
Maksimov – McLeod – Peluso

Lowe – Kulevich
Manning – Day
Samorukov – Bouchard

after 20

18CF-14CA
12FF-12FA
0GF-1GA

Top F: Esposito (0.51 Game Score)
1 shot attempt, 2 shot assists
8CF-1CA
5FF-1FA
0GF-0GA

Top D: Bouchard (0.56 Game Score)
2 shot attempts, 2 shot assists
8CF-1CA
6FF-1FA
0GF-0GA

rickithebear

People seem to have concern with Kassian contract.
Goals win games and evg from a fwd that can slot in top 3 to top 9 in reg and playoffs is important.
18-19 to current 19-20
Kassian #26 RW 29 evg 3.2 M
Eberle #42 RW 23 evg 5.5M
Archibald #46/RW 22 evg 1.5M, top 40 pk fwd ladt 2yr.

Next is Dheahan who is a tough ZS eater so our top 6 can have a soft time.

Of the 226C in the top 31 x 14 fwds even mins.
Their were 4C to have 15 th hardest ZS the last 2 season.
Beagle 3M
Faksa 2.2M
Sheahan UFA
Richardson UFA
I want both espevially Richardson’s insane WOWY with Archibald.

€√¥£€^$

Georges, I love ya man, but AA was a 4th Rounder…..

Bank Shot

jake70:
D zone play has been atrocious.Weak on puck, lack of anticipation , clumsy. They have to find way to adapt to these Bettman era lockdown teams.

I think they actually did alright in the D-zone considering they spent the majority of the game there.

Seems like the biggest issue for the OIlers tonight was transition plays and turnovers. They’d get the puck back and immediately turn it back over time and time again.

Reja

Tampa was smart to sign Maroon after getting man handled last year.

wolf8888

He did a great job on Chara tonight

innercitysmytty

OriginalPouzar,

9th straight game in a different arena

wolf8888

After hours should let Louis talk more. More interesting dialogue ensues

Alsker

So does this mean im cheering for the (spits) phlems tomorrow? Holy Yamo looks like a kid next to Louie…

N64

March 8 and 23.
Mark them on you calendar.
Only days you can root for Vegas

rickithebear

BONE207:
Sure…the shooter never had a chance.

You are correct.

Low into the pad.
Above the pad it’s open and in.

Their is this Evolutionary primitive targeting mechanism.
That makes Male primitive brained humans.
Some are genetic female or mostLy genetic male.

Visualize the net as target you will aim Center to the net.
A high rate of in the body shots.

Vizualize the whole goalie as target.
Pads and periphery.

Vizualize one of the normal open holes.
A higher% of open shots.

Draisaitl trained himself to position for, target, and hit open holes the offseason before and during 18/19.
We saw lots of video of it.

Repetative human machine action.
With that kind of passing.
Open space targeting to small open spaces should have become natural and it did.

Learn the game you play!

jake70

D zone play has been atrocious. Weak on puck, lack of anticipation , clumsy. They have to find way to adapt to these Bettman era lockdown teams.

Reja

dangilitis:
I’m going to focus on the positive here. This has been the best 2 game stretch by an Oilers goalie, in the face of being massively outplayed, since Roli 07 and Cujo late 90s

Moog.Fuhr. Ranford. Cujo. Salo. Stole more then a few back in the day.

rickithebear

Out open shot targeting and defending leading to outscoring is all that matters.
Our forwards beating opp 2D-1G in homeplate battle.
Our 2D-1G beating opps forwards in homeplate battle.

hunter1909

Hunter1909 2019-20 Death March™ Important Update!

Here are the current leaders for this season’s Death March.

MOOSE1197
97

LACKING THE APATHY
97

BRAD
97

CHRISTO STU
97

BISMARCK
97

OILFAN EN PUERTO
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NAILER YAKUMOTO
97

BUSTEDSOULO
97

FRJOHNK
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K.KAUSE
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PTS2PNDR
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HOT EIRE
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Thanks to all of you excellent hockey fans!

jp

rickithebear: The breakaway 1st shot closed.

Huh?

BONE207

Sure…the shooter never had a chance.

dangilitis

I’m going to focus on the positive here. This has been the best 2 game stretch by an Oilers goalie, in the face of being massively outplayed, since Roli 07 and Cujo late 90s

BONE207

I’ll take Roli 06 for 800 Alex. Silver lining…

dangilitis

Ya, ya, it’s been awhile…

oilersfan

N64,

Well that makes sense

I thought for a minute it was Chris Pronger which was very confusing

N64

Canadian Press and
CP Rail deny all responsibility

Reja

Side:
All 4 of Smith’s kids look exactly like him.

Better then looking like the neighbour.

Foege Foegele Torpe

They do look a bit like Chris Pronger

rickithebear

I just watched the post game Koskinen save highlight reel.
Which I assume we’re suppose to be the toughest saves.
1 open shot stopped with the glove.

The breakaway 1st shot closed.
Goal an open shot!

Foege Foegele Torpe

Please stop this nonsense

Side

All 4 of Smith’s kids look exactly like him.

BONE207

Better shavers though.

N64

Reja: We’re number 1. We’re number 1. We’re number 1.

Mission Accomplished.
Bettman .500 secured.
13 games to go. All gravy.

BONE207

There better be some meat coming.
Like John Pinnette used to say: salad is a promise that food is coming.

N64

Promise? It’s a contract. Sue PETA.

OriginalPouzar

who:
Well, that’s three bad games in a row.
And Koskinen stole two of them.
I thought we were supposed to be better once we got healthy?

3rd game in 4 nights
3rd game in 4 nights (and 4th in 6th)
1st game back home but 8th straight game in a different arena

Travel fatigue is real – heading to the airport after every game and getting to bed in the middle of the night, 3-4 times a week is tough sledding.

That ends now – in their own beds shortly – finally.

tileguy

That goal came on the 100th shot from the last 3 games he has played, .980 save%

BONE207

So we have playoff goaltending. Out corsi’d, out skated & out hustled.
We’ll need Miracle on Manchester Magic to have a longer than 4 game playoff experience.

Reja

who:
Well, that’s three bad games in a row.
And Koskinen stole two of them.
I thought we were supposed to be better once we got healthy?

We’re number 1. We’re number 1. We’re number 1.

hunter1909

Here’s what CP thinks of Nurse tonight:

“What I would pay to see someone beat the crap out of Nurse.”

“God Nurse is such a thug.”

“Nurse is such a fake tough guy.”

oilersfan

Who is CP

N64

Calgary Puck

jp

Calgary Puck? lol

wolf8888

Calgary Puke?

Lucinius

As others have said; did not deserve the two points, but we got them anyways. Team needs to start showing up, though. You can only steal a few games like that before it comes back to bite you hard. It will be interesting to see if Tippet goes back to Smith, since he seems to see him better than Koskinen, but the latter has banked four crucial points for the team recently and Smith struggled his last game. Personally, I’d favour Koskinen. He’s earned the advantage in net for now, imo.

Also, great to see RNH grab another point. Not a fabulous game by any stretch, but the guy deserves the points after the years of toil.

BONE207

I just realized that it’s LT’s favorite day!!!

Time change day. Be good boys & girls. He’s going to be grumpy for at least a week.

Dicky94

Really hoping there is more than McDavid that is battling an illness to explain their play lately. Three in a row now where they are being outworked badly. I will take the win however.

Zelepukin

who:
Well, that’s three bad games in a row.
And Koskinen stole two of them.
I thought we were supposed to be better once we got healthy?

We’re far from healthy though.Overall everyone looks tired and lacking that extra step in tenacity.

McD is definitely under the weather.
Klef is coming off some kind of shoulder operation. No way he is 100% comfortable yet.

Reja

Connor looks bagged needs his girlfriend to make him some chicken soup.

BONE207

She could make me a shit sandwich & I’d feel better

Foege Foegele Torpe

Yes, but would you consume it?

Ice Sage

who:
Well, that’s three bad games in a row.
And Koskinen stole two of them.
I thought we were supposed to be better once we got healthy?

They may not be healthy…

Johnny skid

Bulging Twine:
that’s friggin bs by Draisattl.c’mon man.for Koskinen

Yep

Ryan

Weird game.

We’ll take it.

jp

Hey, Condors actually win.

Cave, Gambardella and Kulevich with the goals, Maksimov with the SO winner. Starrett in net.

who

Well, that’s three bad games in a row.
And Koskinen stole two of them.
I thought we were supposed to be better once we got healthy?

Reja

Archie with one tough assist atta boy. Who’s Tippett going to start against Vegas?

Foege Foegele Torpe

Ice Sage: Yes, Leon’s buying Koski dinner all week

Does Diamonds still have that steak sandwich?

OriginalPouzar

Oilers are in first place in the division on March 7th

theDjdj

These games coming up against Vegas will dictate who walks away with the crown this year. Absolutely phenomenal finish to the season- far more than I think most hoped for. Now go home and get the bed rest!

rickithebear

Did I just see nurse abandoning free path between forward with puck and Net with a 3 goal lead.
Stupid Rover!

wolf8888

hahaha. You are hilarious!

OriginalPouzar

Lazy play on the 4 on 4 by the “Stars” and the shutout is overThat was far from a work of art – that team did not play well at all but they took advantage of an early break and Mikko kept them in it until the were able to put a couple late nails in the coffin.

This team is exhausted and I’m sure they are all excited to go home after the game and sleep in their own beds – not to an airport.

That’s it, the travel fatigue excuse is over. Its damn real but its over now. Only one day off in between games but expect them to come out with full energy and juice on Monday against VEG and take advantage of a tired team on scheduled loss night (the Knights 3rd in 4 nights).

Zelepukin

Bulging Twine:
that’s friggin bs by Draisattl.c’mon man.for Koskinen

Bulging Twine:
that’s friggin bs by Draisattl.c’mon man.for Koskinen

Ya I turned it off in disgust after that. Nearly 50 shots and you can’t just play out 60 sec for the guy.

hunter1909

delooper:
Oilers winning a game 3-0 they probably deserve to lose 1-0. I forget it’s possible to have this sort of luck.

Payback for Vancouver with Sedins+Nedved; or Dallas with Modano/+ + +

oilersfan

Too bad Mikko lost the shutout

He has been spectacular the last 2:5 games

I wonder if it’s best to ride the hot hand or rotate Smith back in as Mikko is known to have a bad game every few if he plays too much

Jordan

I think I’ve watched this game before like 40 times.

But, this time, the team getting outplayed and still winning is the Oilers.

I seem to recall that team usually being the Stars, or the Avs, or sometimes Detroit.

Seems so very strange to watch the Oilers winning a game like this.

jp

Interesting nearing the playoffs with no clue who the starter is.

hunter1909

Must win game.

OriginalPouzar

Painful assist by Archie on the painful block.