The Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks in spectacular fashion on Tuesday night, and the Vancouver Canucks dealt the Vegas Golden Knights a devastating loss on Wednesday. Everything is coming up Millhouse! Or maybe Glen Sather.
Edmonton begins the day in second place Pacific division. The Oilers are one point up on tonight’s opponent, the Los Angeles Kings, with a game in hand. Even more amazing, Edmonton is five points up on the VGK, while also holding a game in hand. Vegas has 10 games left, and a maximum of 20 additional standings points.
Nothing is certain, but things are going well for these Edmonton Oilers in the Pacific division.
THE ATHLETIC!
- New Lowetide: Finding Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ wingers elusive challenge for Oilers
- New DNB: Oilers player poll
- Lowetide: Making the final call on the Oilers 2017 draft
- Lowetide: How many more college players will Oilers sign this spring?
- DNB: Oilers fend off Blues but will need to fix defensive woes
- Lowetide: Strong March puts Oilers in position for top-3 finish in Pacific Division
- DNB: Connor McDavid at 100 points
- Lowetide: Early look at Oilers free-agent targets for 2022 offseason
- DNB: Why Ryan McLeod’s best outing matters so much to the Oilers
- Lowetide: The legend of Oilers prospect Matvei Petrov continues to grow
- Lowetide: Are Oilers approaching a crossroads with Zack Kassian?
- DNB: Should Oilers budget for Evander Kane beyond this season?
- Lowetide: Oilers’ 2022 draft strategy takes shape after trade deadline
- Lowetide: 7 Condors who could impact Oilers’ fortunes in the playoffs
- DNB: How Jesse Puljujarvi, as a player and person, became perfect fit for Oilers
- Lowetide: Revisiting the Oilers’ choice of Evan Bouchard in the 2018 draft
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects, winter 2021
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM APRIL
- At home to: STL (Expected 0-0-1) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: ANA, SJS, LAK (Expected 2-1-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
- At home to: COL (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: MIN, NAS (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: VEG, DAL, COL (Expected 1-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: CBJ, PIT (Expected 1-1-0) Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: SJS, VAN (Expected 2-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected result: 7-6-1, 15 points in 14 games
- Actual April results: 3-0-0, 6 points in 3 games
- Oilers in 2021-22: 41-25-5, 87 points in 71 games
Vegas is unlikely run the table, but could go 8-2-0 if everything breaks right. If that happens, the final record for the desert dogs will be 47-31-4, 98 points in 82 games. Edmonton could finish 6-5-0 and land 47-30-5, 99 points. There is an air of inevitably about this, but let’s see how this plays out.
The Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton are far closer, and this is likely going to be decided in the hours before season’s end. Tonight is a big step for the winner in securing home ice advantage for the first found. This is going to be a great game, and a win could give Edmonton some real momentum heading into the six-game hell week that starts Saturday.
LINES (FIVE-ON-FIVE)LINES
- Kane-McDavid-Puljujarvi: 75 mins; 58% shot share; 6-0 goals, 58 xGF%
- Hyman-Draisaitl-Yamamoto: 50 mins; 51% shot share; 6-5 goals, 50 xGF%
- Foegele-Nuge-Ryan: 60 mins; 57% shots share; 5-2 goals; 60 xGF%
This is Woodcroft era, the top three lines. If Draisaitl starts, that’s a big positive, and if the Nuge line continues to deliver at reasonable rates, this team is going to win its share of games between now and the end of the season. I estimate Edmonton going 5-6-0 between now and the end of the regular season, mostly due to strong competition. Ideally, those last two games don’t matter and Woodcroft can rest some of the troops. I don’t think that will happen.
CENTERS FIVE-ON-FIVE IN WOODCROFT ERA
- Leon Draisaitl (22-12) +10
- Connor McDavid (23-14) +9
- McDavid-Draisaitl (4-3) +1
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (8-7) +1
- Draisaitl-Nuge (1-0) +1
- McDavid-Nuge (0-1) -1
- The rest (10-16) -6
This is goal differential five-on-five. It may not look like success but trust me on this one, Edmonton finally has enough depth to truly compete three lines into a game. I’d be interested in seeing what kind of fourth line Woodcroft could construct given a summer to tweak the roster. Summer could be interesting in Edmonton.
TONIGHT
This is a good test for Edmonton, a team with two disappointing playoff springs in the recent past to serve as bitter memories. A win tonight would give the team a little room to breathe, important as the club heads into a difficult portion of the schedule.
What would I like to see tonight? A healthy Draisaitl playing well for one, and Mikko Koskinen delivering a quality start, too. Finding a third line that can deliver some offence and win possession is something to watch for, and I think Evan Bouchard is showing improvement and would like to see more confidence from him. I know many are down on Jesse Puljujarvi, but he’s playing well and the goals will come. He could deliver 15-20 goals a season and still be the best option for the McDavid line, because of the things he does to free 97. I know some of you believe a more dynamic player should be with the captain, but Marian Hossa doesn’t play NHL hockey anymore and JP is best available on this roster. I happen to think he’s going to have a substantial career as a two-way winger, but still don’t know his outer marker as a goal scorer. 25? Maybe.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
At 10 this morning, we preview tonight’s Oilers-LAK game and talk about the playoffs to come. Chris Johnston, our TSN Insider will pop in at 10:20 and we’ll also have a guest from the left coast chiming in. MLB opening day, The Masters and more on a massive day in sports. 10-1260 text. What a day!
It’s going to be really interesting to see how the team does through this stretch against playoff teams (and Vegas).
I guess last nights game was the start of it, where LT projected a 2-5-0 record over 7 games vs LAK, COL, MIN, NSH, VEG, DAL, COL.
All relatively tough games, but far from impossible. It’d be great to see the team go 4-3 or better (and they already have the 1st one in the bank).
On the season the Oilers vs those teams have gone:
LAK 3-1-0 (2-1-0 before last night)
COL 0-1-0 (but a close game)
MIN 0-2-0
NSH 2-0-0
VEG 2-1-0
DAL 0-2-0
Even before last night the Oilers record vs these teams was 6-7-0, so perhaps 2-5-0 was a little harsh (though COL is in there 2x).
Anyway, I’m definitely hopeful for more than 2-4-0 out of these next 6 games.
That Col is 0-0-1
NEW for The Athletic: Stock up or down for every prospect in the Oilers system
https://theathletic.com/3235159/2022/04/08/lowetide-stock-up-or-down-for-every-prospect-in-the-oilers-system/
Smith’s ability to prevent rim-arounds and play the puck was a factor tonight. You can see why coaches love him. How many opposition sorties does he prevent from developing per game? Really saves on wear and tear on your dmen too. Worth the weight of his beard against hard forecheck teams.
Saw him fall over twice, too. I guess they kind of even out.
He’s been terrific in this last run he’s been on.
Goalies are Voodoo.
Has he been terrific? or has he been adequate and the team have outscored the weak ones? I guess saves on HDSC for and against would tell us. I’ll look a bit later. But by eye, he’s made some good saves, but his SV% could be a biproduct of good team play.
Voodoo indeed!
Good lord.
4GA in 3 games. On 97 shots. And you’re talking about the weak ones that could have been stopped? Honestly.
His HD SV% in the last 3 is .913, 2 HD GA on 21 HD shots (overall SV% .959).
Wow. Triggered. It’s a beautiful Friday, JP!
We’ve seen this before, no? You confident with him in the playoffs, despite two years of evidence? Honestly.
Haha. It does piss me off when folks can’t or won’t even acknowledge what they’re seeing in front of them.
Am I confident? Hell no, but there’s a ton of goaltending shit shows around the league that are as bad as what the Oilers have currently (which isn’t actually that bad).
In terms of 2 years of evidence, Smith was solid in last years playoffs, so the only real evidence I see is 4 games in 2020.
Recall Smith was good regular season and playoff last season. And would you believe he’s got the #13 SV% in the league (50+ games) over the last 2 years?
Saw him trapped a couple of times out of the net with the puck on his stick.
Strangely, Smith with the puck on his stick scares me a lot less than him flopping around in net at the moment.
If he fell down twice, neither fall hurt the team in any way it seems.
His ability to stop the puck and move it to releasing d-men led to efficient transition plays numerous times last night and directly to a PP draw and directly to a goal.
For me, no, not close to evening out.
There was a lot of comments earlier today about defenseman and 5 on 5 scoring. With the 3 he got tonight, Bouchard is now tied for 9th in the league for 5 on 5 points by a defenseman and 8th in 5 on 5 points per 60. He is 26th overall in total points. Again pretty good considering he gets about 35-40% of the pp time of all the NHL top scoring defenseman and almost half of that time is with the second unit.
#mathpick
I think the math was “one of the most productive d-men in the OHL in years”, no?
You respect Drew Ramenda-like hockey knowledge?
McLeod didn’t get on the game sheet but I thought he had a very good night.
100% agree. McLeod has spent his entire NHL career practicing with McDavid/Draisaitl/Hyman and it’s already apparent he’s been paying attention.
Rookies like McLeod who are blessed with the ability to pick up stuff fast is exactly what this team needs a pipeline of.
Add Yamamoto’s recent development to increasingly effective player and this theory holds water.
You say that like it’s a bad thing. I’d rather play the Kings than any of the Central teams in the first round.
Yep, this is the ideal matchup for the Oilers, especially with home ice.
End of a 3 game road trip, with a duct-taped goalie and banged up lineup, just doing enough to handily take 2 points, vs a team who played with it all on the line.
Cheering for LA to stay ahead of Vegas and their ‘bench strength’
I didn’t hate Smith tonight!! WooHoo.
So the rubber should hit the road in May now……
Good to play some tough games before the playoffs start. This is the time of year when you need some adversity. The Oilers coasted into the playoffs last year and couldn’t dial up the intensity the way the Jets did. I really don’t mind that schedule and I doubt our boys are going to be intimidated by it either.
Brown, Lizotte, Anderson, Anthansieou and Doughty. Who’s the last one?
Who’s the good one?
Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty are the Kings top pair D.
Imagine where the Oilers would be without Nurse and Ceci for an extended period of time.
Dead. In. The. Water.
If Miley Anderson is now their top LD, then the Oilers are going to have their way with the Kings once the refs put the whistles away in the playoffs.
Nothing Mike Smith with his sinewy old man strength and limbered up groin can’t handle.
Now three big points up on LT’s “What to Expect when you’re Expecting”.
That bodes well for the month even with two weeks of Death Valley Days on re-run straight ahead
Attaboy Smitty no leaky goals Woody made the right call. Does Smith go again Saturday I think it’ll be up to how he’s feeling game day.
Nope – Koski should be in against the Avs. Got to keep both goalies sharp.
I thought that was a no-brainer for tonight…….
Koski may have not been 100% feeling better yet
Funny you should say that. In the pregame Presser, Woodcroft was asked if yesterday with the OIlers having the day off, did he relax and turn his brain off for a day. Woodie replied he doesn’t turn it off until summer time. I guess he doesn’t make no-brainer decisions, he puts careful thought into all of them.
I hope he gets a extension and doesn’t get lost in the NHL buddy system. It’s probably going to take at least a second round exit. The Oiler mob is so hungry for some playoff results and rightfully so.
Coming out of that Calgary game if you’d have told me we’d win the next 6 and Mike Smith runs the table in California I would not have believed you
Sometimes the best motivation to be better is a good old fashioned ass whooping
Excellent all round team effort. Great result. Mike Smith was really really good.
Great game, and great game to win. I’m under the weather at the moment but feeling happy. Wins are what matter, not just individual goals.
Feel better boo!
Ha ha ha – that last 40 seconds was just awesome. Hyman is so good at killing time off the clock. Solid win on the road. Clean sweep of California. Firmly entrenched in 2nd place now with Vegas in the rear view mirror.
Hyman definitely has some Ryan Smith DNA in him.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a final 45 seconds executed any better. Hyman is a GENIUS. Wow!
My memory is a bit faded but 1994 playoffs, Rangers Devils, the game Messier guaranteed a win, MacT killed the final minute almost the same. He put on a clinic.
Beauty!!! Hard fought game and we wouldn’t let them get the equalizer! Felt like a playoff, eh? Smith was Awesome! Bouch is a savant in the offensive zone!!! 2nd place and the living is easy!!! Playoffs, here we come!!!
That was the most mature final 40 seconds I have seen this team play. Playoff worthy
Including Hyman having a chance to put a shot on net with about 20-25 seconds left but choosing not to – the right choice!
Dead on. That was something. I hope we see more of that shift in games to come. Clone it.
How in-your-face was that by Jay on TMac too… their game plans coming out of the timeout?
keep away mentality
Rubber meet road!
Wooooooooot
Hyman, Draisaitl, and McDavid boss the Kings to end the game. That was very satisfying.
That is Ragging a puck! Wow
Wow, what a final shift – wow!
Clutch clutch shift. Outstanding!
When is Smith eligible for a contract extension???
😂🤪
Easy there cowboy.
Ya, now there’s a frightening thought.
Hearts going yet? lol
Holy crap that was a great stop by Smith!!! He’s back, Baby!!! We’re goin Streakin!!!
It didn’t look like much…but the replay showed it was a BIG save. Really accurate shot.
Drai has got like 5 pounds of tape on that left hand.
Now for the Kill Shot!!! I’ll calling Drai with the Executioner!!!
I certainly hope so. I’m glad he got 50, but I’m seeing him slow down for now. I really hope I’m wrong and he gets to 60, with McDavid getting to 50.
Smith could of had 3 assists if the boys could finish.
Great drive by Ryan! Why wasn’t that a penalty shot?
If that was a penalty shot then so was the last PIM the Oilers took, right?
Derek Ryan again tonight
He has been unreal.
Unbelievable how two different coaches can extract such contrary performance from the same player.
He was good for the last 2 months under Tippett as well.
Dec. 9 through Feb. 9:
58% shots
53% goals (tops among regulars)
59% xGoals
1.82 p/60
DENY THE PP!!!!
What a play by Smith – again.
How many times has he knocked down the puck behind the net tonight on a hard rim dump in?
Yamo injured or demoted?
I thought the former but he’s on the ice now.
McLeod on with Drai/Hyman – pray for Yamamoto’s hand….
Smith with another great game.
He’s been stellar on this stretch. Mikko was good for about 10 games in a row, too(except the flamerz game). Maybe our goaling issues aren’t as big as we make it? Perfect timing, too, with the playoffs looming!
I’m worried he is peaking too soon.
Ah, yes. This is Oilers hockey. Let the butt-clenching and excitement commence at the same time.
Its such a treat watching the Oilers play butt clenching games in April!
Bison with a glorious scoring chance comes up empty.
Another JP whiff…did he change sticks or something??
Doesn’t always have the patience to pick his spots. That will slow down for him, and when it does he’ll be unstoppable
Sometimes our boy is the Bandy Bison…:)
Oh Bison King
did the season not start with calling the playbook cross check right in the numbers. ? Sooooooo what the drink happened
Same as always #game management #letting ‘em play
x3
Seriously. How could this many coaches not see just how useless Kassian is? He shouldn’t play a single minute further. Man, I wish Archie could play…
Shore will do.
80 should be up for this game.
I need to see Kings players smeared all over the boards.
and pucks in the Oilers net?
Nimelainen is a next year potential unless injuries force it.
Niems will be a treat when he gets up here to stay. Opposing players are pretty casual about entering our zone. We need guys like him to lay down the law at the blue line.
Poor back pass by McDavid, forces Jesse to cheat down, not fast enough and the puck goes back to his point and Smith lets in one that seemed stoppable.
McDavid was far too casual in their corner there.
You know what they call a Bouch-bomb in Paris?
Le Bouch-bomb?
No they call it La Bombe Royale
Uma
And I will lay my BoucheBomb on thee and you will know that I am the Bouche!
Bouchard is having a GAME. That play on the 2nd goal was good enough. Then the rocket!