A few times each season, the Edmonton Oilers play a frustrating game in the American south that features mind boggling calls and non-calls from the referees. For much of whatever century this is, I’ve ignored it, believing that things even out. I don’t think they do anymore, so have checked down to a possible solution: Maybe the Oilers can use it as motivation.
Tonight will be a tough challenge, the team is coming off the road after a significant time away, play one game and then take off again. This could be a difficult game to watch. I don’t believe it will be, partly because justice would go unserved. When the stripes put their thumb on the scale, the hockey Gods must reply. Tonight is the night.
The Athletic article today looks at Kris Knoblauch’s efforts to suppress offense and win games with defensive prowess. How is it going? Article is here.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN JANUARY
- At home to: ANA (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
- On the road to: SEA, BOS, PIT, CHI (Expected 2-1-1) (Actual 2-1-0)
- At home to: LAK (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- On the road to: MIN, COL, VAN (Expected 1-1-1) (Actual 0-0-0)
- At home to: WAS, VAN, BUF, SEA, DET (Expected 3-2-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
- Overall expected results: 8-4-2, 18 points in 14 games
- January result: 3-1-0
- Oilers in 2024-25: 25-13-3, 53 points in 41 games
If the Oilers are going to win the Pacific, games like tonight have to go their way. The Vegas Golden Knights are a wagon, but an Edmonton win gets the Oilers to within four points of the division leaders. That 0-3-0 start remains galling, hopefully Kris Knoblauch will cut down earlier and play his NHL roster more in the preseason.
COMMENTS
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EXHAUSTED BLUE
Mattias Ekholm is 2-3 goals for the month at five-on-five, while going 39-27 from October through end December. Injuries great and small, and plenty of work are the likely causes, but a few easy wins would be terrific for the big man. Ekholm having a few 15 minute nights is of course impossible but might be what the doctor ordered.
Meanwhile, Ty Emberson is 2-2 goals for January, while owning a 15-22 ledger in previous months. If that third pairing can deliver 50 percent of the goals, music! Darnell Nurse is playing two minutes more at five-on-five this month (20 minutes, from 18 previously) and remains a 53 percent outscorer for the year. Some of these veterans have performed admirably for Knoblauch this year.
At noon today, we talk sports on the Lowdown, Sports 1440. Hockey talk with Rachel Doerrie from ESPN and Betalytics, we’ll chat about the Oilers road trip, catching the Vegas Golden Knights and I’ll ask if the Detroit Red Wings have figured it out. When Jason Gregor pops in we’ll chat about the Oilers-Kings and what is likely the first-round playoff matchup this spring, I’m going to ask if it’s possible for the Oilers get out of that series without injury worries. Declanations with Declan Krueger is all about Mamma MMA and the Jays threw fans a curveball recently we’ll talk about it. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.
7 games in 12 days in 7 different cities, with the last 4 over 6 days. And these next 3 going against teams who got soundly beaten by the Oil in each of their last matches.
Maybe that’s why the 11-7 configuration? In Knoblauch we trust.
LTs 1-1-1 prediction would be a good showing for a playoff team. Optimism in that Kaprizov is still out, being in Colorado may get the stars going, and hatred of the Nucks is always a motivator
It was 11-5 for most of the night….
True that. 13 less minutes for the top 5.
I think the deadline acquisition goals of a >15 min/night D and a scoring winger are in view?
FWIW, Florida and Dallas were very top heavy D in the playoffs, if I recall. Petrovic was played sparingly in a 12-6, I think?
It was 11-6, Stecher and Brown played a combined 13:23, which is barely below the average of Stecher when he is the only 6th defenseman and as much as Brown played in any game. In each of their 6 + minutes, both managed to have positive expected goal shares. Knoblauch has his reasons.
Feel free to disagree with their reasons, but stop sitting there saying Knoblauch and Coffey have no good reasons to do this just because you don’t know what they are. You operate with a fraction of the information of what they have and see.
And all of Bouchard, Ekholm and Kulak played less than their season average, with Nurse 1 minute over and Emberson 2 minutes over.
The playoff Oilers showed up.
Emberson looked good and had some big minute shifts in the 3rd. Turning into a real no-nonsense D-man.
Also he is definitely the 2nd dad on the back-end, to Bouch. Our two 38year old Gen Zers.
Just a great game.
Both teams looked like a reincarnation of the 1970’s and 1980’s Montreal Canadiens vs the Boston Bruins.
Oilers out hit Kings 15 to 8.
2-0 on slew foots for LAK though
The Oilers pressuring and throwing their weight around like it was a playoff game. When McDavid throws them and leads by example…
Skinner was outstanding but so was the team in front of him. Edmonton with a defensive effort not unlike the Kings. And the Kings are supposed to be the top defensive team in the league.
Kings are no slouches.
Oilers get top marks for playing the Kings at their game until Draisaitl/Nurse/McDavid shined like stars in the sky.
Fantastic to see 9 million dollar Nurse in on the winning goal.
2 perfect games in last 3 for Skinner
Oilers are covering everything up defensively so Skinner has fewer excuses lol
Jeff Skinner would have looked woefully out of place in a defensive battle like that.
And he also might have potted the insurance goal
1-0 game with an empty-net at the other end? Jeff Skinner doesn’t touch ice in that scenario.
The insurance goal can be scored well before the goalie is pulled.
That’s what I was referring to. Edmonton is 21st in shooting percentage.
Is Jinner even on the ice on a 6 on 5?
Or caused the tying one.
That was a HUGE WIN!!!! Why does our team turn in to the bad news bears when the other net is empty???????
Maybe they think it’s beneath them lol
Sharing is caring! they are often looking for the other guy to score. Nice teammates.
Outstanding game. Weathered the first then took control with a controlled, mature game
Kings looked frustrated after that first period.
Oilers made no mistakes.
Give MacKinnon and Rantanen some credit. Scoring on an empty net appears to be difficult.
lol. I mean I’d rather not have selfish teammates. But someone needs to shake those 2 and tell them to just take the effing credit sometimes
Shoot it in the empty net Mcdrai! Such weird decision making.
Yeah. Like the top 2 players on the bookies cup favorites.
Great win but the aversion to empty net goals is infuriating. Draisaitl costing himself the Hart because MacKinnon would have not even looked for a pass before firing into the open cage
Draisaitl wants cups as much as McDavid. Otherwise he’d have gone to the Rangers.
I know. But sadly most writers are going to overlook his stellar regular season play because Colorado has 18 empty net goals and Edmonton has 6.
Blanked the end!!
Yeeehaaa
In my opinion, that was a fantastic defensive performance by the Oilers.
Yes, I know the Kings had some chances and controlled flow of play early but they only generated chances off of the Oilers poor passing and poor managing of the puck – Oilers defended well even when they were sluggish – once they found their legs, they have gave up almost nothing until the goalie was pulled and very little dangerous at all.
Yes. Oilers matched the Kings in every possible way.
But since it’s hockey, the best players can step up and squeak out important wins.
Weird decision by Ekholm there…..
Need to start burying EN chances
Colorado must make it part of their practice routine, maybe the Oilers should too. That could have cost them
McDavid just an inch off – twice now as well (on the breakout before that last whistle).
Liking that they are keeping the pressure on, their best game that way
I repeat, the Oilers have taken over this game – taken over.
Would behoove the to bury one of these chances and extend the lead – I think we know LA is going to push in the last few minutes.
They are very good when they get on their chincy defensive rhythm. It’s like an LA frustrating level to probably play against.
Effort – excellent.
Offensive execution- putrid, panicky garbage. They should have at least 4 and keep just jabbing at the puck.
Other than the goal there haven’t been many I thought were that good also. Although more as the game went on, but finish not there. Life for them would be so much easier if they put teams away with their chances
The coach may have decided his Reddox/Toby is Connor Brown.
I’m not sure Reddox/Toby P. ever had a stretch of 11 points in 15 games like Brown just had….
Is that not closing hand on the puck?
GREAT net front defence by Nurse there – fantastic.
BrownMark are deadly on the 2 on 1…… while shorthanded only.
Oilers have taken over this game – hopefully they can extend the lead.
An insurance goal would be great. Have had a few good chances last few minutes.
Nice outlet by Josh Brown there.
Nice backtrack by McDavid there…
Great backtrack by 97.
Brown and Stecher barely playing – should have had a 12th forward.
No kidding, can’t understand why you hamstring yourself by going to basically 5 defenseman and 11 forwards. Doesn’t make sense
That was probably one of the worst defensive zone shifts Kulak has had in months. You finally get a goal and the next shift, with less than a minute left in the period, you make 3, maybe 4 terrible decisions not to make the easy pass or chip out. So frustrating.
1-0 good guys yay.
He has really been struggling last few games. Ironically he had been playing some of his best hockey ever prior to these last few. Banged up maybe????
Looked just like brainfarts. The Oil do have a tendency to throw common sense out the window in the last minute of a period.
He’s been playing 21 minutes/game the last 30 or so games and his career high coming in was 17:30 and he’s generally been around 17 most years…..
Just like I’m not sure Nurse had been fully healthy in the groin/core/hip area since playing through the torn hip flexor in 2022, I don’t know if Drai had been completely healthy in the ankle since playing through the high ankle sprain.
I believe both are finally back to 100% this season.
Drai at 80% > 98% of his peers. Drai at 100% best in the league?
Perfect
Nurse’s centre drive and moving over a bit to create a better passing lane was quality
The Kulak erosion is real and spectacular
All of this defending and running around in their zone after Kulak couldn’t move the puck while he wasn’t even being pressured. He’s really struggling to make basic plays right now.
Might be why they dressed 7
That was sublime.
I need a cigarette
🎂
Leon!!! What a play, never gave up on play.
Leon hustled so hard to beat Trevor Moore to that puck.
Wow what a burst of speed by Drai to chase that puck down and set up the play for Connor!!!!!
Holy Hell Leon – that was at the END of like a 90 second 4 on 4 shift.
Laferriere being la ferret there.
That really is Ekholm’s spot – damn!
Oh that was close!
Like watching paint dry… but nervously.
Skinner’s made some good saves but I count three giveaways so far. Gotta clean that up.
Great defensive play by Embrerson – and he makes the breakout pass for the 2 on 1 as well – he’s coming along well.
I guess you can blame it on the schedule but this is an ugly hockey game…..
Kings have allowed the least goals in the league, but have also scored the 10th fewest. I can’t imagine watching them every night and cheering for this. Our team is more fun.
Another great rush defensive play by Bouch, off another Drai turnover.