After a Game 1 loss we have the usual combination of calm mixed with unease among comments on this blog. Same as it ever was. I don’t think anyone is out of their brain on the 5:15 over it, but the lack of sample size at the beginning of the season often raises levels of anxiety. Why? Well, put simply, we don’t know what we don’t know.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER
- At home to: Calgary, Vancouver (Expected 2-0) (Actual 0-0-1)
- On the road to: Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Detroit, Ottawa (Expected 2-2-1)
- At home to: Montreal (1-0)
- On the road to: Seattle, Vanouver (1-1)
- At home to: Mammoth, Rangers (1-0-1)
- Expected Record: 7-3-2, 16 points in 12 games
- Actual Record: 0-0-1, one point in one game
The Oilers are still figuring out their roster and the addition of Jack Roslovic further complicates things. You can see a path that lands both rookie wingers (Matt Savoie and Ike Howard) in part-time roles or on the Bakersfield Condors roster. In this way, the Oilers still have to decide what they want to accomplish this season.
If the decision is to bet on Roslovic scoring 25 while Howard does similar in Bakersfield, that’s a reasonable decision, in my opinion. What isn’t reasonable is to expect Howard to arrive back in Edmonton during February and deliver like a player who has 40 games of NHL experience. I suspect coach Kris Knoblauch will like Roslovic well enough to play him as a regular, and that may benefit the team now and into the future. If the club believes Howard has a higher scoring ceiling, then playing the rookie now would be the right play. We’ll see. I don’t think this is an easy choice and I do believe both options can work.
The same decision may be forced on the coaching staff in net. The Bakersfield Condors season begins this afternoon in San Jose versus Barracuda, but Connor Ingram won’t play. The AHL schedule is light on games early in the year, so Game 2 is next weekend. At a guess, I would say any recall of Ingram happens after he has clearly established himself as an option (say 10 games). The caveat is poor performances by the Oilers goaltending tandem can hurry sundown for Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard.
I spoke to Jason Gregor yesterday, he thinks Calvin Pickard gets the net this evening after watching practice. If Pickard performs well, I think it makes sense to run him in the road game against the Rangers. This is a position that is transitioning, and that means running with what works. Miles to go, and a trade at the deadline remains the most likely outcome.
Draisaitl – McDavid – Frederic
Mangiapane – RNH – Savoie
Podkolzin – Philp – Kapanen
Howard – Henrique – Tomasek
Ekholm – Bouchard
Kulak – Emberson
Nurse – Regula
Pickard
Skinner
Those are the Friday lines via Tony Brar. I’ve added in Nurse (who was ill) and moved up Pickard to reflect the possibility he starts. Some urgency for Savoie and Howard, with Roslovic on the roster and the need to send someone to Bakersfield in the coming days to make room for Jake Walman and (later) Zach Hyman.
Centre lane drive by Philp on his goal. The center lane drive is something that the Oilers forwards rarely do, compared to other teams.
Stan the Man.
A couple of dumb questions thrown at Stan.
Magpie scoring tonight who would of thunk. His 2 year deal could be a steal if he returns to his healthy form a few years ago.
That was the most Drai ENG ever. Not only the fact that it was from centre on the backhand, but directly over Hughes’ stick, as if just so he could beak him sayin’, dude, I passed it right to you.
Very entertaining game. Oilers hardly made any mistakes – none of the brain cramps we saw against Calgary that helped let a very winnable game get away.
Who do you take out of the lineup when Roslovic plays? All four lines played well tonight, not sure any forward deserves to sit out.
I would say this is a good problem!
Oilers took some abuse from Canucks tonight. Obviously a close game you are leading means you don’t want to take unnecessary penalties but Myers spear on Connor cannot go unanswered. Kane was also running around. Next game should see some fireworks.
I know the goalie situation is in flux and everyone has their own take on who should be starting, but I just feel so much more confident when the puck is in our end with Pickard in goal.
Hey Andrew, are you up island in Parksville?
.
You are looking for Andrew, the Dashing Silver Fox, no? Wrong DSF.
Oh wow.For real?
????
All of this time and I thought that was one of his burner accounts.
Not sure if I should feel honored, insulted or both. I guess for now I’ll go with honored.
Something Andrew would say…..
That better be at least a fine on Myers
But it’s NHE so likely not
League should suspend Myers for 3 games.
I would concur.
Demko was magnificent tonight … but the Oil dominated play for three full periods. What an enjoyable game to watch.
If not for Demkook, this is a runaway win. We seem to play better defence when Picks is in the net. I’d keep running him out there. Give Skins something to think about. Maybe a little desperation is his game is needed.
Skins game does not lack for desperation.
Skinner didn’t make a single save!
Clowns will whine and complain as per usual, but that was a solid team game, top to bottom.
Oilers dominated this game and only Demko standing on his head made it close. Louis with his you have to give Canucks credit BS. Somebody is going to have to deal with Myers next time they play.
eat it nucks.
1 and 1 ! whoooooo!!
BOOM! Stop that one, Demkook!
The goalie who wins, wins a game.
The stop on the Mangiapane error saved the momentum and even with the putrid powerplay execution, strong whole team control gets it done.
Still finding ways to critic a win
Always.
You have to learn and get better from your wins and your losses.
Has been the better G for a month now. Keep playing him
Only saw half the game, but The Capt. Looked like a normal NHL goalie. Very solid. Normal is good
It helps a lot when the team plays the way it did tonight.
Kudos to Nurse for a strong bounce-back game.
Huge block a few minutes back.
Less chaos in his game, tonight. Sure hope he figured out that less is more. Having a solid Nurse is needed for another deep run.
A few minutes ‘back’, that’s going to sting today.
Leon gets the EN goal!!
Scoring on an empty net?
Who are these guys?
Draisaitl is a crazy person. Who stays on his backhand for that empty net attempt?
Oilers deserved that win!
You can’t spell Canucks without “suck”.
????????????
That goal is for Regula
Looks like Regula in concussion protocol
He immediately grabbed his helmet. I thought Kane made contact with his head.
Smart play there. Jump a guy after a clean hit with 3 minutes left and up by 1.
Second heavy hit against Regula by Kane. First coulda been a penalty. Ya. Go ahead and jump him I say.
You have to support your mates, clean or not. He was looking to hurt Regula for some reason
Smarter than stating the obvious?
You knew Canucks were going to get a pp chance.
Clean hit, retaliation is going to put the Oilers short.
Retaliation? Nice to see
OK WE HAVE TO SCORE ON THIS PP!
guess not….
0 for 5
If the Oilers blow it this is reason #1
Negative Nancy, all night. Sound like my wife when she’s tired
Giving Saskatchewan a bad name
Current VP of Trans Alta Gen & Renewables was maint mgr of Wabamun lake Pwr complex. I hand picked (Cdn scholar) to work at.
A reduced pollution/Hrsg project there is what drew me.
Generating heat maps 4 3D maintenance history driven design flagging sys w/ Mike Aubichon RCM & Boeing jet maint lists.
Told me about designing MTL minor hockey stat site.
A closed Sh (0 SH%) is never a high danger chance.
Like first discussed 17 yrs ago There 2 sets of heat maps.
x,y release location & y,z open net elevation target plane. ( Like strike zone.
GPS now allows the puck path to be seen in both elevations.
Like I stated 14,15 yrs ago.
Apr 17-21, 2017 hF boards (POilerbear) still were you can find. Theory # 50 nowb30+ yrs of final 4 rosters.
5-6 of 32 are usually Final 4 GA teams.
2/3 allow 6 (1.50gaa) to 3 (.75gaa) in 4 wins.
Should be 7-1…
Keep at it. Demkook is gonna injure himself bailing out his crap defending team and they’ll be sunk.
Keep at it.
Draisaitl dusting that one off with a yawning cage there. Eberle like.
Good gord this could be a 5-1 game
Leon…you’re better than shooting that right into his glove…
That’s just a goalie making an unreal save. Drai elevated it and Demko was incredible. It’s the two one timers off target before that I’m more frustrated about.
No it isn’t. He still has all the room in the world to finish that. He knew it too.
That should be back bar
Little too long to release that
Demko has been Vezina level tonight.
Louie and Jack never fail to disappoint. In a single shift the Canucks high stick, slash and cross-check the Oilers top line, and;
”Good defending by the Canucks there…”
”Right you are Louie…”
Louie is so devoid of critical thought when he’s on the national broadcast…
Meyers a stand up guy says Louie. Well then…
Highlight of Myers spearing the best player in the game. Louie: “Myers plays it rough but clean.”
Is too much to ask to have someone who understands the sport be the colour commentator?
I don’t mind Debrusk most nights, but to see him talk about Myers being an honest player as we’re watching Myers intentionally spear McDavid in the nether regions was hilarious.
Frederic needs to make himself useful and let Mr Meyers know that spearing 97 in the nuts is not acceptable
Multiple Oilers needs to perform various on ice surgeries on Myers
Time for Fredericks to earn his contract……
Myers speared Connor and ignored by Reff’s????
Dont like that goal on pickard. Demko has saved a dozen of those already
FFS…
They had to mention that Vancouver had no HD chances didn’t they?
Not sure that was very HD based on the lack of velocity
The dreaded third period. Had to listen to the first game on the radio and it sounded like we let up a bit, got unlucky and Skins gaffed.
Let’s hope it’s a lesson learned.
Don’t let up. They can’t score if we don’t give them the puck. Another goal wouldn’t hurt, either.
Per Rishaug:
Sportlogiq with the high danger chances 12-0 Edmonton through 2 periods.
BOOM!!! Mangy get a nice pass and buries!
Yeah, as advertised. Really pesky type of play with the interception and goal.
He was always a really annoying player when he played against us.
Hyman always drove me absolutely crazy when he played for the Leafs. He might have been the most annoying player ever.
Annoyance usually bodes well.
Let them EatBread!
Pick, delay, finish.
Beautifully done.
Magpie scores his 2 nd of the season!
Great back to back 4 on 4 shifts.
That second shift started with Regula on the back end and finished by Mangiapane.
When Walman returns Regula likely bumps Emberson out of the line up. Pretty solid D core!
Mangia Mangia!! ???? ????