The Edmonton Oilers play at MSG tonight that is 2-2-0 and finding out about itself. These Oilers are entering Game 3, and it’s the first road game of the season. Will the lines and pairings stay the same? Will Connor McDavid continue to play 40 percent of all minutes? What about Trent Frederic? Is he going to continue on the top line? Many questions for Manhattan to answer on an October evening.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER
- At home to: Calgary, Vancouver (Expected 2-0) (Actual 1-0-1)
- 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: 1-0-1, three points in two games
The overall feel of this team is more controlled than the chaos of the past two seasons. After two games in 2023-24, the Oilers were 0-2-0, the goal share was 4-12 (25 percent) and the save percentage was 75. In 2024-25, the Oilers were 0-2-0, the goal share 2-11 (15 percent) and the save percentage .754.
So far this season, it’s 1-0-1, the goal share is 6-4 and the save percentage is .892. The Oilers haven’t dug a hole through two games, and this road trip contains some opportunity.
I wrote about a few things we’re seeing at The Athletic (here) and will talk about it on the Lowdown today. I’m slightly encouraged by this team, and hope the coaching staff stays the course with players like David Tomasek, Noah Philp, Matt Savoie, Ike Howard and Alec Regula. If Howard gets sent out because Jack Roslovic, Jake Walman or Zach Hyman are back on the roster, that’s roster management and you like with it. However, while he’s here, Kris Knoblauch should play him. I’m impressed with how the coach is handling the new players.
I’d like to see McDavid and Draisaitl center different lines, and Philp stay in the middle. If Henrique is center on the fourth line, that would mean Nuge could play with McDavid and maybe the team could run Matt Savoie or David Tomasek on that unit. Leon could run with Andrew Mangiiapane and Vasily Podkolzin and maybe Ike Howard could get a spin there.
On the Lowdown today, we’ll have feature guests Rachel Doerrie (12:30), Daniel Nugent-Bowman at The Athletic (1:20) and Jason Gregor. Noon to 2pm on Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Not as good defensively tonight but fortunately Skinner had an A+ game and got lucky when it counted with the posts.
Posts and crossbars are not luck. You don’t have to stop the ones that aren’t going in.
Any goalie will tell you that’s all he left the shooter
Team Canada:
Skinner: .943
Samuel M.: .870
Binnington: 860
Hill: .845
Oil sporting a spectacular goaltending tandem with .942 and .933. Envy of the league 🙂
Terrible team D. Great goaltending, poor NYC F execution and a couple of posts to thank.
I hope that Skinner continues to piss excellence and tame that cougar. His anticipation and positioning were exceptional, and lateral movement the best I can recall in a long time, maybe ever
#NeverInDoubt
I’m just out of MSG having watched live. (Took my eldest, made sure they were wearing an Oilers #11 sweater, the signed one to ward off knifing on the concourse.)
Sloppy game, the ice looked sub-optimal, but the new guys showed well. Good to see so many Oilers sweaters in the stands, I high-fived lots of our comrades.
Rangers fans booed their team at least three times, I almost felt bad then stopped.
I was there as well with two of my sons, the other is bear hunting! Lots of Oiler fans there as usual, really cannot believe it. Not sure if they live in the tri-state but always a very good turn out.
Yes, the ice was bad, they shoveled it every chance they had.
The rag fans were not as nice as they usually are but overall no problem. Panarin’s wife was sitting right behind us and so annoying. Shrieking like a devil in russian, did not stop all game. One of my sons knows some russian so as we were leaving and passed her he said go go go! in russian as that was a big part of her game tonight. Apparently McD’s wife was just to our left, never saw her but that’s what I heard. Not sure bringing your wife on an important business trip is a good idea!
McD looked very smooth and in command all game but they smothered him. Drai did not look great. Probaly the best Oiler was breadeater from what we saw.
Anyway, always a fun time at MSG.
Cherry picked stats with low sample size (3-5 mins)
Nugent-Hopkins-Draisaitl- Roslovic
Expected Goals For: 0.297
Expected Goals Against: 0.186
Mangiapane-Mcdavid-Tomasek
Expected Goals For: 0.424
Expected Goals Against: 0.000
Did not think Nuge had a particularly strong game. Tomasek and Roslovic stood out in a good way for me.
Skinner needs to bottle this performance and repeat it as much as possible.
Competent NHL goaltending is all that is needed. Tonight was above average to excellent.
We all know Stu is capable of this. Two straight years of outdueling a supposed top 5 goalie in Oettinger is the proof.
If he can be above average more than not, there ain’t much stopping these boys!
Given the outstanding goalies faced during the first three games, I am very satisfied with a 2-0-1 record. Second game in a row where the Oil have given full effort for three periods.
Damn Shesterkins save percentage was pretty good this game.
Not as good as Stu’s
Good for Disco
When was last shutout pitched by an Oiler G? Seems its been a while
Last reg season shutout was Skinner in the finale last season, April 16 vs. the Sharts.
Stu had 3 shutouts in the playoffs last year….
And that was 3 shutouts in 4 games, mind.
Was thinking reg season. Forgot about the finale
Happy for Stu. Guy has been under so much criticism and pitch’s a shut out. Obviously one good game doesn’t change much but still nice to see.
Give the man credit. Under a ton of pressure from fans and the media, he gets a 31 save shutout.
Happy for him.
Well, one gaffe in the first game sure seemed to mean a lot.
Pretty good game. Rangers probably deserved the game to be closer, if not a win. But the Oilers were good-enough, and Skinner was excellent.
We will have to wait for another game for Skinner to get some consistency in his game.
Made me laugh. Thank you.
What a game by Skinner. Totally locked in the entire game.
Shut out for Skinner.
Don’t sweat the Henrique.
The Oilers played against a hall of fame goaltender, still in his prime, who had a solid game and the Oilers had the best goaltender on the night.
Of course, steals like this will be ignored when its time to shout “the Oilers always have the second best goaltender” or “Skinner never steals games” or “Skinner never makes big saves
They’ll ice a better lineup next game.
I normally agree with you, but seriously? Skinners numbers have not been good and he’s notorious for letting in bad goals at the worst times and completely deflating the team.
That being said, he’s still young and not horrible, I still have a lot of hope and faith in Skinner, but get real, your post is acting like he’s a perennial veziina candidate that’s underapprciated, and also I’m certain I’ve seen you being the lead sweeper of sweeping him under the bus on his lowest of lows. C’mooon man!
Either way, gear game Skinz! Prove us all wrong and win the Vezina, that would be amazing!
That first sentence doesn’t have relevance to my post and the screams of things that Skinner never does when, in fact, he does – makes big saves, steals games, out plays the other goaltender, etc.
Skinner count for the season
Good arrows in 1 game but averaged over 2 games
Spot on with your first point. Shame you had to go walkabout after that.
Boom
Rico with the dagger from Connor!!!!!
Skinner is keeping them in the game.
ACKNOWLEDGE HIM!
Oilers giving Stu plenty of opportunity to be first star tonight….
One might say Skinner is the principal reason they’re leading.
Dooh!
I don’t think that’s how they drew it up.
Big Kill!
Sloppy game. Especially Nurse, Stecher, Bouchard and Ek.
Emperor Gary
However likes his parity
Crappy ice it is.
Need a stimpmeter for ice
This ice rolling at 6
Jeezuz Skinner caught an edge there and fell over
The league should really mandate ice quality. It
looks like WEM out there
Tomasek looks like a really nice find.
Heady player. Manages the puck well
Time to shake up those lines.
Thanks to Skinner for showing up. Not much else good happening out there.
He’s been excellent
McD with the flu?
Just an allergy to staying on D side of the puck.
Too much hoping in D zone
Is Knob splitting McDavid/Drai to get Drai to move his legs….?
Got to make some adjustments and get their crap together in the third or they’re going to lose this game.
Drais was out without McD last shift
Oilers are very fortunate to be ahead in this one.
Nurse’s ineptitude from time to time is breathtaking
Nurse/Stetcher duo has had some sketchy moments. (Jake get well soon!)
Has the horsebinders on tight sometimes
Really, really solid 4 minutes of PK – very very good.
No dagger them!
Big PK face-off win by Rico!
Huge PK play by Nuge and then great block by Rico.
Skinner has been the best Oiler by a fair margin so far.
And that is great to see!
Way to go Frederic, goal scorer’s goal — right up Broadway.
Really nice stick side goal by Frederic.
Atta boy Freddie!
Great play by Kap – good think he wasn’t scratched like I suggested!
Skinner had a good period. Hope he can build on it
Roslovic looks skilled and fast!
Stetcher woof…. Skinner has looked sharp.
Stecher needs to get his head up and make some plays. Hopefully shakes the rust off quickly.
I think that was a massive save by Skinner on Carrick.
Troy Stecher has been AWFUL – 1st TV break and he’s made 3 bad plays, one really bad
This is the Rangers 5th game already 3rd in 4 days need to go for the jugular early instead of a rope-a-dope 1st period. We have a tenacious forechecking team let’s capitalize on miscues. Can’t wait to see Magpie on the 1st line is he a lighter Hyman. The goal he scored against Calgary was a goal scorers goal. Mangiapane will score tonight. Booook it…….