In the last 10 games, Edmonton Oilers have accumulated 14 points while Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights drew just 10 points. That improvement places Edmonton in a tie with the Ducks, VGK just one point back and all involved have five games remaining. Vegas has a new coach and looked impressive on Saturday at Rogers Place, the Oilers had a five-game winning streak going before the weekend and need to get back to where they once belonged. It feels like the Ducks are quacking up, but we’ll see. Momemtum is fleeting in the Pacific Division, where complete rosters with no holes do not exist.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN APRIL
- At home to: CHI, VEG (Expected 1-0-1) 1-0-1
- On the road to: UTA, SJS, LAK (Expected 2-1-0)
- At home to: COL, VAN (Expected 1-1-0)
- Expected Record: 4-2-1
- Actual Record: 1-1-0
- Season Record: 39-29-9, 87 points in 77 games
I think Vegas might win the division, the dead cat bounce is a thing. I’m also uncertain Kris Knoblauch has his finger on the pulse of this roster. I wrote about the skill lines yesterday and honestly moving Nuge to the No. 1 line seemed a little tone deaf based on the success of Podkolzin-McDavid-Savoie in recent days. We’ll see, but I think the risk averse coach is going full safety mode.
It looks like Leon Draisiatl is a possible for the start of the playoffs, and Zach Hyman is likely to play before the end of the regular season. Oilers need both to get out of the Pacific and that’s for sure. The McDavid line with Podkolzin and Savoie is running 60 percent goal share (59 expected) since March 1, while McDavid with Nuge and any combination of linemates is at 29 percent (47 expected) since the beginning of March, I don’t know man, the coach will have access to numbers we don’t see, but that’s fairly stark. The most common third man was Zach Hyman, and that may be the reason he was placed on injured reserve.
Jason Dickinson is 4-9 goals at five-on-five (45 percent expected) since his arrival, but Max Jones is 3-2 goals and owns a 74 percent expected goal share. Meanwhile, Curtis Lazar is 2-1 goals with Jones, and I’d like to see more of it.
Nurse-Murphy is 6-10 goals at five-on-five since March 3 (13:36 a night), Ekholm-Bouchard are 63 percent goal share (60 expected) and are playing 14:10 a night. Since March 15, the Nurse-Murphy pairing are at 16 minutes a night, Ekholm-Bouchard 14:50 per game.
I think Kris Knoblauch is a smart coach, but he’s been making some unusual moves going all the way back to opening night when he suddenly switched gears and decided McDavid-Draisaitl was the truth and the light. I don’t know about this season and I’m not sure about the coach.
On the Lowdown today, we’re wild in the streets with the roundtable. Basically me, a fainting goat, up against the main cast of Clockwork Orange for two hours of straight on thuggery. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Time to park Jarry in the stands and bring up Pickard.
I know, how could Stan know that Jarry was no good….
Don’t pay premiums for players other teams tried give away for free or paid an asset to get rid of.
Or premium assets for other teams 4th liners.
Pathetic managing.
The Oilers can bring Pickard or Tomkins up in the post-season, right?
Ingram – Pickard would give me more confidence right now than Ingram – Jarry
All things considered Utah has 88 pts the same as the top three teams in the Pacific and a higher win % also. Just to keep things in perspective.
They scored 19 goals I their last three games – they are a good and hot offensive team.;
Oilers will beat them in 5-6 in the playoffs.
Pays to blow a tire in OT apparently
What even was that D zone play the whole game? The wingers barely got above the circles. Why are they playing so compressed???
I believe they have been intentionally keeping tighter in the dzone. However if they’re going to play that way they need to block shots and also not allow cross ice passes or slot shots. Not super effective at any of it tonight.
Can’t win NHL hockey games when it matters playing far off the D in the defensive zone.
The amount of coaches that can’t see this despite being presented with constant video evidence is damn absurd.
I felt like Dickinson – Nurse – Murphy is not a good trio to have on together. Don’t ever seem to be able to get out of the zone with control, at best it’s a dump and change with the other team attacking immediately.
Also not liking Roslovic’s game more and more. He scores some nice goals, but seems far too one dimensional and makes a lot of risky plays. Seems like whatever line he is on gets outscored more often than not.
I still feel like we had this game if not for KK going extreme turtle mode. I get that you want to make sure you’re not giving up odd man rushes the other way, but surely it’s okay to play in the other team’s end from time to time.
Vancouver not doing Edmonton any favors.
Anaheim has been garbage lately.
I wouldn’t mind drawing them as a first round opponent.
Maybe they are saying same about us….
Ducks are struggling.
Ever since Gudas the Butcher took out Matthew’s knee for the fun of it the Maple Leafs returned the favour by knocking out 38 goal man Cutter Gauthier for the past 5 games and counting. The 5 game suspension by the cheating Parros actually fuked them over worse as the Leafs layed a lickin on Gudas-Cutter as a result of the 5 game shameful ruling by George the mighty duck Parros.
That said, Utah HC basically had a healthy lineup against us tonight, and the Oilers PP basically spotted them a goal. Add Leon and Hyman back to the mix, and Ingram in net, and I like our chances against them just fine. They can’t defend worth a lick.
late Van powerplay upcoming
*goalie pulled 6 on 4
**NSH now 5-0-late
Vegas hangs on win 2-1
That looked a lot like the first 70 games.
Yep the GAS level for defending was back down
Get a well earned point (for the tie) and lose in OT on the road against a hot team without Drai or Hyman and playing the back-up goalie.
Remain in 1st place in the division.
Far from the end of the world.
It’s how they are playing again that is the problem. Zero commitment to defense and a terrible goalie.
This. Super frustrating, but it looks like we’ll go into tomorrow in first with four to go. We’re making the playoffs, so it’s not like any of these late games are crushing, though obviously as much home ice as possible would be nice. Lots of blame to go around, but I don’t feel comfortable with Jarry. It would be so much better to have Pickard on hand if there is some crisis in the first round, without having to throw Jarry out (though Pickard is 3-3 in Bakersfield with .881). I understand the reasons it’s not going to happen. But I’d have a lot more confidence. Tonight wasn’t on Jarry, really, but he didn’t help much.
Respect the Mammoth.
Gross. We dont know what we dont know.
Well, they will remain in 1st place – tied with Vegas (if they hold on) but own the tirebreaker.
On to San Jose.
Maybe they should let VGK play the Mammoth in the first round.
Utah is a deep team. They have young legs. They wouldn’t be very physical, but they would be relentless.
They’re weak in goal.
It would be a fun series, but not an easy one.
The Oilers have owned the Mammoth and, tonight, the Oilers were down Drai and Hyman, were on the road and playing their back-up goalie and played like shit and still took the game to OT.
Bring. Them. On.
One point is more than it looked like they’d get so there’s that.
Play like that tomorrow and it’s another loss. Very sloppy game.
Utah tried to get Jarry moving for a one timer again. But then he recovered, angle was still off, was way too deep.
No more Jarry, pls.
I’m not exactly sure where our short lived defensive commitment went to but it is very gone.
Came and left pretty quick. Our ability to get the puck out of our own end was brutal tonight. Also thunking we would have been better off with Skinner/Ingram tandem…..
Well deserved loss
Can’t really put this one all on Jarry but he is really not the answer. Good we traded a solid playoff goalie for him. Love that trade
What a brain dead play by Savoie trying a one on two. That may cost us home ice.
Weak call.
Maybe you need a bigger TV did you not see McDavid winding up for the pass instead Savoie tries going 1 on 2 like an idiot.
I agree it was a dumb decision by Savoie, but I think that was still a bad reaction call. It looked like a trip in real time but there wasn’t much there.
The ref had to call it in real time it took the benefit of 2 replays to see the D man lose his edge. Savoie needs to be smarter hopefully it’s a learning lesson. I hope K.K explained to Savoie in a nice and loving manner that he needs to recognize McDavid button hooking and winding up for the back pass.
Yuck
Jarry stinks.
Horribly positioned in every way imaginae there. Not tall, not square, inside the net
He made some saves tonight but it feels like goals will go in on him eventually. Utah was shooting high all night. Missed a ton of nets too. I think they win that game with Ingram back there.
Should have started Ingram against his old team.
Then Jarry would play tomorrow – pick you poison.
I really don’t enjoy this hockey team right now.
Not one damn bit.
Actually wasn’t a penalty unless I saw the replay wrong. Seems like a not so good thing vs this Utah offense and this Oilers G.
That’ll be the end of Savoie with McDavid in OT. When 97 is winding up you get him the puck!
What was he thinking is he new to the team.
He was already going down. BS call
Officials better get the first star after that call
Incorrect. Stick on back of knee.
Make that 3 soft calls
But they were lucky to get a point tonight
There’s the go ahead goal in Van
Veg 2-1 with 6 min remaining
still 3-0 NSH over ANA
28-6 in shots for VGK. Whoa
Not a trip.
3 hours of my life to be subjected to that ending. A blown tire called a trip. Unlike the actual uncalled trip on McDavid. Both choices resulting in goals.
This is always and odd point of view for me.
Take away the end, the last minute of the game, would the entertainment provided you in those 3 hours prior have changed if the Oilers had won? No, right?
I feel like that third period showed why defending to protect a lead is not as effective as controlling possession. I really don’t like ot when we try to turtle and play passive like that.
We could really use the extra point but I have little faith with how our team and goalie have played this one. Hope I’m wrong
4 games in a row where the Oilers have played horrid, attack-free hockey for extended periods.
They’ll get eaten alive in the playoffs if they attempt this crap.
Feel lucky to come away with a Bettman point in this one.
Nope, the Bettman point is still to be awarded – the bonus point in the altered game slate.
Each team gets a well earned point for a tie.
You can beat the drum all you want. But pretty much everyone else considers the Bettman point to be synonymous with a loser point.
Feel lucky not being a pedant
Important point.
Now get the second one.
It means the Oilers will have at least a share of first place as long as Anaheim loses.
The Oilers will be in first as they will have the tiebreaker.
Yup.
Vegas just took the lead on Vancouver with 6 to go.
Ducks still down 3-0 with 12 to go.
We are back to two wingers flying the zone again just like earlier in the season . Guys it didn’t work in October and it wont work in April because every team in the league knows you are going to do it
Roslovic -3 ,Hopkins -2 ,Walman -2 Emebrson -2 Tha tis pretty much ihe game in a nut shell so far. Is there some D we can call up for a look see
Carfagna could see a look but its definitely not going to happen without injury.
It would be Regula in any event.
Are you sure we cant find a knee sprain somewhere that woudld allow an emergency call up ? I agree Regula but we need a lefty don’ t you think
The D pool is very shallow…..
As is the goalie pool…..
11 minutes left in the third and the Canucks have 7 shots on net, 1-1.
Coach is getting a real time lesson here.
This game plan the Oilers are demonstrating will not beat Utah in 7
Game plan?
It’s not entertaining when a team like ours plays like this, Jack
More like watching a car crash
Is it still considered a grade A chance if it’s Dickinson with the chance?
I don’t think the Oilers have made 2 tape to tape passes in a row this period
Why are the Oilers trying the play run and gun with maybe the deepest team in the league when it comes to that kind of play, with the division lead on the line?
Insane. They don’t look prepared or composed. So what’s the coach’s role here?
Yee haw.
I think this is what Oilers call “just in time hockey”.
Really missing Samanski’s defensive game in this one.
He had easily his worst game vs Vegas. But I agree, would be nice to see him back in tomorrow. But for whom? Dach and Lazar are the obvious candidates, but they both scored tonight and have played quite well otherwise.
Well he is easily more effective than Frederic. Potentially more than Henrique and Dickinson. But I’m not prejudiced against young players.
10 can come out anytime. Not contributing amything
First save wins
Turnovers galore tonight. Roslevic rims it around to Utah D for no reason.
Roslovic has been bad tonight. Mostly due to avoiding contact instead of trying to drive through it and maintain possession. I can see why he’s worn out his welcome at other stops. Time to bear down Jack.
Roslavic had a tough tough game. That line had a tough game.
Short, accurate passes have been absolutely absent from the Oilers game tonight.