2021-22 Game 67: Coyotes at Oilers

by Lowetide

For the Edmonton Oilers, fate is under team control. That doesn’t mean players or the coaching staff can letthe foot off the gas, but it does mean the finish line for the regular season is in sight and the northern franchise has clean air and a clear path to the playoffs. Tonight, playing down to the opposition is not an option, and the team has no time for a crisis of confidence and a losing streak to figure it out. It’s go time, and a lot of jobs are on the line.

THE ATHLETIC!

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MARCH

  • On the road to: PHI, CHI (Expected 1-0-1) (Actual 1-0-1)
  • At home to: MON (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
  • On the road to: CAL (Expected 0-1-0) (Actual 0-1-0)
  • At home to: WAS, TBAY, DET, BUF, NJD (Expected 3-1-1) (Actual 5-0-0)
  • On the road to: COL, DAL (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-1-1)
  • At home to: SJS (Expected 1-0-0) (Actual 1-0-0)
  • On the road to: CAL (Expected 0-1-0) Actual 0-0-0)
  • At home to: ARI, LAK (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-0-0)
  • Overall expected result: 8-5-2, 18 points from 15 games
  • Actual March results: 7-4-2, 16 points in 13 games
  • Oilers in 2021-22: 36-25-5, 77 points in 66 games

The Oilers are a sliver (one standings point) ahead of Vegas Golden Knights, with the silver lining being two games in hand. Vancouver plays St. Louis and the Kings get the upstart Seattle Kraken this evening. The Golden Knights are off tonight, the next game on the schedule is Wednesday v. Seattle. A win tonight means Edmonton is three points clear with a game in hand.

FORWARDS UNDER WOODCROFT

Based on these numbers (five-on-five from NST), how would you populate the McDavid, Draisaitl and Nuge lines? I would run Kane-McDavid-Puljujarvi, but Yamamoto has played so well there one imagines that’s a tweak for later in the spring. Right now, Woodcroft’s deployment of the top two lines (Kane-McDavid-Yamamoto and Hyman-Draisaitl-McLeod) are good if McLeod can score enough points to hang with LD. Why? It allows the third line (Brassard-Nuge-Puljujarvi) room to wheel, but only if they get enough ice time. I think icetime for the third line will be a subject of much discussion over the next week or two, I have a solution in The Athletic article published this morning.

DEFENSE

The numbers are strong save for rookies and small samples, I think the Oilers might have a ‘duplicate skill’ problem on defense and that may mean a tweak before the end of the season. Kulak looks to be a Godsend for giving Nurse less work on a nightly basis, Bouchard’s goal differential (all of these numbers are five-on-five from NST) likely means Barrie would get more minutes in the discipline.

LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE

What a weekend for Canadian soccer! We hit the ground running at 10, TSN1260. Guests include Sean Fleming from Soccer is Everything. He’s also a former Canadian National Staff Coach, 2 U 17 World Cups, and knows the Canadian program inside out. We’ll talk to him about the sacrifice over decades that made Sunday in Toronto possible. Crossfire! hits at 10:40, and at 11 Jason Gregor will chime in on the Voyageurs and the Oilers. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. See you on the radio!

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OriginalPouzar

Barring an absolute miracle (on Manchester) the Oil are about to be 2 points back of the Kings, with a game in hand and 3 more regulation wins – the first tiebreak (and an apx 14 goal edge in goal differential – it doesn’t matter for standings but some feel a solid indication of team ability).

LAK not using “strength of schedule” to their benefit this evening.

€√¥£€^$

6 – 1 in both relevant games, gotta love it!

OriginalPouzar

Eberle scores to make in 4-1 on a snap shot on a quick break.

OriginalPouzar

Check that – 5-1 Kraken.

OriginalPouzar

6-1 – Sprong.

A bad break goal off a King defender and in but it was a rebound of a 10-bell chance of a 2 on 1.

Kings terrible in the 3rd period.

Admiral Ackbar

That was a solid scumbag game by Kane. We needed that.

Also, the Bison King trampled a few Yotes tonight. Primary apple on 2, as well. Did he and Woody have a chat?

Last edited 2 years ago by Admiral Ackbar
OriginalPouzar

I was going to post, even after all those “penalties”, I was just fine with Kane’s game tonight – he was fast and hard on that forecheck even after the game was in hand… kept coming but the refs slowed him down. When he hits, which is often, he hits hard – like Lucic in that regard.

Jesse used that body tonight and was skating as well as ever. He threw one of those “reverse hits” very early in the first – set the tone.

Oilerguy

The knock, knock chat?

OriginalPouzar

Darnell Nurse: 20:24 (2nd to Ceci)

Nuge: 19:34
McDavid: 19:10
Drai: 18:34

Beauty

Admiral Ackbar

Happy for the win, and a dominant one at that. Still, something doesn’t taste right after that Saturday…

Can the Kraken hold up and do us a favour?

Victoria Oil

Glass half-full view of the world considering Saturday night: over our last two games, we have outscored our opposition 11-10.

Admiral Ackbar

😂 thank you, sir. I needed that! ❤️

Oilerguy

Yeah step off the ledge Admiral!

Bling

Evander Kane and Jesse Puljujarvi as the Bash Brothers is hilarious.

fishman

Hard to believe the Coyotes are still playing in AZ. Has to be better hockey markets available.

OriginalPouzar

OriginalPouzar

 March 28, 2022 12:21 pm

My goodness, the Yotes played an OT game in Winnipeg last night.

That’s real travel back to Winnipeg (I recall the Oilers having to travel back from Winnipeg for a game in Alberta recently – tough).

This is a game the Oilers should be able to control. They should be able to control play, get a lead and roll their preferred deployment structure.

Nothing else should be acceptable. I don’t care about “bounces”, great or poor tending, refereeing… none of it will lead to any acceptability other than showing which team is clearly better and getting two points in regulation.

Done!

Gerta Rauss

Seattle up 3-1 over LAK late in the 2nd

Ice Sage

Larsson helping out his old mates pacing Seattle to 3-1 lead over Kings nearing end of 2nd.

OriginalPouzar

With four minutes left, I hope for a McLeod/McDavid/Drai shift.

OriginalPouzar

Nope.

Material Elvis

Spoiler Alert. Oilers win!

Admiral Ackbar

Yeah. I thought they’d zoom him too but I suppose Woody wanted to send a better message: “win and achieve with your line mates”.

norm2015

Keith and Barrie having big games

OriginalPouzar

What an offensive zone shift by Jesse – puck retrievals and then a beauty pass to Drai for the easy goal on the door-stop.

Not the worlds best lane denial by Stralman…..

Last edited 2 years ago by OriginalPouzar
OriginalPouzar

I presume this was mentioned in real time but nice of Kane to allow the PK to get some legit and solid work and practice in with the game, essentially, in the books!

flyfish1168

LOL, Michaels comment – ” Stralman just got rump roasted by Pujiujarvi”. I love it

Last edited 2 years ago by flyfish1168
fishman

Victim of the vicious Bison Ass!

Bling

Kane and Puljujarvi laughing it up on the bench. It warms the heart!

Bling

Man I love Puljujarvi.

He’s chaos married to sublime skill. What a pass!

Paulie

13, the Chaos Bringer, the Storm Maker.

Diablo

That was all Jesse!

fishman

Leon joins the party and ties Captain Underpants!

Chief Inspector

Bison King what A plAy!

Last edited 2 years ago by Chief Inspector
Reja

What a pass by J.P

Material Elvis

Bison just impressed Draisaitl.

Younger Oil

That’s gotta be some sort of record for quickest four non-connected minor penalties

greenshifter

Kane bet the over 😉

Diablo

Kane thinks that the PK could use the extra practise time.

fishman

Ha! Trying to help pump the pk numbers!

Reja

4 penalties in a row by Kane. I’ve never seen that

khildahl

Well… Four calls against him. Maybe one was actually arguably a penalty.

Ice Sage

something at last to make this game memorable

OriginalPouzar

Had to pick up the wife from work shortly after McLeod’s second so am just catching up.

At the point where Hyman made it 5-1 and just wanted to note a couple huge minutes of hockey by Koskinen when it was 4-1 to keep that 3-goal lead. The Oilers sagged for a bit after Foegele’s goal and Mikko made 3-4 solid/plus saves including one 10-bell.

Not that the Arizona can play with the Oilers if they are on their game but keeping that 3-goal lead was big. 4-2 creates a different game and a different energy.

OriginalPouzar

Also, now, Kane with hits that actually matter – on a star player, in the heat of a board battle.

Take note Kassian – that is how you make an impact with the body, not hits on d-men in the o-zone a full second after the puck is outletted and gone the other way.

flyfish1168

Refs hate Kane.

fishman

No kidding!

Ice Sage

you were saying!!
at least he’s engaging

€√¥£€^$

Kane is the 2022 version of Benoit Pouliot

Kurri17

Two absurd “penalties” against Kane. I guess he is too Alpha for these refs. No doubt that his mere presence makes them want to call a penalty against him.

Material Elvis

Another wtf call against Kane. Who’s reffing, his ex-wife?

Reja

Ok Woody time to pound the bottom 6 with ice-time and let’s see if McLeod can pot a Sombrero.

Reja

Still don’t get why Archibald didn’t play against the physical Flames.

OriginalPouzar

I was hoping he’d be in for Kass to provide some physicality (and consistent effort).

Material Elvis

You don’t see McDavid miss too many chances like that.

Chief Inspector

Fluffy one by the Captain

Material Elvis

Why does Kane get a penalty there? He didn’t do anything.

khildahl

Not only did he not do anything, the ref announced the penalty against “Edmonton number 81”

Chief Inspector

Nurse with professional defense on the three on two.

fishman

Zach attack for goal #5!

fishman

Oilers playing pretty loose and giving Yotes chances. Need to be better.

BornInAGretzkyJersey

That may have been the bulkiest save by Kostco in recent memory.

Reja

It’s a good thing he was so slow getting over or else it might of went in after Keller flubbed it.

Material Elvis

Wow. What a save by Koskinen.

Reja

Foegele gets the Monkey off his back.

fishman

No more slagging Foegle tonight!!!!

Ice Sage

Full credit on that sequence but he’d been struggling. Good on Woodcroft to keep throwing him over the boards, this is looking to be a game where some lads can get their mojo back.

Reja

4 Keys to scoring 25 playing with Connor and Leon
1 Go to net
2 Keep stick on ice
3 Repeat step 1
4 Repeat step 2

BornInAGretzkyJersey

What Patty did that the rest didn’t was also retrieve the pucks from the boards, and be ready at the right time.

Reja

Maroon would still be getting 20-25 if he was still on Connor’s wing.

OriginalPouzar

Not a chance.

fishman

Yamo and Kane throwing their weight around. Good shift!

DevilsLettuce

Now that he’s scored 2, I will not longer continue to say he needs to sit the curse is broken.

Ice Sage

Oilers looking Flame-like
(i need a shower)

LMHF#1

That’s a hockey player. Beautiful.

KnightRain

BOOM!!! McLeod!!! That was slick! So was that pass!!!

KnightRain

Ha! I was thinking he looked like Fedorov scoring that, too! Great minds…