Is it getting any better? Or is nothing really changing?
That’s likely the most worrisome part when it comes to an Edmonton Oilers team that has mastered the slow start, big finish routine over the past two seasons.
When do they turn that corner? Can anyone even see a corner?
After 22 games, the .500 Edmonton Oilers are a soft team with meh goaltending, tragic defensive zone coverage, and about 12 players who have helped their team to a pair of Stanley Cups playing like they are fighting to stay in the league.
Yet Edmonton did score three even-strength goals in Washington, in a 7-4 loss (with two empty-net goals) to the Capitals. If you squint hard enough, you might be able to see a world where at least part of their game is beginning to improve.
“(Players are) feeling very discouraged,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch, whose team fell behind 2-0, then traded goals all the way to a 5-4 deficit late in the third period. “But I like the energy. I don’t necessarily like the defensive details of our game, but they’re pushing. They have the energy.”
Another game passed on Wednesday where the Oilers were the second-best team in pretty much every category, however.
Washington goalie Logan Thompson was better than Stuart Skinner; Brett Kulak was minus-3 before the 11-minute mark of Period 1; Jake Walman still pinches more than a cheap pair of underwear, and the Oilers lost again — with two games in Florida left on this seven-game death march.
“You travel a lot, you play a lot, but we have to change some things for sure,” said David Tomasek, who drew into the lineup and scored a goal. “It’s too many goals against. Find a way to be better, especially on a long road trip like this.”
No NHL team has allowed more than the 65 even-strength goals the Oilers have surrendered (not counting empty netters). Their minus-17 goal differential at evens is the third-worst in the NHL this season.
Their play at even strength — particularly their defensive play — is the root of their troubles. Edmonton just can’t defend, and as such, they just can’t win enough games, going 2-3 on this road trip so far.
“Cleaning up our own end is the biggest thing, I know we’re spending too much time there,” Walman said after the morning skate, before posting a minus-2. “Shift after shift, period after period. Try and build something from the ground up. We’re struggling lately, but we have the ability to bounce out of it if we put a couple of periods together here.”
With Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong in the press box and the game well within reach at 3-2 for the Capitals, Evan Bouchard weakly attempted to stop Ryan Leonard as the rookie drove Edmonton’s net. Bouchard bounced off of Leonard, who scored the 4-2 goal, exploiting the very part of Bouchard’s game that stands between him and the Olympic team.
Skinner, who mentioned early in the season that his goal was to be an Olympian, did not show well either — despite one of the worst environments a goaltender could possibly be punished with.
But, the Oilers didn’t quit. You have to give ‘em that. They’re pesky, if not polished.
If they could have kept the puck out of their net a little bit more, there was a win to be had here.
“Every time we pushed, they were able to find a way to capitalize on a chance,” said two-goal man Darnell Nurse. “It’s frustrating, but we battled back. We haven’t been able to battle back many times this year, and we were able to find some goals and keep ourselves in the game.”
OIL SPILLS: Nurse scored twice, the fifth multi-goal game of his career — tied with three other defencemen for second on the Oilers all-time list. Paul Coffey has 39 such games … Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl became the sixth pair of teammates to combine on 500 goals, in 10-plus seasons as teammates … Calvin Pickard will likely tend the twine in Tampa Thursday. He’s scuffling along with an .830 save percentage and a 4.17 goals-against average.
