It’s hard but true. There are no “nice try” points in the National Hockey League.
For the second time in 19 days, the Edmonton Oilers gave the Minnesota Wild everything they could handle, and for the second time in 19 days, Edmonton went home with the ham sandwich while the Wild collected the two points.
The 5-2 loss marked the end of a 3-2 road trip for the Oilers, a team that’s played nearly two-thirds of its schedule on the road thus far.
“Five games, I thought we played pretty good hockey in four of them (minus Montreal, a 4-1 loss),” head coach Kris Knoblauch said. “I thought we played well against Minnesota in both games. Unfortunately, we haven’t had anything to show for it.”
This one turned with eight seconds left in the first period, when Minnesota’s Mike Hartman found himself unchecked in front of Calvin Pickard, depositing a perfect feed from Jake Middleton to send the Wild to the dressing room with a 3-2 lead.
Those late goals always sting, but this one hurt even more considering that only 68 seconds earlier, Connor McDavid had scored to make it a 2-2 game. That goal, along with Andrew Mangiapane’s first goal since Nov. 3, had erased an early 2-0 deficit, and getting into the dressing room with a tie would have been meaningful for the Oilers.
“It was a big goal they scored at the end of the first,” admitted Mangiapane. “We couldn’t counter back after that. We did a good job of fighting, being down 2-0 and coming back, but it’s a tough one to give up there.
“I was out there at the end (of the period), so I’ve got to pick up some guys there, and be better for tomorrow.”
“It was nice that we tied it up, that we fought back after being down 2-0,” agreed Knoblauch. “Unfortunately, that’s a big goal at the end of the first period. One that shouldn’t happen.
“It really hurt us.”
The Oilers had a myriad of chances to tie the game again, but Filip Gustavsson (28 saves) was superior in the Wild goal. Pickard, who got the start with an injured Jarry having been sent home from Boston, was excellent as well.
Like he had in a 4-1 loss at Montreal earlier in the trip, Pickard afforded the Oilers every chance to win. They just couldn’t solve Gustavsson, and come home for a Sunday game against Vegas having collected six of a possible 10 points on this trip.
“I thought there was a lot of good in our game over the course of those five games,” assessed assistant captain Darnell Nurse. “We played some good teams and our group, for the most part throughout the whole road trip, found ways to contribute up and down the lineup.”
Tied for the NHL lead in road games, playing 22 of their 36 games away from home, the Oilers have completed their Eastern time zone travel before Christmas for the first time in franchise history. They’ve survived pretty well — they’re within earshot of the lead in the Pacific — and now Edmonton’s second half will be both travel friendly and chock-full of home games, with 27 of their final 46 games set for Rogers Place in Edmonton.
“We played some good teams, and came away with a winning record. It’s been a good road trip,” said Mangiapane, whose team has two Divisional games left before a short Christmas break. “We’ve got a big game tomorrow (against the Golden Knights). We’ve e got to treat that one like part of the road trip as well.”
The Wild have now won eight straight, and are on a scorching 15-2-1 run.
Jarry Query
Knoblauch was asked pregame if he had an update on the health of goaltender Tristan Jarry. He said he did not, which is coach-speak for, “We have a pretty good idea, but we’re not telling you.”
Connor Ingram backed up Pickard in Minnesota, and there’s a better than decent chance Ingram gets his first start as an Oiler Sunday night in Edmonton against the Golden Knights. The Oilers, barring travel issues, would have been walking through their doors at home before 9 p.m. Saturday, so it’s not your traditional back-to-back.
It’s possible that Pickard, who has been outstanding in his last two starts (both losses at Montreal and Minnesota) could start versus Vegas. But it seems more likely that Ingram would face Vegas, Pickard would get the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, and then the team would hope Jarry is ready for the rematch in Calgary on Dec. 27.
