“The crazy thing is, we know exactly what it looks like. We just got to, to a man, we’ve got to do it.” — Jake Walman, on the Edmonton Oilers trying to find their game.
If, like us, you’re the type of person who looks on the bright side, then you’d say that a team playing as average as the Edmonton Oilers finding itself within two points of the Pacific Division lead after Game No. 20 will likely be OK.
They should be fine when everyone gets back healthy and starts playing well, but for now…
“We’re just scrapping and clawing our way through the first quarter here, and we’re getting points on the board,” acknowledged captain Connor McDavid after Saturday’s 4-3 overtime win at Carolina. “That’s all that matters.”
Slowly, elements of the Oilers’ game that they have relied on for their success over recent seasons is showing up.
Despite long stretches controlled by the Hurricanes, Edmonton never trailed. They started strong, then bent without breaking, a trait every good team has somewhere in its toolbox. And special teams — a trademark of the best Oilers teams — were perfect, with the penalty kill going two-for-two and the power play going one-for-one.
The goaltending was exceptional, with Stuart Skinner playing a reliable, positional game, taking good care of his rebounds while stopping 33 of 36 ‘Canes shots. And of course, the hallmark of any successful Oilers team: Edmonton’s best players were superior to Carolina’s top players, with Connor McDavid (2-1-3) feeding Leon Draisaitl (1-2-3) for the overtime snipe that sends Edmonton to Buffalo with a 2-1 record on this elongated, seven-game roadie.
“They force you to mistakes, and we made a few of them,” admitted head coach Kris Knoblauch. “The difference tonight, why we were able to get the two points, was that our best players were our best players. (Evan) Bouchard played a heck of a game. Obviously, Leon and Connor did too. And having (Zach) Hyman back.”
So the post-Troy Stecher Era began with a 4-3 overtime win, ho hum for a team with just four regulation wins in its first 20 games this season — and five in overtime.
“It would be nice if we had an easy one once in a while,” Knoblauch said.
“We’re definitely scratching and clawing,” added Skinner. “I feel like every game I play we go into overtime.”
Zach Is Back
It’s a significant loss, playing the first 19 games this season without the Oilers’ best right winger. So it becomes a significant gain when Zach Hyman finally makes his return, playing 23:10, throwing a game-high 11 hits while adding an assist and a couple of excellent scoring chances against Carolina.
“It’s just great to see him honestly, good to see him playing,” McDavid said. “It was a significant injury, and I got to see him firsthand, working his way back. It wasn’t always easy — it never is. Sometimes people forget the human side of it. It’s an emotional thing to go through a significant injury like that, and to see him back and playing, healthy and moving really well, it’s definitely uplifting for our group.”
In a 2-2 game, Knoblauch united McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman in Period 3 — and they were dominant.
Just having No. 18 on McDavid’s right side makes the Oilers look more like the Oilers, an addition that helps both inside the room and on the ice.
“He brings so much positive energy and vibes,” Draisaitl said. “He’s such a wonderful human being, we’re just happy to have him back. He hasn’t played in six months, and you can see what he brings tonight.”
Hyman played like a guy trying to make an impression on the Team Canada brass. He’ll have about six weeks to play his way on that roster, and a few more games like this one won’t hurt.
“We weren’t exactly sure what we’d get from him, being his first game, but he looked like what we’re used to,” said Knoblauch, who ran Hyman out there for 20 shifts in his first game since dislocating his wrist on May 27 against Dallas. “Eleven hits — he said after the game he was just picking up right where he left off in the playoffs.
“He said, ‘I told you, my legs are feeling great.’ so I played him 20-plus minutes. Not an easy task for a guy hasn’t played for several months.”
OIL SPILLS — The Oilers have just one regulation win in their first 12 road games this season … The final shots read 36-23, the ninth straight game in which Carolina has outshot their opponent … Trent Frederic (no points, no shifts) played a team-low 7:08 Saturday … Jack Roslovic had a goal and an assist. He has 6-8-14 in 18 games this season, and is looking like a fantastic pick-up by GM Stan Bowman.
