The Edmonton Oilers are the Stanley Cup favourite in seemingly everybody’s thoughts, however you wouldn’t comprehend it from watching their season opener on Wednesday evening. After a comparatively stable begin to the sport by which they have been outshooting the Winnipeg Jets 9-4, issues rapidly went south and noticed them fall 6-0. In a manner, one might argue the Oilers have been affected by jet lag, in additional methods than one.
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It’s far too quickly to panic in Edmonton, however with that stated, this group might want to dig deep and provide you with some significantly better efforts transferring ahead. Beginning the best way they did final season can’t occur once more, and everybody in that room is properly conscious of it. With that stated, listed below are the three foremost takeaways from tonight’s disappointing outing.
Struggles from Oilers’ Preseason Proceed
It typically isn’t truthful to evaluate a group primarily based on preseason play, however anybody who watched the Oilers throughout their eight exhibition outings would inform you they weren’t practically ok. That continued to be the case proper till the top, as they misplaced their remaining two video games to the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks whereas being outscored by a mixed 10-3.
Their lack of consideration to element was evident all night lengthy. Regardless of not giving up many photographs, they gave up a ton of high-quality scoring probabilities resulting from some uncharacteristic performs. This may be chalked as much as rustiness on condition that it’s their first sport enjoying with this actual group, however followers gained’t let it fly for for much longer.
Jets Had Skinner’s Quantity Early
Early into this one, it appeared as if it was going to be an awesome begin for Stuart Skinner, who made a number of large saves, together with a breakaway cease on Mark Scheifele. Issues modified from there, nonetheless, as he allowed two objectives lower than 4 minutes aside proper earlier than the top of the primary, and it didn’t get any higher from there. He allowed three extra earlier than the halfway level of the second interval, which spelled the top of his evening.
The field rating is downright ugly, as Skinner completed his evening having allowed 5 objectives on 13 photographs for a .615 save proportion (SV%). That stated, it isn’t truthful in anyway guilty this on him, because the group in entrance of him didn’t do any favors. He must be significantly better going ahead, however the identical will be stated for each participant who dressed tonight, even when their stat strains don’t look as ugly.
Knoblauch Not Losing Time in Season Opener
One factor many followers seen instantly was that head coach Kris Knoblauch switched up his strains early and wound up pairing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl collectively. We’ve witnessed this from Knoblauch and different Oilers coaches when this group is struggling, however having it come within the opening sport was a shock.
What it goes to point out is that Knoblauch isn’t this sport as being of little significance regardless of it coming so early into the season. Which will wind up being a superb factor, as it’ll ship a message to the remainder of the group that regardless of expectations, they will’t afford to begin sluggish.
Wanting Forward for the Oilers
The Oilers have two video games remaining on their schedule this week, and they’ll are available a back-to-back set. They are going to first tackle Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday evening, earlier than battling one out with their provincial rival Calgary Flames. Each groups are anticipated to wrestle this season, giving the Oilers a superb alternative to place a few ticks within the win column.
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