Edmonton Oilers Fall to Detroit Red Wings

Nov 27, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Edmonton Oilers goalie Cam Talbot (33) makes the save on Detroit Red Wings center Riley Sheahan (15) in the first period at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Another game has come and gone in the National Hockey League and yet again, the Oilers have unfortunately dropped the ball by losing a 4-3 game to the Detroit Red Wings. Call it misfortune; the Oilers are yet again in the basement of the league. As a fan of this team I love the outlook of this team, but as a writer I’d also have to say this team may be a bit behind from where they want to be. The Edmonton Oilers are a very good team on paper, but just can’t seem to get it right when it comes to pleasing the “hockey gods”. The team is now 2-6-2 in their last ten games, however, their record does not tell their tale. I have noted on multiple occasions how this team has advanced in how they play a full 60 minute game, the only issue is consistency. In tonights post game issue of “OilonWhyte” I will be talking about my five takeaways from the game along with ways upon which this team could potentially change.

The Good:

Nov 27, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (25) skates with the puck chased by Detroit Red Wings center Luke Glendening (41) in the first period at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

1. The Oilers played a full 60 minutes of hockey, and for the most part, they looked like they were coming together. There were a few mistakes which I will look at here in a few
2. They got scoring from their bottom 6! No, for those who did not watch the game, I am not joking. The team got two goals from Iiro Pakirinen, and not to mention, Anton Lander finally found the score sheet.
3. Cam Talbot looked good in goal, and he wasn’t as shaky as we have seen in his first few games as an Oiler. Albeit there were a few times where he got lucky, he sure as heck held his team in a position where they could win.

The Bad:

1. Their back-checking yet again led to the opposing team gaining an advantage which resulted in a couple Red Wing goals. The Oilers do have the knowledge, but they still seem to run into the costly mistake that ultimately costs them the game.
2. The Oilers defense is their weakest point, I, and many other persons of Oiler know-how have said this before. Tonight was nothing different. Although, our Oilers did manage to pick up a goal from Andrej Sekera, which for the most part has been a dim-lit bulb on the back end. My thoughts, they will become stronger here, and it could be sooner than most expect.

More from Oilers News

• 3 Oilers Players Who Should See An Expanded Role In 2023 And 1 Who Should Not
• 3 Oilers with the most to prove this season
• Edmonton Oilers Name Jeff Jackson CEO Of Hockey Operations
• How Long Will The Edmonton Oilers Wait To Sign Evan Bouchard?
• Edmonton Oilers Sign Ryan McLeod, What’s Next?

I love my Edmonton Oilers, and I have nothing but the highest faith that this team will return to the glory days of their past. If you do not see that this team has built better chemistry, then I must proclaim that you are not looking at the full fundamentals of hockey. Yes, the record sucks, and in all reality, the record tells you about how well the team is doing. These boys will get better, however, a few moves must be made. The Oilers need to add a few defensemen that can handle taking the reigns, and maybe one or two power forwards who aren’t afraid of grinding along the boards. Like I have just mentioned, the team could get better by adding another defenseman, and one or two more power forwards.

More from Oil On Whyte

• 3 Oilers Players Who Should See An Expanded Role In 2023 And 1 Who Should Not
• Three Battles To Watch At Edmonton Oilers Training Camp
• Keys to Success: What the Edmonton Oilers Need to Focus on for a Successful Season
• The Edmonton Oilers Mean Business This Season
• Pacific division predictions

Although we ended up losing tonight in Detroit, I still hold great appreciation for how hard this team is trying to change. After all, they are playing for two things, a Stanley Cup, and us Oilers faithful. Please, hold out faith for this team, the Edmonton Oilers fan base are not used to this team sitting in the basement (for this long anyways) but remember, there are teams out there who have gone longer than us without a cup run. I personally promise all of you that our next cup run will be one for the ages. For all of you fans on the road, I’ll see you in Pittsburgh tomorrow!