Edmonton Oilers Hope to Burn Out Calgary Flames
By Kris Hansen
Sadly, but not surprisingly, the Edmonton Oilers playoff chances are slipping away. It’s not a huge shocker: the team has a myriad of problems and injuries have been one of the biggest factors.
Not once this season have the Edmonton Oilers been able to dress an entire healthy line up. They lead the league in man games lost to injury and it’s not like it’s been filled with Rob Klinkhammer‘s either.
When a team losses their number one centre, number one defenceman, number one right winger all at different (and in McDavid and Klefbom’s cases overlapping) times, you can definitely say that injuries are a factor.
Tonight the Edmonton Oilers are hosting the Calgary Flames. Their last meeting was a 5-3 loss to Calgary where the Edmonton Oilers blew two separate two goal leads. A re-ocurring theme this year.
The Oilers are losers of four straight, but every one of those games have been by one goal and those games were well played games. There was a lack of execution and a tendency to allow teams back into games.
Keys to the Game
HOLD THE LEAD. The Oilers were burned (no punned intended) by the Flames by blowing those two separate two goal leads. Those woes continued most recently against the Arizona Coyotes where they were leading 3-1 and ended up losing in overtime. This is a team that is used to losing, expected to lose. They’ve been competitive but they let go of the gas pedal too often.
TINY PUCK, BIG NET. The Oilers are having trouble scoring goals lately. There’s a lack of consistency when it comes to scoring. From my eyes, it always feels like the Oilers get one line scoring, but the other scoring line vanishes. Right now, Draisaitl and Eberle are producing while Nugent-Hopkins and Hall have gone ice cold. I think it helps having Nail Yakupov and Zack Kassian in the line up, as it gives them more options and slowly but surely, the Edmonton Oilers have some scoring depth.
Who to Watch
Sam Bennett: Bennett scored four goals, including his first career NHL hat trick in the first period, against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. He was the standout for the Flames last time against the Oilers: he was physical and did not give a single crap on who he was hitting. He ran over Matt Hendricks who skated to the bench with his tail between his legs. I wanted Bennett at the 2014 draft for the longest time, but I switched to Draisaitl when I watched him during the WHL playoffs. I admire Bennett and I think he’s going to be a heck of a player.
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Zack Kassian: Oh, you know that eyes are going to be on the Zack Attack (lamest nickname ever, I’m sorry). He had a quiet, but effective night against San Jose, but the one thing I noticed the most about Kassian was his ability to finish his checks. I know I’m excited to see what he will do against the Flames because he’s not afraid to throw his weight. I know some have issues with Kassian and that’s fair. For me, He’s an Edmonton Oiler first and foremost and I cheer for the Oilers. I’m cheering for his redemption and I think he makes an impact tonight. That said, he did look a bit tired in that Gene Principe interview during the intermission.
Projected Line Ups
Edmonton Oilers
Hall- Nugent-Hopkins-Pakarinen
Pouliot-Draisaitl-Eberle
Purcell-Letestu-Kassian
Korpikoski-Lander-Yakupov
Sekera-Fayne
Nurse-Schultz
Davidson-Gryba
Talbot
Calgary Flames
Gaudreau-Monahan-Ferland
Bennett-Backlund-Frolik
Raymond-Granlund-Jones
Jooris-Stajan-Colborne
Giordano-Brodie
Russell-Hamilton
Engelland-Wideman
Hiller
Prediciton
After having games go oh so close, the Oilers beat their rivals from the south, 4-2. Hall breaks out of his mini slump, Draisaitl continues to produce with Eberle. Kassian hits a Flames player quite hard and causes cheers on Twitter.