The Edmonton Oilers handed the LA Kings their fifth loss of the season on Tuesday night, and while the team's winning ways continued, there are some signs that the Oilers could see their first loss before long. It's common during a winning streak to get a win or two that you arguably don't deserve, and that seems like the case for last night's game.
Two positives
It's far from doom and gloom in Edmonton. The team's superstars had a heck of a night, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Vasily Podkolzin all having multi-point performances. Podkolzin's sixth and seventh goals of the season have him sitting tied for second in the Rocket Richard race at this early juncture. When that top group is clicking, the Oilers are going to win more often than they lose, even if everything else isn't perfect.
Goaltender Devon Levi continues to put on impressive performances. The Oilers suffered their most lopsided shot differential against the Kings, only managing 17 to the Kings' 40 shots. Levi turned 39 of those away, frustrating the Kings on four powerplays and preventing the game from getting close, even as the Kings pushed the pace deep in the third period. That works out to a .975 save percentage, and Levi is surely making a case for himself as the Oilers' starting netminder.
Two Negatives
Allowing your opponent 40 shots, while only managing 17 of your own isn't a sustainable strategy. Even if a large number of the Kings' attempts were from the outside, the sheer volume is likely to lead to goals against. And even if score effect suggests most teams take fewer shots once they hold a lead, getting beaten 2:1 in shot count isn't workable if you want to keep winning. In the end, the Oilers stars bookended the game with offense, and the shots didn't matter.
There was a decided lack of depth scoring in the game. Ty Emberson managed an assist with a great pass on McDavid's 3-0 goal, with Jason Dickinson picking up the second one, but otherwise the balance of the roster was silent. That silence, coupled with the barrage of shots against, may lead to different outcomes in the future, because the first line can't carry all the weight every night. Happily, this season has seen more depth scoring so there isn't a need to panic just yet. But head coach Mike Babcock may consider calling up someone like Quinn Hutson if the bottom six production stalls.
Overall, a win is a win, and the Oilers continue to pile those up. These banked points may provide a cushion and earlier confirmation of a playoff berth, allowing a lighter springschedule for the veterans on the roster later on this season. Hitting the Stanley Cup Playoffs healthy will be a key to postseason success.
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