Edmonton Oilers Come Up Empty Against Arizona

The Edmonton Oilers down-right smoked the Arizona Coyotes tonight, when it came to both puck possession and shots on net, almost to the point where you could say that the Oilers may have deserved a better fate. Instead, the 4-0 Arizona win were 2 points they deserve to leave town with. There was enough missing in the home team’s game, I just couldn’t be so charitable.

The Edmonton Oilers head coach was rightfully unhappy after the game, in is post-game avail. But I hope Todd Mclellan reserves some mirror time for himself, as well. We’ll get that to a minute, too.

9 Things:

9. First, while it had no bearing on the game whatsoever, that embellishment call against Nail Yakupov near the end of the game was a real ass-hat decision by the official. Nicklas Grossman flat-out grabbed him by the face and threw him to the ice. There aught to be a sign in the official’s dressing room that reads “They didn’t pay to watch you”.

8. Jordan Oesterle impressed, with a very solid game in all 3 zones. The rookie led the entire team in ice-time with a whopping 25:27 TOI. He finished the 4-0 game Even, with 2 hits, 3 shots and a Corsi of 56% (27-21). He transported the puck through the neutral zone well, cradles the puck effectively along the blue line, and played a good positional game along the boards in his own end.

7. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a whale of a 1st Period. I though he was the best of the Edmonton Oilers through 20 minutes. And although he faded a little as the game wore on (it WAS his 1st action in 20 games, after all), he still had a sparkling Corsi of 66% in 15:49 TOI, and played the solid 2-way game that Oilers fans have come to expect from him.

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6. That was not one of Zack Kassian‘s better efforts. Kassian is best when he’s under the skin of the opposition, without allowing that aspect of his game take his own game off course. But the slash he gave with 3 minutes left in the first negated an Oilers power play was, and happened more than a second or two after the play had stopped. A veteran player needs to be smarter than that.

5. I’ve heard & seen a few people say that tonight was not one of Cam Talbot’s better efforts. First off, when you don’t score, it ain’t your goalie’s fault. And on 3 of the 4 goals, I’m not sure I could fault him: A Deflection (on the 1st Arizona goal), a screen (on the 2nd), and one more (the 4th), where 3 Edmonton Oilers quite simply left him defenseless.

4. Jordan Eberle is playing good hockey, these days. Again tonight, Eberle was dangerous on the attack practically each time he touched the ice (his Corsi was a stone-cold 76%), and he and Leon Draisaitl were a going concern for the Coyotes all night long. Problem was, a lot of what they created was on the perimeter, and not in the “blue paint”.

3. The Edmonton Oilers defence (thanks to 3 injuries and a suspension) is just a bit above AHL quality, right now, and it showed tonight. Problem is while some of the fringe players like Adam Clendening has tough performances, even veteran players like Andrej Sekera took ill-advised pinches, one of which ultimately ended up in his own net. That the diminutive Oesterle was the team’s top minute-muncher speaks volumes. Volumes.

2. O.K., the coach. For the love of God and all things holy, Todd McLellan, take Mark Friggin’ Letestu OFF the GD Power Play! I gritted my teeth over this personnel decision the past 20 games, because really…with Ryan Nugent Hopkins out, what was he to do? But that he was STILL getting PP TOI with #93 back just floors me. Mark Letestu is a good pro who fits well as a 4C and an important part of your PK. But he has hands of concrete. There were at least 2 Power Play chances where we was all lone, one a spectacular feed from Connor McDavid, and he blew both opportunities. Meanwhile, Nail Yakupov sits in the bench (10:59 TOI, almost no PP time for the only guy on the team with a 1-timer). It’s time to stop being so damn stubborn, Mr. McLellan, and put men out on the man advantage who might, oh…I don’t know…take advantage of it!! Man. Is 1-for-29 on the PP in your last 13 games enough, yet?

1. While I feel a little better after blowing off some steam, I have no doubt Todd Mclellan wants his players to make good decisions, and go to the places where goals are scored. Too often, tonight, they did neither, and the coach can not go out and play the game for them. Although in a couple circumstances tonight, while McLellan most assuredly would have thought a better game.

I have already mentioned some missed assignments, and the bad penalty by Kassian, but I hadn’t pointed out the rookie mistake a veteran like Adam Cracknell made on a 5-on-4. His failure to take him time and instead rush an icing into a delay-of-game call led to an Arizona…5-on-3, and the back-breaking 3rd goal by Alex Tanguay.

Less glaring but just as costly errors were made on offence, where Mike Smith saw way too many pucks clearly, and had too many more hit him in the chest. While he DID get a 44-save shutout, it came on the 2nd of back-to-back road games, on a night where he quite simply had too easy of a time of it.

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I wonder if it occurred to anyone else that, on Military Appreciation Night, with the stands filled with Men & Women in fatigues, that the Edmonton Oilers generally failed to go to the hard places?

How ironic is that?

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