Edmonton Oilers Lose Goaltending Match-Up 3-2 Versus Nashville

By Kurt Leavins |

Sep 21, 2015; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Laurent Brossoit (1) is beat over the shoulder on a goal by Calgary Flames forward Markus Grandlund (60) during the second period at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

The Edmonton Oilers lost a 3-2 game Monday night that under-performing, developing rosters will lose at the 70-game mark in an NHL season. That’s a nice way of saying they probably deserved a point or two, but their rookie goaltender let in at least one (and maybe two) that he shouldn’t have.

9 Things:

9. It will seem like I’m picking on Mark Letestu, but I’m really picking on the Head Coach. On the 2 Power Play shifts tonight where Letestu started the play in the opposition zone, he lost the draw both times. When he does not contribute to possession on the PP…Letestu is an anchor.

8. What an interesting thing to watch: When Todd McLellan put Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins out together on the PK, it neutralized the Nashville Power Play. The Predators were abundantly aware of the them, and their D-Core (which is so key to their attack) stayed much closer to home.

7. Jordan Oesterle had some iffy moments, tonight, but I find that when he is on the ice, he battles hard in his own zone, and the puck generally moves North. He had a Corsi of 61% tonight, in 22:10 of TOI, 3rd on the team. Oesterle is impressing a lot of people in the organization…and building a resume for next season.

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6. Griffin Reinhart showed more aggressiveness Monday tonight than in any game I have seen him play this year. It makes him so much more effective, in his own zone, when he gets a little angry and imposes his will against the cycle. One of Reinhart’s few weak moments was a loose gap on the 2nd James Neal goal, but really…his goalie didn’t help him out much, either.

5. The “Shin-pad Assassin” strikes again: Andrej Sekera has been a solid-to-very-good addition to the Edmonton Oilers. But getting pucks to the net is a weakness. The Oilers had the game on his stick in the dying seconds and he did what he’s done over and over all season…he drilled it into the defender’s shin pads, and it bounced harmlessly into the neutral zone.

4. Iiro Pakarinen made the most of a golden opportunity Monday night. He was elevated to the #1/#2 line with Taylor Hall and Leon Draisaitl, and he made the most of it, with a goal and some inspired play. Pakarinen competes, is an effective fore-checker, partly because of above-average speed, and he has a little scoring touch, which we saw in the AHL last year. He ended the night with an impressive 58% Corsi For.

3. Taylor Hall had the puck half the night, it seemed, and in fact his possession numbers were nearly off the chart (77% Corsi). The problem was, Hall was not able to DO much with it. He had 2 shots in 15:50 of TOI, which is a bit off his usual pace. Earned an assist on the Pakarinen goal. When Hall & Draisaitl get going, they are a force coming down the ice. It feel like when they start to go in for Hall, they may do so in bunches.

2. Had the Edmonton Oilers won tonight, Leon Draisaitl may well have been my #1 Thing. The young German was excellent. His assist on the Iiro Pakarinen goal was a tremendous display of two complimentary skills: A fore-check where Draisaitl used his size to come up with the puck, and then a sublime one-handed pass that was right on the tape. Add to that the fact that Draisaitl was 13-16 on face-offs, and we’re talking one of his best games in a while.

1. Pekka Rinne was better than Laurent Brossoit on Monday, and that ended up being the difference in the game. The rookie most definitely should have had the 3rd goal, and I won’t fault him at all on the breakaway. But I’m hardy angry with Brossoit’s performance. He’s in Edmonton and playing some NHL games right now to develop, when there IS no Stanley Cup on the line. Those impatient with him at this moment would make rotten General Managers.

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At this point in the Edmonton Oilers season, and with the roster what it is, I’m not miserable over a 3-2 loss to a hockey team as good as the Nashville Predators. I saw lots of good things this evening that should lead to brighter days down the road. Would I not have preferred a win? Well, of course. But if you’ve been reading the papers, you’ll know where this team is. Sets your sites accordingly.

St. Louis got spanked by Calgary Monday night. The Blues will likely be in an owl-ly mood when they show up on Rexall ice on Wednesday.

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