Despite going into the first intermission with a two-goal lead, the Edmonton Oilers dropped game one to the San Jose Sharks.
The Oilers surrendered two unanswered goals, and Melker Karlsson finished the game with an impressive tally in overtime. It was by no means the best game the Oilers have played, and the biggest reason for their loss was due to their opportunities.
Edmonton Oilers
First off, the Oilers could barely get too much on net. In the first period, they had drive and speed, and used that momentum to score two goals to take that lead after 20 minutes. However, after that, they couldn’t figure out how to get past San Jose.
Sharks in the Water
Edmonton let the Sharks take over, and took their foot off the pedal a bit. When they tried to make a rush toward the net, the Sharks caught up with them. They wouldn’t let up, and the Oilers suffered at the hands of San Jose’s strong backcheck.
All of this resulted in sure enough frustration, but also made the Oilers lose a bit of their confidence. They didn’t have the push they came out with, and barely managed too many chances. Additionally, they spent way too much time in their own zone, which in turn led to the Sharks getting many more opportunities.
Additionally, Edmonton allowed too many turnovers, and relied on poorly-planned, quick passes that landed the Oilers in trouble. Not only did this lead to more Sharks chances, the Oilers could barely start the offensive breakout.
Taking this into account, there is plenty more that the Oilers can do to improve next season, but they will have to capitalize on their chances. Not to mention, they have to figure out a way to stack up against the Sharks’ opposition if they want to leave Rogers Place with a Game 2 victory. This team has matched up well against the Sharks before; surely they can do it again.