The Edmonton Oilers stopped their 6-game slid against the Colorado Avalanche with a 4-2 score. Connor McDavid had a hat-trick and temporarily halted the Oilers’ misfortunes for now.
It was such a surprise that the Edmonton Oilers finally got a win on Sunday after the turmoil they’ve been through the past two weeks. Beating a team like the Colorado Avalanche who are trying to capture a playoff spot wasn’t only impressive but much-needed.
The entire franchise and the fanbase were in a frenzy after their latest loss to the worst team in the NHL: the Arizona Coyotes. It seemed like it was the straw the broke the camel’s back until the Oilers pulled a miracle on Sunday afternoon against the Avalanche.
That miracle was manifested in a hat-trick by the best player in the world: Connor McDavid. The Edmonton Oilers captain did what any great player did and took over a game from his struggling team. It isn’t his responsibility to fix up all the problems that are plaguing his team.
The only thing he can control is the opportunities he gets in his shifts per game. But he isn’t the long-term solution for the Oilers winning games. No player in hockey can be the driving force offensively to guarantee consecutive wins in this long season.
Recap
The Edmonton Oilers had 40 shots on net against the Avalanche—with 15 in the third period. That offensive onslaught starting in the third period was a shock because a lot of the momentum was with the Avalanche after the second period.
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It kinds a question what on earth happened with the team the day before against the Arizona Coyotes. They gave up one goal at the start of the game but never manage to put any offensive pressure throughout the game. It makes you wonder if this game is an indicator that the team is on the right track or just a fluke.
But you still can’t forget about the six-game losing streak this team was just on. They hit rock bottom, and the finger could be pointed to everybody connected to the franchise. This win over the Colorado Avalanche was a stopgap to a problem that hasn’t been fully resolved.
Moving Forward
A lot of fans had pointed to the Taylor Hall trade last year when this franchise made a wrong turn. To be frank, who honestly knows if that was the case. Hall is having a spectacular season with the New Jersey Devils, but there is no correlation between his recent success and the Oilers’ failures.
That’s why Oiler fans will need to see what happens at the trade deadline. This team needs an upgrade on talent on both the wings and the D-Line. All this win against the Colorado Avalanche has proved to the hockey world of how Connor McDavid can win a game with his world-class talent.
Some experts would say that without McDavid that the Edmonton Oilers would be considered a minor league team. It’s incredibly harsh, but it is the honest truth. Everybody from the fans to the media needs to be realistic about what direction this team is headed.
We will see on Tuesday night if the Oilers can make it two in a row against the Boston Bruins.