Do you feel that? It’s the sweet feeling of victory as the Edmonton Oilers undoubtedly got the job done and on the road nonetheless. That’s right ladies and gentlemen, the Oilers were big underdogs going up against the Toronto Maple Leafs, one of the top teams in the North Division. Not only did they earn exactly what the doctor ordered to fix some of their issues they won with so confidence.
Winning fixes everything as the Oilers left Scotiabank Arena with a 3-1 victory over the Maple Leafs and well, you could see it in everyone’s faces. This wasn’t the most exciting of hockey games to watch in primetime but these are the matchups that help define a team. Just like head coach Dave Tippett said just a few days ago, it’s best we all take things one game at a time. It’s a great analogy in life to take things one day at a time and well, in the hockey world, it very much applies to the Oilers.
Yes, the Oilers finally stepped up and when it mattered most, delivered. Their defense was excellent and they kept the Maple Leafs in check even when they were threatening to tie things up. This was by no means a statement game in which the Oilers dominated the Maple Leafs from start to finish or anything but this victory was huge in the grand scheme of things.
It’s best to take things one game at a time with the Edmonton Oilers
More from Oil On Whyte
- 3 Oilers Players Who Should See An Expanded Role In 2023 And 1 Who Should Not
- Three Battles To Watch At Edmonton Oilers Training Camp
- Keys to Success: What the Edmonton Oilers Need to Focus on for a Successful Season
- The Edmonton Oilers Mean Business This Season
- Pacific division predictions
It’s small victories like this that can steer a team in the right direction. It’s no secret that the Maple Leafs are a team you love to hate and beating them always feels extra good.
But for a team like the Oilers, they needed this win badly to not only prove they can bounce back from their bad start but to silence some of the naysayers.
Yes, the Oilers have always been a team that have historically been on the outside looking in. There is still so much hockey left to be played this season of course, but their victory over the Maple Leafs did show a few bright spots that will only improve over time.
The way they killed penalty time was a pleasant sight to see. Their defense rose to the occasion and didn’t break in the heat of the moment which could have easily demoralized the team even further. They actually scored first and never looked back which is the kind of strategy that works well for them instead of always playing catch up.
Even Kailer Yamamoto hit the nail right on the head in how important their first road game win was. In an article written by Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun, here’s what Yamamoto said:
"“It’s a huge win and a huge confidence boost for our team,” said winger Kailer Yamamoto. “To be able to get those two points is big. Hopefully, we can keep this going and things will be looking up.”"
Confidence breeds success as Yamamoto is right, things can only go up from here on out. For now, let’s enjoy the sweet feeling of victory as the Oilers have a day off as they come right back to hopefully do it again on Friday against the Maple Leafs.
At the end of the day, the Oilers can indeed keep up with any team provided they continue to be a bit more aggressive at the start of games and build up an early lead. It’s still an area of need to capitalize on goal-scoring opportunities but a win is a win and they showed improvements. That’s all that truly matters as the Oilers continue to find their identity as a hockey team.