The Losing Streak Ends Thanks To A Great Team Game By Oilers
By Jim Lynch
The Edmonton Oilers played a great game on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After a long unbearable losing streak, getting back in the win column was necessary. The Oilers beat the Blue Jackets 5-3.
Edmonton needed to do a lot to get back in the win column. They were going to need some great goaltending, and some depth scoring from players not named McDavid and Draisaitl, and in this very game that was exactly what happened.
Stuart Skinner played fantastic stopping 36 of 38 shots putting up a .947 save percentage in this one. Something rather amazing happened tonight as well, Brendan Perlini and Jesse Puljujarvi both outshot McDavid and Draisaitl putting up seven and eight shots on goal respectively.
This was a great effort from the Oilers across the board. The team had so many goals from second and third scoring opportunities and they were doing their best to pick up rebounds in front of Merzlikins and Korpisalo when both netminders got into the game.
A few other players that helped out were Foegele and Ryan who both had goals on the night. Depth scoring was amazing tonight for the Oilers and that is what this team needs to keep the wins coming.
After a long losing streak, getting back in the win column was necessary for this team. NOw they sit fourth in the Pacific Division behind Anaheim, Calgary, and Vegas, but they are only five points behind the Ducks with a few games in hand. This bump in the road did not kill the Oilers, but it definitely did not help them after the incredible start to the season. This team needs to get hot again and with five straight games against divisional opponents, there is no better time to start winning. The Oilers play Seattle, Anaheim, LA, San Jose, and Calagary all during their next five games.
The win on Thursday might not have come against the best team in the league, but that win still cannot be taken for granted. If Edmonton did lose again this would have spiraled even further, but they got the job done early thanks to three first-period goals and a heck of a night from Jesse Puljujarvi and Stuart Skinner. Now they can go into a game on Saturday against the Kraken with their head held high.