Edmonton Oilers Versus Los Angeles Kings-Game 2

The Edmonton Oilers are looking to bounce back from an overtime loss in game 1 on Monday to the Los Angeles Kings. A game in which they had multiple two-goal leads. The Oilers have shown they have the ability to bounce back not only this season but in the playoffs last year.

In game one the Edmonton Oilers appeared to own most of the play, but the final score doesn’t reflect that fact. The Oilers made a couple of large errors and it cost them. I think tonight the Edmonton Oilers will bounce back and play a better game.

Edmonton Oilers Need To Play Smarter

As I mentioned above the Oilers made several costly mistakes. They varied from making missed coverage to taking costly penalties at costly times. The good news these things are easily fixed. When it comes to skill the Edmonton Oilers are ahead on that front.

If the Oilers get the lead tonight they need to keep the pedal to the metal. Just take a look at the Leafs/Lightning game last night. The Lightning got an early lead, but they just kept trying to score. That game was never in doubt, because Tampa kept pushing and trying to score.

When the Oilers got their two-goal lead on Monday they changed their game up. Their defence started backing up more, they didn’t forecheck as hard and they stopped throwing the body as much. The Oilers need to be more mentally tough tonight.

If the Edmonton Oilers are to cut the number of penalties they take down I think they will have a much better chance in the game. During 5-on-5 the Oilers were the better team. It is hard to beat a team when you take as many penalties as they did on Monday.

11 and 7 or 12 and 6

Throughout the regular season, Jay Woodcroft alternated from using 11 forwards and 7 defensemen to using 12 forwards and 6 defensemen. In game one he went 12 and 6. This is the way most teams play, but most teams don’t have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

One of the positives of the Oilers going 11 and 7 is the fact that McDavid and Draisaitl get more shifts with different linemates. I think this will be more beneficial in the playoffs when teams try to match them more often than in the regular season.

I personally don’t think Woodcroft is going to change anything lineup-wise for tonight’s game. The Oilers played a good game, a couple of mistakes cost them. Those mistakes had nothing to do with the lineup. I think if they switch from 12 and 6 to 11 and 7 it will be when they go to LA. With the Kings having the last change, it could be a way for McDavid or Draisaitl to get away from a matchup.

Prediction

I think the Edmonton Oilers are going to bounce back tonight. I think they will do a much better job of not giving up chances, because of that the Edmonton Oilers will allow fewer goals.

I know it is a best of 7 and that you need to win 4 games, but if the Edmonton Oilers lose tonight there are going to be a lot of nervous Edmonton Oilers fans, and I would be one of them.