Has the bubble finally burst on the Oilers’ defensive play and goaltending? Heading into a Tuesday night showdown at Rogers Place, there was genuine hope that the Oilers had reached a turning point in their season after an impressive 6–3 win in Florida. However, instead of building on that strong performance, the Oilers looked far …
Has the bubble finally burst on the Oilers’ defensive play and goaltending?
Heading into a Tuesday night showdown at Rogers Place, there was genuine hope that the Oilers had reached a turning point in their season after an impressive 6–3 win in Florida. However, instead of building on that strong performance, the Oilers looked far more like the team that lost 9–1 to Colorado a couple of weeks ago than the one we saw Saturday night in Sunrise.
What caused this loss?
On Tuesday night against the Stars, it was the same old issues giving Edmonton trouble — leaky defensive play (especially off the rush) and abysmal goaltending. Stuart Skinner was especially poor in this game, allowing four goals on eight shots and exiting after the first period to make way for Calvin Pickard, who was slightly better but still finished with a well-below-average .818 SV% and 18 saves on 22 shots.
While both goalies struggled, not everything can be blamed on them. The Oilers’ defensive play left a lot to be desired, allowing numerous slot chances and continuing a theme that has defined their season: they struggled to clear the front of the net and allowed the Stars to create chaos around the crease all night long.
What could the fallout of this game be?
With all the talk today surrounding Jordan Binnington and Stuart Skinner being involved in trade discussions, you have to wonder if this kind of performance from Skinner might push the Oilers’ front office — and Stan Bowman — to pull the trigger on a deal. While the defence has earned its share of criticism, the bottom line is that the Oilers have by far the worst goaltending numbers in the NHL. With even league-average goaltending, they would likely have at least a couple more wins.
Were there any positives?
Even though this was a dreadful game overall, there were at least a few bright spots. Connor Clattonburg scored his first NHL goal, pouncing on a rebound in front of Jake Oettinger. It was a well-deserved moment for a young player who has brought a physical spark to the Oilers’ bottom six early in his NHL career.
Jack Roslovic also continued his strong start, adding another goal. His blazing hot run now has him at 10 goals and 18 points in 23 games as an Oiler.
The Oilers will look to bounce back as they take on the Kraken on Saturday in Seattle.
