Edmonton – restrained.
There is no doubt that the Edmonton Oilers can score like a Stanley Cup contender. But can you say that they can defend like a competitor in the cup?
Do they have defensive backs, spring comes to win 2-1 and 3-1 games? Are they determined to make the lead stand up early?
After a 6-4 win over Overtime on Friday after a 4-1 and 5-3 lead in Period – and a 3-1 lead two nights ago in a crucial divisional matchup against LA – can you tell me what this Eulers team has to offer? Does it take to win the play-off hockey?
“We need to learn how to play with the lead properly,” admitted two-goal scorer Zach Hyman, who hit a career-high 24 in his first season as an Euler. “We were 3-1 in the LA game and it went to OT and shootout. Then we were 4-1 and 5-3 in this game, so these are two leads that have gone away from us. ”
Of course, there is always a bright side.
“Last season we were playing from far behind,” Hyman noted. “Now we are playing with the lead. We have to protect our leadership and play smart. ”
It’s easy to blame goaltending, especially on a night when Mike Smith allowed a foul on five, but Jordan Binnington got the hook by allowing four shots in the first 13. Edmonton was given a bad start by the opposing goalkeeper, and could not get to the bank.
“We need to save,” said Blues head coach Craig Berbe. “He has to play better.”
Smith had 25 shots in the last 40 minutes and had a chance at a ton of grades. Connor McDavid Lyon scored his second goal in a two-on-one overtime with DrySite, but we can remind you:
Once the playoffs begin, they will no longer play three-on-three overtime.
Edmonton dropped nine hulls in Calgary last Saturday, blowing that lead against the Kings and playing another 6-5, Firewagon Special against St. Louis. They won overtime and a shootout to collect four of the six points, but we’ll remind you: there are no shootouts in May either.
Edmonton is turning a lot at the moment, and then finding their own break in overtime or shootout. Turn the playoffs this way, and there will be many broken hearts in northern Alberta.
Head coach Jay Woodcroft admits, “Every time you dropped five goals, you didn’t do what you wanted to do.” “Some of the flaws that we have crept into our game do not bury our heads in the sand. We will address them.
“We have given up a lot in a hurry. I don’t think our back-check is where it should have been. They climbed on top of us a few times. Mostly correctable. ”
You can’t say it’s not one of Hockey’s most entertaining teams, as McDavid pushed 39 goals and 102 points, burying a beauty pass from Draisaitl in the OT. St. Louis won the opening draw in overtime and the Eulers pair tried to play a four-cornered offense until the ice left. But a minute later, the Eulers finally got the hang of it, and at 1:11 OT they were celebrating a win.
Indeed, McDavid and Dresital have become modern versions of Wayne Greetsky and Zari Curie. The only difference is that these two are more interchangeable than the Hall of Fame tandem.
“I have never had the privilege of seeing them. I saw them in the video, “said Woodcroft, the former Greats. “In this day and age, I can’t imagine two other players wanting to be 2-on-1 with playing on the line.”
DrySittle failed to make his 50 runsM, A seven-shot night to settle for two assists. McDavid had 11 shots and two goals, while his left winger Evander Kane had one goal and two assists.
Offensively, helming separate lines with McDavid, Dresitol, and Ryan Nujent-Hopkins, the Eulers are truly a handful. They have scored four or more in five games in a row – 26 goals in all – and set a team record with their ninth consecutive home win.
It’s not something to sneeze at.
But we all know that play-off hockey is not just to fill the net, one has to think that these oilers can break this trend and score them through the play-off round?
Or are they just another high-scoring outfit with the Toronto Maple Leafs, average goaltending and terrifying defensive structure that can’t succeed in a game where only less than five goals are scored?
Whatever it is, they’ve got 13 games to figure it out.