Edmonton Oilers players celebrate the win over the New York Rangers in overtime NHL action in Edmonton on Friday, November 5, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
The Edmonton Oilers encountered worrisome signals during warm-ups before Wednesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, foreshadowing a terrible night. Darnell Nurse was hit in the face with a puck, and Stuart Skinner suffered an abrupt tumble on the ice. They had no idea that these foreshadowing incidents would set the tone for a nightmare game.
The Hurricanes dominated from the start, scoring four goals in the first period and throwing the Oilers off guard. The Oilers had only three shots on goal in the second period, down 4-1 with about 3:20 remaining. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, both frustrated, encouraged each other to “hang in there.” Unfortunately, it was insufficient to save the game.
Edmonton scored a short-handed goal to narrow the gap, and they scored again in the third period. Brent Burns’ empty-netter on a 100-foot backhand sealed the deal for the Hurricanes. Carolina won the game 6-3.
The Oilers’ defensive troubles were highlighted as they allowed six goals, raising their season total to a frightening 328 goals against. Mike Johnson of NHL Network was blunt in his assessment of the team’s plight. He criticized McDavid and Draisaitl’s defensive qualities, noting that they are dangerously near to being eliminated from postseason contention.
“We didn’t handle the pressure well,” Evander Kane conceded after the game, echoing the comments of coach Kris Knoblauch, who acknowledged the team’s issues with handling mistakes and underlined the need of playing with instincts.
The only thing that seemed to succeed in the third period was a more straightforward and straightforward style of play. The damage had already been done, but when the squad played as if they had nothing to lose, they weren’t overthinking every move and putting themselves in vulnerable positions where they were out of position. Knoblauch’s post-game review acknowledged squandered opportunities while emphasizing the challenge of coming back from a large disadvantage.
Edmonton’s situation isn’t looking good. After going 0-3 on this road trip, the decision to fire former head coach Jay Woodcroft has raised issues. Woodcroft was plainly being used as a scapegoat. Under Kris Knoblauch, the team’s performance has been far from exceptional. With a 2-3 record under the new coaching staff, the Oilers are at a crossroads. They
