For the second time in as many nights, the Edmonton Oilers will be facing off against a Pacific Division rival to try and secure a four-point swing in the standings. Can it be done? We’re only a few short hours from finding out.
After running all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first ever season, is anyone really that surprised that the Golden Knights have crashed back to earth this year? I mean, c’mon… All season long, I kept thinking that each and every loss was going to be the one that sent Vegas spiralling towards the bottom of the standings but it just never happened. Remember when the Oilers absolutely pummelled the Golden Knights 8-2 at home last November? I was convinced that that was going to be game to send our boys shooting skyward and the Knights crashing back down to the bitter, dark hell we ended up in. Instead, they just kept finding ways to win and ended up only a few Ws away from writing one of the best sports stories of all time. Fast forward to this season and the Golden Knights have come back down to earth, and look much more like the team I expected them to be last year.
Looking back at last season, Edmonton was one of the few teams to actually have some consistent success against Vegas (3-1 record), managing to outscore the eventual runner-ups by a combined score of 16-11 over four games. Outside of that one game, a 4-1 road loss in mid-February, the Oilers were able to put up all kinds of offence against the Golden Knights and I’m hoping that a little bit of that touch has been able to carry over. They spread the goals around, Connor did his thing, and we went home happy 75% of the time. All in all, the series against Vegas was one of the few overall bright spots that we had last year so I ended up clutching to those three wins more than I probably should have or is totally reasonable. With the way last night’s game in Calgary ended, the boys need to do something to brighten the mood around here because that loss was every shade of disappointing. I’m thinking actually playing for the full 60 minutes would be a good start.
NUMBERS
| OILERS | GOLDEN KNIGHTS | |
| RECORD | 9-9-1 | 8-11-1 |
| WIN/LOSS STREAK | L1 | L1 |
| GOALS FOR | 54 | 50 |
| GOALS AGAINST | 60 | 58 |
| POWER PLAY | 19.7 | 16.7 |
| PENALTY KILL | 75.0 | 85.5 |
| AVG. SHOTS/FOR | 31.5 | 34.2 |
| AVG. SHOTS/AGAINST | 30.2 | 26.2 |
| TEAM SAVE% | .903 | .899 |
| CORSI FOR% | 50.54 | 56.41 |
| PDO | 98.88 | 95.62 |
| TEAM SHOOTING% | 6.55 | 6.01 |
| EXPECTED GOALS FOR% | 52.03 | 56.86 |
Numbers courtesy of Corsica (fancies at 5×5)
LINES
Oilers
Caggiula – McDavid – Draisaitl
Spooner – Nuge – Rattie
Lucic – Marody – Chiasson
Khaira – Brodziak – Kassian
Klefbom – Larsson
Nurse – Benning
Gravel – Russell
Talbot
After last night’s game in Calgary, there hasn’t been any indication just yet about what the line combinations are going to look like tonight so I’ve kept things the same until news comes out. For now, what we know for sure is that Cam Talbot will get the start but that’s about it. But I’ll keep checking for news on the bus ride home and update things as news comes out.
Golden Knights
Marchessault-Karlsson-Smith
Pacioretty-Eakin-Tuch
Nosek-Carpenter-Hyka
Carrier-Bellemare-Reaves
McNabb-Miller
Theodore-Engelland
Merrill-Holden
Fleury
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING…
Underwhelming. That’s the one word that sums up the Vegas Golden Knights 2018-19 campaign thus far. The team isn’t buying into Gerard Gallant’s hard-working, three-zone style of play.
Vegas has struggled in all facets of the game, defending, scoring and goaltending have been average to subpar to start the year. And to make matters worse, the NHL’s newest team is banged up and filled with injuries. The club is missing Erik Haula and Paul Stastny to long-term ailments.
Luckily the Golden Knights have a lot of things working in their favor as of late. Vegas defeated the Anaheim Ducks in a 5-0 rout at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday night. The victory stopped a two-game skid and improved the overall team record to 8-10-1. Sure that record isn’t impressive in the slightest. However, nearly the entire Pacific division currently sits in a similar position.
TONIGHT…
Game Day Prediction: Back-to-back games? No problem. The Oilers handled the Golden Knights last season and they do it again this year, starting with a big 4-3 win tonight.
Obvious Game Day Prediction: I am soooooo hungover after last night’s Nation Road Trip game in Calgary and will definitely eat two-four bags of beef jerky to try and get over it.
Not-So-Obvious Game Day Prediction: After landing in Edmonton early, the Golden Knights get their morning skate out of the way and spend the rest of the day at the Grand Villa Casino to try and make themselves feel more at home. They enjoy steak sandwiches and tip decently well.
Source: NHL, Official Game Page, 11/18/2018 – 12:00 pm MT
It is so nice not having to listen to Kevin Quinn & Remenda.
Is it just me or is Benning always the second one into the corner so he appears to be always in defend mode?
That was a Cag tip not Karlsson
He definitely tipped it in so oilers have 3 goals
Who can afford to take kids to platinum seats??!! Jayzzzuzzz
Beauty goal!!
Chiasson is a pure goal scorer apparently
He’s our new Maroon circa ’15-16
So…has Mr. Dung shown up at all yet? Since the game started I mean?
Brilliant turnover by Benning and Caggiula on the powerplay.
Benning, Caggiula and Marody on the PP. Todd is an idiot!
That’s disrespectful to idiots everywhere.
Pull Talbot.
#weaksauce
Ouch.
Todd doesn’t have the heart to pull Talbot.
That would hurt.
Talbot equals auto loss
Wow just wow. Blow this so called team up already. This is such a tire fire. Start all over again before mcdavid requests a trade.
Haha, I was just thinking the same thing. You’re going to see McDavid excuse himself to run to the dressing to call his Agent …
Maybe that would piss him enough to shoot the puck instead trying to give free goals to his winger
Talbot 4 goals 11 shots. When can we stop calling him a starter?
Last year
Yes, I said that last year. It was not very popular here
I said it this morning and I was trashed, he a good goalie, but his mojo is OoO drinking too much kalua in moroco
Todds finished
Please let that be true
Come on Man….Scottie Bowman couldn’t win with goaltending like this tonight. 17 shots 4 goals. The Oilers keep going back ..waiting for a Bounce Back?
Bowman wouldn’t have played Talbot.
He was smart enough to read and understand his players.
Who made the lines for tonight game?
Peter or Todd?
Can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
This would be the last game Talbot plays this month, click that was me turning off the game
The Pacific division is going to be no picnic for the Oil. This team is just not very good. Anyone that objectively looks at the Oilers roster knows that it is not playoff level, period.
Oilernation post game write up. Even though Dadbot did not stop one shot that did not hit him in the crest you cannot blame the loss on him.
HaHaHaHa
Who was harping here about oilers record against pacific division? Rude awakening!! Thats all i can say.
My guess would be Alex the kool aid king.
Spooner -2 tonight, -2 last night.
Not saying… just saying.
Why the f*ck did Chia make that unnecessary, periphery trade?
To make it look like hes doing something. It’s all part of his big secret plan.
Edmonton needs another two season tallent re-load. Due to poor asset management. Probably needs to deal with the root of that problem to start. With a sprinkle of talented depth at all positions this team will be good.
If by ‘sprinkle of talented depth’ you mean 18 actual NHL players you are correct.
Obviously, yeah. Delete the top 5 plugs and add real players.
Also, please trade Spooner right now for whatever you can get. He’s a bigger liability than Lucic.
Look at the bright side. The Oilers won’t be saddled with a over extended over paying contract for Talbot next season although they will be without a legitimate starter likely.
Having no goaltenders is an interesting strategy. Just crazy enough to work.
The Oilers have been without a legitimate starting goalie for two years now. It just takes some people longer to see things through orange colour glasses.
We don’t have one now.
FIRE TODD!
He hasn’t got much help for Chiarelli but the bottom line is you gotta win. McLellan is probably done.
Doesn’t look to me like the coach and GM have ever been on the same wave length, but then again I don’t think PC hired Todd, wasn’t that move made by the Old Boys?
Ah you are still Alive! Haven’t heard a peep from you for ages..was worried. But backing a sinking ship must be draining all these years. I get it
How is this even possible????? Seven top seven draft picks in seven recent seasons including no less than four first [email protected]!#! Boggles the mind.
It takes a special type of incompetence to screw up what the Oilers had as an opportunity to make a truly great team. This is the wreckage …
This is just painful to watch.
So don’t
I don’t remember it being this dark during the first decade of darkness.
That was funny!
Whoever trashed this has no sense of HaHa. Oscar I still think your comments are witty.
Let the meltdown on ON begin …
Any passionate Oiler fan that has suffered through the DOD should be pissed.
What an embarrassment of a hockey game. Good grief :[
Is Petr Mrazek still available in Carolina? Luke Schenn is on waivers. Quenville is available. Mark Hunter GM. Do something. Anything.
Looking at this lineup and the huge deficiencies therein how many years away from cup contention are they? Bare minimum of Three?
Mcd will be 24 with four years left on his contract.