The Sting
3 years ago
The “measuring stick” game is one of those enduring cliches in sports that tends to exaggerate results, good and bad, in any given match-up. That’s especially true when one of the teams involved in that showdown takes that measuring stick and beats the other team’s ass with it in back-to-back meetings.
On top of that — let’s be honest here — when the team wielding the wood is the Toronto Maple Leafs, it’s even worse. It’s no wonder, then, Edmonton Oilers’ fans are stinging today after watching the Maple Leafs spank their team 3-0 Monday on the heels of a 4-0 ass-whipping Saturday in a showdown of the top two teams in the North Division. It wasn’t close, and it wasn’t close with Toronto’s best player, Auston Matthews, wearing street clothes.
Triggered? You bet. One need only check the comments section on fan websites like this one or have a listen to sports radio today to know that. With all the free advice being offered, some of it worth a listen and much of it the finger pointing and overreacting you get after measuring stick games like these two, it’s worth remembering the Oilers were rolling along with five straight wins and 11 in their previous 13 games before the Maple Leafs came calling.
The way I see it, the Oilers lost to a better team, one that played a sound enough defensive game for most of six periods to blank them, even with backup goaltenders in the blue paint, and outscore them 7-0 without Matthews in the lineup. Sure, there’s plenty of room for improvement. Yes, it’s fair to talk about tweaking the lines after seeing @Connor McDavid and @Leon Draisaitl get nothing done. And yes, it’s reasonable to moan about goaltending that had the Oilers playing from behind. But let’s not get carried away.
NO JUICE
“There’s not a lot of juice in our group right now,” coach Dave Tippett said. “It happens during the season when you’re down on energy and down on emotion. Unfortunately, it’s coming at a tough time for us right now. It should be a big series against Toronto, and we haven’t played very well.
“There are parts of our game that aren’t where they need to be right now, and we just have to start building them up again . . . we’re in a little rut right now. It seems like nothing you’re shooting is going in the net. Point shots, deflections, usually you can find one or two of those, but they’re not going in for us right now.”
McDavid and Draisaitl have been held off the sheet in back-to-back games, which is rare. Draisaitl looks off. He hasn’t scored a goal in six games and has just two in his last 10. McDavid, who had 5-3-8 in his previous three games, is pointless in two straight for the first time this season. The Maple Leafs made it tough going, with limited Grade A chances and few second chances, in front of Jack Campbell and Michael Hutchinson.
While Campbell and Hutchinson had plenty of help, @Mikko Koskinen gave up goals on the first two shots he faced Monday and three in 10 shots before getting the hook. @Mike Smith, coming off a hot streak going into his start Saturday, allowed four goals on 29 shots. The Oilers simply haven’t had enough saves in the first two games of this three-game series, and you’ve got to get those, even on tough chances. Not the first time we’ve said that.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Jan 24, 2021; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto (56) is congratulated by Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) on his goal against the Winnipeg Jets during the third period at Bell MTS Place. Mandatory Credit: Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Oilers get another crack at the Maple Leafs Wednesday but expecting the result to change with the same approach and same combinations of players against a superior team doesn’t make a lot of sense. To that end, Tippett finally reunited the line of Draisaitl with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto at practice today and had McDavid flanked by Jesse Puljujarvi and James Neal. What about the defensive pairings? William Lagesson skated today but isn’t ready. With Koskinen and Smith, it depends which version the Oilers get.
As for some of the chatter after these two measuring stick games, let’s resist the urge to talk about trading for Carey Price or sending out @Tyson Barrie to set things straight, as was the case this morning on the airwaves. If two spankings from the Maple Leafs gets you there, I don’t know what to say. This Oilers team, warts and all, has a record of 14-10-0. The Oilers aren’t awful, they just aren’t as good as the Maple Leafs. Tweak the lineup. Play better.
“We dropped two (games), two that were important for sure, but we’re not going to get ourselves down in this room,” Darnell Nurse said. “What are we going to do? Kick ourselves while we’re down and mope around the next two days? We’re a good hockey team in here and that belief isn’t going to change. We’re not going to let that go away because two games didn’t go the way we wanted.”
Previously by Robin Brownlee
Recent articles from Robin Brownlee
