GDB 17.0 Wrap Up: Sad Panda

7 years ago

At least LA should be an easy rebound! Oh wait. Final Score: 4-1 Ducks

This season has been a rollercoaster ride for OilersNation so far. After starting the season like a house on fire, the Oilers have fallen back to earth and are struggling to produce the kind of offence they were getting early in the year. Now that we’ve run into our first rough patch, Oilers fans are left wondering if the team is legit or if they’re delaying the inevitable crash into the overworked pathway of despair. Coming into tonight’s game, the Oilers were on a three-game losing streak (now extended) and there aren’t any gimme games on the schedule, so they were going to have to get back in the win column the hard way.

The story du jour is that the Oilers have allowed a goal within the first two minutes of the hockey game in five of their last seven contests. While they didn’t allow a goal quite as early tonight, they did allow the first goal once again. The difference, tonight, was that they weren’t able to quickly rebound with a goal of their own as they had done several times before. The Ducks were able to lock the Oilers down and took away their time and space, limiting their ability to get to the slot. That’s not to say that the Oilers didn’t have stretches where they played reasonably well — they did — but they couldn’t score and Talbot didn’t stop enough pucks. Simple as that. When you combine a team that can’t score with a goalie having a rough night then you’re generally not in for a good time.

I don’t know if I can remember a stretch like this where so many guys were snakebitten at the same time. I’ve seen guys go through dry spells on their own, but to have the whole team go through it at the same time is almost impressive in a way. Right now, they’re like the little engine that couldn’t. Despite leading these games in shots, regular breakaways, mixing up the lines, and all of the power play chances, the Oilers can not put the puck in the net. I don’t know if it’s a case of them lacking confidence, or always trying to make the perfect plays to score goals, but whatever it is going on is not working. The Oilers need to find a way to simplify their game and work their way out of this rut they’re in.

Wrap it up.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

WE MADE IT TWO MINUTES WITHOUT A GOAL AGAINST! Praise the Gord! They still allowed the first goal just over seven minutes in, though. Progress? ?
Leon Draisaitl needed a goal and he got one tonight. Leon had been getting chances but has been unable to score, and, fortunately, he broke that streak tonight.
Props to Zack Kassian for trying to give his team a boost with his fight against Josh Manson in the second period. Kassian had a great game tonight and was being the kind of pest that the Oilers need him to be. Check out HockeyFights.com to see tonight’s fight and every other Kassian fight as well.
Matt Benning has some skills and I like him more as I watch him play. Injuries are the only reason he’s playing where he’s at in the lineup, but there’s a player there. Give him time.
The Oilers once again outshot their opponent, 35-27, but they couldn’t convert more than once. It’s tough to win hockey games when you’re only scoring one per night.
At least we won the Maroon trade.
I’m going to say nice things about the power play. I’m going to say nice things about the power play. I’m going to say nice things about the power play. THEY GOT SHOTS AND DIDN’T ALLOW A GOAL THEY ALMOST DID BUT THEY DIDN’T IN THE END! Nailed it.

THE FACE PALMERS

West Coast road trips are horrible. For the past 10 years, waiting for the 8 PM starts that come with the California road games has been like waiting to be kicked in the balls.
The Oilers gave up a 2-on-0 shorthanded breakaway in the first period. That’s bad no matter how you slice it. Shout out to Andrew Cogliano for falling without getting much of a shot off. Once an Oiler.
Leon Draisaitl had a goal disallowed for high sticking midway through the first period. I thought it might be close enough that they would call it the Oilers way, but who was I kidding, we never win those. He made up for the disallowed goal later.
It wasn’t Cam Talbot’s night. Cam Fowler’s goal was a shot he had to have, and by the time Kesler scored the Oilers were all but out of it. Talbot can bounce back, but I wonder when Gustavsson might get a game to give Cam a breather? Dadbot finished the night with 23 saves and a .852 save%
The Oilers didn’t do so well in the faceoff circle, winning only 49% of the draws.
I hate Ryan Kesler. Full stop.
Oscar Klefbom had a horrible giveaway on the fourth Ducks goal that resulted in a 4-on-1. Gross.
The power play went 0/4 and the penalty kill allowed one goal on three attempts. Not a good special teams night.
Darnell Nurse was -3 on the night which was a team low. Make of that what you will.
The Oilers were outshooting the Ducks 29-19 after the second period but only got six shots in the final frame. Not nearly good enough when you’re down by two goals (then a third).

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST PERIOD

TIME	TEAM	DETAILS	SCORE
07:13	Anaheim	Nick Ritchie (4) ASST: Ryan Getzlaf (13), Corey Perry (10)	0-1

2ND PERIOD

TIME	TEAM	DETAILS	SCORE
02:23	Anaheim	Cam Fowler (5) ASST: Jakob Silfverberg (5), John Gibson (1)	0-2
07:51	Anaheim	PPG – Ryan Kesler (7) ASST: Corey Perry (11), Sami Vatanen (7)	0-3
18:14	Edmonton	Leon Draisaitl (4)	1-3

3RD PERIOD

TIME	TEAM	DETAILS	SCORE
09:00	Anaheim	Antoine Vermette (3) ASST: Joseph Cramarossa (2), Rickard Rakell (4)	1-4

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