GDB 50.0: Test versus the West
By Jason Gregor
7 years ago
(Photoshop: @isuckatpicking)
We love HOME games; have Liquor Depot deliver in under an hour. Click, pick, sit back and watch the game.
The Oilers sit in third place in the Pacific Division, ten points ahead of Los Angeles and Vancouver, who are tied for ninth in the Western Conference and one point out of the second wildcard spot. The Oilers have put themselves in a good position to end their ugly ten-year playoff drought.
Their focus is, of course, still on making the playoffs. However, the next two days present an opportunity for them to see how they match up against the two best teams in the Pacific.
We should always strive to challenge ourselves in life, and for the Oilers, who sit 10th in the NHL, their next challenge is to become competitive against top teams.
I see tonight’s tilt versus the Anaheim Ducks and tomorrow’s in San Jose against the Sharks as excellent opportunities for the Oilers. Ideally they want to win both, and at least one, but it’s more about playing a strong game and being competitive against teams who have defeated them in three of four meetings this season.
The Oilers defeated Anaheim 3-2 (OT) at home, and lost 4-1 in Anaheim, while San Jose won 5-3 in Edmonton and 3-2 in SJ (OT). The Oilers have been outscored 14-9 in four games. This trip is about being competitive.
“They’re big games,” said head coach Todd McLellan.
“I’m not going to downplay the fact we are playing a couple teams right in front of us in the standings, but I sure don’t have to march into the lockerroom and announce it. The guys know. We have a lot of respect for those two teams. They’ve won a lot a games, played well and gone deep into the playoffs. For us to play well against them would be a nice sendoff, if you will, into the All-Star break and that is our goal,” continued McLellan after practice yesterday.
I’ll be watching to see how they handle the more experienced Sharks and Ducks. Can the Oilers be competitive for the entire game?
How will they play late in the game if it is tied, or close?
Will they do the small things throughout the game to avoid costly turnovers or easy goals?
Will they be disciplined?
Can they put the Ducks/Sharks on their heels at key moments in the game?
Will they do the small things throughout the game to avoid costly turnovers or easy goals?
Will they be disciplined?
Can they put the Ducks/Sharks on their heels at key moments in the game?
Obviously you want to win these games, but some nights you play well and lose, and others you play poorly and win. For long stretches of the games in Anaheim and San Jose earlier this year, the Oilers were the inferior team. They need to change that tonight and tomorrow.
It is only two games, but for a team looking to keep improving these are two excellent occasions to test themselves, gain some confidence and show they can be competitive against the top teams in the Pacific division.
LINEUP
Oilers
Cam Talbot returns to the net after a night off in Calgary.
Ducks
John Gibson was injured in Minnesota and backed up versus the Jets on Monday. The Ducks don’t play again until next Monday, so Randy Carlyle could go with Bernier and give Gibson a full week off. He wasn’t tipping his hand this morning, but Bernier was only goalie on the ice in a very limited optional skate. I see them going with Bernier and giving Gibson a full week off.
Jakob Silfverberg will miss his third game. He is third on the Ducks in goals with 13 and his absence is a big loss in their top-six.
QUICK HITS
- Tonight is a regular season game that will have close to a playoff feel. You’ll never have the same feel as a playoff game, but the Oilers see the standings, and they are like the little brother who, after years of not being strong enough, is finally confident he can compete with his big bro. They are ready to give everything they have, and like most big brothers the Ducks will do everything they can to fend off their young sibling.
- If I had to choose today, I’d rather play the Ducks than the Sharks. The Sharks’ blueline is better and I think their overall team speed is faster.
- Last season six teams were 21% or better on the PP. This year, eleven are above 21%, and the Oilers are 12th at 20.9%. I’m curious to see if powerplays will remain as good or if we see them dip down over the final 33-35 games.
- I would expect another snarly game from Lucic. It is impossible to play that way every night, but I suspect he’ll have another emotional game tonight.
- One matchup to watch tonight. In his short career the opposing forward McDavid has played against the most is Ryan Kesler. In 51:30 of EV icetime McDavid has zero points and three shots on a goal and a CF of 43%. Kesler has had the upper hand thus far, but I can guarantee you McDavid is aware of it and will want to change. This is one of the games within the game I enjoy watching.
- An area to watch tonight will be the faceoff circle. The Ducks are first in the NHL at 55.2%, while the Oilers are 30th at 47.5%. The need for a veteran centre who can win draws should be on Peter Chiarelli’s trade deadline shopping list. However, it isn’t just the centre. The Oilers wingers and defenders need to do a better job helping out on faceoffs tonight. The Oilers centres should try to tie up the centre and hope their teammates can come in and grab the puck. The Oilers simply don’t match well versus the Ducks centres, so I’d consider a different strategy on a few faceoffs and see how it goes.
- The first period could be very crucial tonight. The Oilers are sixth in first period goals with 42, they sit 10th in second period markers (49), and they are 14th in third period tallies at 45. Anaheim is eighth in first period goals at 41, 14th in second period goals (47) and 18th in third period goals.
Both teams score more in the first period than most teams, but slowly drop, although the Oilers are in the top half of the league in all three periods. The major difference between them is goals against in the first period. The Oilers have allowed 40, the ninth most, while the Ducks have allowed the 23rd most at 33.However, the Ducks have allowed the fifth most second period goals at 51. Maybe they struggle with the long change, but whatever it is, the Oilers need to be smart and disciplined in the first period. They need a strong second frame, because the Ducks can shut it down better than anyone in the third period. They’ve surrendered a league-low 32 third period goals.
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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING…
Ryan Kesler relishes the opportunity to shut down the opposition’s top center, and tonight he’ll look to continue his dogged work against arguably the most electrifying player in the game – Connor McDavid. So far he’s won the battle, as the 20-year-old team captain has just one point (assist) in five career games against the Ducks. That’s a testament to Kesler and his linemates, who have stifled the league’s current leading scorer since he broke into the NHL last season.“If you want it more than the other guy, you do what you have to do to get it away from him,” Carlyle said, on Kesler’s tenacity. “His size, his skating ability and his ability to compete is as high as anybody’s in the league. He wants the puck all the time and wants to be put in every situation you can give him. Sometimes you have to pull back the reins because you give him too much.”
TONIGHT…
(Photoshop: @TomKostiuk)
GAME DAY PREDICTION: The Oilers haven’t had much success in Anaheim, however, they did go 1-0-1 last year, and with Bernier in net the Oilers take advantage of the backup and defeat the Ducks 4-2.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Leon Draisaitl scores. He has four goals in eight games versus the Ducks and has scored in both games this season.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: After scoring no goals in his first 17 games this year and seven in his first 124 NHL games, Oscar Klefbom has eight in his last 32 games. He is now tied for eighth in goals among D-men. Baggedmilk’s man-crush scores his ninth of the season and his third career goal versus Anaheim, his most against an opposing team.
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