Overtime and the shootout should be banned in the pre-season, as far I’m concerned.
But on Monday night, that’s exactly what it took for the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks to finish off another exhibition affair, one which the Oilers would take 3-2. It was quiet for the first 35 minutes before Arshdeep Bains scored on the power play for the Canucks. Edmonton would respond with a pair in the third, as Corey Perry tucked one home, and Ben Gleason ripped a power play marker of his own, but Nate Smith tied it back up 19 seconds after Gleason’s goal. Viktor Arvidsson, meanwhile, would snag the game-winner in the shootout.
Chaos aside, the Oilers got their first look at the most likely second line for Game 1 of the regular season, as Leon Draisaitl centred Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson. The trio had been pencilled in as likely linemates since the moment the wingers signed, but it’s safe to say there were some growing pains on Monday night.
Playing 10:43 at five-on-five, the most of any Oilers line, according to Natural Stat Trick, they controlled just 41.67 percent of the shot attempt share, 40 percent of the scoring chance share, and 19.9 percent of the expected goal share. They generated a few scoring chances, and often looked disjointed.
“In the first shift, I was thinking it was going to be an outstanding night from those three,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “They moved the puck up really nice, entered the zone. I think they just missed on a really good quality scoring chance.
“I think maybe they’re just getting used to each other right now, and I think they had some good chances, probably not as many as you would expect in a game like tonight, but a good first step.”
Oilers captain Connor McDavid would echo those comments, highlighting how this time of year, players are still just getting to know each other.
“It’s tough, initially, when you’re supposed to make it work and there’s supposed to be fireworks right away,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid. “You feel that pressure and it just takes a little bit of time to get used to, but they’re all three such good players that they’ll get going.”
It’s now reached the pre-season time where, with only two games left before the real thing starts, close to NHL lineups will start to take form. For McDavid, it’s something he’s excited to see.
“It’s hard,” said McDavid. “We haven’t played much with our group, and I think you’ll see the last two games — I’m hoping so — to get some rhythm, some comraderie. That stuffs important.
“We haven’t played with the full group yet, and I’m itching to get some of our regular d-men in and kind of get that game going. But there’s good players in this room, there’s good players all across this league, and everybody is starting from day one.”
Edmonton will now hit the road for their final two pre-season games, visiting Seattle to face the Kraken Wednesday, and Friday for a finale with the Canucks.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
