Three Key Things: Don’t talk about playoffs! Are you kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game
By baggedmilk
8 months agoI know we’re only on game 11, but the idea of losing three straight to the Vancouver Canucks was enough to make me throw up in my mouth. Not only are they one of my most hated opponents dating back from the Naslund/Bertuzzi/Morrisson days, but they’ve also destroyed the hopes of Oilers fans twice in the first two games of the year, and I was in the mood for some payback. However, the problem with my plan is that I’m a fan of the Edmonton Oilers, and the 2023-24 edition doesn’t have much interest in winning. Final Score: 6-2 Canucks
THIS IS A NIGHTMARE
What can you say about a team that’s matched a record for the second-worst start in franchise history? It’s embarrassing. Now with a record of 2-8-1, it’s almost laughable to think that anyone considered this team to be a Cup favourite before the year began since they can barely put together consecutive shifts without crapping their pants. Honestly, things are so bad for the Oilers right now that I almost can’t believe this is actually happening. The Oilers with only two wins after 11 games in year nine of Connor McDavid? Impossible. And yet here we are. The crazy part about this whole thing is that the next game on the schedule is against the San Jose Sharks, the only team in the league worse than Edmonton right now, and I have absolutely no confidence at all that our side will be able to win. To say I’m stunned about this first month of the season is the understatement of a lifetime.
DRAISAITL BREAKS THE DROUGHT
I don’t know when was the last time Leon Draisaitl went seven games without a goal, but I am sure as hell happy that this drought didn’t get to eight. Now that Draisaitl is back on the board, could he get on a little bit of a roll to help bust us out of this slump? Yeah, so maybe looking for bright sides after the ninth loss in 11 games is pointless, but if ever the Oilers are going to win again, you can probably assume that Draisaitl will be a big part of making it happen. Either way, I wanted to include at least one positive from this disastrous mess, and this was the only thing I could come up with. While it is true that I’m happy that Leon got off the schneid, I’m finding it nearly impossible to put lipstick on this pig.
AN AMAZING START GETS WASTED
I can’t even begin to express how frustrated I feel right now as I write about the first period from last night’s hockey game. Despite putting in what was arguably the Oilers’ best period of the season, they were down by a pair of goals at the break because they couldn’t get a save. We all felt good when Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring with a power play blast from the left circle that beat Demko clean over the shoulder. The Oilers are gagging for goals right now, so to have Ekholm give the boys an early lead was a welcomed dose of secondary scoring. The boys were buzzing. Unfortunately, that lead disappeared five short minutes later after Vinny Desharnais inadvertently redirected Quinn Hughes’ centering pass into his own net. Only 1:52 after that, Pius Suter gets a softie from the high slot that should have been a routine save. A minute and a half after that, it happened again and it was 3-1 Canucks. That’s the Oilers season for you.
OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING
- We’re 11 games into the season, the division title is gone already, and the divisional playoff spots won’t be far behind.
- Jay Woodcroft got kicked off the bench in the third period for something he said on the bench, and I don’t know that I’ve seen that before. Woody will probably get fired because no one can stop the puck, and no one in an Oilers uniform ever feels the need to play defence, but at least he’s still advocating for them.
- Speaking of which, it wasn’t your night, Stu. I’m not going to pile one because the numbers speak for themselves. Everything that needs to be said will happen in the comments section. Skinner finished the afternoon with 29 saves and a .829 save%.
- I wish I had an accurate count of how many consecutive breakaways Warren Foegele has had without scoring. If I said it was 20 in a row, would that be about right? Too high? Too low?
- Looking at the special teams, the Oilers went 1-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-6 on the PK. Neither of those stats is surprising, really.
- You’ve been waiting way too long before I told you that the Oilers won 54.8% of the faceoffs. Your patience has been rewarded, friend.
- The NHL site had the Oilers listed with three giveaways, but we all know that’s ridiculous.
- I loved the tribute they did for Joey Moss in the first intermission of last night’s game. Right when we needed him, Joey was there to make us smile once again.
THE #NATIONVACATION TO ARIZONA
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