We’ll take it! Final Score: 3-1 Oilers.
A week ago, we were all talking about life in a playoff position. Three losses later and the comments section in any given article on this website looks like it will erupt into throwing feces. Tempers are flaring and morons are moroning, but it’s understandable – this season is taking its toll on all of us. It’s stressful to have to live your life week by week when it comes to your favourite hockey team. You never know what you’re going to get, but that’s part of the fun. We’re Oilers fans and we’re emotional. We need wins just as much as the team does.
After dropping a shit off in Denver the Oilers (and Nation citizens) were in desperate need of a win, and the Jets have been beatable. To make that happen the Oilers would need to rely on countless injury call-ups and guys fighting above their weight class. They would also need strong goaltending. Talbot started his first game at Rexall Place since October 31st when he left just enough crack showing for a Flame to sneak it in the back door with eight seconds left. He was not the same goalie on this night. Tonight, Cam Talbot was the story. He looked big in his net, he covered his angles, and limited rebounds which didn’t give the Jets anything to work with.
When the Oilers get goaltending and balanced scoring they’re going to be tough to beat. They got that tonight… sort of. The problem was with how much they had to rely on goaltending, and that the scoring came from only one line. Though the Oilers were able to get timely goals from the first line, the majority of the game looked more like a page from the rope-a-dope handbook than it did like a winning strategy. The Oilers were outplayed and Cam Talbot stole this game. Plain and simple. That being said, a win is a win and we’ll take it. Stealing wins like this puts points in the bank while we wait for the precious to return.
We wrap.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

  • Another day closer to Connor McDavid.
  • Teddy Purcell is an offensive juggernaut! Two goals (his 7th and 8th) and an assist for Teddy P and that has me wondering if he’s playing his way into a new contract with the Oilers. There’s still a lot of time left until the deadline, so you never know what could happen.
  • Taylor Hall continues his transformation into Hercules as he keeps throwing points up like Lebron. Hall put home another THREE assists to keep his hot streak worthy of gifts (material/flesh/otherwise) and praise from the highest of mountain tops. If the Oilers have a chance at making the playoffs it will come as a result of Taylor Hall dragging us there. 
  • Justin Schultz scored his first goal of the season on a beautiful passing play. Schultz timed his pinch and Purcell’s pass from the corner was perfect. For all the criticism Schultz has received lately you have to feel good for him. After he scored he seemed to play with more confidence. I doubt the haters will change their minds, but Schultz played a solid game tonight.
  • Darnell Nurse played some tough minutes tonight and he played them well. As the year progresses so does Darryl in his ability to provide sound defense against high end competition. Darryl put in 25:56 on the ice tonight. That’s a tonne for a guy with less than a season under his belt. 
  • Cam Talbot had a very good night and he gave his team a chance to win. If it had not been for Talbot’s work early on the Oilers would have found themselves in a hole. It could have been a different game with #33 minding the net, and it makes me wonder what McLellan will do following the Christmas break. To me, Talbot looks to be the sharper of the two goalies, right now. He finished the night with 44 shots and a .978 save%. 
  • The Oilers dominated the faceoff circle (45/22).
    • Our friends at Cornerstone Insurance will be donating 25 cents for every retweet the following tweet gets from now until Tuesday at 11:59pm. The goal of the campaign is to raise as much money as we possibly can for the Edmonton Food Bank and we could use your help. If you have a Twitter account jump on it and give the aforementioned tweet an RT and help us raise money for a great cause.

    THE FACE PALMERS

    • The Oilers’ first power play of the night was an absolute disaster. The best chance came for the Jets! If not for an amazing save by Cam Talbot the Jets would have taken a lead early, and who knows were that would have ended up. 
    • BTW their second power play didn’t go much better — 0/2 on the night. 
    • Bryan Little’s goal was both weird and annoying. Cam Talbot was playing too good to have a goal like that count against him. Either way, you have to give it to Little for his hand-eye on that one.
    • The Oilers had a horrible second period. The Jets completely dominated the shot clock (17-7) and spent most of their time in the Oilers’ defensive end. 
    • They weren’t much better in the third period as the Jets killed them again, outshooting the Oilers (16-3).
    • For the most part, the Oilers were unable to get much of a cycle going outside of the Hall-Draisaitl-Purcell line. There were plenty of chances off the rush, but not a whole lot going on the cycle.
    • Two penalties for Nikita Nikitin tonight, as per tradition.
    • The Oilers got lit up on the shot clock. The barrage ended at 45-21 shots in favour of the Jets.

    SCORING SUMMARY

    1ST PERIOD
    11:15
    EDM
    Teddy Purcell (7) Snap shot – ASST: Taylor Hall (22), Leon Draisaitl (20)
    1 – 0 EDM
    12:59
    EDM
    Teddy Purcell (8) Snap shot – ASST: Leon Draisaitl (21), Taylor Hall (23)
    2 – 0 EDM
    2ND PERIOD
    07:44
    EDM
    Justin Schultz (1) Tip-in – ASST: Teddy Purcell (15), Taylor Hall (24)
    3 – 0 EDM
    12:27
    WPG
    Bryan Little (13) Wrist shot – ASST: Blake Wheeler (24), Tyler Myers (10)
    3 – 1 EDM

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