The Edmonton Oilers desperately needed a better showing against the Tampa Bay Lightning than they’ve had in their last two games. Otherwise, they risked suffering a fourth straight loss, which would be their longest losing streak of the season. Unfortunately, another lacklustre performance by the Oilers led to a disappointing 4-1 loss at the hands of the Lightning, extending their losing streak and general unrest among the fanbase.

If Leon Draisaitl is going to keep scoring like it’s going out of style, then I’m going to keep writing about how ridiculous his season has been. The power play goal he scored in the first period — his 43rd of the season — marked the sixth consecutive game where he’s found the back of the net, and the result is that he’s putting the rest of the field in a hole they likely won’t be able to climb out of. This run is even more incredible when we remember that Leon can sometimes be known as a pass-first player.

But as I’ve mentioned a couple of times over the last few weeks, the problem with Draisaitl’s scoring heater is that he’s the only one doing it. As much as scoring goals looks easy for No. 29, the rest of the roster is struggling mightily to even get shots on net let alone goals on the board. So, as much as I love the way Draisaitl is popping goals on a nightly basis, the Oilers are putting themselves in a spot where they need him to keep it going. And while I wouldn’t bet against him scoring every night, I wouldn’t want to bank on that strategy either.

The tweet you’re looking at above is something Gregor put out BEFORE the game against Tampa Bay. As ugly as those numbers are, the last segment somehow got even uglier after the Oilers went 2/3 on the penalty kill Tuesday. How it’s possible that this team is essentially a coin flip when down a man is beyond me, but that’s the disaster we’re working with right now, and it’s arguably one of the biggest issues with this team. Of course, I don’t think I have to explain to anyone reading this why having Sex Panther for a PK percentage is a problem.

I guess I just expected a whole lot better than being a bottom-six team on the penalty kill after 58 games played, you know? The Oilers were so damned good when down a man in the playoffs last spring that it’s extra painful having them fumble funk their way around the ice every time someone gets sent to the box. Fan gripes aside, being unable to bail themselves out in shorthanded situations is costing Edmonton games, and the PK will continue to do so unless they can pull it together in a hurry.

The Oilers have been outscored 17-7 in the three games they’ve played since coming back from the 4 Nations break. As much as I know I should keep writing about the issue, but that opening sentence is almost all you need to know about this losing streak. Those are numbers we would have expected in the Eakins Era, but not during a season in which our boys are supposed to be challenging for a Stanley Cup. Frankly, it’s as embarrassing as it is frustrating.

It doesn’t matter whether they’re shorthanded or playing at even strength, the Oilers are as defensively porous as we’ve seen all season, only Draisaitl can score, and their goaltenders can’t clean up the messes when they happen either. It’s like we’ve taken a time machine back to October to re-live the shitaneously bad hockey we had to slog through to start the year. It’s shocking that we’re talking about two stretches this bad in the same season, and it won’t be long before the Oilers start falling down the Pacific Division standings unless they find a way to plug this hole in the dam.

1. I don’t want to talk about the goaltending. You watched the game, you can make up your own mind about how things went. I just feel like I’m constantly repeating myself when I suggest that not every goal was the netminder’s fault, but that Stuart Skinner also needed to come up with a few extra saves to bail his teammates out a little more. The GM apparently doesn’t think the goaltending is an issue, much of the fanbase disagrees. The cycle goes round and round.

2. Matthew Savoie has been one of Edmonton’s most dynamic players in the three games he’s played with the big club so far, and I’d like to see him get more than the 13:00 of TOI he got against the Lightning. The kid may not have scored, but at least there’s a reasonable chance that he’ll produce a chance when he’s on the ice unlike some of his more seasoned teammates that are getting minutes instead of him.

3. The Kasperi Kapanen giveaway on Michael Eyssimont’s tying goal was ridiculous, and I was surprised to see him back on the ice as sooner after that mistake as he was. The turnover was bad enough, but then to see Kapanen take his sweet time on the back check was like throwing salt in the open wound that was that play.

4. Someone needs to explain why Jeff Skinner was a healthy scratch when that could have easily been 4 to 5 other guys on the roster’s turn to take a seat. I’m not trying to say that Skinner is the perfect play — he’s certainly not — but I would argue he’s been significantly more productive in his limited minutes than someone like Viktor Arvidsson. I don’t get it.

5. Speaking of Viktor Arvidsson, he played 14:32 against the Lightning and didn’t register a point or shot on goal. Cool, cool, cool.

6. Death, taxes, and me telling you that the Oilers won only 42.3% of the faceoffs. Consistency is key, friends. This is how we win.

7. At least the power play scored?

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