The numbers dictate that teams on the second half of a back-to-back with travel involved win hockey games around 45 percent of the time. It increases to around 48 percent if the team is at home and drops to around 42 percent if they’re on the road.
Well on Tuesday night, the Oilers were the 42 percent — and in dominating fashion, too — as they downed the Ottawa Senators 5-2.
Clearly looking to mix things up after an embarrassing 3-0 shutout loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch changed all but the third line, elevating Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin to the first line. It paid off dividends, as after just the first period, Podkolzin had a pair of assists, helping the Oilers jump out to a 3-1 lead.
He would pick up a secondary assist on Evan Bouchard’s game-opening goal, a dandy in which he walked Sens defenceman Thomas Chabot to go upstairs, while adding an apple on McDavid’s first of two on the night. It came thanks to making a simple play, getting the puck from Bouchard, and sending it to the front of the net, where McDavid was situated for an easy tap-in.
“He just continued to do the things he’s done for a long time,” Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said after the game. “He’s hard on the forecheck, he’s able to make a nice pass on the breakout, he goes to the net when it’s in the offensive zone, so those guys can play with the puck and make those passes.
“The intangibles are really, really good, and a lot that we appreciate. We want him to continue to play that way. He’s been playing with Leon for quite some time, and now playing with those two, he creates a little space for them to do their thing.”
It hasn’t come easy for Podkolzin this year in Edmonton. Acquired by the team in August as they navigated offer sheets to Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, Podkolzin came to town looking for a fresh start after three tumultuous years in Vancouver.
He quickly endeared himself to the fan base with his physical play, and in his 11th game of the season, did so even more landing a knockout punch in a fight against Nashville Predators defenceman Jeremy Lauzon.
While Podkolzin hasn’t scored yet, he clearly has fans on this coaching staff.
“We have a lot of faith in him,” said Knoblauch. “He’s been doing all the little things, and right from day one when he showed up to training camp, putting the time in. Usually the first guy on the ice, usually the last guy off the ice, always working on his game. It’s been paying off, and he’s done a really good job for us. Despite not scoring a goal, he’s done tremendous.”
Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would add goals, the latter scoring his second of the year, and hopefully one he can build off of.
Securing a win was big for the Oilers Tuesday night, with a pair of tough opponents coming to town on Thursday and Saturday in the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers.
“Obviously it makes it a lot easier,” said Knoblauch, when asked how it feels to get the win at the end of their Eastern Canada swing. “We let one slip away in the Toronto game, we had opportunities to get leads in Montreal, and we didn’t. I
“It’s always nicer when you get a win, you go home, because Thursday’s going to be a tough game against Minnesota, who has been playing very well. It’s nice to get a win.”
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist, making up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
