The Edmonton Oilers started slowly again. Fortunately, unlike their brutal showing against the Pittsburgh Penguins a couple of nights earlier, the Oilers battled back , overcoming a 3-1 deficit to secure a 4-3 win against the Chicago Blackhawks. It was a solid final two periods for the Oilers, marking a successful end to their four-game road trip. The one blip on their trip was a game they’d like to have back, but getting three victories and improving to 26-13-3 puts them in a solid position.
The Oilers Took Over the Game Without Scoring From McDavid
Despite Connor McDavid being held pointless in three of the last four games, the Oilers have gotten help from their depth forwards. Vasily Podkolzin, Adam Henrique, and Corey Perry all scored for the Oilers. Zach Hyman potted the game-winner on the power play to cap off the comeback.
Leon Draisaitl continued to produce against the Blackhawks, potting two assists to extend his point streak against Chicago to 17 games (13 goals, 19 assists).
Goaltender Calvin Pickard was a bit shaky early but played a critical role in the win. He made key saves and key times.
Oilers Have to Shore Up a Few Problem Areas
While the Oilers 12-6-2 on the road is respectful, it’s clear some areas of the game need cleaning up. They’ve been consistent over their last 21 games (16-4-1), but not every game has seen the team play a solid 60 minutes. Head coach Kris Knoblauch said, “Every NHL team goes through difficult stretches with travel… I thought we’ve done as well as we can with it.”
Slow starts remain an issue for Edmonton, as does seemingly playing down to lesser opponents. The high slot area was another hole they left open in the first period before finally shutting it down. While the Oilers might be able to underestimate lesser opponents and eventually climb back into the game, perhaps even win, it’s a nasty habit. “Sometimes they’re not all pretty, Boston-type games where you win 4-0. We had to find a way tonight, and we did, and that’s all that matters,” argued Draisaitl.
The Oilers won’t be able to show up with anything less than their best on Monday as they head home to face the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings are just underneath them in the standings and could be tied for points if they beat the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.
