It seems like the Edmonton Oilers can’t find consistency and wins together like they do lost 5-4 to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday afternoon (February 28). This ended the Oilers’ seven-game winning streak against San Jose.
There were nine different goalscorers in this one. The Sharks got goals from Macklin Celebrini, Michael Misa, Barclay Goodrow, Alexander Wennberg and Shakir Mukhamadullin, while Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Trent Frederic and Jake Walman scored for Edmonton.
This was another game that got away. This was a frustrating loss to a divisional opponent, and that is unacceptable. Here are five lessons from this disappointing defeat.
Oilers had a terrible start
The Oilers didn’t know they had an afternoon game because they didn’t show up in the first period. They were incredibly sloppy, constantly turning the puck over and lacking any urgency. They quickly fell behind 2-0 and were defeated 11-5 within the first 10 minutes.
The Oilers had a power play early, but the Sharks had more chances after their penalty. There were multiple odd-man rushes against due to poor puck management, resulting in turnovers.
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Both early goals were the result of mental errors. Connor Ingram lost his stick, and when he went out to get it, Celebrini entered the zone and scored on the empty net. Ingram chose an awful moment to retrieve his discarded stick. He then failed to cover the puck in the crease after Walman tried to scoop it. The sharks were able to dislodge it and bury it. Walman should have had more urgency and gotten the puck out of danger. After that sequence, Ingram made several big saves in the second period before falling apart in the third.
San Jose was more hungry for loose pucks and won key battles. Edmonton got off to a terrible start. They trailed 3-1 after the opening frame and were outshot 14-9. They weren’t ready to play and their attention to detail was lackluster.
Darnell Nurse and Jake Walman had a defensive battle
The Oilers’ second defensive pairing of Walman and Darnell Nurse struggled defensively, especially Nurse. Walman at least contributed offensively with a bullet shot to beat Yaroslav Askarov, tying the match at four. However, their defensive play needs to improve, especially if they are going to play as much as they do.
Nurse finished the game with one shot, one hit and two blocked shots in 21:37 of ice time. He was also on the ice with less than three minutes to go, trailing by one. There is no accountability when it comes to nurses. He makes terrible decisions all the time. But somehow he still led the team in 5-on-5 ice time with 19:31, and his partner, Walman, wasn’t far behind in second place. The experienced blueliner was a turnover machine in this one.
The Oilers are in dire need of a right defenseman at the trade deadline because you can’t go into the playoffs with this duo as the second pair. It’s time to split them up, because that link is clearly not working.
Matt Savoie continues to produce
It’s all starting to come together for Matt Savoie. He’s playing the right way and is finally being rewarded for his efforts. The youngster had an incredible road trip through California, recording six points in three games. He has also become an important penalty killer for this group.
Savoie does all the little things right that often go unnoticed. He made a smart move when the team was boxed in in the defensive zone. The 22-year-old took his time and turned the puck high out of the zone to get a line change. Other players panicked and turned the puck over under pressure, but Savoie stayed calm and made a great play. Some veterans on this team need to take notes and learn from him.
Trent Frederic finally broke through
As an Oiler, Frederic has played his best hockey since the Olympic break. He was noticeable in all three games during the road trip, ultimately breaking his 35-game goalless drought. He went forward and received a great pass from Savoie before beating the netminder five-hole.
This is the Frederic we need to see for the rest of the season. He was physical and went to the right areas. He finished the game with two shots, five hits and one blocked shot in 12:38 of ice time. He was also a plus-1, the only player with a plus rating. He is slowly finding his game.
The Oilers comeback failed
The Oilers fought back in the third period, tying the game several times. Unfortunately, the Sharks reacted quickly after scoring the equalizer. Edmonton had a late-game power play but couldn’t find the equalizer despite a series of chances. Draisaitl hit the crossbar on a cross seam one-timer, Connor McDavid came in and was denied, and with one second left, Bouchard was stopped by Askarov at the buzzer.
The Oilers needed better results on this California road trip. They won just one of the three games and that’s not good enough if they want to keep the pace in the tight Pacific Division. Keep following The hockey writers for all your NHL content throughout the season.
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