Edmonton Oilers goalie Tristan Jarry owned his achievement after another tough loss, this time a 4-3 loss to the rival Calgary Flames Wednesday night at Scotiabank Saddledome. It was the last Oilers game before the Olympic break, and now Edmonton goes into it with a lot to think about, most of it negative. After winning three in a row a week ago, this loss was their third in a row, and understandably no one is very happy with the trend.
Jarry, who made 21 saves in the game, faced questions about his play and the team’s problems. Unlike his final postgame scrum, where he essentially called out his teammates for giving up too many Class A opportunities, he pointed the finger squarely at himself in his postgame comments on Wednesday.
“It starts with me. I can be more accountable,” Jarry said. “If I play better and stand strong for these guys, we will get better results. It starts with me and I have to get better moving forward.”
When it was pointed out that the entire team was trying to find their game, Jarry – likely realizing how his previous interview had gone – kept shifting the focus back to himself. “Moving forward, I just need to be better there.”
The Oilers fought back with power-play goals from Leon Draisaitl (two) and other contributions, but Calgary capitalized on special teams and even-strength opportunities, including a third-period draw from Ryan Lomberg.
Jarry acknowledged that the Oilers did what they could, especially the big players, calling them “a very good team” with “great players” and “generational players.” He said they can be “fun to watch” but hinted that it will take more than scoring to win, and that’s where he comes into the picture.
The oil companies seem to need this Olympic break
When asked how important the break would be for the team, Jarry acknowledged it was critical. “We’ve got to use the break… we’ll be able to get some good practices, get some rest, reset a little bit.” With most of the team available, he believes time will allow him to focus on the areas that need improvement but have struggled to get to grips due to the limited schedule.
Edmonton will be back on the ice on February 17 and working to find solutions.
The comments come as a relief to fans who were shocked by Jarry’s previous interview and willingness to shift focus to other members of the team before looking in the mirror. In his previous start it was clear he wasn’t very good, and this time his ability to think about himself is important. Edmonton’s defensive inconsistencies this season are evident. So it’s like Jarry was wrong when he said things needed to be improved. The timing of his comments was what caught most people off guard. He could have been better against the Flames too, and he didn’t hide from it.
As Edmonton (28-22-8) heads into the Olympic break, Jarry’s responsibility sets the tone for improvement upon return.
Next: Potential oil companies getting rid of the trade board
#Tristan #Jarry #tune #Oilers #loss #Flames