There is hockey with low performance, and there is hockey with low performance.
After a six-goal streak against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, the team Edmonton Oilers seemed to be back to their old self – a low-performing, low-event, low-excitement squad that had found a way to lose Seattle Kraken Saturday night in Seattle, 3-2.
However, the head coach saw plenty of promise on the night, with the high-threat odds coming in at 9-4 in favor of the Oilers, according to Natural Stat Trick.
“There were a lot of things I liked. We had more chances to score than (in) all but one game this year,” said Knoblauch, who was more concerned about his team's defensive positioning. “Whether it's a missed shot or a forward not returning… that's where Seattle has the best chance.”
Ex-Oiler Jordan Eberle scored twice and the Oilers were unable to score from all of their forwards. They will cross the border and arrive in Vancouver to face the Canucks on Sunday, ending an eight-game stretch in which Edmonton played in eight different cities.
“There's no secret formula, no secret solution. It's just hard work,” said Darnell Nurse, whose team plays in a 4-4-2 formation and is still finding its groove. “For us, we talk about consistency – five players on the ice. Work ethic, winning our battles – that's a cliché.”
To be honest, road games are stacked in the Oilers' favor. They played five games in the Eastern Time Zone, one at home in the Mountain Time Zone, and now finish off that stretch with games in the Pacific Time Zone in Seattle and Vancouver.
The result was another two-goal effort for an Oilers team that has had trouble getting shots on goal this season. Evan Bouchard scored his first goal of the year on the power play, and Nurse scored his first goal after a rare deflection to make it 3–2.
These are two goals by defenders, while 12 attackers did not score – in total Leon Draisaitl (0-2-2) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (0-1-1) score points.
Meanwhile, all three of Seattle's goals were scored in a hurry, and the Oilers were unable to buy a goal that way.
“Our intensity was higher, our execution with the puck was better. We created more scoring chances,” Knoblauch said. “But if you can’t score in a hurry and they score in a hurry, it makes a big difference.”
One and (hopefully not) done
Oilers fans had high hopes that a pair of 21-year-old forwards could step into the lineup and help on offense. But for now Ike Howard and Matt Savoie – despite the fact that both have a chance to start the game Connor McDavidwing – at some point were less productive.
The Savoys started Thursday's game against the Montreal Canadiens on a line with McDavid and Draisaitl, but were long gone from that lineup when head coach Chris Knoblauch blew up his lineups midway through the Oilers' poor run.
On Saturday in Seattle, it was Howard's turn to open the game with McDavid and right winger Andrew Mangiapane. However, by the beginning of the third period, Howard was replaced Jack Roslovicwhile Knoblauch continued his search for a coherent and effective lineup in a season that gave him very little of that.
“Honestly, I don't think too much about it. I'm just glad to go out there and play a good game,” a hopeful Howard said before the game.
Howard has a goal, minus-1 and nine shots on target through his first eight NHL games. He's a shooter, you can see that. But at this level, you have to do a lot more to put yourself in the best scoring position with the time and space to use your shot.
“It's a long process to get to where I want to be, but I feel good. It's getting better every game,” Howard said. “I've always had a shooting instinct. Maybe that's what you're born with. I like to shoot pucks, look good, score goals.”
His coach sees progress, although he believed Rosolovich would be more productive on Saturday.
“At the beginning, things were closing in quickly for him. It was like he couldn't get the puck or didn't know what the next play was going to be,” Knoblauch said of Howard. “He seems confident now. Things aren't slowing down and he's capable of making the next move.”
