GOOD KNIGHT TO ANOTHER WIN
After Saturday’s collapse against Calgary, Oilers allow five straight goals to Vegas
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6, OILERS 3
After giving up four straight goals in a humbling loss to the Calgary Flames Saturday, Edmonton Oilers fans didn’t think it could get any worse.
It did.
How about five straight goals against one night later?
Things went from bad to worse this weekend as the floundering Oilers lost for the sixth time in their last seven games, following up their 4-2 defeat in Calgary with a 6-3 home-ice loss to the Golden Knights.
With the bitter taste of Calgary still fresh in their mouths and the desperation meter flicking well into the red, fans came to the building fully expecting to see a dominant show of force from a team with something to prove.
Didn’t happen. For the second night in a row the Oilers staked themselves an early lead and then wilted when the other side dug in and fought back.
Things started out OK with Edmonton up 2-1 after 20, then the roof fell in the opening minutes of the second period. It was a full-on collapse.
Cody Eakin scored shorthanded at 2:21, Max Pacioretty scored at even strength at 3:53 and Jonathan Marchessault scored on a power play at 4:33. Three goals on four shots in 2:12. And before anyone in a stunned Rogers Place even knew what happened, their Sunday evening was ruined.
Third-period comeback? Nope. Vegas scored at 34 seconds and again at 3:04 and it was game over.
ON A DOWNWARD TREND
Saturday’s loss in the Saddledome made Sunday even more important for an Oilers team that knows better than anyone the danger of letting too many teams and too many points get between you and the last playoff spot.
The standings aren’t getting away from them yet. The Oilers were only three points out of the last Western Conference wildcard spot when the night began, but their recent slump used up all of their breathing room.
With U.S. Thanksgiving approaching and history showing that teams out of the playoffs at that point hardly ever climb back in, Edmonton has to turn this thing in the other direction and in a hurry.
NET WORTH SLIPPING FOR TALBOT
Cam Talbot returned to the net after watching Mikko Koskinen get the start in Saturday’s marquee game against the Flames and it was one of those nights.
Between the deflections, screens and bad bounces like the one that went in off of Matt Benning ’s leg, he allowed four goals on the first 10 Vegas shots and then a couple more early in the third period with the game still up for grabs.
It wasn’t all Talbot’s fault, but he didn’t help. And it wasn’t at all the kind of night he and the Oilers were looking for in a game they needed to win.
The battle for the starting job in Edmonton has now shifted firmly into Koskinen’s stall. The big Finn turned in a strong effort in Saturday’s loss and has a 4-2-0 record with a 2.60 goalsagainst average, while Talbot has lost five of his last six while his save percentage dipped into the .890s.
LACK OF FINISH
The lack of finish on the Oilers is becoming a glaring problem. They went 0-for-3 on breakaways when the game was theirs for the taking in Calgary and whiffed on three more chances from around the net Sunday against Vegas. Milan Lucic, Patrick Russell and Zack Kassian all had glorious opportunities to score in the first period and came away empty.
Put a couple of those away in Calgary and again at home and there is a very different vibe around this team right now.
CHIASSON DELIVERING
Say what you will about the bad moves Peter Chiarelli has made as general manager here — and a lot of them are the reason the Oilers are in the situation they are in — but bringing Alex Chiasson to training camp on a professional tryout has been a windfall.
His second goal in as many games Sunday gives him eight, which is third in team scoring behind only Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. He was an afterthought when he arrived here, but in a very short time has played himself into a key role in Edmonton’s offence. Such as it is.