Can you believe that the Edmonton Oilers fanbase has come to the point that they’re sitting on pins and needles freaking out over when an AHL goalie and a 4th line center will be inserted into the lineup as if they’re going to be the pieces that save this club’s season? A tad ridiculous, no? Yet, here we are.
What makes me chuckle even more is that people around this team, fans or media, never learn. For example, the Ottawa Senators just dropped three-in-a-row to a Vancouver Canucks team that was reeling. Now, they’re fine. So that automatically means when Edmonton plays the Sens four out of their next five games, the Oilers will be back to .500.
Has nobody paid any attention to this team for the last ten years? If the challenge looks too good to be true, it probably is. These are the kind of games that Edmonton usually gives away because the press clippings in Edmonton have said they’re scheduled wins for the Oilers… Matt Murray is struggling? Good, that means we should be expecting a shutout for him. Oh? They’ll be playing the backup or third string? Might as well chalk up a shutout anyhow. God forbid Ottawa loses a top player to injury, that will just add more to their cause. Do they have any rookies that haven’t scored their first goals of the year or former Oilers playing for them? Stop me if you’ve heard these before.
I hate to say things like that but, to me, it seems every time this team has a chance for an easy two points, they give it up. Am I wrong? Fack! I hope I get all four games Edmonton plays against Ottawa wrong… They need those points desperately.
But let’s move on to tonight’s game!
Here are three players that I think you should keep an eye on for the Leafs tonight,
- #34 Auston Matthews – He’s been kind of quiet aside from that GWG in the previous game. He might not be 100% either.
- #24 Wayne Simmonds – Another guy that didn’t do a whole lot 5v5, but man, he’s been dangerous as Toronto’s net-front presence on the PP.
- #47 Pierre Engvall* – Another tall lanky speedster for the Leafs. He usually sets up shot on their bottom-six when he’s in the lineup. His speed and size make him a threat, like a bigger Michael Grabner.
*May or may not be dressed
For Toronto to have success, they’ll need to stop giving the game back to the Oilers once they have it in hand. Edmonton deals in momentum for success and the Leafs need to stick on McDavid and Draisaitl tightly. If the Maple Leafs can stall any momentum that’s built by the Oilers’ top two stars thus shutting down the entire team’s offense, that will go a long way in getting them the two points.
Staying out of the penalty box will be another aspect of the game Toronto will want to adopt. The Oilers’ PP will come back to life at some point here and if you’re Sheldon Keefe, you’d hate for that to happen against your team.
With regards to the home team, I’ll be watching these three individuals closely for Edmonton,
- #97 Connor McDavid – The captain is pissed… We should see a man on a mission tonight… So buckle up.
- #8 Kyle Turris – Or should I say Kyle “Hurt us”. He’s been a glorious disaster since game one this year. He looks slow to my eye, like the game is just moving too fast for him right now. That said, his last game out, slightly better.
- #13 Jesse Puljujarvi – Jason Gregor says he won’t score any goals until he changes his stick… So I’m hoping Pulju gets a goal or two tonight to shut that bullshit narrative right down.
It’s lunch time in Edmonton as I write this and I haven’t seen any roster announcements so far. I don’t expect many, to be honest. Jason Strudwick was saying that he’d like to see JJ Khaira come back in to give the PK a boost but I haven’t seen anything on that front so far.
Keys to Success For the Oilers
The Oilers might’ve found something on their 3rd line that features James Neal, Kyle Turris, and Zack Kassian. If Kass can build on what he accomplished during Edmonton’s last game, we could see a breakthrough.
As with the Leafs, the Oilers have to stay out of the box. Their special teams is killing them right now and there are no troops on their way to help.
Koskinen is running on fumes here. The skaters on his club need to do their damnedest to get in the lanes, block shots, keep an eye on the man in the slot and the back door, and really just give their goalie a bloody hand.
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