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Oilers Return to .500 Hockey |
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Panic had settled in once again to start the season as a horrendous start gave Oilers fans PTSD from the beginning of last season. Very similar to last season, the Oilers were outshooting and outchancing their opponents but poor goaltending and unsustainably low shooting percentages were weighing them down.
The first three games were terrible but since their 4-3 victory in OT against the Flyers, the Oilers have looked very good, even in their losses. They dominated the Stars for much of the game but couldn't manage to score a goal against Oettinger at his best. They played one of the most entertaining games of the early season against the Hurricanes which ended up going against them in OT.
The Edmonton Oilers are getting closer to playing their typical style of hockey and should earn far more wins than losses if they continue like this. Tonight the Oilers play the second of a back to back against the Blue Jackets and should Edmonton win, will find themselves above .500 for the first time this season.
Perhaps tonight we will finally see Zach Hyman rewarded with a goal. The bad news is Hyman has been held off the scoresheet to through the first 9 games of the season, the good news is the way he has been playing suggests that the goals will eventually come. Hyman is still generating shots and chances at a very similar rate to last season, the only difference being that the goals have not gone in. All it will take is one bounce to go his way and I'm confident we will see the winger back to his regular scoring ways.
The lack of offense from Hyman and RNH to start the season has also skewed the numbers of Connor McDavid who has looked good but not great through the start of this season. 10 points through 9 games is certainly good by most players standards but #97 is clearly not "most players." Once his linemates start to move back towards their regular production, so too will Connor.
The powerplay remains an area of weakness for the Oilers and has not shown any signs of improvement. Quite simply, the team is not getting enough high quality changes on net on the man advantage. At the end of the Red Wings game we saw the Oilers put Arvidsson and Skinner on the PP in place of Hyman and RNH. While I think Hyman should stay on the top unit as the net front presence I do think it is time to make a full-time shift for Jeff Skinner over Ryan Nugent Hopkins. Teams know that the Oilers overall tend to favor the right side of the ice where Draisaitl operates as the left side has been used almost solely for passing plays.
Putting Skinner in the RNH spot gives the Oilers a legitimate scoring threat from the opposite side and will force teams to have to cover that side more, likely leaving more opportunities for Draisaitl or McDavid to get a scoring chance from their wheelhouse.
A quick note on Podkolzin. The big forward has not been able to produce much yet, an issue that plagued him through his tenure with the Canucks but I have liked what I have seen from him on a line with Draisaitl and Arvidsson. Podkolzin skates well, isn't afraid to drive the net with the puck and has been solid with his board work and puck retrieval. I would keep this line together for awhile and see if chemistry can continue to grow and if he can find some type of scoring success.
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After a shaky start to the season credit also needs to be given to both of Edmonton's netminders who have bounced back in a big way. Pickard played a great game against the Red Wings and kept the Oilers in the game after a first period where they were trying to find their legs. Skinner meanwhile earned his first shutout of the season against the Penguins and a solid 0.910SV% against the Hurricanes. I expect Skinner in net for the Oilers tonight.
Thanks for reading.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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