For the first time since a five game losing streak in November, it’s time for fans of the Edmonton Oilers to be nervous. After Sunday night’s epic collapse against Montreal, allowing two goals in 69 seconds late in the third before losing 4-1, the Oilers find themselves in the playoff dogfight.
The Los Angeles Kings are picking up steam, have a game in hand, and are just seven points behind these very same Oilers. Oh, and Edmonton and LA will do battle three more times, including twice later this month, both in Edmonton. If the Oilers don’t handle their business the rest of the way, they will have completed an epic choke job and miss the postseason.
After a real strong stretch of play in January, the Oilers have been simply average. Granted, they survived a very tough month of February, but the club hasn’t exactly done itself any favors here. Since the NHL’s All-Star Game in late January, the Oilers are a subpar 7-9-1. They haven’t been good enough.
Last night was a stark reminder of where this team is right now. The Oilers are shockingly complacent with just being in the race, and there doesn’t seem to be any urgency among this group. On Friday night against Pittsburgh, Edmonton turned the heat up and showed what they were capable of. Last night? They half-assed their way through the game, were lazy, and paid for it dearly in the end.
“At the start of the year if you asked us if we’d be in this spot… I’d take it after five years not even being close.” – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
— Rob Tychkowski (@Sun_Tychkowski) March 13, 2017
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The Oilers seem content with being in the race, being close, but it won’t be good enough. If Edmonton doesn’t turn the heat back up, well the Oilers may not even be in the playoffs come April. Think about it, Anaheim, Calgary and Los Angeles aren’t happy “just being here”, they bring it every night and are either making up ground or have caught the Oilers completely.
Folks, the Edmonton Oilers haven’t been good enough for a few weeks now. They’ve gone from providing solid efforts nightly to being an inconsistent team lacking any kind of urgency down the stretch drive. That’s a huge problem and could cost them in a big way as we chug towards the finish line.
Edmonton has four games left in its eight game home stand. The first four simply were not good enough at 1-2-1. Edmonton needs to find a way to collect six of a possible eight points here and reestablish itself in the playoff race. With Dallas and Vancouver, both teams out of it, coming to town, Edmonton should be able to snag three wins. Asking for those two and a split of Boston and Los Angeles is far from unrealistic in this observer’s mind.
The Oilers will need more urgency, they’ll need more fight, and they’ll need more from their top end contributors. Connor McDavid has been bringing it, but Patrick Maroon and Leon Draisaitl need to start showing up offensively. Edmonton simply needs more from the wingers on its top line. They need the second line to continue its consistency and they need the Desharnais line to continue its good work too.
The last four games of this home stand present a massive opportunity for these Edmonton Oilers. The club has fallen recently in the playoff chase, but has a real nice road ahead and a chance to grab the bull by the horns here. A solid week is not only possible, but you can argue it should be expected from this group.
Their destiny is still in their own hands. The only way the Kings catch the Oilers is if Edmonton completely collapses down the stretch here. Is it possible that they do? Absolutely it is, and the start of March has brought fears of exactly that to Oilers Nation. That said, this Oiler team is supposed to be different, it has been different, so maybe this is simply a rough patch before Edmonton hits its stride heading into the postseason.
Whatever happens between now and April 9th will tell the tale of this campaign for the Oilers. They’ve already taken the step out of obscurity and the basement, but can they successfully navigate through the playoff chase and go to the second season?
What once appeared to be a virtual certainty is now very much in question. By this time tomorrow, the Kings could be even in games and just five points back of the Oilers. If that’s the case, Oiler fans better get ready for some real tense nights up ahead.
Just take care of your own business you Oilers, you’ve come too far to blow this now.
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