Sabres 3 – Oilers 1
What is this blistering pain I feel throbbing in my head? Is it a migraine? No. An aneurism? Probably not. Ahh, yes, I see now, it’s just the result of watching yet another mind-numbing, head pounding, nausea inducing Oilers loss!
Or they could just soil themselves two days later. https://t.co/en3ITQGKmQ
— Rob Tychkowski (@Rob_Tychkowski) November 25, 2017
Folks, I have tried to remain positive for much of this season, but when losses in the style of this evening’s affair start coming at the current rate of Oilers’ turnovers, it is a tough task to remain optimistic. Practically impossible, actually.
After Wednesday’s big win against the Wings, almost everyone in the Oilers community stressed extreme caution. Yeah, the win was a beautiful, well-rounded effort, but premature excitement could be dangerous, considering this club’s inconsistencies. Dear lord was that ever a correct belief.
How much of a downswing was there from Wednesday’s tilt to tonight’s debacle? It’s to the point where, in writing this, I can’t even find a positive to write. Auvitu scored in garbage time? Brossoit looked alright minus the awful 2nd goal? We didn’t lose by 6?
McLellan, when asked about the play of Leon Draisaitl: “Ask me tomorrow”.
— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) November 25, 2017
Seriously though, what is there to say. The Oilers walked into Buffalo, after a big win two nights ago, to face a squad that is ranked 30th-31st in almost every category you can rank. With all of that on the board, the Oilers proceeded to hand the Sabres their first win since November 7th.
And no, it wasn’t an “acceptable loss” The Oilers didn’t ram the puck down Buffalo’s throat all night long. The Oilers didn’t outshoot the Sabres by 15-20. The Oilers didn’t just narrowly miss a win by 1 point.
The Oilers went out, and for 60 minutes of hockey, skated with the effort of a piss-poor college intern, executed with the accuracy of long range shotgun blast, and resembled a team that could be relegated if such a thing existed in the NHL. We thought the Decade of Darkness was bad? Tonight’s effort could rank itself right up their with the worst of the worse in those days. It is, in my mind, the worst loss of the season.
12 giveaways, a whole whack of missed shots, a smattering of minus’s across the scoresheet, and a sour taste in the mouth of every single fan. I am sure that something will be said of the flu that is currently working its way through the Oilers’ room, and who knows, maybe this is a legitimate claim to make. Certainly, proven by the absences of Klefbom and Talbot, there is an illness in the room. But that only gives so much rope. Surely not every player in that room is under the weather, yet tonight’s effort resembled an entire squad on life support.
What is the cure? No idea. One would think that the early-season apathy would have run its course by now, but, it remains, worse than anything showcased in October.
For now, your guess is as good as mine when it comes to what happens next. For now, have a drink, think of something else, and try to cleanse yourself off after that one.
Oh yeah, and the Oilers play the Boston Bruins (who just beat the Penguins) on Sunday in an afternoon game. I am not even going to hazard a guess on what happens there.
Minus Five Stars!
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