What the rest of this season holds is anyone’s guess. A week and a half ago we all labelled the Oilers as left for dead after a tough 3-0 loss in Toronto. Four games later, four wins I might add, and the team is just sitting three points out of the postseason and hope is alive and well.
On Tuesday, I wrote that we all need to take a step back and remember that this is just a hot streak and that the ups and downs will return with this team. I still believe that what I wrote is true, but I saw something on Wednesday night from the Oil that I hadn’t seen in years. There was actually a push back from this group.
The Oilers were treading water all night long. They had a lot of defensive zone time and were out-shot in the game. When San Jose turned things on in the third period, they absolutely dominated Edmonton for a stretch, even gaining the lead. In the end, however, Edmonton battled back and won the day.
Normally, a regular season win in December like that would just be another game, but that isn’t the case here. The Sharks have dominated the Oilers over the course of the last few seasons, the record is quite embarrassing actually. The Sharks usually come in and play a physical game, running over the Oilers and walking out with two easy points.
There was no push back from the Oil, no physical play of their own and no “We’re not gonna take it anymore” attitude. That was not the case on Wednesday, and it certainly impressed me.
The Oilers were physical from the get-go. They engaged with the Sharks, throwing the body around and finishing every check that they possibly could. Guys like Jujhar Khaira, Darnell Nurse and Matt Hendricks were extremely active early, throwing the body and even engaging the Sharks in a fight.
Luke Gazdic kept it up in the second period, standing up to Mike Brown after he took a good shot at Brandon Davidson in the corner. Brent Burns was taking all sorts of liberties, but for the first time in years the Oilers made him answer for his actions.
It was a welcomed change of pace from years past. Instead of being run over by a bigger and tougher team, the Oilers dug in their heels and hit them right back. I was extremely impressed by Edmonton’s physical play in that game, it was a blast to watch.
Their battle was also evident when they fell behind 3-2 in the third period. The Oilers of last year and years prior would have lost the game right there, but this group battled back, controlling play for a stretch and then tying the game when Iiro Pakarinen’s shot was deflected by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers did what it took to battle back.
The 4-3 overtime win is nice because it gets Edmonton within three points of the postseason out west, a remarkable feat considering they were nine points out about nine days ago. It was even nicer because they battled a team that had bullied them for years and punched them square in the nose. Refreshing to finally see, really.
This goes to show the new mentality, the new culture in Edmonton. Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan want a hard team to play against, and the Oilers were just that on Wednesday. They have started to truly buy into their coach’s system and it is paying dividends. This team is so much tougher mentally than in years past, it’s almost scary.
Whether or not it results in a playoff berth is a totally different debate, but it’s resulted in meaningful games in December and it’s resulted in a much more enjoyable product. And to think….this roster isn’t even fully healthy.
A new era in Edmonton? I’d certainly say so judging by the team’s battle and mental toughness.
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