The Edmonton Oilers are looking for a bounce back on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks after a disappointing result in their Season and Home opener. In that game against the Calgary Flames the Oilers dominated for 40 minutes and outshot the Flames by a margin of 40-26 and dominated the 5 on 5 possession with a Corsi % of 65.8% for the game, and yet they fell by a score of 5-2 thanks in large part to third period collapse and goaltender Ben Scrivens being outplayed by the Flames counterpart Karri Ramo.
With the new and improved Oilers roster that has shifted the focus onto possession and shots on goal, the belief in Oil country for a better season was high entering the Season Opener. The team itself played very well for the majority of the game, and newcomers Teddy Purcell (who scored his first as an oiler) and the new line of Leon Draisaitl-Nail Yakupov-Benoit Pouliot were all highlights of the first game. Unfortunately for Edmonton the only result that matters is the final one, and they fell to the Flames despite their overwhelming play.
They will be looking for more of the same in terms of possession play this evening when they play in Vancouver against the Canucks, but hoping for a better result when the final buzzer sounds.
Lineup
The lineup will remain the same for the forward group, with the only potential changes coming on the defensive pairings. Brad Hunt could find himself on the outside looking in when the roster is set in favor of either Oscar Klefbom or Darnell Nurse. Both these young players are seeking to get their seasons started, and Darnell Nurse in particular would be highly motivated as it would be his first career NHL game.
The line of Yakupov, Draisaitl, and Pouliot was effective for the most part, and Yakupov in particular looked renewed and refreshed for a bounce back season. They had moments of dominance and moments of disorganization, but they were overall a solid second line that with more time together will be a strength for the Oilers.
Even before the lackluster performance of Ben Scrivens in Game One, Viktor Fasth was slated to start in tonights game, but now the door is open for Fasth to take the first step towards becoming the starter for the Oilers. If Fasth can play a solid game in Vancouver tonight he will no doubt be the Game three starter. Goaltending in Edmonton was the Achilles heel at the beginning of last season and deflated the team as a whole before the season was even ten games old, as such it is imperative for Fasth to have a great game tonight. The fragility of this team is high due in large part to the failings of recent seasons. If they continue to play well and dominate possession but lose the games, they will once again lose confidence and be in for a very long season.
Improved Power play a Tool For Success
The Power play in Game one was far improved in comparison to last season, not only going 2 for 3, but moving the puck efficiently and opening up the Flames penalty killers. It was one of the most negative aspects of the team last season, especially when you consider the skill and tools the Power play has at its disposal. By improving the effectiveness of the Power play the Oilers will improve their results in games and have a strength to fall back on and turn the tide throughout the season. The skill level is so incredible on this young squad and the Power play should be the one area that highlights this more than any. With new Assistant Coach Craig Ramsay lending his voice to the Power play setup, there is already a sense of improvement and they need to continue to have the hammer of power play success moving forward.
Wrap Up
It is only the second game of the season but the dread of another failed season is high in the minds of the fans and players alike. They need to have a bounce back game tonight not only to right the ship of a missed opportunity on opening night, but to stop the spread of dread in its tracks. The young leaders on this team such as Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jordan Eberle need to make an impact early and often in tonight's matchup.
This article uses information from war-on-ice.com and nhl.com.