GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers vs. Winnipeg Jets

Edmonton Oilers (11-4-0), 2nd, Pacific

Winnipeg Jets (9-3-3), 1st, Central

18 November 2021

Rogers Place

7 PM MST

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Arctic Ice Hockey

GROUNDED

The Oilers did not have a good time in Winnipeg on Tuesday night, dropping their final game of their five game road trip by a 5-2 margin. Trouble began early when Mikko Koskinen allowed one from the top of the circle courtesy of Adam Lowry. The Jets would carry the second period and eventually chase Mikko Koskinen from the crease after putting up three more in the second. Stuart Skinner would relieve Koskinen in the third period, but it was too little, too late. Leon Draisaitl scored two power play goals in the third period, but the Jets would tally a late one and emerge with a 5-2 win. The Oilers would not score a 5 on 5 goal in the loss, and they finish their road trip with two wins in five games.

Back home for a pair, the Oilers will try to get it right with a visit from these very same Jets. Will the Oilers have an answer to Tuesday’s loss?

Let’s go to the tape.

THE OILERS ARE SAYING

“You get down 4-0, that’s a hard game to chase. I mean, let’s be honest...”

Source

That’s Oilers head coach Dave Tippett on his club’s 5-2 loss to the Jets on Tuesday.

The Oilers got some help from Leon Draisaitl’s two power play goals, but it wasn’t nearly enough. The Jets had this one well in the bag by the time forty minutes were up. No five-on-five goals, Koskinen had a stinker early in the first, and it didn’t get better as time went on.

THE JETS ARE SAYING

“We hope to win every single game...Moving forward, that’s our mindset. One game at a time, and win every single one of them.”

Source

That’s Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck on his club’s 5-2 win over the Oilers on Tuesday night.

The Jets finished up a seven game homestand with Tuesday’s win, they picked up points in six of seven (5-1-1).

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• WEAPONS: The Jets have plenty of weapons to put the puck into the net. Five different Jets scored on Tuesday, one on the power play, and one empty netter. Who was on the ice for the three even strength goals? Nikolaj Ehlers scored against the fourth line (42-10-8), Mark Scheifele scored against the fourth line (42-10-8), and Adam Lowry scored on the third line (37-71-44, this was the stinker goal from Koskinen). The third and fourth lines are getting crushed out there most nights. Couple that with some talented Jets forwards, the Oilers will need to combat Winnipeg’s arsenal.
• THREE LINES? I’m hoping to see some line jumbling today, but there’s not a whole lot working in that department. Colton Sceviour is on line four in for Derek Ryan and Tyler Benson is in. So there’s that. Ryan is being held out of today’s game with concussion-like symptoms.
• BONKERS: The Oilers didn’t score any five-on-five goals on Tuesday, but Leon Draisaitl is the machine that keeps humming. Two PPGs for Leon put him at 17 goals in 15 games, which is bonkers. Only 67 more games to score 33 to hit 50. Connor McDavid has points in every game so far this year, which is also a bonkers statistic. Bonkers.
• I’d feel a lot better about Evan Bouchard being on the top pair with Darnell Nurse. The roster has Tyson Barrie on it, and Barrie’s at home on the power play. I know the club is trying to make these pairs work (do not look at the middle pair) but I’m not sure 22 minutes of Barrie at even strength is going to be better than 12 minute at even strength.
• After winning praise in a 5-4 win in St. Louis, Mikko Koskinen is getting some flack after allowing four goals in 40 minutes against the Jets. He absolutely needs to make this save, but it’s also absolutely correct that the club isn’t going to win many hockey games without an even-strength goal in the game.
• NET GAINS: Stuart Skinner (0-2-0, .913 SV% / 2.66 GAA) gets the nod tonight for the Oilers, he was perfect in relief of Koskinen on Tuesday. Connor Hellebuyck had 33 saves to pick up the win for the Jets on Saturday (6-2-3, 914 SV% / 2.79 GAA), Eric Comrie (3-1-0, .926 SV% / 1.98 GAA) is Winnipeg’s backup.

The Ducks have taken first in the Pacific due in part to so many games they’ve played, the Oilers can climb back with a win tonight. Did anyone have the Ducks this high a month in?