2021 NORTH DIVISION PLAYOFF GAME PREVIEW: Game 4 Edmonton Oilers @ Winnipeg Jets

Edmonton Oilers (0-3) @

Winnipeg Jets (3-0)

24 May 2021

745 PM MST

Bell MTS Place

TV: CBC, Sportsnet

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Arctic Ice Hockey

SNATCHING DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY

Alright - picture this.

Leon Draisaitl scores a pair of goals in the first period. Zack Kassian (!) adds a goal after the Jets made it to within one. Jujhar Khaira scores a fourth Oilers goal early in the third period. You’re up 4-1 with one period to go. You’re going to be back in this series if you can just sit on a three goal lead for fifteen minutes of play!

But, you can’t. In a span of about three minutes, the Jets got a power play goal from Mathieu Perreault, and a pair of goals in sixteen seconds by Blake Wheeler and Josh Morrissey. The Oilers can’t put one in the net and go to overtime, where Nikolaj Ehlers scored his second goal of the game. The Jets need just one more win in four games to move on to the second round.

The Oilers need to win every game of this series from here on out. Let’s start with just one. They need to win tonight in order to bring the series back to Edmonton. Can the Oilers extend this series for another game?

Let’s go to the tape.

THE OILERS ARE SAYING

We’re not going to roll over and play dead on these guys. We’ve got to find a way to get a win tomorrow night and we’ll take it from there.

Source

That’s Oilers captain Connor McDavid on his club’s collapse in the third period.

Three assists for McDavid in Sunday night’s game after being held off the scoresheet in his first two games. Edmonton lost a lot of air from their hot air balloon after this one. Will the team respond tonight?

THE JETS ARE SAYING

“We showed a battle at the end, and it paid off.”

Source

That’s Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers on his club’s 5-4 OT win last night.

After being out with an injury for a month, Nikolaj Ehlers returned to the lineup and scored a pair of goals. Getting the overtime goal put a stamp on his return has no doubt got to feel good for Ehlers and the Jets. They’re one win away from advancing.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

This was a beautiful little tip by Jujhar Khaira to make it 4-1. Not gonna lie, I thought they had it there.

• WHERE ARE WE NOW?: You’d figure a game that the Oilers score four would be safe enough, but it wasn’t. You’d figure the game where the stars started scoring, that it would be different. You’d figure a game that Zack Kassian finally cashed in would be a game where the Oilers could pull one out of their hats. It would be a game that Josh Archibald took a bad penalty that would lead to a Jets goal. It would be a game where Mike Smith yielded two goals in sixteen seconds after a year of excellent goaltending. It is what it is.
• QUICKSAND: I’ve got a lot of questions for the coach. Why is your fourth line out there in overtime on a defensive zone faceoff? Why not separate Leon and Connor when you’re up 2-0, or 3-1, or 4-1? Why not take a timeout when the third goal was being scored? You can’t take ‘em with you. Oh well.
• SENSE OF DOUBT: Getting Ennis back last night was nice, but there were three candidates for the bottom two lines. Jujhar Khaira’s line scoring one was a nice touch, but the coach has got to let it all hang out tonight. Dress Caleb Jones. You’re already late to the game there. It might be time for Mikko Koskinen to get in on the tail end of a back-to-back. Split 97 and 29, especially if you’re up two or three goals.
• WATCH THAT MAN: Connor McDavid scored three assists in last night’s loss. If there’s anyone who can change the game on a moment’s notice, it’s him. Expect him to do whatever it is he can to make game 4 a difficult one for the Jets.
• YOUR TURN TO DRIVE: Oilers will need to come out flying again tonight if they’re going to push this one to a game 5. All in, everyone. If the Oilers bow tonight, it’s a long summer until October. Score one, score one more, and see what happens.