This isn’t the first time the Edmonton Oilers trailed in a series. In the First Round, they trailed 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings. Last year, they were down 3-0 in the Cup Final. Edmonton won three games in a row and push the Florida Panthers to the brink. It makes the Game Three loss, a Panthers 6-1 romp, appear insignificant. It’s a loss, yes. It needn’t be fatal.
The Oilers treated it that way after the game as well. Connor McDavid noted that the best hockey from him and the team is coming. The recent loss, as bad as it is, only gives the Panthers a 2-1 series lead. The Oilers are prepared to win the long game and know this series is still far from over. The question is how they get there and prevent the Panthers from shutting the door on this series early.
Oilers Must Be The More Disciplined Team
Game Three got out of hand. Even a casual hockey fan can watch the five-on-five brawl and see that (it wasn’t long ago that those were common occurrences). The issues for the Oilers began well before that. The score was 1-0 following the Brad Marchand goal in the first period, and the Oilers went on to take four penalties in the frame.
After allowing the early goal, the Oilers needed a response and some momentum. They never found it, and the penalties were the reason why. By the time Carter Verhaeghe scored late in the period, the game felt out of reach, even though the Oilers would score to make it a 2-1 game.
The Oilers played disciplined hockey through the first three rounds and the first two games of the Final. It’s why they’ve had an edge against teams that appear just as talented as them, notably the Vegas Golden Knights and the Dallas Stars. The Panthers got into their heads in Game Three. Edmonton struggles to kill penalties. It was a bad formula. The results were predictable.
Sure, there’s the catch-22 of playing physical hockey while avoiding the penalty box. The Panthers figured out the balance but for casual fans, it seems like a contradiction. It’s a fine line to play a hard-hitting game and avoid taking penalties. When most coaches are asked about this, they’ll be quick to tell you that they want their players playing with emotion and delivering the big hits. It’s the high-sticking penalties, the slashes, and the too-many-men penalties they don’t want to see. The Oilers took those penalties early on, and if they keep committing them, this series will be over early.
Oilers goalie Skinner Bounces Back
Most of the goals the Panthers scored can’t be blamed on Stuart Skinner. Kris Knoblauch pulling him was simply to throw in the towel on Game 3 and allow him to get some rest (if Knoblauch could’ve sat McDavid for the final period, he probably would as well). There is a good case to start Calvin Pickard in Game Four but the Oilers will give Skinner one more start to bounce back.
And bounce back he must. If there’s anything Knoblauch has shown, it’s his willingness to pull Skinner and replace him with Pickard. Subsequently, if he struggles again, the Oilers must to the backup to save the series.
Skinner has had his highs and lows as the starting goaltender. Nevertheless, he usually bounces back quickly.The last two games are the exception. He’s allowed five goals in consecutive starts. However, this playoff run has shown his ability to shut down opponents after a bad game.
The Oilers must help out their goaltender, something the defense has failed to do in the last two games. Skinner is an aggressive goaltender. He makes the first stop and relies on covering up the puck. However, when Skinner leaves out rebounds, he struggles.
Therefore, the defense must clean up the pucks in front of the net and play tighter in front of the crease.Meanwhile, Marchand and Sam Bennett have found plenty of goals in those areas. They will continue to do so unless the adjustments are made.
The Big Game From McDavid
Through three games, McDavid has yet to find the back of the net, and in the latest game, he failed to record a point. It’s a credit to the Panthers keeping him in check (quite literally based on the hit Aaron Ekblad delivered). The defensemen are playing close to the blue line and stepping up in the shooting lanes while the centers are skating with him.
It’s why McDavid must pivot to have that big game. He’s looking to win with speed and move the puck into the offensive zone. The Panthers have a target on his back and are making sure anyone but him beats them. It’s why McDavid must find ways to control the puck in the offensive zone, and the Oilers need successful zone entries where he isn’t the puck handler. Once they control the puck in the offensive zone, then McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can find open looks on the net.
McDavid hasn’t disappeared through three games. He’s been one of the Oilers best defensive forwards and was pivotal in the Game 1 win, finding Mattias Ekholm to tie the game late and send it to overtime, then finding Draisaitl for the game winner. The next four games are where the Oilers need McDavid to become the leading goal scorer and take over the series. He’s the best player in the world, and this is where he can remind everyone why.
Stopping The Panthers Offense
The issue the Oilers face is that the Panthers score in waves. They have three lines that can run up the score and they have. Marchand is scoring on the third line while Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk, and Carter Verhaeghe are scoring from the second line. It’s why the Oilers can’t stop them for one shift and will get burned on the net.
This series is testing the Oilers’ depth. Their defensive unit throughout the playoffs was great for the top down but now that they are facing a team with three forward lines that can beat them, they have no answers. For Knoblauch, the key is to limit them and then let the offense run up the score on the other end.
That starts with stopping Marchand. He’s the skater who is finding the loose pucks and the open ice near the net. With the Oilers, it’s about having the skaters play those areas and make sure they’re not the ones finding the open shots. After that, it’s about making this series a track meet again. It’s how they took over Game 1 and can wear down the Panthers and how they’ll win this series.
