Edmonton Oilers Are Showing Signs Of Life
After a brutal 8-3 humiliation at the Scottrade Center last month, the Edmonton Oilers are currently on their longest win streak of the season.
The Edmonton Oilers have their backs against the wall. It’s still up in the air whether or not the Oilers’ playoff hopes are alive, but their resilience and fighting spirit have paid off in the last three games. The statistics and numbers certainly don’t look entirely promising, as they would essentially need to win just under two-thirds of their remaining games.
Todd McLellan’s team pulled off a similar comeback charge last season in this position, finishing with 103 points after having just 37 points through 33 games. Things look a bit bleaker this campaign, with the Oilers having just 34 points through 35 games.
After defeating the Minnesota Wild and the San Jose Sharks, the Blues became Edmonton’s third victim in a row last night at Rogers Place. The three-game streak is their longest of the season, and now that they are 16-17-2, they have a real chance of obtaining a .500 record before Christmas when the Habs come to town Saturday night.
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So what’s changed?
The return of Andrej Sekera from a seven-month absence after tearing his ACL against the Ducks in the second-round of the playoffs last year is critical. Sekera logged over 16 minutes of ice time last night, offering solidity and reliability at the back.
Also, the Oilers world-class goaltender Cam Talbot returned to action against the Wild after being placed on injured reserve November 30th. He now has six straight wins, and kept Edmonton in the game early in the game yesterday with back-to-back stops in the first period.
Talbot’s importance cannot be understated. He was instrumental in the Oilers’ second-round playoff run, posting a .919 save percentage over last year’s regular season and playoff games. Last night, Talbot almost gave up an amateur goal to Paul Stastny when he quite literally gifted the puck to the Blues forward. He quickly rebounded and threw himself around the crease and robbed Stastny and the Blues of an early Christmas gift.
That save by Talbot can stand as a metaphor of inspiration for the Oilers going forward. All hope is not lost, but their season and playoff hopes could end very soon if they don’t turn it around and start making some plays. Reigning MVP Connor McDavid will need some help from Talbot, his defense, and the entire team for that matter if Edmonton is going to get back to the playoffs this year- and he will need it fast.
Next: 3 Bold Predictions For The Oilers
The Oilers take on the Habs at home Saturday night before they have a tough streak of games against Winnipeg, Chicago, and Los Angeles after Christmas.