The Edmonton Oilers returned from the holiday break on Saturday night (Dec. 27), looking for their first three-game winning streak of the season. However, that didn’t transpire, as they lost 3-2 against the Calgary Flames in the third installment of the Battle of Alberta.
The Flames got goals from Yegor Sharangovich, Ryan Lomberg, and Blake Coleman, while Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid scored for the Oilers. Calgary had a slim 32-31 shot advantage, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Edmonton fell behind early before tying it up with a power-play marker. Then, the Flames took a 3-1 lead before the visitors responded. However, their late push wasn’t enough. Here are three takeaways from this disappointing performance.
Oilers Were Sloppy
The Oilers must have had too much turkey over the Christmas break because they were sluggish. This was an underwhelming performance from the visitors, as they lacked effort and urgency. While they did hit four posts and had some quality chances, they made too many costly mistakes.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the high-danger chances were tied at 12 each at 5-on-5. The Oilers didn’t get dominated, but the Flames came ready to play, and Edmonton didn’t match their intensity, especially in the first 40 minutes.
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The biggest difference-maker was puck management. The Oilers had too many unforced turnovers, leading to odd-man rushes or easy clearing attempts. Edmonton had 24 giveaways according to MoneyPuck, including eight in the defensive zone. Meanwhile, Calgary had 16 giveaways, with 10 of them occurring in the defensive zone. The home team won the turnover battle, and two Calgary goals were the direct result of poor decision-making by Edmonton.
Their attention to detail was limited, and they were trying to force plays that weren’t there. They made too many unnecessary no-look passes that got intercepted. They seemed discombobulated and out of sync most of the game. This was a sloppy performance, and they got what they deserved.
Oilers Miss Jake Walman
The Oilers desperately miss Jake Walman. The Oilers’ defenceman hasn’t played since Nov. 20 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, missing the last 16 games with an undisclosed injury. He has three goals and 10 points in 17 games and is an important piece on the blue line.
His absence was severely felt in this one, considering his replacement has been Alec Regula. Regula had a rough game and was the reason for Calgary’s second goal. He had a brutal giveaway in the defensive zone, as he passed the puck right to Lomberg, and the Flames forward scored on the breakaway. That was an awful play, and when Walman returns, he should be in the press box.
Regula shouldn’t be an everyday NHLer, but has been forced into a role above his skill set due to injuries. The 25-year-old blueliner is a solid number-seven defenceman, but he’s playing top-four minutes, paired with Darnell Nurse. He’s playing in Walman’s spot, and that can’t continue. After his massive blunder, his ice time got cut significantly. He played 13:06 in this game, but is averaging 15:16 this season. His minutes must be limited while Walman is out.
Connor Ingram Was Solid
Connor Ingram did his job in this one, and that’s all you can ask for, considering how the team played in front of him. The Oilers’ netminder was solid, stopping 29 of 32 shots for a respectable .906 save percentage (SV%). He made a crucial save, keeping the game within one in the final few minutes.
The three goals he allowed were either off defensive miscues or great shots. The first goal was a snipe over the right shoulder, the second goal was off Regula’s abysmal turnover resulting in a breakaway, and the third goal was off a cross-crease pass. He was easily Edmonton’s best player.
In his three starts this season, he has a .915 SV%. That’s the goaltending Edmonton has needed all season. If they continue to get performances like this, success will come.
The Oilers conclude their mini two-game road trip on Monday (Dec. 29) against the Winnipeg Jets. Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL content throughout the season.
