The regular season is finally here, and after going to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season, the Edmonton Oilers are poised to make another deep playoff run. Their quest for Lord Stanley starts on Wednesday night (Oct. 9) when they host the Winnipeg Jets from Rogers Place. If the Oilers want early season success, here are three keys to victory:
Start on Time
It is imperative that the Oilers get off to a good start in their first game. In last year’s season opener, the Oilers got embarrassed 8-1 at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks. That eventually led to their 2-9 record to start the campaign. They can’t let that happen again, so they need to push the pace, forecheck strong, and lay a few early hits to get them emotionally invested in the game.
The Oilers are at home, so by scoring the first goal, you get your fans into the game immediately, and build some confidence. There is so much excitement in the air with the start of a new season and the expectations of this team, so it’s important to give the fans something to cheer about early.
Related: Oilers’ Fans Hope Poor Preseason Is Not a Sign of Things to Come
A good start will build momentum considering how poor they played in the preseason. This team seemed uninspired for most of it, with only three wins and five losses. There was no intensity and it looked like they were just going through the motions. They cannot afford to have that carry over into the regular season. This is a very good hockey team and they need to play to their potential.
Skinner and Arvidsson Need to Contribute
There’s no better way to fit in with your new team than to get on the score sheet in your first game. Leon Draisaitl finally has legitimate linemates with the additions of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson. Skinner is a six-time 30-goal scorer and Arvidsson is a two-time 30-goal scorer. They have the potential to absolutely thrive in this lineup and another 30-goal season is a realistic possibility for both of them. If this trio can find some chemistry early, the Oilers will have success.
Both newcomers are not on the first power-play unit, so most of their points should come at five-on-five. That is crucial for a team desperately seeking secondary scoring. If they can find their offensive touch, that will go a long way in securing an Oilers win. Not only will their scoring help the team in this game, but it will also give these players a major confidence boost moving forward, while endearing them to this hard-core fan base.
Stuart Skinner Needs to Be Sharp
This ties into the first key to victory because, like the team, Stuart Skinner also needs a good start. Edmonton’s netminder can’t afford to let in the first shot of the game like he has on too many occasions throughout his young career. Being at home, an early goal from the Jets will take the crowd right out of the game. He needs to be dialed in from the moment the puck hits the ice. There will be season-opening jitters, so a few early saves will help calm those nerves and help get him into a rhythm.
The Oilers are 5-4-1 against the Jets in their last 10 regular season meetings, with eight of those games decided by two goals or less. Whenever these two teams meet, the games are always tightly contested which makes the goaltending battle even more significant. One mistake could be the difference-maker.
Skinner will be going head-to-head against the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck, which is no easy task. Skinner has had a lot of success against the Jets in his career, posting a 4-0-1 record with a 2.01 goals-against average (GAA), and a .932 save percentage (SV%). If he can put up similar numbers in this one, the Oilers should win this hockey game. Simply put, Skinner needs to outplay Hellebuyck.
Hopefully, the Oilers learned from their mistakes and will get off to a much better start this season. They lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on the road. If they didn’t have that slow start, they could have had home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs which may have led to an Oilers Stanley Cup victory. There is little margin for error in this league and a bad start is extremely tough to overcome. They need to show why they are Stanley Cup favourites, and that starts with a win in their home opener against the Jets.
