EDMONTON — May this Stanley Cup Closing be any tighter?
Two extra time video games. One win apiece. Every crew takes management earlier than the opposite punches again till somebody lands the ultimate blow.
There have been unbelievable targets and thunderous hits. There’s even been some controversy.
The Edmonton Oilers practically went up 2-0 within the collection however needed to accept a cut up as issues shift to South Florida. There’s been loads to love about their efficiency and likewise some facets to quibble about.
Let’s take a look at three areas the place they’re doing properly and three the place they’re not.
What’s gone proper
Attending to Bobrovsky
Offense was arduous to come back by for the Oilers by way of the primary two video games of final yr’s Closing. They scored simply as soon as on 51 photographs in back-to-back losses as Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky nearly appeared to be of their heads.
That hasn’t been the case this time round.
The Oilers have scored 4 targets on 46 photographs in every recreation and seem to have extra of a ebook on the star netminder.
Pucks have been positioned on Bobrovsky’s glove aspect the primary 5 instances the Oilers scored. Every shot that has crushed Bobrovsky has been elevated, a very good name contemplating Bobrovsky is likely one of the finest at stopping makes an attempt alongside the ice within the NHL.
The Oilers have a very good likelihood of successful this collection if they will proceed scoring at a charge anyplace near this one.
Managing with out Hyman
Winger Zach Hyman’s absence for the collection because of a dislocated proper wrist introduced the potential for a gaping gap within the Oilers’ lineup. He went from a scoring marvel final yr to a complementary piece and a hitting machine this yr.
It’s arduous to switch that, however the Oilers have executed simply high quality because of a largely by-committee method.
Kasperi Kapanen was nice in Recreation 1, and so was the fourth line of Vasily Podkolzin, Mattias Janmark and Viktor Arvidsson. Evander Kane has been all the pieces you thought he might be: enjoying bodily, appearing as pest management towards essentially the most annoying Panthers and scoring a aim in Recreation 2.
We are able to’t overlook about Corey Perry.
He has a aim and an help. The previous was the newest tying marker in Cup Closing historical past when he scored with 17.8 seconds left in regulation of Recreation 2, and the latter contributed to the successful tally in Recreation 1.
Perry’s as much as eight targets in 18 video games, seven greater than he produced in 19 contests in the course of the 2024 run.
“He solely had one aim final yr, however we needed (him again), understanding within the playoffs it’s arduous to attain and also you want guys across the web and discovering methods,” coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned. “He’s pretty much as good as anyone discovering methods to attain.”
The Oilers have additionally tilted the ice once they’ve loaded up the highest line with the 40-year-old Perry and their two superstars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Per Pure Stat Trick, the Oilers are outshooting the Panthers 19-8 and out-attempting them 37-16, they usually personal a 71 anticipated targets proportion in 22:25 minutes collectively at five-on-five.
Third-period defending and late comebacks
Listed below are the variety of photographs the Oilers have allowed within the third interval in every of the final two video games: two in Recreation 1 and 5 in Recreation 2. That five-spot will need to have felt like loads contemplating the Oilers had surrendered not more than 4 photographs in every of the earlier 4 contests.
Certain, the Oilers trailed heading into the third interval of each video games of the Stanley Cup Closing, but it surely certain helps attempting to make an offensive push while you defend that properly. In addition to, Mattias Ekholm scored 6:33 into the third interval of Recreation 1, so issues have been on stage phrases from there on.
“We discover our means, get higher all through the sport,” defenseman Jake Walman mentioned between the primary two video games. “Perhaps in crunchtime we dial it in slightly bit extra, however ideally, we’d like to try this from the beginning of each recreation.”
The way in which the Oilers have charged again offensively within the third interval is price mentioning, too. It’s one thing they’ve executed all playoffs, courting to their first win in Recreation 3 towards the Los Angeles Kings.
The collection opener of the Closing was their seventh come-from-behind win. They might have made it eight when Perry compelled extra time in Recreation 2. That may have equalled a franchise mark set in 1987 and 1991.
“All of us perceive that it’s by no means over with this group,” McDavid mentioned.
What’s gone unsuitable
Defending the crease
The Panthers are in and across the blue paint greater than any crew the Oilers have confronted within the playoffs. That’s been a problem by way of the primary two video games.
Former Calgary Flames nemesis Sam Bennett has been the final word irritant. Bennett was tripped by Brett Kulak within the first interval of Recreation 1 earlier than falling into goalie Stuart Skinner. The puck nicked him on the best way into the online. The Oilers challenged for goaltender interference, however the aim was upheld. The Panthers scored on the next energy play.
“I might problem that any day,” Knoblauch mentioned after the sport. “Truly, I challenged it. I used to be on the bench, and I used to be even it once more. I used to be preparing for the following strains, and I see the participant fall in. I used to be informed he was tripped.
“If that play occurred once more, I might problem it. What I’ve seen within the NHL this yr on the challenges for goaltender interference, I had a number of confidence and would problem that once more.”
In Recreation 2, Bennett was at it once more. He was contacted by Ekholm in the course of the first interval and toppled into Skinner. This time, with Skinner down on the ice in obvious ache, Bennett was despatched off for interference regardless of neither referee — Chris Rooney or Jean Hebert — initially elevating his hand to sign a penalty.
Within the second interval, one other former Flames rival, Matthew Tkachuk, was ran into Skinner as a degree shot from ex-Oiler Dmitry Kulikov eluded the goalie. The Oilers opted to not problem, and the Panthers tied the rating at 3.
It’s not straightforward to maintain Bennett, Tkachuk and others away from their goalie, but it surely’s one thing the Oilers have to be extra cognizant of.
“We all know they’ve gamers that wish to drive the online,” Oilers defenseman John Klingberg mentioned after Recreation 2. “It involves us attempting to field out earlier. However we’re attempting to drive the online, too.
“They’re a high-shooting-volume crew, and if you’re that, they’re bringing folks to the online as properly.”
Second-period blues
The center stanza hasn’t been variety to the Oilers by way of two video games, and that was particularly the case in Friday’s loss.
The Oilers have been outscored 2-0 within the second body of Recreation 2, they usually have been outshot 14-9. Per Pure Stat Trick, the Panthers out-attempted them 31-13 at five-on-five and had double the variety of high-danger possibilities (8-4).
“We simply misplaced our legs slightly bit,” Draisaitl mentioned after the extra time defeat. “We weren’t as fast to get better pucks, they usually’re going to have their push. It’s one thing to have a look at.”
After Recreation 2, Knoblauch pointed to a few areas the Oilers want to enhance at to resolve their woes on this regard.
“It was puck execution. I do know our passes weren’t sharp and we gave away a number of pucks,” he mentioned. “In the event you can’t make that first move, you’re caught within the defensive zone, and also you may get it as much as the impartial zone.
“However particularly within the second interval, in case you simply get it out to the impartial zone, you may’t change, and you then get caught, and that’s what occurred.”
Total, the Oilers have been outscored 3-1 in the course of the second interval because the collection shifts to Florida. They’ve been outshot 31-17.
“You’re by no means going to play an ideal 60 minutes,” Klingberg mentioned. “In the event you can management the puck more often than not within the second interval, you’re going to have contemporary legs and having a better technique to change.”
Energy play fizzles
The Oilers have had some excellent moments on the person benefit within the early portion of the collection, with two of Draisaitl’s three targets coming in that capability.
Draisaitl scored the winner in Recreation 1 at 19:29 of extra time after Tomas Nosek’s puck-over-glass penalty. It doesn’t get extra necessary than that. The Oilers can add model to substance, too. McDavid side-stepping Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov after which undressing Aaron Ekblad earlier than feeding Draisaitl for a simple one within the first interval of Recreation 2 was merely an otherworldly transfer.
“There’s one participant on the planet that may make that (play),” Draisaitl mentioned.
For all the great with the ability play, it struggled after that McDavid masterpiece.
The Oilers didn’t capitalize on a 33-second two-man benefit a few minutes later. They wound up going 1-for-6 on the ability play Friday. Worse nonetheless, Brad Marchand scored his first of two breakaways when the Panthers have been short-handed within the second interval.
“Nearly as good as our energy play is, and as a lot as I’d prefer it to attain each single time, that’s unrealistic,” Knoblauch mentioned. “So long as they’re getting high quality appears to be like — and nearly all of our energy performs, I really feel we’ve got. However we’ll undoubtedly be issues that we are able to attempt to exploit if there are issues.”
(Photograph of Corey Perry celebrating after scoring in the course of the third interval of Recreation 2: Steph Chambers / Getty Photos)
