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The way the Edmonton Oilers performed in their 8-3 loss against Dallas on Tuesday night in Edmonton — like a bunch of people — it was reasonable to wonder if a sport like tennis or golf might be a better idea.
But if team engagement was going to be an issue for the Oilers a few days later in Seattle, then Mason Marchment — whose father Brian famously wrote the above quote as an unforgiving open-ice hitter on Edmonton’s blue line — made sure the Oilers had the glue they needed to look more like the team they’re trying to be.
Marchment set up Darnell Nurse early on with a blindside check, ran into goalie Stewart Skinner shortly after, and generally goaled the Oilers’ effort in a stunning 4-0 win over Seattle.
By the end of the play, March had rejected a nurse’s invitation to waste time. We guess he felt he had helped the opponent enough that night.
“Just a little team identity, stick to it,” head coach Chris Knobloch said. “It’s good to see that energy and that enthusiasm. They’re doing things together.”
March was a target all night, but not determined for an Oilers team that promised itself it would bounce back from an embarrassing night on Tuesday, when the entire hockey world — with Stars-Oilers the only game on the NHL menu — prepared to watch a heartbreaking loss at Rogers Place.
“That’s how you want to respond, for sure,” said Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who returned from injury on Saturday. “It bodes well for our group.”
They often say of Nugent-Hopkins that his value lies in the way he touches the game. A top nine center/winger at even strength, he is a fixture on Edmonton’s power play and is a regular on the penalty kill.
Upon his return, special teams were perfect, killing all six of Seattle’s power plays — including a five-on-three at 1:45 — with Nugent-Hopkins notching a goal and an assist on an Edmonton power play that went two-for-two.
“Probably the biggest thing (in the game) was special teams,” Knobloch said. “They were able to hit, and then when we had opportunities to score, our guys came and did it.
Behind that stood goaltender Stuart Skinner, much maligned when he gave up four goals on just eight shots before pulling out of the Dallas loss. He was perfect on this night, with subtle, economical form, excellent rebound control, while the Oilers suffered some mistakes with big saves that made people forget about the odd break or two-one.
“Tonight, he let it all go,” Knobloch said. “He didn’t care about what had happened, he had practiced for a few days and he looked so calm and composed in net.
“It’s very important, your goalie is making big saves at a crucial time. And I think Stu made them.”
Skinner stopped a Berkeley Keaton break with a 2-0 score late in the second period. Soon, the score was 3-0 and the game was in Edmonton’s pocket.
“The way we composed tonight really showed a lot of maturity, and the way we were able to bounce back is great,” Skinner said. “Of course those two points were needed.”
Edmonton has been in win-one-one mode for most of the season, looking for the traction they’ll need to close the gap between themselves and the Pacific leaders while playing the most road games in the NHL (17).
Does a 4-0 win on the road provide that traction? We’ll give you a few days: Edmonton opened a five-game homestand on Tuesday, their longest of the season.
Oil spills — Leon Draisaitl (1-1-2) moved his point streak to eight games (5-8-13) with a strong night against the Kraken… Connor Klattenberg made quick work of Freddie Gaudreau in his first NHL scrap. He played 6:38 and had a game-high six hits … Zach Heyman scored his first of the season as a hard centering pass by Draisaitl went into the net off his skate … Edmonton takes a day off Sunday before settling into its homestand with practice Monday. They are now home after 12 days of a grueling schedule of away games so far.
