That efficient penalty kill from last year’s playoff run feels like a distant memory for this season’s Edmonton Oilers.
Edmonton is coming off a frustrating 3-0 loss at the hands of the New Jersey Devils on Monday night in a game that saw the Oilers outchance their opponent by a large margin but fail to find the back of the net.
It was a game that was within reach for the first half. The team was down by one goal in the second when they took an unfortunate too-many-men penalty. Last year’s Oilers would have been able to brush that off, but for this group, it seemed like the writing was on the wall.
Jesper Bratt, all alone in the slot, past Calvin Pickard and into the net. From then on, it was as if the Oilers lost all their motivation to mount a comeback.
Jesper Bratt now has 15 points in 15 games this season. 👀 #NHLStats: https://t.co/WXAN7ZXDOO
📺: @SportsOnPrimeCA ➡️ https://t.co/93veFI9jrZ pic.twitter.com/a7Cjmlqyqs
— NHL (@NHL) November 5, 2024
After finishing last season with in the top half of the league in PK%, the Oilers now find themselves dead-last this season with a success rate of just 60%.
“There’s just little details that sometimes get out of sync, clears, little routes, keeping pucks in, and they end up in the back of your net,” Adam Henrique said after the loss. “It’s just those little things, but they end up being big things in the end.”
“We had opportunities & chances. It’s easy to get frustrated but you gotta find that mindset & keep working through it.”
Adam Henrique on the #Oilers getting shut out by the Devils tonight.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/TZ0bDOaRJE
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 5, 2024
The belief is still there that they can rediscover the thing that made them so formidable in the playoffs. Giving up is not an option and it’s something the Oilers will have to keep trying until things start going the right way on the kill.
“We need a little bit more time to be a little better and play for each other,” Vasily Podkolzin told reporters. “I’m sure we will be better next game, but we need to be better at special teams.”
“Maybe we need to create more to score more. Sometimes even 30 shots is not enough to score one, it’s tough. We gotta keep working & keep focused on our team.”
Vasily Podkolzin on the #Oilers not finding the back of the net vs. New Jersey.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/0ZsVmU6KYy
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 5, 2024
Oilers assistant coach Brad Stuart runs the team’s PK and while he seemed to work wonders last year, it just isn’t turning the right way this season. Still, head coach Kris Knoblauch is not going to press the panic button.
He expects the group to eventually find a way to stay afloat.
“It’s doing a lot of good things and there will be a time where we’ll be talking about how good it looks,” Knoblauch said. “We gotta find it, it’s close, but we’re gonna find it.”
“It wins you hockey games. We know our power play is going to get better, we know our penalty kill’s going to get better. It’s just finding the execution.”
Coach Knoblauch on the #Oilers losing the special teams battle. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/v60MOM4ghg
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 5, 2024
The Oilers are once again back to .500 on the season with a 6-6-1 record through the first 13 games. While Knoblauch is adamant the team will “find it” on the PK, something better happen fast or the team risks getting into an early hole as big as the one they dug last season.