Can the Oilers Take Advantage of the Maple Leafs Tonight?

The Edmonton Oilers head into tonight’s game with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a horrible skid. On the other hand, the Oilers have earned points in four straight games. Unfortunately, they suffered a tough 3-2 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday. In simple words, they got goalied when Alex Lyon stole the game with a 45-save performance. Still, the Oilers’ offense and strong play continues. Leon Draisaitl kept his hot streak alive by scoring a power-play goal that pushed his league-leading total to 36 goals.

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Teammate Connor McDavid is also firing on all cylinders, extending his point streak to six games (five goals, four assists). McDavid’s brilliance has been a key factor in the Oilers’ success, and with 12 goals and 25 assists in 24 career games against Toronto. He’ll be trouble for the Maple Leafs’ defense.

Fortunately, the Oilers’ defense has tightened up. The team wins because it isn’t allowing many goals – three goals or fewer in each of their last 10 games. With goalies Calvin Pickard and Stuart Skinner splitting duties, the Oilers look as if they can continue to leverage their strong defensive play and bounce back from Thursday’s shootout loss.

Keys to Success Against Toronto’s Struggles

The Maple Leafs limp into this game dragging the chains of a three-game losing streak. The Blue & White are struggling offensively and have scored an underwhelming total of a single goal in each game. The Maple Leafs have had enough shots, they just can’t score. Over their past few games, they’ve struggled to convert their chances despite outshooting their opponents.

Even Auston Matthews has been held without a goal for two straight games, and he had been on a heater of strong scoring. Coach Craig Berube critiqued his team for being too cute, which means that his players seem to hesitate to shoot and instead look for the perfect offensive play. As a result, they miss too many chances.

All this offers the Oilers an opportunity to capitalize. With a 7-2-1 record over their last 10 games, Edmonton has shown they can shut down opponents defensively, limiting goals while maintaining offensive pressure.

Thinking Strategically for the Oilers

So what do the Oilers have to do to win tonight? Here are four ways they can overcome what should be a strong team in the Maple Leafs. First, the Oilers have to exploit Toronto’s offensive slump. They need to apply pressure and force turnovers to create scoring chances. The Maple Leafs’ offense is struggling to break through and an untimely turnover or two could deflate Toronto’s balloon.

Second, the Oilers have to capitalize on their special teams’ play. With Draisaitl’s power-play success and McDavid’s creativity, Edmonton can take advantage of any man-advantage chances that arise. Third, the Oilers can keep the pressure on. With McDavid and Draisaitl playing at such a high level, continuing to build off their dynamic duo is a key to success.

Finally, the Oilers need to embrace defensive discipline. Although the Maple Leafs are struggling to score, the Oilers can’t let up. They Blue & Orange need to stay sharp defensively to ensure they avoid surprises. They need to play it safe, and limit Toronto’s power-play from converting on its chances.

The Bottom Line for the Oilers

With the Maple Leafs in a tough stretch and the Oilers firing on all cylinders, there’s a good chance to run the table on the Maple Leafs. Edmonton has a chance to extend its strong run. The Oilers can enhance their chances of putting up another win by leveraging their offensive weapons, maintaining solid defense, and capitalizing on Toronto’s struggles.

This matchup is one the Oilers can—and should—take advantage of. But they also have to watch out, the Maple Leafs have the potential to rise up and lay a beating on any team in the NHL.

Related: Edmonton Oilers Quick Hits: Klingberg, Ekholm and Skinner