Oilers Show Flashes, Not Finish, as Important Win Eludes Them

The Edmonton Oilers still can’t get out of their own way when it comes to stringing wins together. On a roll in December, the team had a chance to come back from a short holiday break and play a Calgary Flames team that they knew would be looking to get retribution after an embarrassing loss. Saturday night in Calgary was yet another missed opportunity to make a statement, as a 3–2 loss to the Flames snapped their hopes of a third straight victory.

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Getting three wins in a row is something they still haven’t managed to do all season. It sounds strange, but it’s the thing that will separate the Oilers from other Stanley Cup contenders this season — going on a streak and rattling off multiple wins in a row. All the outstanding teams do it. Heck, even the Buffalo Sabres can hit a hot streak, now winners of eight straight.

The Oilers’ effort was OK, but not up to the Flames’, who, from the pre-game warmup, made it clear they were there to play. Adam Klapka set a tone even before puck drop, and the Oilers never matched it.

Three games in a row. That’s becoming more than a quirky stat. If the Oilers can’t find consistency soon and make sure to put away teams like the Flames, it’s hard to see how they can bank enough points to challenge for the division title. Maybe that doesn’t matter. All they have to do is get into the playoffs, and the Oilers can do their thing from there. Still, confidence does matter.

This one wasn’t a no-show by any means, but it was a familiar story: decent effort, flashes of dominance, and just enough mistakes to undo themselves. Overworking the top guys and underplaying the depth guys, who deservedly didn’t deserve many more minutes than the minutes they got.

Edmonton could have won. They hit the post four times and generated plenty of looks. But sustained pressure was lacking. There weren’t many second-chance opportunities, and one brutal giveaway by Alec Regula proved costly, directly leading to Calgary’s second goal — ultimately the difference in the game.

Connor Ingram Was Solid Again for the Oilers

Connor Ingram was not the problem. Once again, he gave his team every chance to win. While he didn’t completely steal the game, he made several key saves to keep the Oilers alive through two periods. Through three starts, Ingram has been more than good enough and if this level of play continues, it looks like a quietly shrewd pickup. It also buys time for Tristan Jarry to get healthy, with Calvin Pickard still looming as a necessary depth option.

Connor McDavid was electric, flying all night and involved in just about everything offensively. He’s stretched his point game streak out to 12 games, and rang pucks off the bar, created chaos off the rush, and finished late to make it interesting.

The Oilers weren’t awful. They just weren’t ready to play at the physical level the Flames decided to bring to their home ice. If and when the Oilers find different ways to win games, they might finally be able to win three in a row.

Next: Kris Knoblauch Sets the Record Straight on Oilers’ Calvin Pickard