Utah Steals Page from Oilers Book, Pulls of Mammoth Comeback

The Utah Mammoth gave the Edmonton Oilers a taste of their own medicine on Tuesday night, mounting not one, but several comebacks in a 6-5 overtime win. The Oilers were up 3-1 in the first period, allowed Utah to tie the game three separate times, and then a Matt Savoie overtime penalty proved costly.

---

Edmonton scraped a point out of the game, but this was one they wanted. The extra point would have helped secure a playoff spot, and given the Oilers some confidence heading into the playoffs as they potentially meet up with the Mammoth.

What was so interesting about the game was how the tables turned. The Oilers are known for putting teams on their heels in the third period, getting on a roll, and taking a game. Tuesday night, that was Utah’s role. Head coach Kris Knoblauch said, “We had a few leads tonight, and they responded quickly. The one lead they had, we responded right away too. It was a game neither team was able to run away with.”

Utah head coach André Tourigny talked about how his team came back, noting, “Really proud of the way we stayed with it. The group stayed in the moment and showed a lot of resilience. Really proud of them.”

What Does This Mean for the Oilers?

As for the learning lessons that will come from the loss on Tuesday, there are a few things:

The stingy defensive game the team played when they won five in a row (really, the fifth win wasn’t their best team effort) has all but disappeared over the last three. Losses to Vegas and Utah should remind the Oilers that they can’t get away with trading chances. “It was nice to see the offense was there, and we were able to score, but we gave up too many chances,” said Knoblauch.

Second, it’s a reminder that nothing is guaranteed. Even with a 3-1 lead and the game looking well in hand, Utah sent a message that no game is ever over and no lead is safe. The Oilers need to take that lesson into San Jose on Wednesday night and put up a solid 60-minute effort.

If not, Edmonton will have gone from a team on a roll as the season was coming to a close into one that can’t seem to pick up a victory before the playoffs.

Next: Oilers Could Be in a Mess Without Hyman and Draisaitl