Edmonton Oilers Struggle Against New York Rangers: A Disappointing Loss

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Cult of Hockey

Published Oct 26, 2023  •  Last updated 10 minutes ago  •  7 minute read

Zach Hyman (18)]of the Edmonton Oilers, skates through Ryan Lindgren(55) and Mika Zibanejad(93) of the New York Rangers at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Oct. 26, 2023. Photo by Shaughn Butts-Postmedia Photo by Shaughn Butts /Shaughn Butts

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This is not OK, not anywhere close to OK.

The Edmonton Oilers were out-skated, out-skilled and significantly out-chanced by the New York Rangers, losing 3-0.

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It was a total dopamine downer for the fans.

Edmonton has just one win in seven games to start the 2023-24 regular season.

The Oilers gave up two more goals off the rush at even strength this game, meaning they have been outscored on rush plays 13 to four at even strength this season.

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In total, Edmonton had just eight Grade A shots (which go in on average 25 per cent of the time) while the Rangers had 15, with the subset of 5-alarm shots (which go in 33 per cent on average), six for Edmonton, nine for the New York.

Leon Draisaitl, 6. He can’t do it on his own and there’s not getting a ton of help otherwise just now. Threw a sneaky and hard hit on NY ace Mika Zibanejad on the first shift. He set up Janmark and Nurse for dangerous shots in the first but neither could cash in. He got off his own 5-alarm backhander on a great feed in the first from Kulak. He and Derek Ryan shifted off late in the second, allowing a 3-2 rush for the Rangers. Grade A shots: ES (even strength) +4, -1: ST (special teams), +0, -0.

Evander Kane, 5. The physical play is there, but the point scoring isn’t. Threw a hard hit on Adam Fox in the first, and led the team with five hits. He failed to score on a Nurse rebound in the first. He took a bad penalty, flipping sky-high the stick out K’Andre Miller’s hands, ending an Oilers power play. A solid rush in the second with Janmark almost jamming home the slot pass. He blew up big Chris Kreider with a hit, then went to the net and almost tipped in Drai’s outside shot. Almost, almost, almost. He was caught up ice on Wheeler’s post shot late in the second. He gave up a couple Grade A shots on the PK. Noit sure why he’s out there in that situation. Why? Grade A shots: ES +2, -2: ST, +0, -2.

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Matthias Janmark, 5. He lashed a harpoon on net off a great Draisaitl pass early in the first, but could not score. Left the bench for a short time after a crosscheck from Lindgren. He’s a checker miscast as a top line winger. Grade A shots: ES +1, -0: ST, +0, -0.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 3. Where did his “A” game go? Not seen much this year. He appears to be struggling somewhat with his reads in the zone defence. For example, he was in no man’s land covering no one or any passing lane when Wheeler charged in for a Grade A slot shot in the second. Five wins, eight faceoff losses. Grade A shots: ES +1, -2: ST, +0, -0.

Warren Foegele, 7. Another solid game. He made a scary turnover in the first but the Rangers failed to hit the net on their slot shot. He charged up ice to set up RNH for a first period chance that ended with no goal but a hooking call on the Rangers. He got off a 5-alarm jam shot by going hard to the net. He won the puck in the corner and set up Brown for a 5-alarmer in the third. His fierce backcheck won the puck and led to Hyman’s break-in chance late in the third. It was Edmonton’s last gasp. Grade A shots: ES +3, -1: ST, +0, -0.

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Zach Hyman, 4. Not finding a way to put up points just now. He got beat to the net on an early Rangers 5-alarm shot. He charged in to set up Foegele for a slot shot. He had a break-in chance late in the third but failed to drain it. Grade A shots: ES +2, -2: ST, +0, -0.

Ryan McLeod, 4. Not making the positive impact he should make. He allowed the cross-seam pass on Adam Fox’s power play goal in the second. He negated an icing call with his speed, then put an outside shot on net, which Brown almost cashed in. He got blasted off his feet leading to Adam Fox’s late second period breakaway. Four wins, nine faceoff losses. Grade A shots: ES +1, -1: ST, +0, -1.

Dylan Holloway, 4. He knocked over Ryan Lindgren for an aggressive start to his game. But he blew a check to kick off the Sequence of Pain on the second Rangers goal. Grade A shots: ES +0, -1: ST, +0, -0.

Connor Brown, 6. Lots of hustle and some good skating this game. He flubbed a slot pass and scoring opportunity in the first. But some dogged hard work on the forecheck. He went hard to the net and almost scored on a rebound off McLeod’s point shot in the second. I think he may have tipped Schneider’s outside shot that beat Skinner in the second. He certainly failed to knock down the pass or cover off Schneider. He almost scored in the third with a quick slot shot off a Foegele pass. Grade A shots: ES +2, -1: ST, +0, -0.

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Derek Ryan, 5. He took a hard hit to send off Kulak on a rush in the first. His game was quiet, too quiet. Grade A shots: ES +1, -1: ST, +0, -0.

Adam Erne, 5. He won the puck on the forecheck in the second and set up Draisaitl for a Grade A shot, then threw a couple of hard hits. He played just nine minutes. Grade A shots: ES +1, -0: ST, +0, -0.

Darnell Nurse, 3. The warrior is warring, but can’t lift his team. Not his best game, despite solid effort. Draisaitl set him up in the slot in the first, but his shot was blocked. His solid pinch in the second kicked off a sequence ending in a dangerous rebound shot by Brown. He was working hard to score a goal and making plays on the attack but he screened Skinner on Schneider’s 2-0 goal. He was caught out on Fox’s late second period breakaway. He then failed to stop the cross-seam pass on New York’s third goal. He blocked a wicked shot in the third, hurting his arm. Grade A shots: ES +1, -6: ST, +0, -0.

Cody Ceci, 6. Super quiet game, keeping a clean sheet at even strength, not one major mistake on a Grade A shot against. For a d-man on the leaky Oilers, that’s the name of the game. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -0.

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Matthias Ekholm, 3. Another iffy game. He got pulled out of position and left a lane to the net open early on a NY 5-alarm shot. He got beat on a pinch — the kind of play that has been killing the Oilers early on — leading to a 2-on-1 NYR rush late in the first, but Skinner wiped away the mistake with his right pad save. He levelled a wicked crosscheck on Miller in the third. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -0.

Philip Broberg, 4. He looked nervous. He got deked out and tripped up in the second, allowing a break-in shot on Alexis Lafreniere. If he doesn’t go for it with more gusto, he’s not going to stick just now. Grade A shots: ES +0, -1: ST, +0, -0.

Evan Bouchard, 6. He also kept a clean sheet at even strength, which is a huge positive for Bouch, who has struggled on defence this season. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -0.

Brett Kulak, 7. The Oil’s best d-man. Excellent rush in the first where he gained the zone, took it behind the net, stopped up and threw it in front for Draisaitl. His stretch pass set off a dangerous Oilers attack, with Foegele almost scoring in the second.  He also failed to stop the pass across on the third Ranger goal. He pinched hard to help create a Grade A shot in the third. Grade A shots: ES +3, -1: ST, +0, -0.

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Vincent Desharnais, 4. Mostly solid and sensible play. He was unable to get in the way of Fox’s shot and goal in the second. Grade A shots: ES +0, -1: ST, +0, -1.

Stuart Skinner, 6. This loss was not on the goalie. He was left to the hungry wolves. Best Oilers player by a light year in the first period. Some huge stops early on, three straight 5-alarmers, highlighted by big Zibanejad rushing in, picking up a nasty rebound off the boards and putting it on net, only to be thwarted by Skinner’s glove. His best moment in the first came in the last minute, his stupendous pad stop on Filip Chytil’s harpoon. He got a fast glove on Zibanejad’s second period power play harpoon, but a moment later Fox beat him on a wicked one-timer. Skinner followed up with a number of difficult high slot shots. He failed to stop Schneider’s outside shot, but it was screened and likely tipped. A great save late in the second on an Adam Fox breakaway, then not much chance on New York’s third goal. Grade A shots: ES +0, -0: ST, +0, -0.

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