The Ugly Truth Revealed
The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Edmonton Oilers to every loose puck, building up a five-goal lead on their way to victory on Saturday.
What did the Oilers reveal in this ugly beatdown, which ended up 6-3 for Toronto?
The same persistent and painful lessons that have showered down like a rain of frogs on their Stanley Cup aspirations.
That when the Oilers are off their game, they endanger the world record for lazy stick-checks per 60.
That if the opposition is fast and determined enough, even big guns like Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman and Leon Draisaitl can be rendered ineffective.
That if the Oilers don’t outwork and out-defend opposing teams, that if Edmonton does not put hard work and disciplined play first, second and third on their to-do list, they won’t come close to winning the Stanley Cup.
The Glaring Gaps
Edmonton has talent but not enough to cruise against a strong team, and that the Maple Leafs are.
After two periods, the Leafs had 9 Grade A shots and five goals, the Oilers just three Grade A shots and no goals.
In the end, the Grade A shots were 12 for Edmonton, 12 for the Leafs, with the subset of 5-alarm shots three for the Oil, seven for Toronto.
Player Performances
Connor McDavid, 3
His worst game of the year? It’s in the running, which may sound odd as he had three assists. Drew an early tripping penalty. But the Leafs hustle kept him under wraps as Toronto built up a five goal lead, with McD making a few poor defensive plays of his own. On the fifth, he was puck-watching in the slot as the pass went to his check, Bobby McMann, who slammed home the goal. But he made a fine pass to set up Hyman’s 49th of the year, then worked his passing magic again in the Virtuous Cycle leading to Corey Perry’s goal. Contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +3/-3; Special Teams +4/-0.
Leon Draisaitl, 4.
Lashed his Executioner’s Shot on net for the game’s first Grade A. But he seemed largely out of sync, as Edmonton’s top lined were checked to smithereens. He scored a late goal. GAS: +3/-1; ST +2/-0.
The Bleak Outlook
Edmonton has a lot to ponder after this demoralizing loss. The team needs to find a way to play with more consistency and intensity, or they will continue to struggle against top teams. The Oilers’ next game is on Sunday night against the Ottawa Senators. Toronto, meanwhile, will travel to Carolina to face the Hurricanes on Sunday night.
The Oilers have a lot of work to do if they want to be a contender for the Stanley Cup. They need to find a way to play with more consistency and intensity, or they will continue to struggle against top teams.
