Oilers' Skinner and Defense Must Step Up Before Canucks Get Their No. 1 Goalie Back
There's no guarantee Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko will return from injury against the Oilers. But Edmonton must win as much as possible before he comes back, says Adam Proteau.
The Edmonton Oilers had it relatively easy in the first round of the playoffs, but the Vancouver Canucks present far more of a problem for them.
That's even with the Canucks' third-string goalie, Arturs Silovs, in the other net. But as well as Silovs has played in the circumstances, a Vezina Trophy finalist has a slight chance of returning the longer this series plays out.
This is why Edmonton must turn things around sooner rather than later. Nothing less than a significant defensive improvement will prevent the Oilers from losing to the Canucks. That starts with Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner needing to outperform his Vancouver counterpart in the next few games or at least stand tall in the important moments.
Skinner wasn’t the sole reason Edmonton lost Game 1 – eight shots-for in the last two periods didn't make it easier for him by any means. However, in terms of goals saved above expected, which factors in the quality of scoring chances, Skinner’s minus-2.07 mark was worse than Silovs' minus-1.95, per moneypuck.com. That’s not a huge margin, but that's the Oilers' No. 1 netminder against the Canucks' third-string goalie.
Skinner has a .893 save percentage and a 3.01 goals-against average in six playoff games so far. He must be part of the solution in the six possible games that remain in the series, but he also needs help from his teammates to get the job done. It’s all about managing the number and quality of chances Vancouver gets in the offensive zone and minimizing the type of mistakes they had when blowing a 4-1 lead on Wednesday.
Of course, Vancouver’s offensive instincts throughout the lineup also make things hard on the Oilers’ defense and vice-versa. Three Canucks forwards are averaging one point per game, and the Canucks’ four top defensemen have combined for 16 points in that span.
As we’ve seen with the Canucks, they can dig themselves a hole and still have enough offense to climb out of it. The Oilers have also done that this season, but they might not get that same luxury in this round if Demko returns down the line.
If the Oilers can steal home-ice advantage in Game 2 Friday and hold serve on home ice for Games 3 and 4, Vancouver’s suddenly on the ropes. But if the Canucks win Game 2 and at least split Games 3 and 4, the Oilers will be on the brink of going home for the year with the chance that Demko will be getting ready to step in and be the difference-maker he so often is.
The stakes are higher than ever for this Oilers group. If they go out with a whimper and not a bang, Edmonton management will have some very difficult roster decisions to make this summer. But if they do come back and win the series, the Oilers can continue to build around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It’s all very straightforward, isn’t it?
It’s up to them whether they can put up a good fight, and it has to be a total team effort to knock out a Canucks team that is getting better with every minute that passes.