Oilers Need To Conquer Their Demons In Columbus

Finn Marceau

Oct 28, 2024, 17:16

Finn Marceau

Oct 28, 2024, 17:16

The Oilers have lost three consecutive games at Nationwide Arena.

Paul Vernon (AP Photo) - Oilers Need To Conquer Their Demons In Columbus

Looks can be deceiving.

On its face, it's hard to find a more lopsided matchup than the Edmonton Oilers vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets over the past few years.

Since 2021-22, the Oilers have the 8th-most points in the NHL (326), the most goals scored (923), and the second-most playoff wins (29). Over that same period, the Blue Jackets have the 5th-fewest points (213), and 7th-fewest goals (732), and haven't placed higher than 6th in their division, coming in dead last each of the past two years.

All this is to say that the Oilers shouldn't have any trouble with the Jackets. But despite the great disparity between the two teams, Columbus has had Edmonton's number over the past three seasons.

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The Oilers have a record of just 2-3-1 against the Blue Jackets since 2021-22, including four losses in their past five games and three consecutive losses at Nationwide Arena.

They've lost in all kinds of ways: a 5-2 beatdown, a 3-2 overtime loss, a 6-5 thriller in which they came back from 4-0 to tie it and fettered it all away, and a close 4-2 game in which a comeback attempt was foiled by a Columbus empty-netter.

While Columbus is no one's idea of a juggernaut, they'll serve as a test for the Oilers. On the second leg of a back-to-back, in their third city in as many days, in an arena that's given them fits, we'll see if the Oilers' slow start is truly behind them.

Tonight's game might be decided by which team's recent luck sticks. The Oilers have been horrendously unlucky, shooting just 6.8% to start the year, the lowest figure in the league. Columbus, on the other hand, is enjoying a 12.9% shooting percentage, fifth-best in the NHL.

Considering that the Oilers have taken more shots (311) than anyone but New Jersey and Pittsburgh, while Columbus' 209 shots are the third-fewest in the NHL, it's safe to say that those shooting percentages might not be sustainable in either direction.

The Oilers could get a boost in that department tonight because Columbus' biggest issue so far has been goaltending. Neither Daniil Tarasov nor Elvis Merzilikins has been up to par this season, with tonight's starter Merzilikins carrying an .854 save percentage into the game.

At the other end of the ice, Stuart Skinner will get the chance to build on solid performances in his last two starts, including a shutout of the Penguins on Friday. He'll have his hands full with a hot Blue Jackets offence, but he will get a slight reprieve as they seem to have broken up their red-hot first line for tonight.

The Oilers might luck out in terms of Columbus' lineup; head coach Dean Evason said this morning that they've got a few players under the weather, so their lineup is still in flux. We'll see who's ready to go closer to game time.

Tonight's game gets started at 5:00 MT, on Sportsnet West.

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