Edmonton Oilers' head coach Kris Knoblauch noted after the 9-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night that the team has bigger concerns than goaltending alone. However, the way he responded when asked about whether this team has lost belief in their netminders tells a different story. 

While Knoblauch was correct in saying the Oilers have several issues and that loss was a team loss, the struggles of the goaltending against the Avs was evident. 

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"I don't believe so," Knoblauch responded when asked if the players on the team were in a spot now where they don't believe Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard can do the job they're paid to do. It took the coach nearly five seconds before he could muster his carefully worded response. 

He added, "I think there's been games where our goaltending has been good. The chances and the amount of chances we've given up has not helped. So, I see a lot of bigger issues than our goaltending."

Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) on X Coach Knoblauch addresses the media following a 9-1 defeat to the Avalanche. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers

Whether he's correct or not is something the Oilers will have to keep an eye on as they try to work themselves out a clear funk. The 9-1 loss was a wake-up call. Knoblauch said he hoped it was "rock bottom." This applies to Skinner and Pickard as well, given that no help is coming. 

Connor Ingram is down in Bakersfield of the AHL and he's struggling too. In four games, he's allowed 16 goals. He's got an .848 save percentage and a 4.05 goals against average. Even if he were to turn things around, the Oilers can't possibly trust he's going to be consistent enough to be a starter in the NHL. 

What's most concerning is that Knoblauch noted the team essentially gave up after the second goal against on Saturday. "There was a lot of deflation, especially after the second one after the faceoff. After that, it was a lot of guys beating themselves up and not playing very well."

That's not a good sign. A two-goal lead is something the Oilers have given away six times this season. If any team should know that two-goal leads are not insurmountable obstacles to overcome, it's Edmonton. However, if there's no faith in the goalies' ability to stop the puck, it makes sense that the team would have a bit of quit in their game. 

How long before GM Stan Bowman starts to pick up the phone? There may not be a readily available upgrade out there today, but the Oilers might be getting into a situation where they can't afford to wait. 

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