With so much parity in the NHL this season, finding soft spots in the schedule is becoming increasingly difficult.
The Edmonton Oilers could usually get by without their “A” game against the Chicago Blackhawks the past few seasons, but not anymore.
The Oilers will need to be on their toes from the drop of the puck when they host the Blackhawks on Saturday night.
Outside of the Covid-shortened season of 2020, the Blackhawks haven’t made the playoffs since 2017, but they’re 5-2-1 in their past eight games since an 0-2-1 start.
Chicago opened its season-long six-game road trip with a 6-3 loss to Winnipeg Jets on Thursday, a result that’s no longer cast aside as growing pains.
“We made some mistakes that cost us,” Blackhawks forward Andre Burakovsky said. “If we can eliminate those, it will be a different game. It’s a learning process for our group. It’s something we will look over (Friday) and correct and just do better next game.”
The Oilers are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the visiting New York Rangers on Thursday night after surrendering a two-goal lead in the third period.
Edmonton has lost to five other teams that failed to make the playoffs last season: Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Kraken, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders and Calgary Flames.
Not what you’d expect from the two-time reigning Western Conference champions.
“Self-inflicted mistakes, that’s all it is,” said star forward Leon Draisaitl, who comes in riding a seven-game points streak (five goals, five assists). “It’s nothing magical that the other teams are doing. We’re just beating ourselves right now. It’s something we have to clean up.”
On the first goal against the Rangers, Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard tried to make a cross-ice pass to partner Mattias Ekholm at the top of the New York zone, but it was tipped away by Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski, leading to his breakaway goal.
“Cutting (the mistakes) out is definitely going to be big. When one turnover happens, we’ve got to not let it turn into two or three in a row,” Bouchard said. “Obviously, it’s happening a little more. … That’s definitely got to get cleaned up. Playing harder is going to have to be something that I do.”
The Blackhawks arrived in Canada feeling confident after beating the visiting Ottawa Senators 7-3 on Tuesday.
However, the matchup with the Jets went sideways after Teuvo Teravainen scored at 8:57 of the first to tie it 1-1.
The Blackhawks surrendered the next four goals and couldn’t recover.
“(It’s about) momentum control on the road, knowing that some of your big mistakes — that honestly we’ve made a little bit at home — come to bite you more on the road,” Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy said. “Teams (at home) can feel their offense a little better and can capitalize.”
Chicago center Connor Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, has seven points (four goals, three assists) on his three-game points streak.
Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson (shoulder) departed late in the second period against the Jets. Chicago coach Jeff Blashill said it’s the same injury that sidelined Dickinson earlier this season, leaving him questionable to play Saturday.
