Game 45 review – Another lousy effort, another loss

It was the same the same old story for Oiler fans last night at Rexall Place. The Oilers play, the Oilers lose. Last nights decision – a 5-3 loss to the Predators – marked the tenth loss in the Oilers last 11 games on home ice. With a record like that it’s only a matter of time until the Oilers manage to sit in the basement of the NHL.

Things started out well for the Oiler last night. They dominated the play for the first five minutes and held the Predators without a shot on goal. It looked like maybe the mini-camp was just what this team needed to get going. But when the Predators finally got control of the puck things came apart for the Oilers.

Off a neutral zone turnover by Stone the Predators broke into the Oilers zone, forcing Deslauriers to make a big save. The good save was quickly forgotten though when Weber’s point shot beat Deslauriers high to the glove side. Weber’s got a good sot but Deslauriers gets beat by that shot far too often. He seems to be out far enough to cut down the angle but for some reason that shot keeps getting past him.

Less than 30 seconds later the Predators scored again. This time Gilbert blocked the point shot from Weber but Goc grabbed the lose puck and beat Deslauriers on a backhand from a bad angle at the side of the net. Five good minutes followed by one bad minute and the score is 2-0 Predators.

To all but wrap the game up the Predators scored again before the end of the first period. Off yet another shot from the point that the Oilers couldn’t control Dumont picked up the lose puck and scored on a wrap around. To add insult to injury the goal was scored in the last minute of the period – a category that the Oilers must lead the league in.

The first period wasn’t a good one for Deslauriers but unfortunately it would only get worse. Encouraged by so many defensive zone turnovers by his own team he decided to out do them all with a beauty of his own in the second period. That turnover lead to a goal for Hornqvist, stretching the Predators lead to four, and marked the end of Deslauriers’ night. 10 saves on 14 shots; I guess defensive zone play wasn’t worked on in the mini-camp.

The Oilers finally got on the board in the third period when Jacques managed to get a puck to squeak through Rinne’s five hole. Potulny’ cut the Predators lead to two with a goal on the games first powerplay about seven minutes later and actually put some life back into the game. Thankfully Captain Stupidity was there to kill any momentum and hope that the Oilers had by taking a penalty 30 seconds after the goal.

On a night where the Oilers took just one penalty you knew that the penalty would be Moreau’s. That the penalty would be a lazy hooking penalty behind the Predators net was just icing on the cake. This penalty might be the best example yet of the kind of leadership Moreau brings to this team. Jones scored the Predators fifth goal as time expired on the Moreau penalty. Good work captain, how to lead us to 30^th place.

Penner added a late goal – number 21 on the year for the big man – for the Oilers on a two man advantage to make the final score 5-3. That score and the shot total, 41-28 in favour of the Oilers, flattered the home team on this night. The Oilers were outplayed for all but about eight minutes of the game and when they didn’t have the puck they made almost no effort to get it back. I don’t mind losing but watching a team complacently allow their opposition to just do whatever they wanted to do is frustrating beyond imagination. Is it to much to ask for a little effort out there?