Skip to content
Your daily dose of hockey
News

Series : The Oilers and their dreadful 62.2% short-handed efficiency rate
Marc-Olivier Cook
Series : The Oilers and their dreadful 62.2% short-handed efficiency rate
Credit: Getty Images

It’s a cliché.

But it’s true.

For a club to make it all the way to the playoffs, it needs to be able to rely on its special units. And while the Oilers have the firepower to beat any team, they’ll need to correct their numerical disadvantage if they’re to give themselves any chance of advancing.

It’s not complicated: of all the teams that have played at least eight games in a playoff year, the Oilers literally have the worst numerical disadvantage in history (since 1978, when the statistic was first recorded).

The Oilers have a superb (or not so superb) 62.2% PK efficiency rate so far in the playoffs… and it’s not nearly good enough.

It’s nowhere near enough to get past the likes of the Stars or Panthers.

That, by the way, is what sank the Oilers in Game 1 of the series against the Stars.

The Dallas outfit trailed by two goals going into the third period… but still managed to score three straight on the powerplay to take the lead in the game.

And then the momentum really shifted: the Stars were in control of the game and never looked back.

The Oilers have two options: be better on the power play or avoid the penalty box.

The Edmonton club can’t afford to be undisciplined against a powerful team like the Stars, especially if they can’t handle themselves when a player ends up in the dungeon.

You’ll tell me that Stuart Skinner isn’t necessarily helping the cause in front of the net because he allows too many goals, and I’ll respond by saying that you’re right.

But that’s just it: the Oilers have to help him, too.

And if they want to beat the Stars to reach the Stanley Cup Final, they’ve got to fix that aspect of their game. starts tonight, when they’ll be in Dallas for the second game of their series against the Stars.


Overtime

– What a moment.

– A little trip down memory lane.

– This is special.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!
More Content