EDMONTON -- While the Edmonton Oilers remain atop the Pacific Division, a number of losses to lower-ranked teams could be a cause for concern.
Four of Edmonton’s 10 losses in regulation have been toteams near the bottom of the standings. On Wednesday, the Oilers lost 5-2 at Rogers Place to the Ottawa Senators, who have a 12-16-1 record with a -15 goal differential.
Two weeks ago, the Oilers also allowed five goals to the Los Angeles Kings, the team at the bottom of the Pacific with a 11-16-2 record and a -23 goal differential.
"It's tough to put your finger on it, whether we have a different mentality going into games, it doesn't feel like we do," Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said after the loss to Ottawa. "We could have been up a few for sure in the first period, then they come out, they get two goals back-to-back and then a third one decently quick after, so it can sag the bench a little bit, but we got to find a way."
Winger Zack Kassian said the team needs to bring the same work ethic to every matchup.
“If anything, the teams with less skill or superstars work even harder, so I think that’s one thing we have to identify,” Kassian said. “No matter who we’re playing, whether it be a top tier team or a bottom tier team, the margin is very small.”
Throughout the season, head coach Dave Tippett has emphasized the need to find a way to win when games are not going according to plan.
“They get frustrated if things aren’t going their way. We have to learn how to play through that frustration and stay with the game a little more,” Tippett said. “[A] veteran team has the ability to stay with it, has been through those battles before. That’s something we got to continue to learn.”
The Oilers are home against the Kings Friday at 7 p.m.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Adam Cook
