With two games remaining before the Winter Olympics break, the Edmonton Oilers hope to shift their defensive mindset when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
The Oilers surrendered seven goals to seven different players, including a stretch of five unanswered in a 7-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.
Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers, who had their season-high three-game winning streak snapped.
“Focus on defending our way into a game, defending our way to a win, and doing it the right way,” Draisaitl said of the key to success against the Maple Leafs. “We’re going to score enough, that’s just the way it is — our mindset has to shift to defending.
“We know how to do it. It’s gotten away from us a little bit over the last stretch, and it’s time to — the last two games here — dial that back in.”
Goaltender Tristan Jarry allowed five goals on 20 shots before being replaced by Connor Ingram, who made seven saves in relief in Saturday’s loss.
Edmonton, which is 4-3-0 through the first seven contests of its eight-game homestand, has allowed an average of 3.85 goals-against in that stretch.
“I think a lot of it is just awareness to details and not paying enough attention or commitment to playing good defensive hockey,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “I think overall, scoring goals has not been an issue. We’ve been creating a lot of offense, scoring a lot of goals, whether it’s been the power play or 5-on-5, but I think every time we’re out there, we’re thinking about scoring goals rather than defending, and a lot of our issues are on that.”
Tuesday will be the second and final meeting between the Maple Leafs and Oilers. Edmonton doubled up Toronto 6-3 on Dec. 13.
The Maple Leafs travel to Edmonton following a 4-2 win in Calgary over the Flames on Monday night.
William Nylander scored a goal and added two assists as Toronto jumped to a 3-0 lead. Matias Maccelli, Troy Stecher and Bobby McMann also scored while Joseph Woll made 28 saves.
“Last two games, our team has been great in front of me,” Woll told TSN postgame. “Very predictable and keeping a sound game defensively and scoring goals as well, so I have a lot of confidence behind this group, and it’s good to get a couple of wins together.”
With the victory, the Maple Leafs extended their win streak over the Flames to eight games. Toronto, 3-5-2 over its last 10, has won back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 10-12. Monday night was the Maple Leafs first regulation win since Jan. 10.
Nylander has a team-leading 33 assists and 51 points through 39 games.
“He is a special player,” Woll said. “He roasts me in practice, so I feel for any goaltender who goes against him. He’s a great dude, and it’s great to have him back in the lineup.”
Anthony Stolarz, Toronto’s expected starter in goal on Tuesday, is 6-7-1 with an .876 save percentage and a 3.67 goals-against average in 15 starts this season.
–Field Level Media
