Oilers coach admits defensive ‘downfall’ after 6-3 loss to Hurricanes

· Yahoo Sports

The Edmonton Oilers suffered another difficult loss Friday night after falling 6-3 to the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Place.

The defeat dropped the team to 30-25-8 this NHL season. It also continued the same defensive and goaltending struggles that they have faced for most part of the season.

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Zach Hyman gave the Oilers an early lead in the first, but by the end of the period, they were down 2-1. The Hurricanes were never behind after that and limited the Oilers to just 16 shots in the game. Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen made 13 saves to help the team dominate the Oilers.

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After the game, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch pointed to defensive struggles as a major concern this season. He admitted the team has not matched the defensive standard shown in past seasons.

“Think about a couple years ago when we had our six-game winning streak,” Knoblauch said. “The defensive game there was rock solid and not giving up very much. This year obviously this has been a downfall for us. You look at how many games we’ve given up three or four-plus goals, and you just can’t win doing that.”

For Edmonton, Hyman scored twice, and Vasily Podkolzin added a goal. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard each had an assist in the game. Meanwhile, goaltender Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots in the loss.

Knoblauch said the coaching staff has tried different adjustments to correct the problem, but consistency remains an issue.

“We’ve been trying to come up with solutions. We’ve tried to adjust some things, but hopefully this is something new that they’re still adapting to,” Knoblauch said.

Edmonton has shown mixed form since the Winter Olympics break. The team holds a 2-3 record over its last five games, including losses to Anaheim and San Jose before the Carolina game. The Oilers picked up wins against the Los Angeles Kings and Ottawa Senators during that stretch.

The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal scored by forward Zach Hyman (18) during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Despite the recent struggles, Edmonton remains in the playoff race. The Oilers sit third in the Pacific Division with 68 points and average 3.54 goals per game. McDavid leads the NHL with 106 points, and the Oilers still own the league’s top power play at 33.1 percent.

However, defensive play continues to hold the team back as they allow 3.38 goals per game. Hyman said the players still believe the group can respond.

“I think there’s an unbelievable belief in this group,” Hyman said.

So, the Oilers will try to bounce back Sunday night when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights. But even if that happens, they will have to tidy up the defense and show some consistency.

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