To borrow a line from state singer Brad Paisley, they looked like a bunch of men who caught all the fish and drank all the beer the night time right before.
Soon after a working day off used fishing for sturgeon in lovely British Columbia, the Edmonton Oilers took 10 penalties, had been shorthanded 8 occasions, surrendered three thoroughly clean breakaways (at minimum), and by some means arrived within just an eyelash of forcing extra time in a 5-4 reduction to the Vancouver Canucks.
In their penultimate preseason activity, played in Abbotsford, B.C., goalie Stu Skinner stopped all the breakaways — two on Bo Horvat and 1 on Elias Pettersson. But Skinner could not tackle Pettersson on the energy-enjoy, exactly where he scored two times on a pair of nifty snipes.
“Not a lot of rhythm. A exclusive groups sport for a whole lot of it. We’ve got to be sharper,” mentioned Zach Hyman, whose crew has taken 40 minors in 7 preseason games. “It’ll clear up. It’ll get a whole lot much less sloppy when the normal period will come all around.”
The final results are considerably much less intriguing than the battles, with just one final property match from Seattle on Friday remaining on Edmonton’s docket. There are not lots of positional battles listed here, but two ended up influenced by Wednesday night’s performances.
(The NHL developed neither an formal recreation sheet or event summary from Wednesday’s match. So we’re winging it further than details, penalties and pictures on target.)

Markus Niemelainen v. Philip Broberg
Niemelainen is making an attempt to steal the still left-side 3rd-pairing work that has been marketed as Broberg’s to get rid of at this camp. So significantly, the Finn has been better than the Swede, and on Wednesday he added two assists and a shot on goal to Broberg’s stat line of all zeroes — except for becoming minus-1.
Look, it is in all probability a lot easier for Niemelainen to impress than Broberg, since the significant Finn’s game is easier, when we want to see Broberg just take the puck and skate with it. But Niemelainen has introduced his actual physical activity to the desk in just about every overall look this preseason, and he has defended greater than Broberg, in our belief.
If he commences outscoring Broberg as nicely, this battle is more than.
His shortcomings commonly get there when Niemelainen has the puck on his stick, but he’s adapted nicely and would make the protected participate in. If he had been to be paired with Tyson Barrie when the standard period starts, that would be a pleasant security valve for a younger D-male.
That fight might arrive down to Friday’s recreation from Seattle. Neither involve waivers to go down, but even even though the bonus structure on his deal might have Broberg right here on Opening Night time, that does not imply he’ll have gained the job.
Jesse Puljujarvi v. Dylan Holloway
Of course, we know, a single is a ideal winger, the other a lefty.
But we’re betting there is only a single spot in the Oilers’ Best 6 for these two gamers. With the 3rd line of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins between Warren Foegele and Ryan McLeod seemingly set, your guess is as excellent a mine exactly where the loser of this struggle plays (or doesn’t play) on Opening Night.
Just after seeing Holloway notch a hat trick and four points in the prior video game, we anticipated this to be Puljujarvi’s finest work of the preseason. It might have been, but that tells you how small he has accomplished this fall.
Puljujarvi was tepid at very best, with zeroes throughout the line Wednesday — no points, no shots — and continued his aversion to possessing the puck for for a longer time than the split 2nd it normally takes to move it alongside somewhere. In four preseason online games, Puljujarvi has 6 pictures on intention and an guide.
One particular stage even though playing in opposition to many collections of AHL players. It is a disappointing preseason by any measure.
Holloway went pointless as nicely Wednesday, but had a pair of pictures on goal and was about far a lot more prospects than Puljujarvi. In his 5 preseason games, Holloway has four aims, six factors and 17 photographs on goal.
With a person sport remaining in the preseason, it is tough not to say this fight has not been won by Holloway.
Mattias Janmark v. Expectations
You are never heading to discover Janmark much. That’s not who he is.
Right here in Edmonton, he’s heading to be a dude you point out when he is killing penalties, and actively playing a staunch, veteran fourth-line part. And in these video games in which the massive boys just never have it, most likely he and Derek Ryan will chip in one of the 15-to-18 goals they’ll share this time.
On Wednesday Janmark was trusty on the PK, made the sensible, accurate enjoy/read more normally than not, and simply just plied that veteran trade that men like him deliver to the desk. With Janmark on Line 4, you can maintain more youthful gamers in the minors extended, and cling on to sales opportunities superior.
My guess is the extravagant stats established will not like Janmark much, but the Oilers coaching staff will.
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