Scoring first doesn’t mean you’re going to win the game, just like giving up the first goal doesn’t mean you’re going to lose it, but it’s a brutal trend that isn’t helping the cause
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The Edmonton Oilers are famous for spotting the other team a 1-0 lead — 22 times in the last 26 games — so it’s kind of interesting that they are playing a Florida Panthers team that scored first in all but one of its games since Dec. 29.
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Interesting in a scary and uncomfortable way.
“I think it’s definitely something we need to clean up, especially the way things are going right now,” said defenceman Cody Ceci. “You don’t need to start a game feeling negative or down on yourselves. It’s very important that we put a lot of focus on that.”
Scoring first doesn’t mean you’re going to win the game, just like giving up the first goal doesn’t mean you’re going to lose it, but it’s a brutal trend that isn’t helping the cause.
Head coach Dave Tippett believes the slow-start stat isn’t always about slow starts, though. Bad breaks, bad goals and early penalties are as much or more to blame than not being ready.
“You look at the last game, we gave up the first goal but the scoring chances in the first period ended up 11-3 for us,” he said, adding they can’t place too much emphasis on it one way or the other.
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“You can’t let it demoralize you, but it’s easier to play when you’re ahead and that’s what we strive for every night.”
Goaltender Mikko Koskinen knows, perhaps better than anyone, that Edmonton has been allowing early goals-against, but had no idea it was 22 out of 26.
“It’s the first time I’ve heard the stat, so I hadn’t thought about it,” he said with a grin. “Hopefully I’m going to forget it when I’m walking out of here and don’t get it in my head. You can’t start thinking about stuff like that.”
DOWN TIME
Thursday’s game will be just the second in 15 days for an Oilers team that’s been derailed on a lot of fronts by COVID-19 postponements and protocols.
The practice time has been helpful, and the break is allowing them to get healthy again, but simmering on a six-game losing streak for a week is no fun. And with two games in 15 days, it’s impossible to generate any forward momentum.
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“We’re trying to stay as positive as possible,” said Ceci. “It’s tough right now. We’re not playing a lot of games; we’re not in a rhythm. But from here on in, we have a pretty regular schedule and hopefully it stays that way. It will be nice to get into a rhythm and start winning some games.”
NEW SCHEDULE
If the Oilers want a lot of games, they’re about to get them. The NHL released the new schedule Wednesday and it’s just as cramped as everyone expected. The Oilers will now jam eight of their makeup games into a 13-day window in February, which sees them playing three sets of back-to-backs.
Edmonton has make-up games Feb. 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 17, 19 and 20 in addition to regularly scheduled games on Feb. 2, 23, 26 and 27.
The Dec. 27 game in Calgary will now be played March 7.
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RUSSELL A MAYBE
Defenceman Kris Russell has the green light to play for the first time since an upper-body injury sidelined him on Dec. 11.
“He’s been cleared to play,” said Tippett. “We’ll finalize our lineup in the morning, but he’s had a good week of practice. He’s involved in everything, including the (penalty kill). He should be available.”
Russell is a staunch defender, which might be what the Oilers need right now.
“Veteran smarts, willingness to block shots and the experience to manage the game the right way are all strengths of his,” said Tippett.
PERLINI A MAYBE
Winger Brendan Perlini, who has three goals in his last five games and was skating in the Oilers top six this week, might have to wait for his big chance. He didn’t skate Wednesday and is questionable for Thursday.
“He hobbled a little bit on Monday,” said Tippett. “We’re not ruling him out yet but we kept him out to get some treatment and do some work in the gym.”
E-mail: rtychkowski@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @Rob_Tychkowski
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