I watched the first five minutes, saw McDavid's goal and a fully engaged, smart-looking Oilers' squad. Then, I had to take care of my baby son because my wife is out shopping, and when I came back to check, the game was over and the Oilers had lost.
This is a very typical Oilers' kind of loss, wherein if McDavid and Draisaitl don't create 3+ goals alone, the team will invariably lose. It's been beyond obvious since fall 2017 (if not earlier) that the team severely lacks scoring depth at wing... and now it's a year and a half later and Chiarelli has done NOTHING to correct this problem (he did, however, let Maroon and Eberle leave in exchange for a bag of pucks, thus exacerbating what was already a problem).
I think any NHL team that was not incompetently built would have won this game easily. I'm telling you, the Oilers looked for real in those first 5 minutes. They should easily be able to take that energy and apply it through three periods with confidence, esp. against one of the worst teams in the NHL. But they can't. And the reason they can't is depth. And the reason for the lack of depth is Chiarelli.
Anyway, as I posted after the last game, I'm of the opinion that these two games (Florida, Arizona) are the Oilers' last hope for a playoff spot. They had to win both of them. They couldn't, and it was only by a miracle that they won one of them.
I'm now convinced another season is wasted and over.
That makes 12 in 13 years, if you're still keeping track and haven't jumped off a bridge.
Having just finished up watching via PVR, I completely agree. Game was very entertaining, kudos to Coyotes as well, in the first 5+ minutes. Oilers were skating, working, and competing. Afyer another press by Arizona, I felt that Immediately after Conners goal, we would take control. Ten minutes later, like everyone I knew we were in trouble.
So WTF happened? We all now how limited our team beyond Ryan McDrai is, but how and why does the compete fall of the cliff?
You said it best.
A very typical Oiler loss.
Unfortunately it's what we're used to.