Oilers depth scoring has dried up through first two games against Canucks
An old problem has popped up for the Edmonton Oilers just two games into their second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks.
Though the team has been able to tie up their series at 1-1 off a thrilling OT victory on Friday night, there has been a noticeable lack of depth scoring throughout the roster in the first two games of the series.
The Oilers’ big guns have been firing on all cylinders, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Mattias Ekholm, and Evan Bouchard all combining for seven goals in two games.
The only player outside of that group to find the back of the net so far in this series is Cody Ceci.
Cody Ceci has entered the chat. pic.twitter.com/Tzd0EPN6UJ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 9, 2024
McDavid and Draisaitl will always be the Oilers’ offensive heartbeat; that is not an issue. The problem is that those five players seem to be doing all the scoring for the team right now while everyone else is struggling to create much of anything on Vancouver’s end.
Two players who stand out in this regard are Evander Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The BC-born boys have not asserted themselves in the series all that much. Nugent-Hopkins does have two assists to show for, and Kane has remained physical, but that pair needs to start finding ways to put the puck in the net.
Down the lineup, the most concerning problem is the play of Corey Perry, who has 0 points in seven playoff games this season. The veteran was brought in to provide depth scoring but has looked noticeably slow against a fast Canucks team. Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele have the boots to keep up but have struggled to generate chances on the net.
Dylan Holloway had an impressive Game 2 against the LA Kings in the first round but has also been pretty quiet ever since.
Relying on McDavid and Draisaitl to continue playing at an elite level is not a bad idea, but it’s risky. Those players, like every other player, are prone to having an off night here and there, and when that happens, you will need other players to step up.
Game 3 in front of a raucous home crowd would be the perfect opportunity for some of Edmonton’s depth pieces to break out.
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