The View from Edmonton

EDMONTON JOURNAL

Joanne Ireland: High-flying Kings pour it on against Oilers

The Kings outshot the Oilers 50-27, the 12th time this season Edmonton has surrendered 40 or more shots.

It was also the 12th straight game the Oilers have been unable to generate more shots than their opponent, but it wasn’t the most shots they have allowed this season. The high was 59 shots in a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 20, when Scrivens was just unbeatable.

Jim Matheson: Same stage, different locale, as goalie Ben Scrivens prepares to take on old team

LA did Scrivens a King-sized favour dealing him to the Oilers. He’d be caddying for one of the world’s top two or three goalies Jonathan Quick as rookie Martin Jones is now, if LA GM Dean Lombardi hadn’t sent Scrivens to the Oilers Jan. 15 for a third-round draft pick.

He has already scored a two-year, $4.6-million contract.

“I’m playing for a new team and I’m still in the NHL and life is good,” Scrivens said

EDMONTON SUN

Robert Tychkowski: Edmonton Oilers held off by the Los Angeles Kings

You’d think that after all that Scrivens has done for the Oilers they might have provided a little more support in his first game against his old team. Instead, the Oilers were trailing 23-9 on the shot clock when the Kings made it 4-1.

“I’m not going to throw my teammates under the bus,” said Scrivens, who’s faced an average of 39.5 shots over his last seven starts here.

“We had no quit right up to the last buzzer. They’re a team that generates a lot of shots they throw a lot of pucks and drive the net. I was proud of the way we competed.”

Robert Tychkowski: Edmonton Oilers desperate for a strong defencemen

“I think every team that has a defenceman who plays 20-plus minutes and is a possession guy, that’s comforting,” said Kings coach Darryl Sutter. “The best teams in the league have one, two or four of those,”

And others have none.

Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins dreams of a day he can look down the bench one day and see a guy like Doughty.

“Everything,” said Eakins, when asked what a player like doughty brings to a team. “He’s great when he has the puck, he can control the pace of the game by himself. He’s a danger when he doesn’t have the puck because he has the ability to step up and really lay into somebody if they’re not paying attention. I think he’s the real driving force behind their team.”

OILERSNATION.COM

Jonathan Willis: That’s… not a good sign

They’re winning games now, but that’s only because Ben Scrivens is playing like Dominik Hasek. That can’t last; it’s good that he’s capable of it but it’s not enough to keep the team winning. And despite the wins, that chart is a decent argument that things are getting worse. Or, you know, the 50 shots Edmonton allowed against Los Angeles.

That strong goalie play is masking extremely serious problems, or at least generally it’s doing so. Sometimes, as with Sunday’s game, even incredible goalie performances aren’t enough because the team in front of that goaltender is being lit up like a Christmas tree by competent opposition.

Jason Gregor: PACE IN PRACTICE..

I watched last night’s game from the lower bowl and the size difference of the Oilers and Kings was even more obvious. If you don’t believe the Oilers need more size in their top-six now, then I’m not sure what games you’ve been watching. I thought the Oilers overall effort was fine, they just aren’t as big, mature and experienced as the Kings. The Kings could manhandle the Oilers when they wanted to, and until this team matures and adds some skilled size I don’t see that changing.