Oilers players take rare action after brutal loss to Tampa Bay Lightning
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Photo credit: Edmonton Oilers Raw
The Edmonton Oilers dropped another disappointing loss tonight to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and after the game, players did not partake in usual media availability.
The Oilers are a great team with their consistent media availability, so it's rare and significant to see no players speak after another tough loss. It's likely that there a players-only meeting is being held.
Oilers Coach Knoblauch addresses tough loss to Tampa Bay Lightning
Tonight's loss is the Oilers fourth in a row and extends a stretch of poor play from before the 4 Nations Break. After the loss, Knoblauch admitted that the Oilers are struggling with their confidence right now.
We're a fragile group right now. We're little reluctant to play our game, and just, confidence is a little hard right now.
- Coach Knoblauch
- Coach Knoblauch
The entire Oilers roster looks like a deflated group right now, and reporter Mark Spector followed up that it could be goaltending that was discouraging the team. Specifically the 2nd goal against Skinner was entirely save-able, and Coach Knoblauch admitted that it struck a blow to the Oilers.
I'm not saying it was a terrible goal. It's one you want him to save more times than not. The second one, it was tough at that time in the game. I thought we come out against a team that's playing really well right now, in their building, 1-1, and then you give that happens the first shift. It's deflating.
It's even rare to hear Coach Knoblauch specifically point to a weak goal allowed by Skinner as a deflating moment, but it absolutely was.
In a tight, competitive game against a good team, allowing one bad goal can be the margin of error - and the Oilers roster did entirely check out afterward.
Only Mattias Ekholm spoke to the media after the game after Knoblauch - which is also irregular - and the veteran defenceman didn't shy away from the current problems with the team.
Between coach Knoblauch calling out Skinner's performance and the team not speaking to the media, the Oilers clearly are in a fragile state just 5 games away from the trade deadline. The team needs to whip into shape quick, or it will be a short spring.
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