The Edmonton Oilers had every reason to believe this was the night they’d finally break through. After back-to-back shutout wins - a 6-0 statement in Vancouver and a 5-0 dismantling of St.
Louis - the table was set for a third straight victory, something that’s eluded them all season. Nine times they’ve strung together two wins.
Not once has that turned into three.
And yet, here we are again.
Hosting a New Jersey Devils team that was coming off an overtime win the night before in Calgary - tired legs, second half of a back-to-back, and still adjusting to a long road trip - the Oilers had the advantage. On paper, this was a prime opportunity to finally build some momentum. But the Devils had other plans, grinding out a 2-1 win in a game that turned on a wild stretch in the second period.
All three goals came in a frantic span of just over three minutes. Arseni Gritsyuk opened the scoring for New Jersey, Matthew Savoie responded quickly for Edmonton, and then Cody Glass delivered the dagger with what turned out to be the game-winner.
From there, it was the Jake Allen show.
The Devils netminder turned away 13 shots in the third period alone and finished with 22 saves on 23 shots. He was sharp, composed, and exactly what New Jersey needed to weather the Oilers’ late push. On the other side, Tristan Jarry allowed two goals on 17 shots - not a disastrous outing by any means, but in a tight, low-event game, it was just enough to tip the scales.
And that’s the story of the Oilers right now. Close, competitive, but not quite able to close the deal when it matters most.
They’ve shown flashes - dominant ones, even - but the inability to stack wins is becoming more than just a frustrating trend. It’s becoming their identity.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t shy away from that reality after the loss.
“We want to get some momentum and win some games in a row - that’s how you climb up the standings,” Knoblauch said. “I like that we respond well after losses, but if we’re going to be a really good team, we’ve got to win more than two in a row.”
It’s a fair point. The Oilers have shown resilience after setbacks, but the lack of sustained success is what’s holding them back from truly entering the playoff picture with confidence.
In a league where parity reigns and every point counts, consistency is king. And right now, Edmonton’s crown is missing.
Forward Curtis Lazar echoed that sentiment, pointing to the competitiveness of the NHL night in and night out.
“It’s a tough league,” Lazar said. “Any given night, anyone can beat anyone.
Tonight’s a prime example. We’ve got to be at our best.
Our division’s still up for grabs. We’ve got to keep chipping away and stringing some wins together.
We can’t take any nights off.”
Momentum in the NHL doesn’t come gift-wrapped. You have to earn it - shift by shift, game by game. And while the Oilers have had their moments, they haven’t yet shown they can sustain the level of play required to truly take off.
Matthew Savoie, who scored Edmonton’s lone goal, pointed to a more aggressive third period as a positive, even in defeat.
“I thought we were just playing faster in the third,” Savoie said. “Punching back and not letting them get set in the neutral zone.
That allowed us to create more and get pucks on net. He (Allen) didn’t see a lot through the first two periods, so that was a point of emphasis.”
He’s not wrong. The Oilers managed just 10 shots through the first 40 minutes, and while they turned up the heat late, it wasn’t enough to overcome the early lull.
And credit where it’s due - Jake Allen was locked in.
“He was outstanding,” said Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe. “We knew Edmonton was going to have a surge, and we needed some saves. He was ready when called upon.”
Allen himself pointed to a growing maturity in the Devils' game as a key factor in their ability to close out tight contests.
“There’s a little more poise, a little more maturity,” Allen said. “We’re going to make mistakes, but for the most part we did a really good job.
Until that third period, we didn’t give them a whole lot. I’m proud of the group.”
And that’s the difference right now. The Devils are finding ways to win gritty, tight-checking games. The Oilers, meanwhile, are still searching for that elusive third win in a row - a streak that could signal they’ve turned the corner.
Until they find it, they’ll remain a team of potential, not performance.