Battle of Alberta Preview: Oilers Look to End Homestand on a High Note Against Struggling Flames
After a frustrating 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Edmonton Oilers are staring down one last shot at redemption before a lengthy break. And what better way to close out a rollercoaster homestand than with a Battle of Alberta?
The Oilers wrapped up their eight-game home stretch with a 4-4 record, but it’s the way they got there that has fans scratching their heads. Three of those losses came against teams on the second half of back-to-backs-teams that had just played the Calgary Flames the night before. Now it’s Edmonton’s turn to be that team on short rest, heading into a rivalry matchup that suddenly carries a little more emotional weight.
Toronto Loss Sums Up the Current Oilers Mood
Tuesday night’s tilt with the Maple Leafs had all the makings of a marquee matchup. But between a few tough calls, some untimely miscues, and a pair of backbreaking shorthanded goals allowed, the Oilers watched a 2-2 game unravel into a 5-2 defeat.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch didn’t sugarcoat the state of things postgame.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” he said. “Whether you’re fighting for first place or fighting for the playoffs - urgency always ramps up. We’re at that point.”
And he's right. The Oilers aren’t in crisis mode, but they’re certainly not cruising either.
With the Olympic break looming and NHL players heading back to the Games for the first time in twelve years, the timing of this final game matters. A loss could make the next few weeks feel like an eternity.
A win? That might just send the fanbase into vacation mode with a little less angst and a little more optimism.
Special Teams: From Strength to Question Mark
Let’s talk about the elephant on the ice: special teams. Edmonton’s power play, once the envy of the league, has suddenly gone quiet-no goals in the last three games, though they’ve only drawn four penalties in that stretch. Still, it’s the penalty kill that’s raising the most red flags.
After hovering near the top 10 league-wide, the PK has plummeted to 24th. Over the last four games, the Oilers have killed just 4 of 11 penalties. That’s a 36% clip-not exactly the kind of math you want to see heading into a rivalry game.
For the entire homestand, the kill rate dipped below 70%, and Knoblauch knows something’s off, even if he’s not ready to dissect it publicly.
“I think it’s too early for me to comment on exactly what it is. There’s always times you go through funks,” he said.
“It has to be short. It can’t prolong it.”
He also pointed to the absence of faceoff ace Henrique as a key factor. Without him, the team has struggled to win draws and control the early moments of the kill. It’s not the only issue, but it’s a tangible one.
Flames Still Battling, Despite the Standings
On the other side of the faceoff dot, the Calgary Flames have been in a tailspin of their own. They snapped a five-game skid with a 3-2 win over San Jose on January 31, but have still dropped six of their last seven overall. Most of that damage has come at home, and while the standings paint a grim picture-29th overall with a 22-27-6 record-there’s no shortage of fight in this group.
Just ask Joel Farabee.
“There’s no quit ever in this locker room,” he said after a near-comeback against Toronto earlier this week. “We have a lot of guys that battle hard in this room, and we have really good leaders that lead the way.”
And while veterans like Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman could be trade chips by March, the Flames are also giving their young talent a chance to shine. Zayne Parekh, fresh off a stint with Team Canada and some rehab time in the AHL, played a career-high 20:05 in his return and looked every bit the part of a future cornerstone on the blue line.
Season Series on the Line
This is the fourth and final meeting between the provincial rivals this season, and so far, it’s been a mixed bag:
- Dec. 23: Oilers dominate 5-1 behind a Leon Draisaitl power-play hat trick.
- Dec. 27: Flames grind out a 3-2 win with a heavy forecheck and opportunistic scoring.
- Opening night: Oilers jump out early but let the Flames claw back, losing in overtime but grabbing a point.
So what happens tonight? Your guess is as good as anyone’s. Edmonton has the firepower to blow Calgary out of the building, but if they get sloppy or let their foot off the gas, the Flames have shown they can capitalize.
Key Notes Heading In
- Matt Coronato leads the Flames with 14 goals, but will need a serious scoring surge to match last season’s 24-goal, 47-point campaign.
- Despite Edmonton’s 195 goals to Calgary’s 138, both teams have seven players with double-digit goal totals-proof that the Flames are spreading the offense around, even if it’s not showing up in the totals.
- Trent Frederic is mired in a 32-game goalless drought, just two shy of the longest slump of his career.
- Martin Pospíšil made his season debut on January 21 after recovering from a concussion.
He’s still looking for his first point but will represent Slovakia at the Olympics.
- Josh Samanski, another young Olympian, has two assists in four games.
- Morgan Frost has found some form with three goals in his last five.
- Joel Farabee is tied for the NHL lead in shorthanded goals with four, sharing the top spot with Joel Armia (Kings) and Ryan McLeod (Sabres).
- Oilers vs. Pacific Division: 7-2-3
- Flames vs. Pacific Division: 7-6-2
The Bottom Line
The Oilers need this one. Not just for the standings, but for the psyche of the team and its fans heading into a long break. The Flames, meanwhile, are playing with house money-young players earning reps, veterans auditioning for contenders, and a locker room that refuses to roll over.
It’s not the most high-stakes Battle of Alberta we’ve seen, but it’s far from meaningless. And if recent history has shown us anything, it’s that rivalry games rarely go according to script. Buckle up.