The Edmonton Oilers left with the result they wanted, even if the path there was messy enough to produce a bench-side punchline.
Devon Levi was the difference, turning in a strong performance that helped Edmonton secure two points without ever trailing. But the game still had plenty of moments where the Rangers made the Oilers work, especially when New York kept forcing the pace and making Edmonton survive rather than cruise.
The biggest swing that never quite became a swing came on a 5-on-3 chance that should have let the Oilers slam the door. Instead, the sequence went sideways.
Edmonton had gone up 2-0 and had a two-man advantage, but the Rangers answered when Jaroslav Chmelar stepped out of the penalty box, jumped onto a breakaway and beat Levi over the glove. Just like that, what looked like a comfortable night turned into a much tighter one.
That stretch could have left Mike Babcock stewing. Instead, the Oilers coach turned the whole thing into a laugh.
“When we got to five on three, I said to Hymes (Hyman), because it looked like it was going to drop right away, ‘I’m probably better off taking a timeout. I don’t want to call it right now. I want to leave it as long as we can,’” he said.
“Well, after it went on for a half hour, I wasn’t going to call the timeout. I hadn’t yelled at him (Hyman).
So then he called the timeout. And we had a pretty good laugh.”
Babcock said the humor came from the team’s own little set of rules, including a fine system that feeds the Children’s Cancer Society.
“We’ve got a few rules that cost you a little money for the Children’s Cancer Society. Like if you have a flat stick, or if the coach screws up. ... That one’s gotta cost you about $300,” a player told Babcock on the bench.
He took that one on the chin.
For all the sloppiness, the Oilers still banked the points, and Babcock framed it as the kind of win a team can use. It wasn’t clean, it wasn’t pretty, and it certainly wasn’t the blueprint they’d draw up before puck drop. But it was enough.
In Other News...
Devils Made A Connor Hellebuyck Call Fans Wont Love
The goaltending market keeps getting a little more interesting around the Oilers, even if one of the names that had been floating around is not currently in play. With Edmonton always under a microscope when it comes to crease help, any hint of movement tends to draw attention, especially when the conversation is being fed by league chatter and speculation from outside the organization.
For now, the more immediate reminder is how quickly a goalie storyline can turn into a referendum on trust and timing. The Devils drew plenty of attention for their decision in Connor Hellebuycks return game against Winnipeg, and the reaction around that call showed how sensitive these situations can be for both players and fans. Edmonton will keep watching the market, but the latest noise only reinforces how much uncertainty still hangs over it. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Have A Jake Walman Problem They Didn't Expect
Jake Walmans first stretch with the Oilers has not gone the way either side likely imagined. He has been a healthy scratch five times in the last seven games, and when he has dressed, his ice time has been limited enough to suggest the coaching staff is still searching for a fit. For a player brought in to help stabilize the blue line, that is not the kind of early-season usage anyone wants to see.
Mike Babcock has made it clear the issue goes beyond just missed chances or uneven puck movement. The concern is Walmans play away from the puck, where the staff believes he is not meeting the standard the team needs. If that does not change, Edmonton may eventually have to weigh a difficult decision on a player with trade protection and a long-term contract, which makes the next few weeks worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Need To Fix A Frustrating Home Problem Fast
The early returns at Rogers Place have been a little too familiar for the Oilers, who have been far more comfortable away from home than in front of their own crowd. Edmonton has still built a strong 12-3-3 record despite a long injury list that has already cost the club more than 100 man-games, but the contrast between its road success and home inconsistency has stood out. Even Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have produced slightly better on the road, a sign the team is finding ways to generate offense and protect itself more cleanly when it leaves Alberta.
At home, the concern has been less about talent and more about execution, with coach Mike Babcock and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both stressing the need for steadier defensive play over the full game. The Oilers have not hidden from the issue, and they know the margin for error shrinks quickly when the puck starts ending up in their net too often. For a team with playoff expectations, solving that problem in its own building is becoming less of a talking point and more of a requirement. [Read more 🡒]