It was giveaway night at Rogers Place on Thursday. As in, the Edmonton Oilers gave pucks away to the visiting New York Rangers, allowing them to score on such gifts en route to a 4-3 overtime loss. Down 3-1 heading into the third period, the Rangers took advantage of giveaways to score twice and tie the game before withstanding an Oilers power play in overtime and riding JT Miller’s goal to a win. One of them came off a turnover when Jake Walman’s point shot in the offensive zone bounced off a teammate to the Rangers, who took it down the ice for a Braden Schneider goal. Twice during the game, on Rangers goals Nos. 1 and 3, Rangers attackers poached pucks from defenceman Evan Bouchard for goals. Bouchard also got crossed up in coverage with teammate Leon Draisaitl on Miller’s winner. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Friday after an optional team practice at Rogers Place that Bouchard, the 26-year old top-pairing defenceman who signed a contract extension worth $10 million a season this summer, is “feeling it (and is) not having as much confidence as he usually does.” “Evan’s obviously frustrated with the way he’s playing, and a lot of things haven’t gone his way,” Knoblauch told media. “He’s made some mistakes, but you’ve got to be careful, because if you ask him never to make those mistakes, he’s not going to be the same player.” Knoblauch said, for now, the plan is to simplify Bouchard’s game, “making his play a little bit quicker, faster ... It just opens up opportunities or options for him the more he’s moving.” “I know he’ll bounce back. Evan always has,” he said. “He’s had some bad things happen to him, but he’s always responded and come and played very well after that.”
