Oilers coach looks for improved special teams play against Flames on Sunday

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Travis Dermont, left, and Calgary Flames forward Mikael Backlund head into the boards while battling for the puck during NHL action on Oct. 13, 2024, at Edmonton's Rogers Place. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

It was their third loss in a row to start the season, but the Edmonton Oilers have put up more wins than defeats since that 4-1 Calgary Flames victory over them.

The Oilers are 5-2-1 since the Oct. 13 setback. The defending Western Conference champions put an end to the three-game jag two days later with an overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

And while Edmonton (5-5-1) is taking a .500 record into Calgary Sunday night at 6 p.m., just two points behind the Flames (6-4-1), Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch told media after the morning skate the team is still "finding" its game.

"I think there's still a lot of work to do. I think it'll be a big test," Knoblauch said at the Saddledome.

The second-year coach, who joined the Oilers nearly a year ago after they went 3-9-1 to start 2023-24 and fired bench boss Jay Woodcroft as a result, said their five-on-five play has improved as the season progresses but that their play while with the man advantage or down a player is "not nearly what we saw last year."

The Oilers have had one of the National Hockey League's top power plays over the last five seasons, setting a record two seasons ago with a 32.4-per-cent success rate during the regular season. Last season, the Oilers placed fourth among NHL teams on the power play with a 26.3-per-cent rate. The Oilers finished 15th on the penalty kill in 2023-24, holding other teams without a goal while shorthanded 79.5 per cent of the time.

In the playoffs, the Oilers were even better on special teams, finishing second tops among all teams with a 29.3-per-cent conversion rate on the power play and first in shorthanded situations with a 95-per-cent success rate.

Through 11 games this season, the Oilers rank 28th on the power play at 13.3 per cent and 32nd -- last place -- on the penalty-kill at 62.5 per cent.

"Special teams are a big part of the game," Knoblauch said. "So often, it's decided by one goal, usually a power-play goal. Right now, we need to capitalize on those opportunities."

The Oilers head into the Saddledome having won their last game, a 5-1 road win Thursday over the Nashville Predators. The Flames won their last game, too, shutting out the visiting New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Friday.

Flames head coach Ryan Huska called the Oilers' forward group "whether or not No. 97 (Connor McDavid) plays ... the strength of their team."

"They have a lot of offensive forwards ... so if we want to let them have room and space, if we would've done that with New Jersey, then we're asking for problems," Huska told media on Saturday.

"That's the way we have to play against everybody if we want to be successful. I just want to see the same commitment to that style of hockey from the (players)."

Huska said Sunday morning after his team's morning skate the Flames' Oct. 13 win over the Oilers "was one of the most complete games we've played."

"We were disciplined. We didn't give them many opportunities to get onto the power play, and I thought we were very mindful of position, structure," he said.

Projected Oilers lineup

Goalie Stuart Skinner gets the start in Calgary after Calvin Pickard played Thursday in Nashville. The rest of the lineup is slated to be the same as it was last game, with forward Derek Ryan and defenceman Troy Stecher sitting out.

Huska said Saturday there's "a really good chance" goalie Dan Vladar will start in net against the Oilers after his shutout performance on Friday.

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