It might be too early to label the Edmonton Oilers’ power play a complete transformation, but it’s certainly so far, so good.
“We’ve really gone back to basics and tried to keep a unit together for a long extended period,” Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said on Wednesday. “The difference is the attack mode, the willingness to shoot a little bit more and pucks are going in where last year they weren’t.”
With seven goals in seven games, the Oilers’ power play is clipping along at 30.4 per cent. Last season, the Oilers had only 31 power play goals and were a league-worst 14.8 per cent.
“I still think we can be better in the zone. We seem to be scoring a little bit off the rush,” Oilers captain Connor McDavid said. “We’re just trying to get pucks to the net and keep it simple.
“Last year, we tried to dust it too much, go through the seam a bunch and look for the beautiful play. This year, we’re just trying to get the puck to the net and bang away.”
McDavid has four power play goals. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Milan Lucic have also tallied with the man advantage.
“We are a little bit quicker. We have a tendency to be hungrier on retrievals,” McLellan explained.
The Oilers will close out their four-game homestand Thursday night against Washington. The Capitals power play is clicking at 38.7 per cent.
Oilers forward Alex Chiasson will receive his Stanley Cup ring from the Capitals Thursday morning.
He didn’t practice Wednesday after taking a puck to the ear in Tuesday’s overtime loss to Pittsburgh. Chiasson expects to play against the Caps and will likely wear a modified helmet to protect his stitched-up ear.
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