There was one team, but two rinks for the Edmonton Oilers practice on Thursday.
The forwards and defenceman skated at Rogers Place. The defencemen hit the ice next door at the Downtown Community Rink.
Head coach Jay Woodcroft said this was in the practice plan all season and had nothing to do with Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.
“Trying to find some time for our players to get individual puck touches and to get some position work for each position,” Woodcroft explained. “We thought it was a good way to mix it up with tomorrow’s practice being more towards team structure.”
“I though it was really good,” said Derek Ryan. “Us, as forwards, got up and down the sheet quite a bit early on, got the blood flowing. We had some good skill work there too.”
The Oilers sport a mediocre record of 9-8. They often fall behind, having allowed the first goal 10 times in 17 games. The Kings grabbed the lead before the game was five minutes old on Wednesday.
However, Ryan feels it’s oversimplifying to say that the Oilers consistently start games poorly.
“I just don’t even know if it’s the start in general. There have been games, like last night, we win the draw right away, we get the puck deep, we cycle around their zone. What more do you want from there?”
Ryan believes it’s more a matter of the Oilers dealing with a penalty kill, a goal against or a bad break.
“I don’t know if it’s necessarily the start, in my opinion. It’s being able to handle to some adversity that happens in the first little bit and being able to just roll with it. Stick with the program, be patient and continue to play within our structure and not get rattled,” added Ryan.
The Oilers are also consistently getting sturdy, intense efforts from their opponents.
“Especially after the season we had last year, making a deeper run. Teams expect us to be a tough team to play against. We have to live up to those expectations. We should take that as a good thing, as a compliment,” said Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “We know that teams is coming in ready to play us. We can’t take any nights off.”
Forward Kailer Yamamoto didn’t practice and remains day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. The Oilers host Vegas on Saturday (630 CHED, Face-off Show at 6:30 p.m., game at 8 p.m.)