Caps at Oilers, keep it simple stupid edition

This game looks like it has all the components of a nightmare for the Oilers, a team which looks completely lost defensively and against a goaltender that really doesn't make the big save at the right time.

But this team has shown it is completely bi-polar, it has played games where they play well defensively and we know they can create offence. The key for this team is how they move the puck, it all starts in their own zone.

When the defence isn't panicking and makes that first good pass out of their zone, you know the Oilers will have a good game. Conversely when they panic and just wrap it around the boards at full speed or hesitate on the boards you know it is going to be a long night.

In the offensive zone, do they try to get too fancy and make that extra pretty pass that invaribly gets intercepted, or do they shoot the puck and go for the rebound. The Oilers have been far more successful when they just shoot the puck and go for the rebound, but far too often think that those impossible passes that lead to highlight goals is the way to go. There is a reason those highlight reel goals make the sportscast! They are rare, most goals are scored on rebounds and by hard work, they are not pretty!

The key to both of these points is to keep it simple, move the puck, shoot the puck when you have the opportunity and the game will take care of itself. The Oilers try to make it a much more complicated game than it is!

The Oilers are now in the midst of going the wrong way, they need to turn this around and now!

Go Oilers Go!