Morning Coffee: Oilers Blanked After Breaking Up Top Line For Game 2

The Edmonton Oilers entered the Western Conference Finals with the highest-scoring line in the NHL.

That trio combined for seven points in Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche.

In Game 2, the coaching staff decided to break them up.

It did not work out for them.

Staring down a 2-0 series deficit on the road, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane went a combined minus-three with just seven shots on goal in a 4-0 loss.

After scoring six goals on 37 shots on goal in the series opener 48 hours earlier, Edmonton was blanked on 24 shots in the rematch. 

On a night when the Oilers needed their biggest stars to deliver, their potential was neutralized even before the puck was dropped.

The advanced stats help illustrate just how bad it was.

Here’s the TSN EDGE Morning Coffee for Friday, June 3rd, 2022.

Oilers Blanked After Breaking Up Top Line

McDavid led all Edmonton forwards with 22:43 of total ice time last night.

Warren Foegele, Ryan McLeod, Derek Ryan, Zack Kassian and Josh Archibald are the only Oilers forwards that finished with a lower expected goals than McDavid at 0.03, per MoneyPuck.com.

Edmonton’s expected goals dropped from 4.37 in Game 1 to just 1.06 in Game 2.

Pavel Francouz turned aside all 24 shots he faced as the @Avalanche blanked Edmonton to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Final.#NHLStats: https://t.co/eKwm5QTTFV #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/iAAELGHlEa

Pavel Francouz turned aside all 24 shots he faced without needing to make any spectacular saves.

For what it’s worth, FanDuel had the over/under on Francouz saves at 30, and it was slightly juiced to the over at -114.

Francouz to record a shutout was +1000 at FanDuel.

From @TSNRyanRishaug & @JayOnrait on @JayOnSC: Why Woodcroft's decision to