Edmonton Oilers learn painful lesson at trade deadline

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In addition to two forwards and a defenseman, the Edmonton Oilers learned a valuable lesson ahead of Friday’s NHL trade deadline.

It turns out it doesn’t really matter what the roster looks like or how deep and talented you think the team is. If you don’t start on time, take your chances and focus on the details. Other people will be handing you your lunch.

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And on Thursday, the Columbus Blue Jackets forced a stinky, big slice of the pie on a team that claims to be in the Stanley Cup.

“I don’t think we were ready to play,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said after the 4-2 loss. “Our puck management, just execution, puck outs and line entries, we were giving it away a lot. They weren’t malicious, they just weren’t executed.

“Once we got out of the emotional highs in Boston, it wasn’t as intense as the previous game.”

If the Oilers went into this game thinking their new lineup featuring Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick would take them past the last team in the Eastern Conference, they were hit hard by reality.

Columbus scored three goals in the first 15 minutes, 21 seconds and slammed the door on the Pacific Division favorites, reminding them that nothing comes easy.

“We didn’t have a good first start,” winger Warren Vogel said. “We weren’t executing plays and we were just a little slower than them. We know better. At the end of the day, you have to go out for 60 minutes and we didn’t do that. .

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“If you’re going to be successful in the playoffs, you can’t do it by playing catch-up hockey. It’s by playing clean and being responsible.”

Edmonton’s first loss since Feb. 24 against Calgary ended their winning streak at five games, another example of their offense depleting at the wrong time. The defense has been excellent, conceding just three goals in the last three games, and just two goals in three of the last four starts.

A 3-2 league record is not enough.

“I thought we handled it pretty well in the second period, but we were just one step short,” said Enrique, who played 14 minutes and 14 seconds and was kept off the scoresheet except for a minor penalty. “We had some chances, but maybe we weren’t established enough offensively.”

The Oilers took one point off the Boston fireground, scoring in the final seconds and winning 2-1 in OT, but there was no Hail Mary to be seen on this night.

Zach Hyman’s 43rd goal of the season in the second period and Corey Perry’s second goal in three games midway through the third period brought the Oilers very close to being stopped by an unmanned netter with 20 seconds left.

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take root

The Oilers wasted no time in bringing in rookies by starting Enrique on the left side and starting Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane, but that adjustment only lasted one period. With Edmonton trailing 3-0 at the first intermission, head coach Kris Knoblauch put McDavid, Draisaitl and Hyman on the first line.

“We won the last five games against Leon in a row and Connor and Hyman have been through that period together,” Knoblauch said. “When things weren’t going well, we needed to fix things and give us a little bit of momentum. They scored early in the second, but we just didn’t play well enough tonight.”

Enrique moved around the line in the first game, but he understands the situation. When he adds two new players, it takes time for everyone to figure out how they fit together.

“I try to go into it with the mindset that this is just hockey,” he said. “Just go out and play. They talked to me a lot no matter what line I was on.

“Overall I felt pretty good. I want to get here as soon as possible and get involved. It was important to get here and get my first game.”

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In combat

Carrick became the centerpiece of the fourth line alongside Matthias Janmark and Derek Ryan, and it didn’t take long for him to make his presence felt. With the Oilers down 2-0 and Mathieu Olivier stirring things up in the faceoff circle with Jean-Marc, Carrick lined up next to Olivier and had a long, solid scrap with the man who erased New York’s sixth win. (Carrick’s eighth of the season). 7-foot rookie Matt Lempe;

Unfortunately, Columbus scored on the next shift.

“Sammy comes in here, a new guy, a unique guy, makes a big fight to give us energy, and I go out there and turn the puck over,” Vogele said. “I can’t do that. I should have omitted it and kept it simple. I take full responsibility for that.”

McDavid’s second-period assist extended his point streak to 13 games and gave up 100 points for the seventh time in his nine-year career.

Email: rtychkowski@postmedia.com

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