Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged that his team’s defensive issues are not just a problem with their goaltending, but also with mistakes and gaffes on the ice. The Oilers suffered a 6-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals, extending their struggles against the defending champions.
Knoblauch pointed out that the Kings’ success comes from making high-quality plays rather than relying on luck or mistakes. He attributed the team’s defensive woes to not giving their goaltenders enough help when the opposing team has a clear scoring opportunity.
The Oilers’ penalty kill was also a concern, as they allowed five goals on 10 power-play opportunities against the Kings, including three power-play goals by Anze Kopitar. However, Knoblauch praised the Kings’ power play, saying it’s “a good power play” that brings a different element to their game.
The Oilers’ struggles in this series are not new, as they have allowed 20 goals over their last four combined regular-season and playoff games against the Kings. The team will look to find cohesion and make adjustments in Game 3 to try and turn the series around.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44829040/knoblauch-mostly-gaffes-put-oilers-2-0-hole