It's suddenly not so certain for the Edmonton Oilers, a club that returned from the All-Star break as a veritable lock for the postseason in the eyes of Las Vegas.
The Oilers fell flat for third straight outing since the showcase in Los Angeles, losing 2-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday. They mustered three goals across these three defeats, and were predictably unable to pick up cooling captain Connor McDavid.
It's not yet time to panic; they're still seven points up on the Calgary Flames in third in the Pacific Division.
They should, however, heed to the ominous road ahead.
Edmonton will meet the Canadiens on Sunday in a Super Bowl matinee on the east coast. When the club returns, it will host the Blackhawks, Coyotes, and Flyers before embarking on a six-game road trip to close out the month with visits to Chicago, Tampa Bay, Florida, Washington, Nashville, and St. Louis.
The Oilers made a statement on the other side of the All-Star break, beating the Ducks and Sharks in consecutive nights in California by a combined 8-1 score.
A similar statement, made sooner than later, may be needed to avoid tumbling too far, and missing the postseason for an 11th straight season.
We imagine Las Vegas would appreciate it swift.
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