The Oilers fell behind just 3:13 into the game and trailed by two before it was eight minutes old.
"That game is indefensible on my behalf," McLellan said. "In every facet of the game we were second, it wasn't even close. Very, very concerned obviously the way some individuals played tonight, many of them and it's indefensible on my behalf. We're responsible for having the team ready and they weren't."
Todd McLellan: "Until the group buys into it, we'll probably keep taking it on the chin." *ends scrum*
Of course the team's worst loss of the season also had players singing a somber tune, including forward Leon Draisaitl, who pointed the finger at the club's lack of secondary production.
"We can't rely on one line, one goaltender or one D pairing to bail us out every night, and that starts with me and other (top forwards)," Draisaitl said.
With the loss, the Oilers have pushed their losing streak to three games and now entertain the third-lowest point percentage in the league.
The St. Louis Blues forward is riding an eight-game point streak, which has caused him to rise to fourth in the NHL's scoring race. Only Steven Stamkos (35), Nikita Kucherov (33), and Johnny Gaudreau (31) have recorded more points than Schenn, who now sits at 30, albeit in two more games played than that trio.
A two-goal, two-assist performance Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers marked the second time Schenn has recorded four points in a single game during the streak, which dates back to St. Louis' second game of November.
Here's a look back at the damage done:
Date
Opponent
Goals
Assists
Nov. 4
Toronto
0
4
Nov. 7
New Jersey
1
2
Nov. 9
Coyotes
0
1
Nov. 11
Islanders
1
0
Nov. 13
Flames
0
2
Nov. 16
Oilers
2
1
Nov. 18
Canucks
1
0
Nov. 20
Oilers
2
2
It certainly helps that Schenn is playing on a line that features Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko, both of whom are also in the NHL's top 10 in terms of total points after dominating the Oilers.
That goal was Schenn’s. Parayko and Tarasenko with the assist. So that’s 11 points for that line now. #stlblues
But it's Schenn who has been the most proficient and prominent league-wide as of late, as his 19 points are most among all players since the streak began, four clear of Gaudreau.
With a pair of goals in Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers, it's officially time to acknowledge the emergence of Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks in the battle for the Calder Trophy.
Clayton Keller of the Arizona Coyotes had staked his claim as the very early Rookie of the Year favorite by jumping out to a sizable lead in the rookie scoring race.
Boeser's two markers pulled him level with Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders for second in rookie scoring, and to within a point of Keller, all while playing fewer games.
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
Clayton Keller
23
11
9
20
Brock Boeser
18
9
10
19
Mathew Barzal
20
4
15
19
Boeser, who was drafted 23rd overall in 2015, made his NHL debut last season, recording four goals and an assist in five games. Add it all up, and he's been good for 13 goals and nine assists in 27 games, averaging almost a point per contest.
Rookie of the Year or not, the Canucks appear to have mined some gold with a late first round pick, which is always a bonus.
The Dallas Stars head coach believes it's time to stop beating around the bush when it comes to player injury reports, choosing instead to be more forthcoming with pertinent information.
I think we collectively hate playing the game. What I mean by that is we say ‘upper body,’ then you go on the phone, and then you look up things or you go to the doctors, find out what part of the upper body. We try to make your work easier, quite frankly, and so we just don’t like going through the dance.
It’s just easy to tell you what it is and let’s move forward. It’s just the whole game. It’s an injury, and within two hours after we tell you it’s ‘upper body,’ you know exactly what it is, so why not just tell you? And the players don’t go out and say, ‘He has a broken left pinky and we’re going to go after the pinky.’ Nobody thinks like that. Our feeling is just tell them what the injury is and move it forward and just stop the dance.
The team has already begun disclosing more specific injury news on social media.
Marc Methot had his knee scoped and he will be out 4-6 weeks. Martin Hanzal is expected to miss 3-7 days with a hand injury. pic.twitter.com/4NRIQRpFh7
Hockey fans have been longing for more goals in their sport, and they've gotten their wish this season.
There has been an average of 6.04 goals per game so far - the highest the league has seen since the first campaign of the post-lockout era in 2005-06.
Season
Goals per game
2017-18
6.04
2016-17
5.54
2015-16
5.42
2014-15
5.46
2013-14
5.48
2012-13
5.44
2011-12
5.46
2010-11
5.58
2009-10
5.68
2008-09
5.82
2007-08
5.56
2006-07
5.90
2005-06
6.16
As you can see, in the seven seasons prior to 2017-18, the NHL's goals-per-game mark hovered around 5.5, but it has taken a half-goal jump.
This can partially be attributed to the increase in slashing penalties, which has led to 6.96 power-play opportunities per game - the most since 2010-11. This season, there have already been 462 slashing penalties called, according to ESPN, or 1.467 per game. This compared to 791 slashing penalties all of last season, for an average of 0.643 per game.
Not only has the slashing crackdown led to more power plays, which result in more goals, but it has also made players think twice before taking a whack at an opposing player, which in itself leads to more scoring chances. This could also explain why there have been more shots per game (31.7) this season than any other since Hockey Reference began recording in the early 1980s.
But that change can't take all the credit for the increase in goals. The table above showed there was already a slight increase in goal-scoring last season compared to the previous five seasons. This came in spite of there being only 5.98 power-play opportunities per game in 2016-17 - the lowest ever recorded by Hockey Reference.
The table below shows NHL teams' median high-danger scoring chances per game at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick. It's clear that, penalties aside, there have been more high-quality scoring chances in recent years.
Season
HDCF/60 Median
2017-18
10.94
2016-17
10.34
2015-16
10.005
2014-15
9.93
2013-14
9.91
The reason for this can't be quantified by numbers, but a variety of theories suggest it's sustainable:
The aforementioned theory on players being hesitant to use their sticks to slow players down in fear of being penalized.
More fast, yet undersized, players being given a chance to play.
Speed and skill taking precedence over grit, toughness on fourth lines.
A new wave of superstars growing up with skill coaches, and therefore displaying new ways of creating offense.
All of these theories could play a part in the NHL's scoring spike. If that's the case, it's likely the increase is here to stay, given the last scoring surge (2005-06) relied much more heavily on power-play goals.
In 2005-06, nearly a third (33.44 percent) of all goals came on the man advantage - an unsustainable rate. This season, only 22.51 percent of goals have been of the power-play variety - only a two percent increase from last season (20.57).
It's worth noting that teams are scoring on 19.47 percent of power plays this season - the highest since 1992-93. However, power-play percentage has been trending upward in recent years. The 19.1 percent mark from last season was also the highest since 1992-93.
This upward trend can largely be attributed to stick technology, as players are shooting the puck harder than ever. As any hockey fan knows, blasting a one-timer is the best way to score with the man advantage.
Only time will tell if this season's scoring pace is for real, but all signs are pointing toward yes, providing optimism for fans who have been starving for more offense.
For his career, Johnny Gaudreau has captivated hockey audiences with his imaginative, energizing style of play. Through three full NHL seasons, the diminutive winger has enjoyed his fair share of success, but nothing quite like what he's accomplished through his first 20 games of the 2017-18 season.
With 31 points, Gaudreau sits third in league scoring, behind only Tampa Bay's unstoppable first-line duo of Steven Stamkos (35) and Nikita Kucherov (33). Of late, however, Johnny Hockey is in a class of his own.
Gaudreau extended his point streak to 10 games Monday, accumulating an absurd eight goals and 11 assists over that span. To further shine a light on just how good he's been, Gaudreau has scored in six straight games, including five consecutive multi-point efforts - a feat that hasn't been accomplished by a Flames player since Jarome Iginla in 2002.
He's been flat-out incredible:
Perspective — #Flames LW Johnny Gaudreau has 19 points during his 10-game spree. Sean Monahan is his only teammate with 19-plus points this season.
Gaudreau's always been a game-changing threat offensively (0.93 points per game in his career), but has never produced quite like this (1.55 this season). With that said, it makes one wonder: What's behind Gaudreau's recent surge, and how long can it continue?
Looking at Gaudreau's performance this season, several things have improved. First, he's shooting more. He's on track to record 246 shots, significantly eclipsing his previous career high of 217. Gaudreau is also shooting 16.7 percent this season, which likely won't last, but considering he's shot 13.2 percent for his career, it's reasonable to believe that number won't revert too drastically.
Additionally, both the quality and quantity of chances Gaudreau is creating have increased. Gaudreau is averaging 1.85 individual scoring chances for per game, putting him on pace to produce 151 this season, supplanting his previous best of 133. In terms of quality, Gaudreau's 15 high-danger chances so far tracks him for 61 should he play all 82 games, yet another career benchmark. (All stats at five-on-five, courtesy Natural Stat Trick)
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
To no one's surprise, Gaudreau's recent outpouring of points has paid major dividends for the Flames as a whole, now winners of seven of their last 10 while climbing into third in the wide open Pacific Division.
In all likelihood, Gaudreau won't maintain such a blistering streak and reach the 41 goals and 86 assists he's on pace for, but even with a considerable dip or an unsuspected cold streak potentially in the forecast, Gaudreau's torrid stretch has put him firmly in place to obliterate his personal-bests in goals (30), assists (48), and points (78).
Until then, though, let's sit back and see just how far he can go.
Sullivan also said Malkin will be reevaluated in the coming days before his status for the weekend is determined, when the Penguins play two big games against Eastern Conference foes in the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Malkin sits second in Pittsburgh scoring with seven goals and 14 assists through 22 games.
