The Edmonton Oilers face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Prime Monday Night Hockey in need of a bounce-back win. At home on Saturday, they lost to the Colorado Avalanche 9-1, continuing a rough start to the season in Edmonton. Oilers forward Andrew Mangiapane told reporters (h/t NHL.com's Gerry Moddejonge) the team knows what they need to change on Monday.
“Right from puck drop, I'd say we were kind of flat. There's mistakes kind of all over the ice,” Mangiapane said. “I don't know if we're just thinking that it's going to come easy to us. So, it just starts there. Everyone just buying in and just bringing that intensity, whatever that is for you. Each player is different.”
The Oilers were down 4-0 less than five minutes into the second period, all but ending the affair with two goals early in the middle frame. A Connor McDavid goal to make the score 5-1 could not stop the Avalanche's momentum. Edmonton is now 6-6-4, which is seventh in the Pacific Division.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch didn't mince words on the team's struggles after the deflating loss.
“This team’s been in trying times several times over the years and they’ve always worked it out,” Knoblauch said. “Just because they’ve found a way to play better, step up and I think right now, the last couple weeks I’ve seen we’re just kind of waiting for that moment to happen. And I think tonight would be, I definitely hope this is, rock bottom for us. I hope this wakes up a lot of guys.”
The Blue Jackets await the Oilers with their 7-7-0 record. Columbus has lost three consecutive games dating back to their collapse against the New York Islanders a week ago. Both teams are in desperate need of a win as they hit the ice on Monday night.
Mangiapane is the poster boy for the Oilers' struggles to start this season. With just six points in 16 games, he has not provided the secondary scoring he was brought in to provide. A goal against the Blue Jackets would go a long way to getting Mangiapane on the right track.
The Oilers and Blue Jackets square off from Rogers Place in Edmonton at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday.
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