Nobody likes having their toughness and their heart questioned.<\/p>\n
So, after failing to show much of either Thursday against a Florida Panthers team that\u2019s been rubbing Edmonton\u2019s nose in the last two Stanley Cup Finals every chance they get, the Oilers desperately needed a response.<\/p>\n
That it had to come against the powerful Tampa Bay Lightning was an unfortunate bit of scheduling for a team on the ropes, but that\u2019s the way it goes sometimes.<\/p>\n
And the Oilers, to their credit, brought the passion and intensity that was sorely missing in that passive, lifeless loss to Florida, but they simply aren\u2019t good enough to pull the kind of upset they needed Saturday night at Rogers Place.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was a good response to the other night,\u201d said Oilers captain Connor McDavid<\/a>, after Edmonton came out on the wrong end of a 5-2 decision. \u201cIt was a quiet night the other night so it was a good response emotionally.\u201d<\/p>\n But the difference between a true Stanley Cup contender and whatever the Oilers are right now was on full display. As hard as Edmonton pressed, as hard as they tried, Tampa Bay had the calm, measured answer. When they needed a stop the Lightning got it. When they needed a goal, they got that too.<\/p>\n When they needed to manage a one-goal lead to the finish line, they stretched it to 5-2. Even McDavid had to tip his hat in respect to a better team.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re extremely well coached, they\u2019re extremely well organized,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re very rehearsed in everything they do. It\u2019s very impressive. And when you do break them down they have a heck of a goalie to backstop them.<\/p>\n \u201cThey all know what they\u2019re doing all over the ice. It\u2019s impressive. They\u2019re a great team.\u201d<\/p>\n The Oilers are simply not on that level yet. And, given that it\u2019s 71 games into the season, it\u2019s safe to assume they aren\u2019t going to get there this year.<\/p>\n The trend is easy to spot. Put them up against a contender and it\u2019s a bad night \u2014 Carolina beat them 6-3, Dallas beat them 7-2, Minnesota beat them 7-3 and now Tampa beat them 5-2. And Florida beat them 4-0 for fun.<\/p>\n That the Oilers fought hard and made it close is nice, but at this point in the season that\u2019s not good enough.<\/p>\n While Dallas, Minnesota, Carolina, Colorado, Tampa Bay and Buffalo are revving up their post-season war machines, the Oilers are still looking under the hood, holding an oily rag in one hand and scratching their head in confusion with the other.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been playing together a long time and we feel like we\u2019re somewhat rehearsed and organized,\u201d said McDavid. \u201cNot today, though.\u201d<\/p>\n The two points would have been nice, but on a night when all five Pacific Division teams in action lost, there was no movement in the turtle derby. If Edmonton was in any other division they\u2019ve have been sellers at the deadline looking forward to a draft lottery and a fresh start next season.<\/p>\n But playing in the Pacific means the 18th overall Oilers don\u2019t have to worry about missing the playoffs and might even have a paved road to the conference final.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re fortunate to play in this division,\u201d said McDavid. \u201cA lot of teams are fortunate to play in this division. It\u2019s a bit of a pillow fight right now but we\u2019re tankful not to have lost any ground. That being said we have find a way to win some games here on the road. We have to make some ground.\u201d<\/p>\n Bad night at the top<\/p>\n