As a hockey player, when you're in the offensive zone, the last thing you should be worried about is the performance of your goaltender, but that is how the Edmonton Oilers had been playing the first half of the year.
You see, Dubnyk was having one bad season. He was the fault of the Oilers losing ways. Defendants explained that the Oilers poor play was the reason, and that Dubnyk was a mere victim of such defense. But these people can not deny that he was unable to make timely saves if his career depended on it. Case in point the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 12, 2013. The Oilers led five different times throughout the game and gave up a goal in the final minute on a weak wrist shot. The team would lose in over time.
Twice to my recollection, Dubnyk allowed a goal from the blue line that should not have gone in. One, a harmless dump-in from the blue line, and the second, a seemingly routine save that slipped through his nine hole (blocker and pad). In any given night, a hockey fan could use such an opportunity to bite into his hot dog or take a sip of his beer, but not if Dubnyk was in net.
The Oilers poor defense was magnified exponentially because of poor performances by both goalies. And many indicated that it did not matter who was in net, the Oilers would still allow 4 goals a game.
Enter Ben Scrivens. Since his acquisition on January 15, 2014, the Oilers are 5-4-2 and have allowed three goals or more just three times, once in an OT loss. That's unreal hockey for this team. His first appearance was not so good. He allowed four goals to the Wild and it was "proof" it did not matter who was in net. And then, two games later, the goals-allowed stopped.
It's not that Scrivens has done anything to fix the glaring problems that face the coaching staff; there is a lot of work that has to be done. It's that the players believe that Scrivens, and Bryzgalov, are going to make that one additional save that could be the difference between no points in the standings or two. And that changes the dynamics of every player.
Jack Michaels and Bob Stauffer of 630 CHED are proponents of the concept that this team's good goaltending has led to significant offensive chances and overall play. The pair mentioned during the post-game after the New York Rangers (Feb 6, 2014) contest that the Oilers were playing substantially different and it was all due to confidence in their goaltender. The ability to activate the defense and try high-risk plays indicated that they knew their goalie was capable of forgiving their mistakes. It might not make sense to a casual fan, but the reality is that a team needs to have faith in every aspect before all strengths can develop and emerge, even if they are not the most elite.
Imagine for a moment a simple restaurant with five average employees. One is in charge of each of the following: utensils, beverages, appetizers, entrees, and dessert. The first employee plates the tables and moves on to the next one. The beverage provider does the same thing. But there is a weak chain in the appetizer employee. He is often late to deliver, mixes them up, or forgets them altogether. Now, a good supporting team would most likely grab that appetizer with the drinks, or explain that it will be delayed. However, if this occurs on a consistent basis, it throws off the timing and chemistry of a well-run restaurant. Now, the waiter in charge of entrees needs to make sure the appetizers have been served or the beverage employee has to spend additional time apologizing in advance for a delay. This simplified example of assignment translates across every job, including sports.
If a receiver can not catch the ball, a quarterback will have to focus else where instead of utilizing the entire field. If a short stop is slow moving, the third base man might have to shift left, giving room to his right. If a doubles tennis partner knows his server will double fault, his close-net strengths will be moot. A team needs confidence in their mates so that they are not distracted by weakness and can focus on strengths and create opportunities. People act differently when they can not rely on others.
I had a lot of trust and faith in Dubnyk to start the year, but as the days progressed, I realized that he was the problem. Richard Bachmann came in to face the Kings one game, and he faced two shots in the final minute of the game that forced overtime. They were point blank shots no more than six feet from the crease, but he made that one, no, two, big saves that changed the game. I remember my brother and I yelling, "Dubnyk would have let those in." This game occured October 27, 2013. The Oilers would lose in a shoot out but earned a valuable one point.
And that is how all the greats are remembered. Some times people forgive average statistics if they make the extra save, or the field goal, or the walk-off home run, or that clutch buzzer beater.
After the Olympic break, we will see if my theory holds true. The Oilers have technically gone above .500 in a stretch from late November to early December which also lasted 11 games. However, I firmly feel that the Oilers have significant confidence in their goaltending and should earn them an extra four wins by the end of the year. I would argue that three of the Oilers last five wins were courtesy of great goaltending, including that 59-save shut out. Those four wins might not sound like a lot, but the Toronto Maple Leafs have the worst shots ratio and have 11 more wins than Edmonton. The Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals also have porous defenders and are above .500.
Had the Oilers won 5 additional games or sent more close games to extra time in the last 60, they would be right up there with the Canucks and Coyotes. In professional sports, there is such a fine line between winning and losing and some times it takes very little to turn things around.
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