Edmonton Oilers coach says he's not happy with team sitting back after getting leads
The Edmonton Oilers staved off elimination with a 4-1 victory in Game 5 over the Anaheim Ducks, but it was far from a perfect game.
Getting the win was the most important part, and the Oilers were able to secure it off a high-flying first period that saw them score three goals and chase Lukas Dostal out of the Ducks’ net. It was as good a start as Edmonton could have asked for, but the final 40 minutes were a different story.
That energy seemed to wane in the second and third periods as the Oilers seemingly stopped attacking and opted to sit on their lead. They had 12 shots in the first period, but mustered just eight for the remainder of the game.
Luckily, it worked, but it was a risky strategy against a lethal Anaheim team.
A lot of Oilers fans attributed this passive play to coaching, but Kris Knoblauch pushed back against that narrative after the victory.
“I thought we sat back,” Knoblauch told reporters. “I certainly thought we sat back way too much. We just didn’t connect. I thought we were too safe.
“We were just always putting the pucks, getting it out of trouble, but what happens is they just come back and attack right away… There is a fine line; you don’t wanna always be safe. I thought in the last two periods we were always being safe, and what happens is it allows the other team to always play with the puck.”
"The biggest thing was our second line. Nuge's line really got us going. They got two goals & I thought that was a strong part of our game."
Coach Knoblauch on the Nugent-Hopkins, Podkolzin & Hyman line igniting the #Oilers offence in Game 5.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/5DXHuvMo9A
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 29, 2026
This is not a new thing for the Oilers. Throughout the regular season and even in this series against the Ducks, Edmonton has had a penchant for grabbing leads and letting off the gas. It’s a concerning trend that has gotten this group of players in trouble on multiple occasions.
The Oilers have blown leads in four of the five games in this series precisely because of this, including separate 2-0 and 3-2 leads back in Game 4. So, how does Knoblauch address this during a game?
“On the bench, you’re obviously not gonna draw up new plays or tell them exactly what was available on that play,” Knoblauch said. “You’re just trying to encourage them to make plays and tell them it is there, and not always forcing the safe play.
“Just reminders on they have the abilities, they have the talent that they can make those passes.”
For a team that has the offensive talent that Edmonton possess it is strange that they seem so easily swayed in playing a more passive game when they grab a lead rather than trying to keep on a full-press attack.
It seems like the players understand this, with Evan Bouchard touching on it after the victory.
“I think there is definitely room for improvement,” Bouchard said. “We sat back, but we didn’t give up anything, so that’s a good sign.”
"I don't know what it is with us. I'm sure you've heard this a thousand times, when our backs are up against the wall we play our best hockey. We showed that tonight."
Evan Bouchard on the #Oilers ability to remain calm when facing elimination.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/tr6tLExhdQ
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 29, 2026
Bouchard is right in that the Oilers can hang their hat on not giving up much despite sitting back as much as they did. But that seems to be the exception of this series, and they haven’t been as lucky in previous games.
Heading into Anaheim for a do-or-die Game 6, the Oilers will need to tap into their offensive game more than ever before. Sitting back like that again could spell disaster.