Oilers' Defensive Issues Persist in Latest Loss

Jackson Blake scored twice, and K'Andre Miller recorded three assists as the Eastern Conference-leading Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 last night.

Nikolaj Ehlers added a goal and an assist while Shayne Gostisbehere, Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal also tallied for the Hurricanes.

Carolina improved to 40-16-6 and has won seven of its last eight contests while posting a 16-2-3 record over its past 21 games.

The loss highlighted persistent defensive issues for Edmonton despite recent moves to address its struggles.

Oilers' Defensive Woes Continue

Zach Hyman added two more goals to his tally, while Vasily Podkolzin also scored for the Oilers, who fell to 30-25-8. Things are looking dire, as Edmonton has dropped six of its last eight games and has surrendered 56 goals over its previous 12 contests.

The Oilers have allowed four or more goals in four of five games since returning from the Olympic break, compiling a 2-3-0 record in that span. The defensive breakdowns continue despite general manager Stan Bowman's aggressive moves to shore up that area.

Jan 22, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin (71) scores a goal on Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) during the second period at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images | Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Three players acquired from Chicago made their Edmonton debuts in the loss. Defenseman Connor Murphy and forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach all dressed for the Oilers after arriving in separate deadline deals that cost a first-round pick and a second-round selection.

Early Carolina Surge Proves Decisive

It didn't take long for the Hurricanes to get started on their offense, as they scored their first two goals within 46 seconds in the first period. Both times, it was the Oilers who failed to stop their onslaught. Despite getting the first goal of the night at 10:43, Carolina quickly leveled the score when Gostisbehere netted his 11th goal of the season off a helper from Seth Jarvis.

But they didn't stop just there. Carolina quickly doubled their score when a long shot by Ehlers caromed off the crossbar, giving the Hurricanes an early lead. It also marked the 20th goal for the Danish forward, who reached the milestone for the ninth time in 11 seasons.

The puck has had an easy time finding the back of the net against the Oilers recently 🫣 pic.twitter.com/8JCwy0NA6q
— BarDown (@BarDown) March 7, 2026

Meanwhile, netminder Frederik Andersen made 13 saves to earn the victory for Carolina, while Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots for Edmonton.

Playoff Position Tenuous

Connor McDavid extended his point streak to six games with an assist, giving him 11 points during that stretch and 21 points across his last 11 contests. But while McDavid extended his spot at the top of the scoring charts, his individual brilliance wasn’t enough for the Oilers.

Edmonton still sits dangerously close to the final playoff position, and the competition in the Pacific Division remains tough. The Ducks' side has quickly overtaken the Golden Knights for the top spot in the division, while the Kraken and the Sharks are close behind the Oilers.

Additionally, with the way the Oilers’ defense has been lately, things are looking alarming for last year’s finalists. The franchise is ninth in shot attempts per 60 minutes at five-on-five. This number goes down to 20 when we take expected goals into consideration.

Meanwhile, goals against are 27th per 60 minutes. With just 19 games in hand and no more trades possible, the Oilers will need to come up with a solution soon, or Edmonton will see them miss out on the playoffs for the first time in a long while.

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