It’s always darkest in Edmonton before Game 3.

This is where the Edmonton Oilers usually are two games into a playoff series — looking somewhat vulnerable, a small measure of doubt creeping in, left to explain why they seem a little bit off at such an important time of the year.

One game away from the sky falling down on them like frogs dropping from the heavens in a plague.

Last year they gave up 12 goals in the first two games and fell behind 2-0 to the LA Kings, then outscored them 20-12 to win the series in six. They gave up six goals in losing Game 1 to the Dallas Stars, then outscored them 19-5 to win the series in five.

A year earlier, they split with the Kings on home ice, split with the Vancouver Canucks, split with the Dallas Stars and made it to the Stanley Cup Final.

So going 1-1 with the upstart Anaheim Ducks, while it’s not what anyone was expecting, isn’t anything to worry about.

Is it?

“We’ve been in this situation a lot, 1-1 going on the road,” Oilers captain Connor McDavid reasoned after a somewhat surprising 6-4 Game 2 defeat at Rogers Place. “We’re comfortable on the road, we like playing on the road. Obviously, we’d like a better outcome and a better product, but we’re comfortable going on the road.”

Good, because Anaheim’s 24 wins at the Honda Center are third-most in the Western Conference and if this young group of speedsters had any doubts about its ability to hang with the more experienced Oilers, they are gone now after two very impressive showings on the road.

Like Utah against Vegas or Montreal against Tampa Bay, Anaheim catching Edmonton flat-footed is another example of the NHL’s next wave of talent making itself heard.

Fans in Edmonton can hear it loud and clear because Anaheim is the more dynamic and resilient team so far. They took leads into the third period of both games, they scored nine goals, they outscored Edmonton 4-0 on special teams and they don’t seem the least bit intimidated by Edmonton’s star power.

And now they’re heading home to see if they can deepen the cracks they’ve hacked into Edmonton’s armour.

What was supposed to be the easiest opponent of the first round is turning into a serious problem. Pressure on the forecheck is forcing Edmonton into extended time in the defensive zone and the eventual mistakes that always come with that. Pressure on McDavid held the captain pointless for two games. Pressure on special teams has Anaheim’s penalty kill outscoring Edmonton’s power play 1-0 through six chances.

If there is any solace to be found in where the Oilers sit right now it’s that two of the biggest issues in the first two games are two of the things you probably have to worry about the least. If you’re betting against McDavid and the Oilers power play, bring a lot of money because you’re going to need. It. They are going to respond, it’s a virtual certainty.

“People forget Leon is just back, (Hyman) is just back,” said McDavid. “As good as the power play is, it’s still a work in progress. We haven’t ran our normal routes and had our normal looks for some time. It’s not just a light switch, so we’re working at it obviously. And it will be a part of this series.”

It has to. Let’s not forget, during the regular season the Oilers were just slightly better than a middle of the pack team in five-on-five offence (three way tie for 11th).

But this isn’t about potting a couple more goals a night because getting into 6-5 shutouts with Anaheim is not a smart play here. High-event, non-contact hockey with plenty of mood swings and last goal wins is exactly what the Ducks want. It gives them a better chance than trying to win 2-1.

With Adam Henrique not making the trip, Jason Dickson possibly out for Game 3 and McDavid possibly on the limp, Edmonton has to simplify its game, turn up the heat physically and bring some anger and emotion into the tamest series of the first round. Dumping and chasing isn’t low-brow hockey, it’s a winning strategy every year for a reason.

You assume they’ll figure that out sometime before Game 3, but you never know with this year’s Oilers. If this was a 105-point team, you’d be more relaxed, thinking it was just an off night.

But what we saw in Game 2, and in the second period of Game 1,  has been the story of this team since October — inconsistent from game to game, from period to period.

And it’s carried over into Round 1.

If they don’t sort this out there might not be a Round 2.

It’s time to string some good games together before they dig themselves a hole they can’t get out of.

“Obviously,” said McDavid. “It’s the playoffs and we’ve got to start going.”

E-mail: rtychkowski@postmedia.com

Related

Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters.

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun