The Oilers are returning from an eventful road trip.
Or, perhaps more fittingly, less event-ful.
Edmonton headed east for a roadie that was supposed to start with three games against the Canadiens in Montreal on March 22, 24 and 26, but they were postponed after a positive COVID test in the Canadiens dressing room.
So, the team hung out in their hotel rooms for a three days with practices mixed in, before playing three games in four days: falling 4-3 in OT to the Leafs Saturday in TO, then beating them 3-2 in OT Monday, before doubling back to Montreal for a 4-0 loss to the Habs Tuesday.
All totalled, they spent 10 days away for those three tilts before returning to the Alberta capital.
When asked Thursday about finally spending some time in their own beds, Leon Draisaitl agreed the few days at home have been welcome.
"Ya, it's really nice," he said. "Obviously not the trip we were expecting or hoping for, but that's just part of being able to play at this time of the year. Everyone is going through different things, so this is not ideal for us but something we have - or had - to work through. It's definitely nice to be home."
Coach Dave Tippett was asked the same question.
"Hopefully it got us back some energy," he said. "I don't know if it was so much physical energy, but mental energy. You go on the road for that long and you're kind of locked in a hotel, it wears on you a little bit. So, hopefully we got home, and got a little energy back, we had a good practice today, so hopefully that we get some of that zip back in our game we were missing last game."
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Artturi Lehkonen and Brendan Gallagher staked out the homeside to a 3-0 lead in that loss in La Belle Province, Tomas Tatar adding a second-period tally to round out the scoring.
Kotkaniemi's goal came just 18 seconds into the game to set the tone for the well-rested Habs team which hadn't played in 10 days with four games total postponed.
Carey Price made just 17 saves for the shutout.
"There's no excuses," Oilers defenceman Adam Larsson said after the loss. "We expected a tough game today, a hardworking team that's been sitting, resting for a long time. This stuff happens throughout the year, so it's nothing to get too riled up about."
Draisaitl said Thursday that the outing is now in the team's rearview mirror.
"Those nights happen," he said. "They can't happen over and over again. You have to park it. You take the negative out it, you learn from it, I mean, not much positive in that game, but you just regroup and kind of reset and go back at it tomorrow."
Oilers.comreported that forward Tyler Ennis was placed on waivers earlier Thursday and did not participate in practice, while goaltender Alex Stalock was on the ice with his new club.
