EDMONTON, AB - Hit the reset button and get right back to work.
After a tough loss on Thursday night to the St. Louis Blues that included late drama, controversy and plenty of emotions, Head Coach Jay Woodcroft's eyes will be on how his Edmonton Oilers team shakes off the defeat and moves on against the Anaheim Ducks in a matinee matchup at Rogers Place on Saturday afternoon.
"What I'm really looking forward to seeing how our team and how individuals respond to last night, and the way we respond is by playing a good game tomorrow," Woodcroft said following Friday's optional Oilers practice.
A one-goal lead and a power play in the final minute of Thursday's game evaporated for the Oilers after the Blues pulled netminder Jordan Binnington to even things up at 5-on-5 before a defensive-zone turnover from Darnell Nurse led to Vladimir Tarasenko tying the game with 20 seconds remaining.
After it looked like Leon Draisaitl had won Edmonton the extra point in overtime, a controversial video review for offside on Connor McDavid overturned the goal and added intrigue to the contest before the Blues won it in the shootout.
After the fact, it was all internal analysis from the Oilers instead of resting the result on an iffy offside call.
"In the end, we didn't get the job done," Woodcroft said. "We're going to use it as a growth opportunity. My focus on what happened yesterday is in the rearview mirror. We've beat that game right up, we've studied it, we've had our meetings and everything like that, so we're going to take it with us as we go forward. Hopefully, it makes us better."
Coach Woodcroft identified in his Friday media availability some of the positive contributions provided by the Oilers over the 65 minutes that gave them the best chance to win the two points -- more successful special teams, steady goaltending and systems structure -- but ultimately, the bench boss attributed the defeat to a single play at the end of regulation that had to be completed.
"I would say I wouldn't overcook this one," he said. "I think we made an error where we turned the puck over on a play that is normally made. We didn't make it and were made to pay. As a result, we got one point instead of two."