TAIT'S EIGHT: Oilers optimistic despite overtime defeat to Hurricanes

Long-time sports journalist Cam Tait joins EdmontonOilers.com to deliver his eight thoughts from Edmonton's overtime defeat to Carolina on Tuesday. Living with Cerebral Palsy his entire life, Cam hasn't let his condition prevent him from having a successful 45-year career as a sports writer, with bylines seen in the Edmonton Journal and Edmonton Sun.

8. Not just any combination

When Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch composed his lines for Tuesday’s game, he put together a combo that rivals any burger and fries.

The trio of Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman re-engaged their tradition of finding the back of the net: with 3:34 gone in the first period, Nugent-Hopkins fed McDavid a pass just over the Oilers blueline and the Oilers captain zoomed down the left wing and made no mistake with a wrister that gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead.

The trio was one of the NHL's most impactful lines last season with a 61.70 CF% in 459:19 of ice time together, as per Natural Stat Trick, but as was the case with Edmonton's forward lines on Tuesday, there's still something missing in their execution and ability to find connections early in the season.

"As much as McDavid, Hyman and Nuge play together, there are still shifts where they look like they haven't been playing together," Knoblauch said. "I don't know exactly. I can't put my finger on exactly why it hasn't worked out. You look at the scoring chances and what they're generating, and most games, it's in the positive and you think with those players being together, the expectations is there'd be more production and being able to outscore the opposition on a regular basis.

"But right now, I don't have an answer for that."

7. I’ll take another, please

Captain Connor scored his second goal of the night on the power play early in the second period, providing hope that maybe (just maybe) a natural hat trick might be in the works. Not to be, though.

The Oilers power play finished 1-for-4 on Tuesday and is now 2-for-19 (10.5 percent) over seven games this season.

6. October means great baseball, right?

Stuart Skinner picked the puck cleanly out of the air midway through the second period after Andrei Svechnikov scraped a shot on goal from the left side, taking away a potential hit for Seth Jarvis as you'd expect from a third baseman or a shortstop.

The timing was perfect, with the World Series set to start on Friday between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

5. Overtime entertainment

End to end.

Precise passing.

Great goaltending.

Tuesday’s overtime was tremendous, entertaining hockey, and it was decided with only seconds remaining after the over-eager Oilers were caught exhausted from a hard backcheck into their own zone, lending Aho the chance to one-time home the winner over a stellar Stuart Skinner. Frederik Anderson was reqully excellent in the other crease all night.

That's two Tuesdays within a week of each other where the Oilers have fallen in overtime. Is it too late to call the NHL scheduling department? They'll face the Penguins at home on Friday night before heading east for back-to-back games against Detroit and Columbus.

4. My memory is short... on purpose

The Oilers had two goals scored on them in the third period, leading to overtime. Those pair of goals erased a 2-0 lead Edmonton built itself after McDavid’s first-period marker. So then, does giving up a 2-0 lead play to any potential negative psyche for the team?

“You have to have a short memory,” Knoblauch said after the game. “This is the NHL.”

3. Optimism reigns

Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm said after the game there’s no need to appoint an inquiry or uncover the panic button.

Addressing the extended Edmonton media after the game, No. 14 firmly said that he & his Oilers teammates are confident they'll find their game, which took them to being a goal away from losing last season’s Stanley Cup.

"I'm completely confident in our group," the Swedish D-man said. "I know it's early in the year and it's a matter of working through it, and I wasn't expecting everybody to be firing where we left off or whatnot. It's going to take a little bit of time, but I do like our team and I think we're on the right track."

2. Dominik Hasek will be smiling

Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner made an acrobatic save — on his back, throwing his arm in the air – for a high-light reel Academy Award that was awarded 24 seconds into the third period.

It was a page out of the book written by Hasek – the Hall of Fame netminder who played for the Buffalo Sabres, the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks – and it was the highlight of the shot-stopper's strong performance on Tuesday with 32 saves in a losing effort despite his contributions.

1. Time to work

Now with a few days of practice ahead of them on Wednesday and Thursday, the Oilers will get ready for the Hall of Fame game on Friday against Sidney Crosby & the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Former Oilers greats Craig MacTavish and Dr. Randy Gregg will be honoured after the game.