Corey Perry sent a strong message to the Edmonton Oilers after their back-to-back losses, where they allowed 11 goals.
Following a 5-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, he pointed out the need for accountability (0:40):
"You can make all the excuses in the world, whatever you want to say, but everybody's got to look themselves in the mirror and start to bear down and make those plays hard. it's frustrating."
Despite the tough start, there was a bright spot for the Oilers. After nearly 85 minutes without scoring, they got their first goal of the season from their second power-play unit.
After trailing 1-0 at the end of the first period, they had a power play early in the second period. Perry took advantage of this opportunity and scored, with assists from Jeff Skinner and Mattias Ekholm, marking his 430th career goal.
Perry's experience is important for the Oilers, especially during tough times. Last season, he scored 12 goals for both the Oilers and the Blackhawks and got re-signed in the offseason.
The Edmonton Oilers' second power-play unit struggled last season, featuring players like Evander Kane, Ryan McLeod and Warren Foegele. Now, with Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson joining Perry, the unit could become stronger. Darnell Nurse and Ekholm complement the group, making the power play more effective.
Scoring from the second unit in their second game is a positive for the Oilers. If both power-play units can take advantage of chances, they will become a tough team to face.
Opponents will think twice before taking penalties against a team that can score from different players. Perry’s call for accountability and his key goal against Chicago could help the Oilers turn things around early in the season.
Corey Pery opened the Edmonton Oilers' scoring amid McDavid's goalless streak
The Edmonton Oilers lost to the Chicago Blackhawks as Connor McDavid’s goalless streak continued, but he had one assist.
Philipp Kurashev scored the first goal for Chicago in the first period. Corey Perry tied the game for Edmonton early in the second period. Seth Jones scored a power-play goal to give Chicago a 2-1 lead before Connor Bedard made it 3-1.
In the third period, Teuvo Teravainen scored two more goals for Chicago, both on power plays. Leon Draisaitl scored a power-play goal for the Oilers, assisted by McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, to reduce the deficit.
Edmonton outshot Chicago 37-20 and won 60.3% of faceoffs. Both teams had six penalty minutes. The loss puts the Oilers at the bottom of the Pacific Division with two losses. The Edmonton Oilers and the Blackhawks meet again on Dec. 1.