Oilers frustrated after third straight Game 1 loss

DENVER -- For the Edmonton Oilers, the mantra after Game 1 of the Western Conference Final was much the same as after Game 1 of the second round.

"We obviously have to change something here," Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said after an 8-6 loss to the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on Tuesday. "We can't be giving up that many goals and expect to win a Western Conference Final game. That's the second time this has happened. We've got to make sure we're ready to go right off the bat. And we'll be better."
Game 2 is here on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; TNT, CBC, TVAS, SN).
RELATED: [Complete Avalanche vs. Oilers series coverage]
The Oilers have lost Game 1 of each round but this one and Game 1 against the Calgary Flames in the second round, a 9-6 loss, left them frustrated. Getting offense isn't the problem. It's what they've given up that's loomed larger.
The Avalanche matched their record for goals in a playoff game; they defeated the Florida Panthers 8-1 in Game 2 of the 1996 Stanley Cup and defeated the San Jose Sharks 8-2 in Game 2 of the 2002 Western Conference Semifinals.
Stopping Colorado's top players, including forward Nathan MacKinnon, who had a goal and an assist, and defenseman Cale Makar, who had a goal and two assists, is a must if Edmonton hopes to improve in Game 2.
"You've just got to be over top of them, match their speed," Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. "I know myself, personally, I didn't do that well enough and as a team, we could do that a lot better, just being aware their speed, where it's coming from, reading through the play. They're good team. They're going to create lots of offense, they have some special players."
This was a departure from Edmonton's regular-season games against Colorado. One game was a 6-3 win for the Oilers, but the other two were one-goal wins by the Avalanche (2-1 and 3-2).
"The other games in the regular season were a lot tighter defensively on both sides," Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. "We scored six goals on their goaltending tandem tonight in their building. That should be enough to win the game. For me, there are things we have to do in terms of preventing. Sometimes I think it's not about what you get, it's about what you've given up and we gave up far too much tonight."
The Oilers had a solid start to the game but whatever traction they gained, they lost it immediately. Evander Kane's 13th goal at 5:04 of the first period gave them a 1-0 lead for 36 seconds before Avalanche forward J.T. Compher tied it at 5:40. Zach Hyman's goal tied it 2-2 before Makar made it 3-2 nine seconds later, a goal the Oilers challenged for offside but was ruled a good goal after video review.
"Those things happen in hockey, have to get over it," Woodcroft said. "We talked about that, ultimately we didn't get the [penalty] kill [following the unsuccessful challenge], but that's not why we won or lost the game. We gave up way too much and we have things to clean up."

Mike Smith was pulled for the second consecutive Game 1, allowing six goals on 25 shots. Mikko Koskinen saved 20 of 21 shots in relief.
Smith was pulled after he allowed three goals on 10 shots in the first period of Game 1 against Calgary on May 18.
"When you're on the bench halfway through the game, it's not a good sign," Smith said. "In saying that, it's one game and I've been in this position before, so you park it. It's a long series."
The Oilers tightened up defensively in Game 2 against the Flames for a 5-3 victory then won the next three games to take the series. They want to get back to that on Thursday.
"We know that we can skate with them," Draisaitl said. "We're one of the fastest teams in the League. When we play to our strength and play to our quickness then we're a really hard team to handle. You can see spurts of it in the third period, but it's obviously not good enough if you're down, down 6-3 or whatever it is. You're just chasing the game from there. We've just got to come out a little sharper, a little harder."