WHAT'S NEXT
The Oilers play the second of a back-to-back on Saturday against Montreal. The game can be seen on Sportsnet and heard on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED. Puck drop is 5:08 p.m. MT.
POST-GAME UPDATES
Inside The Oilers Blog
Former Edmonton Oil Kings goaltender Tristan Jarry made 26 saves on 28 shots for the Penguins, winning his 10th game in 12 starts to help lift Pittsburgh to their fourth-straight win. Mike Smith allowed four goals on 25 shots in the Oilers crease.
"As the season goes, there are different things that keep you above board," Head Coach Dave Tippett said. "Over the last couple of weeks, our 5-on-5 scoring has been minimal. Couple that with some of the mistakes we're making and goaltending being not quite as strong as it was early in the year, you're chasing games."
Chad Ruhwedel's wrist shot from the point snuck through Smith and just trickled over the line eight minutes into the game as the first early bit of fortune for the Penguins.
Five minutes later, on the conclusion of a hooking infraction, Joseph Blandisi found himself on a breakaway that the forward tucked backhand under Smith to double Pittsburgh's lead.
"I liked a lot of our game, honestly," Connor McDavid said post-game. "We played well. They're a team that defends well and we were able to generate a couple of chances, but just two mistakes end up in the back of your net, then you're chasing the game," Connor McDavid said post-game.
It was a common theme for the Oilers at the intermission, trailing 2-0 through 20 minutes for the fourth-consecutive game at home.
"Obviously we've been putting ourselves in tough situations," Kassian said. "Coming back on teams, they lock it down pretty good, and in order to get chances you have to work hard. When you work hard, you have to cheat a little bit to get back into the game."
"We're finding out the hard way it's a tough league to win in when you do so."
Synonymous with those defeats have been fightbacks from the Oilers, and Kassian looked to set the Oilers on the right path towards another with a deft deflection that went down as the 28-year-old's 13th of the campaign.