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Jan 22, 2026; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; The Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal scored by defenseman Jake Wahlman (96) during the second period against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Oilers Look to Rebound Against Capitals Following Blowout Loss

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Deepanjan Mitra | Last updated Jan 24, 2026 3:12 PM ET

The Oilers are hoping for a much better start when they host the Washington Capitals on Jan. 24 in Rogers Place. Edmonton surrendered three goals in the opening 37 seconds during a 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, putting head coach Kris Knoblauch and his team in immediate damage control mode.

The disastrous opening sequence left the Oilers chasing the game from the opening faceoff. But the Penguins didn’t give them much time, as they capitalized on their defensive breakdowns before the hosts could establish any rhythm.

Meanwhile, despite having Leon Draisaitl back in the lineup after missing time to attend to a family matter in Germany, the Oilers couldn’t do much. The center’s presence was not enough for Edmonton to overcome the early deficit.

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid didn’t shy away from accepting his team’s flaws and how they needed to work on their slow starts and continue moving forward. With the league entering its home stretch, the center made it clear that the Oilers need to win their games and the same results can’t happen anytime soon at Rogers Place.

Knoblauch Emphasizes Better Starts

Knoblauch did not mince words when discussing his team's poor opening against Pittsburgh. He pointed to the lack of readiness and competitive level in the first three minutes as unacceptable for a team with playoff aspirations.

The bench boss expects a much sharper effort when Washington visits. The Capitals present a different challenge than the Penguins. Washington has struggled at times this season and sits at 25-21-6, but they defeated Edmonton 7-4 when these teams met on Nov. 19.

The Oilers hold a 4-2-0 record in their last six games against the Capitals at Rogers Place and will look to maintain that home-ice advantage.

Bouchard Reaches Milestone

On a more positive note, Evan Bouchard will play his 400th career game on Saturday night. The defenseman has been productive against Washington throughout his career, recording four points in his last five games against them.

Bouchard continues to anchor the blue line alongside Mattias Ekholm and quarterbacks the league's top-ranked power play. The Oilers have found success on the penalty kill recently, going a perfect 8-for-8 over their last four games and killing off 31 of 34 penalties since Dec. 23 for a 91.2% success rate.

Jake Walman also scored a shorthanded goal against the Penguins and has points in four consecutive games. Meanwhile, Matt Savoie has found the back of the net in back-to-back contests as depth scoring continues to emerge. The team will need him on his A-Game tonight as they look to get a win against the Capitals.

Crucial Homestand Begins

The Oilers are in the middle of a season-long eight-game homestand at Rogers Place before the Olympic break from Feb. 6 to 24. Edmonton sits at 25-19-8 for 58 points, holding second place in the Pacific Division.

With no games scheduled in February due to the Olympics, every point earned during this homestand carries added weight in a tight division race where the margin for error continues to shrink.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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