Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard had arguably his worst game ever with Edmonton, and even his teammates and Kris Knoblauch called him out afterward. The Edmonton Oilers' visit to Long Island started off on the right note, but their <a href='https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/oilers-bouchard-has-nightmare-night-in-loss-to-islanders/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>evening fell apart in a hurry, paced by a dismal effort</a> from their anchor defenceman, Evan Bouchard. During a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders, Bouchard waded through one of the most grueling games of his NHL career. Two breakaways were squarely on him: one on a brutal giveaway to Matt Barzal as the last man back, and another where Bo Horvat slipped behind him for a short-handed marker. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/HaydenShap49/status/1978976432257745199'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Throw in a couple of other blunders in his own end, and it was a night that Bouchard would like to forget. Post-game, coach Kris Knoblauch and some of his teammates weren't afraid to publicly state that it was not Bouchard's game. Evan is one of best defencemen in the NHL, but tonight was not his night, said head coach Kris Knoblauch. We cannot just accept that, the coach said. Mistakes happen, but you have to address what types of mistakes are happening. Evan's a fantastic player, one of the best in the league, certainly one of the best defencemen in the NHL. Tonight was not his night, but I've always seen him respond and play much better after games like this. I'm sure he knows that he could've made some other decisions tonight, admitted defensive partner Mattias Ekholm. I know people can be hard on him for the mistakes, but you've also got to look at the upside of what he brings, said a supportive Ekholm. I'd be careful criticizing him because that's who he is, and obviously he knows that he would want (that game) back. There's going to be mistakes, (but) Evan's super power is he forgets quick and he just goes out there and plays his game. I'm pretty sure we'll see a different Bouchard on Saturday. To his credit, the 24-year-old did not flinch. Post-game, he spoke to the media and owned up to saying that he still hasn't figured out how to make his bad nights better, repeating what he had said during training camp. When it's not going my way, I've got to find a way to make different plays, Bouchard said post-game. For the Oilers, it was a missed chance against a winless Islanders team desperate to right the ship. Horvat had a hat trick: power play, short-handed, and an empty-netter, and the Oilers' catastrophic blunders were the difference. Bouchard's numbers tell the story: 72 playoff points over the past three postseasons, more than any NHL defenceman. <h3>This Performance May Have Hurt Evan Bouchard's Olympic Chances</h3> But games like Thursday are reminders of the defensive breakdowns that have haunted him, and could damage his Olympic chances. Team Canada assistant GM Julien BriseBois was also on hand, and it wasn't the show Bouchard required. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/puckempire/status/1978976890078531716'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Head coach Kris Knoblauch and veteran defenseman Mattias Ekholm both anticipate a bounce-back performance when the Oilers play the Devils on Saturday. For the time being, Bouchard is just appreciative of the support of his teammates and looking to ensure that this train wreck proves to be a one-time derailment.