The Oilers suffered one of their most embarrassing losses in franchise history last night to the Avalanche, and insider Kevin Bieksa blasted them for making excuses. Excuses. That's all we are hearing coming out of an Edmonton Oilers team that was just embarrassed in its building, getting beaten by eight <a href='https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/slumping-oilers-full-of-excuses-after-blowout-loss-to-avalanche/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>in what was one of the uglier efforts of the year</a>. Following a weak goal to make it 2-0, the team lay down. There was not a lick of resistance to be found. Nothing physical either. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1987397895935394090'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> One player who was counted on to give Edmonton grit but hasn't delivered with his first year in Alberta is Trent Frederic. He's notched one point and has six penalty minutes. He doesn't possess top-six skill or bottom-six grit. I'm trying to check my way out of it, offered Frederic, who was as quiet as a church mouse while the Avs had their way at Rogers Place. The fighting stuff comes. You can only ask so many guys when you have one goal in 15 games, no one is going to fight you, was Frederic's excuse. You want to do that and give your team a spark, but who wants to fight a guy who has one goal in 15 games? I wouldn't. <div align='center' class='pl20 pr20'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1987421464409317479'><div style='border:1px solid #CCCCCC;border-radius:10px;padding:20px;width:300px;'>Loading from Twitter ...</div></a></blockquote></div> Andrew Mangiapane was expected to possess some grit but has yet to display much sand. Yeah, sure, he said when asked if he needs to bring more of that. Just going out there being tenacious, hard work. And if that comes, that comes. <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/edmonton-oilers/frustrated-connor-mcdavid-sounds-off-on-oilers-teammates-prior-to-facing-avalanche' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>It's a story that's been told before.</a> The Oilers get off to a rough start, find themselves spiraling out of control, and ultimately land at rock bottom before the tide turns. And perhaps that point was reached on Saturday. <h3>Stuart Skinner was pulled after giving up some horrific goals</h3> Stuart Skinner gave up some questionable goals against Colorado's Cale Makar, and it's apparent that those in front of him stopped believing. They stopped believing in him or in themselves. Goalies must save pucks. Defencemen must defend. And forwards must attack the net instead of circling around it. And what about coaches? They are slumping too. In fact, after the 9-1 disaster, ex-NHL player turned insider Kevin Bieksa perfectly captured the mood when he said that it's not just a loss, but a team that appears to be playing with no pride, passion, or accountability. If I was a fan and I went to that game and my team lost 9-1 wouldn't you want to see some fighting or some confrontations at the end? asked Bieksa on Hockey Night in Canada. I'd wanna see something. The Oilers will look to turn it all around in their next game on Monday when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets at 6:30 PM MT.