The way things have been going this year, the Edmonton Oilers trying to protect a two-goal lead is the equivalent of a waitress trying to balance a tray of martinis in an earthquake.

In their first 14 games this season the Oilers blew five different two-goal leads, losing three of those games and managing to stop the bleeding and squeak out wins in the other two.

So, it wasn’t exactly a sense of calm sweeping over fans in Edmonton, or the Oilers, as it turned out, when they staked a 3-1 lead midway through the third period Tuesday in Dallas.

It was an early-season litmus test for the Oilers. They know they haven’t been able to protect leads and they know they haven’t looked anything like a contender so far this season.

It was a good time and place to make a statement.

Unfortunately,

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