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For the first time in their unforeseen playoff run, the Edmonton Oilers appeared more like the team that struggled through the regular season and barely squeezed into the postseason and less like Stanley Cup finalists.

Last night, the National Hockey League Western Conference champions didn't exhibit the commitment to their defensive system that had allowed them to win three rounds of the playoffs. As a result, the Oilers were blasted 5-0 by the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Oilers now find themselves down 2-0 in the Stanley Cup final as the series moves to Rexall Place in Edmonton for the third and fourth games on Saturday and Monday.

“It did not look like the way we have played in these playoffs,” defenceman Chris Pronger said. “There isn't much we can take from that game. We were beaten in a lot of different areas.”

This was the first time the Oilers have been shut out in the 2006 playoffs. Poor special teams, the Oilers' lack of discipline and the Hurricanes' blocking a whopping 24 shots were big factors in the blowout.

The Oilers were far too aggressive in their physical play and were caught out of position on several occasions. That's a no-no against a team such as Carolina, which boasts so much depth up front with three lines contributing offensively. Eight Hurricanes have scored a total of 10 goals so far in the series.

“We got out of our game plan,” Oilers captain Jason Smith said. “We started getting out of position by running around and looking to get big hits. We can be physical by staying in our system.”

The Oilers also have to tighten their special-teams play. They entered the final with the most efficient penalty-killing unit, having given up only 13 power-play goals in 17 games.

But the Hurricanes, who had a playoff-leading 22 power-play goals in 18 games entering the final, have struck for four power-play goals in two games, including three last night in 10 chances. Frantisek Kaberle, Doug Weight and Mark Recchi scored on the power play.

“We need to be more focused on our defensive game, getting back to playing in five-man units,” Oilers centre Michael Peca said. “There was no reason for us to take as many penalties as we did.”

Oilers coach Craig MacTavish chose to replace injured goaltender Dwayne Roloson, who suffered a sprained right knee late in the series opener on Monday, with Jussi Markkanen over Ty Conklin.

Markkanen could hardly be faulted for the one-sided game, but the players in front of him reverted to the tentative game they exhibited before the arrival of Roloson in a trade on March 7 with the Minnesota Wild.

In the regular season, the Oilers gave up an average of 25.5 shots a game, the fewest in the league. But with Roloson in the playoffs, they were afforded an opportunity to take more risks offensively and, as a result, had given up 34.6 shots a game.

The Hurricanes outshot Edmonton 26-25 last night, and Carolina made the most of their several scoring chances.

“They have won the special-teams games,” MacTavish said. “The 5-on-5 play has been pretty even, but they are more opportunistic at this point in the series.”

The Oilers are 1-for-13 on the power play in the two games.

The Hurricanes led 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes on a goal from rookie Andrew Ladd and 3-0 after Kaberle and Cory Stillman scored in the second period. Stillman's eighth goal of the playoffs came on a wonderful play in which he tipped the puck over the net and then skated around to the other side to score.

“I actually tried to flip it into the net, and it went around,” he said. “It was on my stick again. It wasn't a planned play. I was hoping the first shot would go in.”