Edmonton Oilers fire head coach Dave Tippett after back-to-back losses

Feb. 10 (UPI) -- The Edmonton Oilers fired head coach Dave Tippett on Thursday after consecutive losses to the Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks.

The Oilers replaced Tippett with Jay Woodcroft, who had been coaching the franchise's American Hockey League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.

Oilers general manager Ken Holland said he recognized that a coaching change was needed after Edmonton's 4-1 home loss to the Blackhawks on Wednesday. The team also parted ways with assistant coach Jim Playfair.

"We played a great second period, and I hoped we could rally in the third, but we didn't," Holland said of the Oilers' loss to Chicago. "As the third period wound down, then, after I went home and I was by myself, I thought.

"And then I talked to a couple of people [Wednesday] night, and then I got up in the morning and I talked to [Oilers owner Daryl] Katz and said that I felt I needed to make a change."

Tippett had been behind the Oilers' bench since May 2019 after spending about two years out of coaching. He is the seventh NHL head coach to be fired this season, and the second in the past 24 hours after the Montreal Canadiens moved on from Dominique Ducharme on Wednesday.

The 60-year-old Tippett leaves the Oilers with a 95-62-14 record and two first-round postseason exits.

Edmonton currently sits fifth in the Pacific Division with a 23-18-3 record this season.