Category Archives: Edmonton Oilers Post Game Report

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2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM8 Game Grades: Just Bear-ly

They did it! The Oilers won a close tight-knit game on the scoreboard AND in the possession metrics. I was impressed with how the Red Wings old boys were giving the Oilers all they had. But I have to know, how much are they paying the posts? This game could’ve been 6-1 instead of only 2-1 had those four shots off the iron gone in.

Jesse Puljujarvi Update

Pulju scored the game-winner in Karpat’s 1-0 win over KooKoo (gotta love that name!), his fifth game in a row with a goal and seventh game in a row with at least one point. NHL teams would be clamoring for his signature if he was a free agent, including Edmonton, yet some Oilers fans are happy to discount his hard work and production because he plays in an “inferior” league…

There was a report out of Finland that Karpat had signed another high-end player that put them over their budget and there was speculation that Puljujarvi was going to be traded soon, possibly to Carolina. I’d be surprised if anything happened soon.

If I read things correctly, Karpat actually has 20 forwards signed but one player is suspended and two others are on the IR. They also sent two more players to play on their junior club. Bringing their total number of forwards to 15, which is quite manageable. Meaning there’s no rush to move Pulju. At some point, Karpat might have to cross that bridge, but I’m not familiar with the rules over there. Maybe they can send a guy to Ference Island, have insurance claim a portion of his salary, and have a spot for Jesse the whole time.

But that said, December 1st is coming fast and if he is going to be traded (or brought back to Edmonton), it’s got to happen between now and that day.

Gagner Up, Haas Down

Looks like Samwise has been recalled and Gaetan Haas is heading to The Bake. Not sure I agree with the move but obviously the brass in Edmonton are looking to shake some things up. Haas isn’t providing any offense and Gagner has four points in four games for the Condors. My question is, wasn’t Gagner sent down because he couldn’t play in the top-six and he wasn’t a penalty killer? So what’s changed?

Notes

  • 37 shots on net for the Oilers! By golly, I was waiting for a game like this. I didn’t expect Jonathan Bernier to perform as well as he did. The Oilers had been averaging under 30 shots a game this season prior.
  • Only three of those shots came in the final thirteen minutes.
  • I still don’t like the new uniforms. They could’ve done so much better…
  • The Oilers’ first PP of the game was magical. I was shocked that Neal rang it off the post. Just the way this unit is moving the puck, it’s like going back in time and watching the great Russian teams of the 70s and 80s.
  • One big difference between this year and the past, the Oilers are whipping that puck around like it’s a live grenade.
  • Another big difference, there’s buy-in to Coach Tippett’s defensive system. The forwards are coming back to help out and I feel like that’s massive for this team. Why couldn’t one of the greatest defensive coaches of all-time get these boys to buy-in but Tippet can?…
  • It’s been a long time since I saw a three-man unit like McDavid, Draisaitl, and Kassian dominate like they are. I watched Lemieux, Jagr, and Francis destroy the NHL for a few years in the 90s… This is pretty close.
  • Who would’ve thought that Zack Kassian would be the NHL leader in +/- ever?
  • The CNN line is starting to really feel it. That line as a whole cause the Detroit defense some problems all night.

Game Grades

A – Multiple positive plays offensively and defensively leading to excellent scoring chances for and/or limiting scoring chances against.
B – Positively influenced the game with limited minor or major mistakes that didn’t lead to dangerous scoring chances against.
C – Low event night. Noticed on the roster sheet but not so much on the ice.
D – Limited positive influence while multiple errors lead to multiple goals and/or scoring chances.
F – Ate sh*t. Horrid effort.

Josh Archibald – C – Nearly potted a rebound off of Bernier’s pad. At 5×5, had a shot share of 83%. Talk about tilted ice. A good first period but tailed off after that. Not many shifts after the second period.

Tomas Jurco –  B – I liked Jurco’s game. Great job picking off that pass behind the net and walking in front for a scoring chance near the end of the first. He was very hard on the puck and was really working his bag off to make things happen. I wonder if there’s something cooking between him and Haas. They seemed to be able to find each other easily early on. Tough break on Green’s goal for the puck to deflect off of him. He ended the night with one shot on goal and 8:38 of ice-time. I think playing against his old team, he had a bee in his bonnet.

Gaetan Haas –  C –  He started the game with a bang! Flying into the corner on a forecheck and smoking a Red Wing in the process. The guy knows how to break out of the defensive zone the way that Tippett wants. It’s really nice to watch the center go behind the net and pick up the puck and move it to a winger who’s cutting through the middle with speed. I like Haas’ pace and tenacity but later on in the match, he got smoked in the corner. If he could beef up a bit, he might be a formidable forward in this league. He ended the night with four hits, 60% on the faceoffs and 7:22 in TOI.

Matt Benning – C – Had his work cut out for him when Athanasiou came flying in on him halfway through the first period. Did well to keep the Red Wings speedster to the outside. Playfair is playing the third pairing minimally and sheltered which might actually be maximizing their effectiveness. There were a couple of extended shifts in the third period where his pairing just couldn’t get the puck out.

Kris Russell – C – There was no way he was catching Athanasiou on that alley-oop pass late in the first, but I don’t know if his tap on the hip warranted a penalty. I found that Russell moved the puck well enough, but that’s not really his forte, right? Four blocks on the night is more like it. He did have a couple of really nice soft wristers from the point that found their way to the net mind you.

Patrick Russell – B – THAT close to getting his first career goal! I’m not even talking about the empty net chance. In the first he gathered a pass out of the Oilers’ zone and blazed into the Red Wings end and fired a rocket off the crossbar. He could’ve easily had two on the night but the hockey gods must have different plans for him.

Jujhar Khaira – B – Really great puck protection displayed in this one. Detroit didn’t really have anyone that could match his strength. His puck movement on the night was very tidy. Drew a penalty in the second because the Detroit defender had to resort to an illegal maneuver to try and take the puck off him, even then he still couldn’t and Khaira set up Sheahan for a shot in the slot.

Riley Sheahan – B – 70% on the dot… He’s exactly what the doctor ordered for this team. You’re not going to get a lot of offense from him but that’s not for a lack of effort. He won some important puck battles in the third to relieve some of the pressure Edmonton was under.

Brandon Manning – C – Pretty quiet evening for the Collarbone crusher. I keed! He played a solid game defensively and at one point cleverly shot the puck off the backboards in order for the rebound to come out front. He did find himself in a spot of bother in the third a couple of times trying to get the puck out.

Oscar Klefbom – C – I’ll be honest, I know he makes good plays out there as well as bad, but sometimes they just don’t stand out and you really have to nitpick to get anything. In this game, I didn’t really find him standing out for the positive or the negative, that said, he was dinged with five giveaways. The Cult of Hockey’s Bruce McCurdy said, and I’m paraphrasing, that a giveaway has to be pretty obvious for them to call it and watching the third, I saw at least three times that could be counted as giveaways but I probably wouldn’t have counted them. Basically, Oscar just lost a handle on the puck a few times or he was clearing it out of the Oilers zone.

Alex Chiasson – B –  This guy is all business out there. The way he hits and uses his stick like an ax, it’s like he doesn’t give to flying f*cks who he’s going after, if they have the puck, he’s going to do whatever it takes to get it. He had a lovely chance in the first minute of the game when Nuge set up him in the slot for a one-timer and another one around minute eleven where Nuge found him flying down the wing. No go on either though. Three shots, two hits (the one on Bertuzzi was particularly pleasing), a blocked shot, 17+ minutes of TOI, and an assist to his name!

James Neal – B –  He was very active early on in the game and drew a penalty on his second shift while driving the net through a myriad of sticks slashing him as he tried to get his shot off. His heavy forecheck is becoming a great asset for this team. Fought off a check from Luke Glendening in the Detroit slot to slid home his 9th of the year.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – B – Good Lord Almighty, Mike Green can pick up his RNH-signed jock the next time these two teams meet. That toe-drag Nuge put on the veteran defender in the second period was a thing of beauty. RNH had some nice looks on the PP but his line had some troubles in the third period when Detroit was pushing.

Ethan Bear – B – What a clever little move on the blue line to fake out the Detroit forechecker and get that wrister on net for goal #2. Did get caught on a poor pinch by one of the fastest players in the league, Dylan Larkin, who flew down the ice for a shot on net. On Green’s goal, the puck slipped under his stick behind the net or else the Oilers might’ve cleared the zone and said goal never would’ve materialized.

Darnell Nurse – B – It was his point shot that James Neal’s rebound goal derived from. He’s really coming into his own this year and although it’s still early days, I’m becoming more and more of a believer in this player. He was really engaged in the offensive zone in this one and as a result, he came away with five shots on net. Do you think it has anything to do with him playing for a contract?

Zack Kassian – B – His textbook screen on Jonathan Bernier was a major factor in Ethan Bear’s goal finding its way into the net. Pasted a couple of Red Wings in the third period on one shift halfway through.

Leon Draisaitl – B – Nearly took the Oilers lead to two after Neal’s goal when he walked into the Red Wings zone and fired one off the far post. He might have as many goals as The Real Steal had all those posts he’s hit this year gone in. Won two major puck battles in the seconds preceding Bear’s goal and also displayed some exquisite skill when he knocked a cross-ice pass out of the air late in the third when the Red Wings had their goalie pulled.

Connor McDavid – B – Boy did he have some wonderful drives in the second period but the puck just wasn’t sitting for him. No better example that on that empty net attempt that rang off the post. The Red Wings managed to keep him off of the scoresheet but he was vintage Connor otherwise. Should’ve drawn a penalty in the third off of Hronek when he crashed the net.

Mikko Koskinen – B – Another solid game! Shocking what happens when you have two competent netminders and you don’t ride one of them until he’s so tired he can’t find the energy to lift his arm. His breakaway stops on Detroit’s speedsters had me cheering so loud that my kids were giving me funny looks. Made some really great stops in the third period to preserve the Oilers’ lead.

The Oilers next game is against the Jets in Winnipeg on Sunday. She’ll be a tough one but not an impossible one. Here’s to hoping the boys can go 8-1-0!!!

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2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM7 Game Grades: WTF Was That?

Somebody has to explain to me how the Edmonton Oilers can drop a six-spot on the Philadelphia Flyers at home but lose in almost every other significant statistical category. Oh yeah… Bad goaltending and Connor McDavid. Are you kidding me?

52 shots to 22 is how the game ended. I get score effects had something to do with it, but that is ridiculous. The Oilers are THIS close to putting their foot through the rusted out floor of their car with how hard they’re pushing the gas pedal. The bottom’s bound to fall out here folks…

McDavid put up sub 40% possession numbers for the second game in a row. That’s a bit weird. A 26% night on the Corsis doesn’t usually end with five points added to your statline. I like what Brian Burke had to say, “The Flyers weren’t outplayed, they were out-Connor’d.”

Swedes Down!

Is anybody concerned with Joel Persson’s inability to stay healthy? We’re not even ten games into his NHL career and he’s gone out of the lineup twice. Once when his shoulder got banged up and now he’s got a concussion. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s his spot on the roster that gets sacrificed when Adam Larsson returns.

Joakim Nygard is also out with a rib injury according to Mark Spector and a back injury if you’re a Jim Matheson fan… That’s not great. His speed and tenacity on the forecheck was really useful I found. It’s really too bad that Daniel Carr had cleared waivers before Nygard was put on IR. Carr would’ve been a solid replacement.

William Lagesson has been recalled for Persson but that’s all at the moment. Some are speculating that Sam Gagner might get brought back up, but I wonder if quicker players like Ryan McLeod or Kailer Yamamoto are better options.

Game Notes

  • The first three shifts of the game were sublime! Sheahan’s line spent their shift grinding about with the puck deep in Philly’s zone, then Connor’s line hopped on the ice and immediately scored a goal, and this was followed by Nuge’s line who proceeded to get at least two grade A scoring chances on Hart.
  • What is Dave Tippett going to do to get his bottom-six to wake up and start producing? I mean, the team is 6-1-0, so you can’t complain, but at some point, the Oilers are going to have their big boys shut down…
  • Thank you, Mikko Koskinen!
  • It was only a matter of time before Jakub Voracek started scoring…
  • Gotta feel bad for the local boy, Carter Hart. Gets pulled in his return home. He’ll be all the better for it though. All the great ones just brush these off.
  • Ethan Bear continues to impress. It’s only seven games, but the arrows are trending up!
  • Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are scoring at a level not seen since the days of Mario and Wayne. Enjoy it, folks! If it lasts, it’ll be a glorious and unforgettable season.
  • Between Couturier, Van Riemsdyk, and Voracek, the Flyers outshot Edmonton 24 to 22… Not to mention Gostisbehere’s six… So four players basically outshot the entire Oilers team…
  • The Oilers are the best team in the NHL on the powerplay and started the night as the second-best team on the PK. Now they’re fifth in the league there.
  • Speaking of the penalty kill. Maybe you can confirm this for me, but have they abandoned the Czech Press that they’d been implementing the last few years? Or are they applying an edited version of it?
  • There were a couple of big scrums in this one and it pleased me to see that there were no bystanders. Leon Draisaitl hopping to the defense of RNH after Edmonton went up 5-1 is a good sign that these boys are all-in so far.
  • The Flyers had 19 of their 52 shots in the final 13.5 minutes of the game…

Game Grades

We’re going to change things up for our game grades going forward. I’ve received some reader feedback regarding the 1-5 but no 3s scale I was using before and it makes sense. So how I’m going to grade the players until further notice is by using letters!

A – Multiple positive plays offensively and defensively leading to excellent scoring chances for and/or limiting scoring chances against.
B – Positively influenced the game with limited minor or major mistakes that didn’t lead to dangerous scoring chances against.
C – Low event night. Noticed on the roster sheet but not so much on the ice.
D – Limited positive influence while multiple errors lead to multiple goals and/or scoring chances.
F – Ate sh*t. Horrid effort.

Josh Archibald – C – Still looking for his footing, but his quickness and speed was apparent vs. Philly. He laid a nice hit on former Oiler Tyler Pitlick in the first and later on in the period was allowed a chance on net that he fired into Hart’s blocker. If he was getting a goal or an assist every now and then, the pundits wouldn’t be talking about him like he’s underperforming, but I see his hustle and I think it’ll pay off sooner than later.

Tomas Jurco – C – Had one dangle, a hit, one shot in the second period and another in the third, but he was didn’t make much of an impact on the game. I do see the hard work though. He’s not quitting and that’s a good sign. Draisaitl’s second goal of the game came off of a penalty drawn by Jurco.

Markus Granlund – D – A tough one for the Finn. Took two careless penalties, one was punished on the scoreboard by the opposition. Got clipped by a Shane Gostisbehere follow-through that somehow the ref standing 15-feet away missed and then 10 seconds later allowed the same Philly dman to walk right into the slot behind him and tip a puck unmolested. No goal was score though.

Matt Benning – C – How about that giveaway in the first to Oscar Lindblom? Good Lord that was horrid. After that, he was fairly quiet. Which is good for a third-pair defender. Did well to thwart the red-hot Travis Konecny and keep him to the outside on a drive near the end of the middle frame and then later on in that shift he and Travis Sanheim nearly squared off after a net-front scrum. Sanheim wisely declined the offer as Benning was ready to throw down. Good hit on Giroux in the final period to send the Flyers captain to the ice.

Kris Russell – C – Rusty was back to being his old self with EIGHT blocked shots. Later in the first (4:30 remaining approx.), he left his side of the ice to check Sean Couturier on the boards for some reason and guess what happened? Claude Giroux snuck in behind everyone and Couturier found him for a shot on net. Russell has to win that battle or let Oscar take the Flyer himself. He actually lost two puck battles with Couturier on that shift that ended up in chances against. Was he clearing the puck or passing it to McDavid on Connor’s goal in the second frame?

Patrick Russell – C – Played smart simple hockey all night long. Not sure I agree with the hooking penalty he took on his first shift in the third period. He did make amends with a good scoring chance when he hopped out of the box on a 2v1 though. Knowing he’s not the most blessed playmaker in the world, he allowed Khaira to draw the defender and went for the shot that nearly handcuffed Elliott.

Jujhar Khaira – C – He had his ups and his downs in this one. Nothing really notable to report though. Standard Khaira if you will.

Riley Sheahan – C – What a world of difference it makes when you’ve got a proper third-line center on your team. Sheahan wasn’t a world-beater vs. the Flyers but he played HIS game. It’s simple and effective and his signing might end up being one of the better ones of the year.

Brandon Manning – C – How many goals does Drake Caggiula have this year? Two things happened in this game you probably won’t believe. 1) Connor McDavid assisted on his goal. 2) He lead the Oilers defense in even-strength Corsi For (53.85%).

Oscar Klefbom – B – Good work to get a stick on the puck to avert a wide-open Travis Konecny scoring chance near the end of the first. Added another assist on Leon’s first goal and has eight points on the year. He’s right up there in NHL scoring for defensemen. The guy’s had some good luck with tough plays this year though as he took a stick up in the face from a flailing Flyer whilst killing Granlund’s second penalty.

Alex Chiasson – B – Had a team-best even-strength Corsi For of 56,25%. It was his clever pass on the boards from the Oilers zone to a streaking RNH that started a play that would end up in Ethan Bear’s first goal of the year. He seems to be filling in for Jurco just fine.

James Neal – B – He got his first assist of the year on Bear’s goal. Caught a foot-numbing pass off the ankle (?) early in the second period that didn’t seem to phase him as later in that shift he wallpapered a Flyers defender and had a point-blank shot stopped by Hart. Right after McDavid’s highlight-reel goal, he caught a pass from Nuge as he blazed down the left-wing and rang one off the crossbar. A great defensive play as he stick-checked Couturier 5-minutes into the third period before he could let off a shot that would’ve definitely gone in as Koskinen was WAY out of position.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – B – I’m really loving this determined and reinvigorated version of RNH. How happy is he to have James Neal on his line eh? His goal in the second chased Carter Hart from the net. RNH’s on a heater of his own now. I believe he’s got a point in four straight games. He actually ended the night with two points and a team-high 56% on the faceoff dot.

Ethan Bear – B – His hockey IQ is through the roof right now. I loved how he snuck into the slot for his goal. He read that play perfectly. I didn’t mind the penalty he took on Couturier. He had to get a stick in there somehow and he prevented a possible goal against. He’s been a great influence on Nurse so far this year and I even had a good friend say to me that Bear reminds him of Charlie Huddy. Older fans of the team might remember Huddy as Paul Coffey’s partner for many years. Now if only we can get Darnell to turn into a 100pt defenseman…

Darnell Nurse – B – Oddly enough, I thought that Nurse’s game was really silent. A couple of blunders in the third period that cost the team but his puck-moving was solid, he kept himself in position well, and when he decided to jump into the play he wasn’t a liability defensively. Instantly jumped on Couturier when the Flyer went to the aid of his fallen teammate who’d been shoved from behind by Granlund. That’s what a player who wears a letter does and he didn’t even have to. He could’ve let Granlund fend for himself. Respect.

Zack Kassian – B – What I love about Kassian’s style is that it fits seamlessly in with McDavid and Draisaitl. For a tough guy, his hands are sublime. He’s also got a very underrated wrist shot. He did a fine job of working the puck along the boards and behind the net in this game. Another thing that is standing out with Kassian is that he’s drawing more penalties. The way he used his strength to hold up the play to allow his linemates to get into better positions is something he continues to display every time the Oilers play. Seeing him fly in on Travis Sanheim was pretty entertaining. I’m sure they had a good chuckle about that in the dressing room.

Leon Draisaitl – B – It’s happening. Leon is coming into his own and will soon be a premier two-way forward in the NHL if he isn’t already. So it kinda confuses you when he posts the worst possession metrics on the team in a 6-3 win, right? Scored on the first shot of the game but later in the period, I noticed a couple of very subtle things. 1) The ref clipping him and sending him to the ice. Kinda funny. Glad he wasn’t hurt on the play. 2) With about 5 minutes left, right before Bear’s goal, he got some body contact at the red line that stunned him. He immediately went off anyhow. I guess it didn’t bother him though as the rest of the game he was pretty good…

Connor McDavid – A – Seriously? Five points? Good Christ… He’s making a mockery of the NHL at this point. Maybe TSN and Sportsnet should run more pieces comparing Matthews and McDavid… But in all seriousness, he was driving hard to the net in this game. On more than one occasion he attempted to just go through the Flyers defense instead of around it. His goal in the second was the catalyst to the Oilers’ offensive surge in the 2nd period. It probably should’ve never happened though as only seconds before it, Sean Couturier was left all alone in the slot for a glorious chance on goal that Koskinen saved.

Mikko Koskinen – A – I watched the Flyers go after his glove hand all night and yet, Koskinen didn’t flinch. He stopped 49/52 shots and was the main reason the Oilers got away with such a shite game. I could list off some of his highlights on the night, but to be honest, there were far too many. I hope this game didn’t take a lot of gas out of his tank.

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2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM6 Game Grades: The Oilers Get Blown Out of the Windy City

There wasn’t very much to like about that hockey game from an Oilers fan’s point-of-view. It appeared that the boys were exhausted and the puck simply wasn’t bouncing their way. From bad reads to poor coverage to unlucky tips leading to goals, all-in-all, it was a bad night for the team.

Individually, Mike Smith stood out. He was actually keeping Edmonton in the game and was probably their best player, making that two games in a row where the Oilers’ goalie was their MVP. It was great to see Leon Draisaitl and RNH continue their scoring streaks and for James Neal to surpass his goal totals from last season. Thank you Brad Treliving!

The streak had to come to an end at some point and the team is still 5-1-0, right? The trick will be for the team to forget about Chicago and move on to Philly, a very tough team with some serious forward depth and a great young goaltender. Their defense is suspect though and could be taken advantage of if played correctly. However, a team led by Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and Sean Couturier isn’t going to lay down for anybody and if the Oilers’ young defense doesn’t lock things down from the get-go, it’s going to be a long night.

One of the players that I wanted the Oilers to sign this summer just hit the waiver wire. Daniel Carr hasn’t been able to crack the Predators lineup on a consistent basis and so he’s being sent to the AHL. Bob Stauffer talked about him on Tuesday’s Oilers Now and said he’s not going to help you on the PK but he could add a bit more offense to the bottom six. He’s can skate very well too. I’ve likened him to Brendan Gallagher-lite in the past. Maybe the Oilers could swing a Colby Cave-Daniel Carr trade now that Cave is in the minors.

In lieu of the loss and a tough game coming up, how about a Chicago-related joke?

A guy sitting at a bar in Chicago O’hare noticed a beautiful woman sitting next to him. He thought to himself, “Wow, she’s so gorgeous she must be a flight attendant.

But which airline does she work for?” Hoping to gain her attention, he leaned towards her and uttered the Delta Slogan, “Love to fly and it shows?”

She gave him a blank, confused stare and he immediately thought to himself, “Nope, not Delta.”

A moment later, another slogan popped into his head. He leaned towards her again, “Something special in the air?” She gave him the same confused look.

He mentally kicked himself, and scratched American Airlines off the list. Next he tried the Southwest slogan, “Low fares, nothing to hide?”

This time the woman savagely turned on him, “What the f*ck do you want?”

The man smiled, then slumped back in his chair, and said…. “Ahhh, United Airlines!”

Game Notes

  • Andrew Shaw was a wrecking ball for the Hawks. One of the best players on the ice for either team. He’s such a pain in the ass, but he can also play the game. When are the Oilers going to develop this sort of player?
  • I’d said in the game preview that this was going to be a big game for the Oilers offense if they started getting shots on the net OR it was going to be a great game for Chicago’s netminders…
  • What was up with getting away with the previously successful gameplan of shot passes and everyone touching the puck? Too many long passes and hail marys (especially in the third).
  • Alex Nylander skated well. If he can play in the NHL, there should be no questions whether Jesse Puljujarvi can or can’t.
  • Edmonton’s PK was 100% on the evening and their PP went 1/3. So those two things and the goaltending are humming along right now.
  • Remember how I said to watch Dylan Strome in the pre-gamer? He had six shots and an assist in this game.
  • Speaking of six, the Oilers only had that many shots in the 2nd period… This team has got to find a way to get more rubber on the net.
  • Chicago won the possession battle 54% to 46% and my eye agrees with that.

Game Grades

The way I do these grades is on a 1-5 scale but no 3s because I find it too easy to give a player a 3 if I can’t decide whether his game was above average or below it. If he just floated throughout the match and not contributing, that’s worth a 2 in my books. A 2 doesn’t necessarily mean the player played poor though, it could, but more often than not, it just means he wasn’t a factor. If he’s getting chances but they’re not going in or to the eye he’s very noticeable in a positive way, that’s a 4. If a player receives a 1, that means he really shat the bed. Conversely, if he gets a 5, he had a helluva game.

My advice is to concentrate less on the grade and more on what’s written afterward.

Mike Smith – 4 – Outstanding game for the 37-year-old. He was the reason the game was as close as it was. Tough break on the go-ahead goal, you’d like to see him commit to a decision there. After he saved the Toews breakaway, he gave Khaira a tap on the ass as to say, “Don’t worry about the giveaway, I’ve got you and good job on the backcheck.” Love that veteran leadership.

Alex Chiasson – 2 – Had a really good scoring chance around the 12-minute mark of the 1st that found Corey Crawford’s chest… Deserved his promotion to the first line in the 3rd period.

Connor McDavid – 2 – Connor is as Connor does. He had two point-blank chances in the first that he couldn’t convert and ended the game with no points. Late in the second, Tippett sent him out with Neal and Nuge to try and get something going and it nearly paid dividends when he drove the net and knocked both the puck and the Blackhawks goalie into the net. It was deemed an illegal goal and called off. In the 3rd period, just prior to Nylander’s goal, he was stick checked first on a rush into Chicago’s zone and so the puck never got deep, and then following that he had the puck in the neutral zone and he tried a cute little move that was stopped and subsequently the play turned back the other way and into the Oilers net. He was -2, 50% on the draws and he had nearly 27 minutes of TOI. I get that a couple of players weren’t getting any shifts in the 3rd period for whatever reason, but let’s manage McDavid’s ice-time a bit better so he’ll have some juice for the rest of the season.

Leon Draisaitl – 2 – Needed to score on that 1st-period breakaway. Assisted on the Neal goal, but looked exhausted by the end of the game. He won a great board battle in the 3rd period against two Blackhawks that preceded McDavid finding Kassian in front of the net for a great scoring chance. 59% faceoff win percentage! 26:59 TOI is way too much. Tippett is going to burn this guy out if he keeps giving him this kind of ice-time.

Zack Kassian – 2 – He was his prickly self causing havoc in front of the Chicago net, but I didn’t find him overly physical elsewhere. He had a really good shift to start the third period and his second shift in that period saw Leon find him with a signature cross-ice pass as he was streaking down the right-wing which concluded with a hard wrister that found the blocker of Corey Crawford. Good work to outmuscle two Chicago defenders in front of the net for a shot in the blue paint.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – 4 – Lovely pass on the Neal goal to feather it over to #18. A couple of great saves when the Oilers net was empty. His effort was unquestionable. 38% on the faceoffs though…

James Neal – 4 – Absolutely creamed Olli Maata with a reverse hit in the 1st period and his goal was something. To be able to go roof daddy that tight to the net is something special. He skated very well and was physical when he needed to be. Ended the night with two shots, a hit, a goal, and 16:32 in TOI. He’s playing with a lot of confidence right now.

Tomas Jurco – 2 –  Had an up-and-down 2nd period as he almost tipped a Nurse point shot into the net with around five minutes to go and took a hard hit coming through the middle of the ice on the shift prior. Had, I believe, two shifts in the third period. I could be wrong there. He wasn’t really a factor though and the clock is starting to tick on his time with RNH and Neal. The bottom six is lacking some scoring punch, you gotta wonder if Jurco and Nygard get swapped, would that spark some much-needed offense down the lineup?

Riley Sheahan – 4 – What a calming presence Sheahan has brought to the Oilers bottom six. I don’t know if I’ve said this before, but he really looks like what Kyle Brodziak was supposed to be. No disrespect to KB. Had one chance to fire one past Crawford earlier in the game but the Chicago netminder was on his game. 53% on the dot!

Josh Archibald – 4 – I know some didn’t like his game, but I thought he really shook the rust off and was a solid offensive contributor for his line. The way he drew the Chicago defender over to him with his speed and lateral movement so he could hit Sheahan up the middle for his scoring chance was very clever. Oh, how that missed shorthanded chance in the 2nd period would’ve changed things had it gone in, eh?

Jujhar Khaira – 4 – JJ is such a tank out there. Between him and Sheahan, they can really eat up the minutes by grinding and holding the puck on the boards due to their strength and size. That said, he doesn’t move that quick and evidence of that was when a pass of his was blocked in the 1st period and turned into a partial Jonathan Toews breakaway. Tried to get Shaw to go after the Persson hit, but wisely, Shaw declined. That would’ve been a bloodbath. Was a bit slow to react on Kane’s goal and that shot might’ve hit his stick and took a very untimely penalty right after Chicago went up by two goals.

Markus Granlund – 2 – He sacrificed his body to make a clever pass off the wall to hit a wide-open Alex Chiasson for a shot on net in the 1st period. Not overly apparent out there. Still wasn’t as poor as he was before getting moved to center mind you. 75% on the faceoffs.

Joakim Nygard – 2 – Didn’t play in the 3rd. I believe Bob Stauffer said he might’ve been dinged up after taking a hit behind the Blackhawks net.

Darnell Nurse – 4 – I really liked his game. He’s slowly convincing me that he might be worth that $6M per year or more that he’ll be asking for. The way he was carrying the puck into Chicago’s zone and the decisions with it were impressive. It wasn’t just that though, defensively he was a beast too. More than once he was forced to chase down a Chicago player who was on a breakaway or a partial to stop them. Owned the shot share 16-11 for the most part and that’s always a plus. On the other hand, DeBrincat caught him napping and nearly broke away from him for a glorious scoring chance in the first frame. After De Haan clipped McDavid in the 3rd, Nurse, without hesitation, jumped right in there to let the Hawks dman know his actions weren’t appreciated.

Ethan Bear – 2 – Got caught napping early in the 2nd period when former Oiler Drake Caggiula snuck behind him and was hit for a breakaway. Luckily Mike Smith stopped that one too. Took a questionable penalty with nine minutes to go in the second.

Oscar Klefbom – 2 – Not sure I want to see him driving the net as he did in this one. I like Oscar’s health right where it is right now. Horrid possession numbers on the evening. It just wasn’t Klef’s night. The Hawks were all over him and Persson from the get-go.

Joel Persson – 2 – Man, did Persson ever have a rough game. Got turnstiled by Saad late in the second and he took two massive hits that I think shook him up. The Chicago forecheck had him rattled all night.

Kris Russell – 2 – Barely visible on the night but in the 3rd period he did break up a pass out of the corner from DeBrincat to Toews that was probably labeled as a goal had it gone through. Good on him to get in Andrew Shaw’s face after that hit on Persson.

Matt Benning – 2 – He played, but you’d never know had you watched the game. He was pleasantly invisible. One play I did notice was in the last period, he was battling behind the net with Patrick Kane and lost. Kane then took it and found his linemate all alone in front but thanks to Smith, there was no goal scored on that play.

Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and NHL.com

What did you think about the game? Let us know in the comments below!

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2019/20 Edmonton Oilers GM5 Game Grades: History Made in New York

15 seconds into this game Connor McDavid coughed up the puck at the Rangers blue line (a big no-no at any level) and sent a red-hot Mika Zibanejad on a partial breakaway. Lucky for Edmonton, Mike Smith was up to the task and he stopped the Swede from getting his 9th point on the year. But I’ll say honestly, that wasn’t a good sign for me. However, they did it folks! The Edmonton Oilers, for the first time in franchise history, defeated all three New York-based NHL teams on a single road trip, but that’s not all! They won the possession battle as well! More on that in a second.

I just want to comment on something I’ve read since the game ended from another other Oilers blog that I found interesting,

Kurt Leavins from the Cult of Hockey wrote this in his latest 9 Thoughts post,

There continues to be some talk that the Oilers may be interested in Julien Gauthier in Carolina. The right-shot winger was the Hurricanes 1st over-all pick in 2016. That’s the same draft as you-know-who. Gauthier scored 27 for AHL Charlotte last season and 2 more in 2 games this year before his call-up. If indeed Edmonton scouts watched Saturday’s ‘Canes game against Columbus they would have seen Gauthier play 4th line minutes (8:25 TOI, and all but a few seconds of it 5×5) and register 0 points, 0 shots and 2 hits. One thing that perhaps may make the player attractive in such a deal though is the fact that Gauthier is waivers exempt. He could go to the AHL without fear of losing him for nothing.

I still don’t think that a Puljujarvi for Gauthier trade is a good trade. Puljujarvi is leading his team in scoring and the entire SM-Liiga in shots. His NHLe is good for 37 points at the NHL right now and I get that if the Oilers did make the swap, there’s some value in the fact that Gauthier could be sent down but at the sacrifice of who when he gets there? Yamamoto is on the first line, Currie is on the 2nd line, Gagner is the 3rd line winger, and Peluso is on the 4th line. But let’s say he stays in Edmonton, that creates another issue, who is he displacing on their roster? Kassian, Neal, Archibald, Chiasson, or Russell?

It’s simply a trade that unless the Oilers are trading someone from their AHL or NHL roster, it doesn’t make sense to me. But if they dealt Josh Currie or Sam Gagner, then absolutely. Puljujarvi for Gauthier just causes roster problems. The other thing is, they have a player in Kailer Yamamoto who has started the year in even better form who is also waiver eligible. The NHL is getting faster and quicker every year and from my viewings, Julien Gauthier’s first few steps need work. Yamamoto, not so much.

Notes

  • According to Bruce McCurdy on the Cult of Hockey’s post-game podcast, the Oilers went 5-0-3 in afternoon games last season. Perhaps the curse is lifting…
  • Oscar Klefbom is third in scoring for defensemen with seven points (1g-6a-7pts) and I hope for the sake of every Oilers fan’s sanity, he stays healthy. He’s an absolute rock for this team and it’s a bloody shame he wasn’t officially given an “A” to put on his jersey. No other defender on this team is as impactful as he is at both ends of the ice.
  • Special teams are humming along. Both the PP (41.2%) and the PK (94.1%) are 2nd in the league.
  • The Oilers are the first team in NHL history to start a season 5-0-0 by overcoming a deficit in each game. (h/t to Dan Rosen)
  • With the way that Ethan Bear, Joel Persson, and Matt Benning are playing, what happens when Adam Larsson returns?
  • Colby Cave has been waived and assigned to Bakersfield. We’ve already spoken about the traffic jam going on with the wingers down there, the one at center is no different. I have a feeling some sort of roster move is going to take place. Maybe nothing substantial like a trade but more someone getting moved to Wichita or loaned to another AHL club.

Game Grades

Mike Smith – 4 – His posts were playing as well as he was! Humor aside, he came up mighty large early in the game stopping that Zibanejad breakaway as well as a Panarin one-timer on the PP and a point-blank scoring chance by Lias Andersson. New York didn’t test him very much but when they did, Smith was up to the task. He toned down his stretch passes as well and stuck to the short passes for the most part. Saved 20/21 and threw up a .962 SV%.

Josh Archibald – 2 – The play where he shot the puck way wide and subsequently in the back of the net thanks to Kaapo Kakko, I don’t think Archibald was being careless. Either he was trying for a hook pass or the puck rolled on him and just got stuck on the end of his blade when he was releasing the shot/pass. Maybe a bit too much mustard on it is what I might critique. Right after that, he fired one off the iron. So an excellent bounce-back shift. Wallpapered Brett Howden later in the second period. The 5×5 fancies LOVED him though. 83% CF% and a CF% rel of 17.88… What?!

Joel Persson – 2 – Dominated the possession metrics with Klefbom. 78% CF% and 18.95 CF% rel at 5×5. I loved his little dangle and shot in the Rangers’ zone with about six minutes gone. He shows a bit of flair now and then but he’s smart about it and doesn’t get caught.

Joakim Nygard – 2 – Great pass on the first 2v1 with Chiasson and then did a fine job of drawing the defender on the second 2v1. I feel like he’s getting buried a bit in the lineup but perhaps his lack of offense is a factor there. That said, the team is winning so why muck around with it?

Oscar Klefbom – 4 – Scored a goal from the point not with a huge clapper but a subtle wrister. Then assisted on McDavid’s goal. He was the best defenseman on the ice for both teams hands down. His positioning was great and his passes were the tape. He didn’t waste any time or energy being careless (apart from the Kakko goal). He’s on his game right now and the Oilers are the beneficiary.

Riley Sheahan – 2 – Solid performance. Gifted with a short-handed chance off of the Kassian penalty that was stopped and then nearly another on the same PK but Lundqvist beat him to the puck. 70% on the dot.

Zack Kassian – 2 – Woof! He made some shocking plays in this one. Who gives up a breakaway like that? I know Leon is on fire right now, but Zack has to be a bit more selfish there. He must be getting tired because his mistakes looked like mental ones. Took a questionable penalty that negated a goal early in the second frame. I’m wondering if the staff at MSG have scraped Brendan Smith off of the boards after Kassian creamed him.

Connor McDavid – 4 – Gastly night on faceoffs (37.5%) and misplayed the puck on more than one occasion. Took a lazy penalty in the final frame too but not 30 seconds after leaving the box, drew a penalty. On that PP, 97 banked the puck in off of Jacob Trouba’s leg and that was all she wrote. Two more points for the GOAT.

Leon Draisaitl -5 – Wretched first period, but he wasn’t alone. Got his shit together in the first intermission and then made up for the gaffe by getting in on the Oilers’ final three tallies and also by making Jacob Trouba look very foolish on his empty-netter.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – 4 – Won a very important faceoff that lead to Oscar Klefbom’s goal. Was really buzzing in the second and third periods as he had multiple scoring chances with Neal and Jurco doing the heavy lifting. It’s getting obvious that if it’s possible, they want Neal in front of the net when Nuge has the puck. They’re going for the screen and/or tip or at least they did against the Rangers a lot.

Ethan Bear – 4 – Another day and another Ethan Bear pass up the middle of the ice start a breakout that would end up with the Oilers scoring a goal. Had puck ride up his stick and catch him in the hand at the end of that horrid first period. Luckily, no damage down though. I hope he can keep this great play going, but I can’t help but remember Caleb Jones going on a similar run last season before fizzling out a bit.

Jujhar Khaira – 2 – Was really good on the PK. I feel like JJ and Nuge are forming quite the partnership on the PK. They’ve been very efficient with a man down so far.

James Neal – 2 – No goals for The Real Deal, but he pinged one off of Henrik Lundqvist’s cranium that had him grinning. Bit of an up and down game for him, he tried to hit Kaapo Kakko in the 2nd but missed and got a taste of the old Sherwood sandwich instead. Was THIS close to getting goal #8 off of an RNH tip that might’ve gone in the net had Neal not touched it.

Tomas Jurco – 2 – Tough night for Oilers taking pucks off of sensitive places. Jurco got one in the face half-way through the second. His size and skill are very apparent and really important to his line. Defensively he’s meh, but with the puck going the other way, I like how he’s utilizing his strengths. To be honest and I love Puljujarvi, but it’s how he should’ve been playing when he was in Edmonton.

Darnell Nurse – 4 – I really enjoyed this game from Darnell. He simplified his game a bit. His passes were much more precise and on point. He wasn’t trying to do more than he could or should. He was awarded an assist on Leon’s empty-net goal.

Alex Chiasson – 4 – I liked his game. He had a hilarious little battle with Marc Staal late in the second period where Staal sent Chiasson’s stick flying in the air, the Oiler then grabbed Staal’s stick out of his hand, took a step and then dropped it when he could grab his own. Fair play I say and good on the refs. Nearly scored on a 2v1 with Joakim Nygard. He brings a very different element to the roster when he’s in. He’s physical and aggressive but also kind of clever around the net. Had the third best SF% rel 5×5 (12.17), meaning when he was on the ice, the shots on goal share was very much in Edmonton’s favor. I wonder if he might get a look beside Sheahan and Khaira?

Matthew Benning – 4 – VERY solid game. Took on some of the Rangers’ biggies and held his own. He’s had a quiet but effective start to the year. I suppose that has a bit to do with progressing as an individual but also because he’s being deployed correctly. Took a nasty shot off the back of the hand in the first but it didn’t slow him down, however, he nailed the post in the third period.

Markus Granlund – 4 – Well well well… Look who decided to show up. Actually, Granlund played a really good game to the eye. The move to center seemed to reinvigorate him somewhat. He looked way more engaged in the play compared to his previous four games.

Kris Russell – 2 – Nothing spectacular on the night. A Good recovery after a poorly executed pinch at his own blue line as his pass block around 5 minutes into the 2nd period prevented the puck from being moved right into the middle or Royal Road to a wide-open Ranger. His CF% rel was fugly though at -19.49…

What did you think about the game? Let us know in the comments below!

Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick

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Edmonton Oilers GM4 Game Grades: Oilers Win in Devilish Manner

The Edmonton Oilers were THAT close to losing to the New Jersey Devils. If not for the heroics of their captain and the world’s greatest hockey player, Connor and the boys might be heading into this afternoon’s tilt with the Rangers on the tail end of a loss.

I still feel like the Oilers are getting a lot of good bounces and that their game still possesses quite a bit of chaos. They haven’t won a single possession battle to date and it’s not like their opponents have been Corsi Kings, especially the Devils who were playing on the latter end of a back-to-back. That game shouldn’t have been as hard as it was for the Oilers, yet they found a way to make that win as difficult as possible.

I just feel like saying they’re lucky doesn’t capture the essence of it all. Taylor Hall should’ve ended that game on at least two occasions and to add to that, I noticed that the only guy shooting for Mikko Koskinen’s glove hand was Kyle Palmieri… He scored on one of those shots. They kept trying to beat him low, where the giant Finn is very good. So I suppose that loss is on them as much is it is on the Oilers scoring timely goals, which shouldn’t be overlooked either.

The boys over at the Cult of Hockey made a really good point in their latest post,

What’s the main thing Edmonton has to improve upon?

When it comes to Grade A scoring chances, Edmonton’s been on the wrong side of the ledger three out of four games: Edmonton, 7, Vancouver, 14; Edmonton, 12, Los Angeles, 14; Edmonton, 14, New York Islanders, 3; Edmonton, 9, New Jersey, 16.

Overall, the Oilers are giving up far too many Grade A chances per game, and they were lucky to come out with wins against Vancouver and New Jersey. If they had two wins and two losses right now that would be fair value for their success in the offensive and defensive slots.

The good news is they’ve gotten great value so far. But time to crank it up in the defensive zone, as the Oilers did in their stellar game against the Islanders.

Look, it’s great that the Oilers are winning winnable games. They should be. And we should celebrate every win with as much passion as possible. All I’m saying is, IF the ship gets turned back around the other way, the warning signs were there.

On the other hand, there are a lot of good signs. Namely the special teams and to a lesser extent, the goaltending. Two improvements that were of the utmost importance to this team’s turnaround. Let’s see if the boys can keep the pedal to the metal on this bus!

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Jesse Puljujarvi Update:

Pulju scored a goal and an assist in Karpat’s victory over Jurkurit two nights ago to take his totals to four goals and ten points in ten games. That’s an NHLe of 37 points.

He’s also dominating the league when it comes to the fancies as written here by my friend Mari:

By eye and according to Aki-Petteri Pulkkinen here Jesse is at the moment Liiga’s biggest star. Before today’s game his corsi% was 58,1 and PDO 105,4. Here some other stats, because You are not able to see him play. 

Check out the article that my friend Mari is referring to right here.

Game Notes

  • Coming out of this game, Zack Kassian’s ankle is banged up, Leon Draisaitl’s wrist took a healthy whack, and Oscar Klefbom’s jaw is recovering from a high hit from Blake Coleman.
  • Was anybody else wondering about a possible goal interference call on the Devils’ third goal? Palmieri was all tied up in Koskinen’s legs preventing him from moving over to make a save.
  • Jack Hughes did alright. He had a couple of highlights where he showcased the skills that made him the first overall pick, but there are already questions as to if he can stick at this level. Those have carried on since before he was drafted. Premature in my opinion. He’s not killing the Devils while he’s on the ice and they’ve got him centering the third line there. The light switch will turn on sooner or later.
  • Leon Draisaitl has been fantastic on the PK this year. I thought he was supposed to get less TOI there though. Maybe the fact that Gaetan Haas doesn’t seem to have the coach’ trust quite yet is the reason Leon is playing so much there?
  • The Oilers are forechecking a helluva lot better these days. Instead of just swooping in on the opponent or patiently waiting for them to make a move, Edmonton’s forwards are pressing and in waves. A little bit swarm-like perhaps?
  • The third line of Khaira/Sheahan/Russell wasn’t as effective in keeping the puck in NJ’s zone for extended periods of time.
  • Does anybody else want to see Joakim Nygard on the ice during OT?
  • I’m very curious how they are going to alter this lineup with Chiasson and Archibald rumored to be ready to go. Cave hasn’t been playing much, is his place on this team hanging by a thread?

Game Grades

Markus Granlund – 2 – Stoned on a breakaway but was solid on the PK and tried to stuff a wrap-around in the net early in the second period. Other than that, uneventful, which has been par for the course so far.

Riley Sheahan – 2 – Made a gorgeous drop pass between the legs to Kharia in the second that was right in front of the Devils net. No dice, but a great effort sprinkled with some pizazz. Only 36% on the faceoffs though and a 35% CF%. Gotta do better there.

Connor McDavid – 4 – When’s the last time McDavid was one of the poorer possession players in an Oilers game? He’s starting to get his feet back though. A few more attempts to go through the middle and dangle were noticed by me and I feel like he’s starting to shoot a bit more. That first shift in OT was mucky…

Gaetan Haas – 2 – I like the guy but he’s not getting any love from the coaches. He’s quick and tenacious but maybe the strength isn’t there? He works really hard when he’s on the ice and I think he’s a smart player. But he was also on the ice for a goal against vs. NJ (Gusev). He might be the last player in all of hockey to lay down to block shots, I can respect that. Takes himself out of the play doing it but it tells me he’s committed.

Leon Draisaitl – 4 – About five minutes into the second period he had a hellish shift where he turned the puck over at the Devils blue line to a blazing Miles Wood who proceeded to skate in on Koskinen unmolested for a glorious chance. Lucky for Edmonton it was stopped. Then the puck came back to Leon, only he was dog-tired and a stretch pass turned into an icing call. Had a team-high five shots. The goals though and his work on the special teams! Wow! He’s turning into one of the NHL’s elite two-way players. How long until his name is being spoken in the same sentences as Anze Kopitar and Sasha Barkov?

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – 4 – RNH was a two-way beast in this game. Quite the thorn he was in the sides of the Devils all night long and rightfully rewarded with two points. His backtrack with around four minutes gone in the game to intercept a cross-ice pass to Kyle Palmieri was vintage Nuge. 54% on the dot doesn’t hurt either!

Joakim Nygard – 2 – A really quiet game for the Swede. I wonder how long until he moves up the lineup and replaces a guy like Jurco. Only 8:34 in TOI and no shots.

James Neal – 4 – A gorgeous tip off of Nuge’s shot to give him the league-lead in goals. He was skating very well vs. NJ and I seen him playing the body often, though the stat sheet only said he had one hit… The Oilers powerplay is blazing right now and I think a good portion of the praise should go to James Neal. Part of that is the goal-scoring, no doubt, but the other is he’s a constant threat. Teams have no idea where to go when they see Edmonton’s first unit. Do they cover McDavid or Nuge on the walls? How tight do they get to Draisaitl in the slot? Should there be a man within reach of Klefbom? Then James Neal is at the side of the net or in front of it… There are only so many PKers on the ice at a time, right?

Jujhar Khaira – 2 – Absolutely steamrolled Hischier in the first period. Nearly deflected an Ethan Bear point shot into the net early in the second frame. Not as good as the previous match vs. the Islanders, but not as poor as his first two games of the year. He might be close to finding his sweet spot with Sheahan and Russell.

Patrick Russell – 2 – Drew a penalty on Pavel Zacha in the 2nd. I’m getting a tad bored typing the same ol’ thing regarding Russell’s play but what can I say? He’s consistent and he rarely makes a bad play.

Tomas Jurco – 2 – Tough penalty to take right after NJ scored their second. Shades of Benoit Pouliot in his game at times. I wonder if he’ll be sitting soon to make room for Josh Archibald or Alex Chiasson in the lineup?

Zack Kassian – 4 – Couldn’t quite make it four games in a row with a goal, but he assisted on the Oilers’ first goal and nearly got on the board again early in the second but got tripped up by the Devils defenders. Only one shot and two hits to go with a nicked up foot/ankle.

Kris Russell – 2 – Eaten alive by the Devils forwards. Had real issues moving the puck out of the defensive zone effectively.

Matthew Benning – 2 – See above. Got away with slashing the stick out of Jack Hughes’ hands in the second period.

Darnell Nurse – 4 – Another terrible possession game for Darnell (35% CF%) and he took an early penalty by tripping Palmieri, but on the whole, he had a decent night. When he was on the ice, the shot share was in the Oilers’ favor so that’s a plus, but how long until he really gets exposed and the offense isn’t there to bail him out? Good assist on that beautiful Draisaitl goal and a really good stick check on Coleman half-way through the first.

Ethan Bear – 4 -On the Oilers first goal, it was Bear who outworked a bigger and stronger Miles Wood behind the net and then instead of chipping the puck out off the glass or rimming it around the boards, he turned, took three steps and deftly place the puck between an oncoming Blake Coleman’s legs to hit a streaking Connor McDavid to exit the defensive zone. The result, a lovely game-tying goal from Leon. All because of Bear’s hard work to get 97 the puck. Had a sub-40% CF% (only four players had a CF% higher than 48%) but he also played the 3rd most amount of minutes on the team. I hope that the coaching staff doesn’t burn him out…

Joel Persson – 2 – A tale of two defenders. Case in point, with 7:44 remaining in the 2nd period, Persson smoothly enters the Devils’ zone under control and proceeds to skate the puck into the left corner and from there he attempts a very low % shot on net. As the puck is whipped around the zone, two more chances on net take place from teammates, but eventually, it comes back to Persson who doesn’t have a play on the net, so he tries to chip it down the wall unsuccessfully which results in a NJ clearance. Some good, some bad on that shift. He did manage two more shots on the net though and he was one of the Oilers better possession players on the night.

Oscar Klefbom – 4 – Palmieri blocked his point shot and then soared down the ice to put NJ on the board. Tough break. His work in OT was… Yikes… I wonder if he’s getting a bit fatigued or if that headshot he took earlier in the game might’ve knocked something out of him? His point shot was on full display though and I’d say was a factor in the game-tying goal.

Mikko Koskinen – 5 – Made two highlight-reel saves early on in the first period when the Devils had the man-advantage. He was really on his game and that was on full display during the OT and shootout. A great confidence builder for him. That said, he’d better get some chapstick if he’s going to be kissing his posts this often. Should the Oilers get this level of effort out of Koskinen on a consistent basis, we’re looking at a playoff team.

What do you think? Who stood out for you in a positive or negative light? Let us know in the comments below!

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