Article content
The Edmonton Oilers ran hard into a world-class goaltender on Thursday night, as their own keeper stumbled down the stretch in a 7-4 loss.
The Oilers out played the Tampa Bay Lightning badly for long stretches of the game and probably deserved a larger lead than the 3-2 advantage they entered
the 3rd frame with.
Article content
Edmonton trailed 2-0 after 1 despite out shooting their opposition 15-7. The shots were 38-14 (23-7) after 2 with a 3-2 Oilers lead. And they ended 57-24 after 3. That is a team record by the way.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Andrei Vasilevskiy was named the game’s #1 Star. And rightly so.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Edmonton Oilers Player Grades
STUART SKINNER. 4. Little chance on the Stamkos one-timer for the1-0. But Skinner bled a pretty red rebound on the 2-0. Terrific sequence with the game still 2-1 Tampa, where Skinner blocked two Stamkos one-timers and a third against Kucherov on the same shift. That is some firepower! But his finest over forty was when he robbed Hagel in front. Had the angle on a Cirelli chance early in the 3rd and was standing tall. But then…it all came crumbling down. Yes, the 3-3 goal was incredible hand-eye by Stamkos. But did Skinner lose his post on the play? Maybe. An ill-advised poke-check opened up the 5-hole on the 4-3. Then, he just whiffed on the 5-3 that Stamkos shot from 50+ feet out. Allows 5 on 22. Again, to be fair…he was quite good over 2. But he took full responsibility for the loss after the game, which (even though there were other factors) you have to admire in the young man.
CONNOR McDAVID. 7. Found Hyman by the side of the net by his winger could not tip it past the netminder. A lovely 1st Period ally-oop through the neutral zone drew the oohs and ahhs. Went to the net off the faceoff and chopped home a bouncing puck for the 3-2. Stickhandled through a forest of Tampa sticks for a late 2nd Period chance. A great entry on the 5-4. Led the club in 5v5 CF (24-6, 80%). Has really hit his stride.
Headline News
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 8. 3-point night. A good chance off a turnover in front but the puck was rolling on him and he did not get away the shot he had hoped for. Dandy pass up to a breaking Nurse for the 2-1 shorty. Another feed to Bouchard at the point led to the 2-2 PP goal. Splendid deflection on the 5-4. He was excellent.
ZACH HYMAN. 7. Could not quite deflect home a shot-pass from McDavid in the 1st. No assist on the 2-2 but drove the net and helped create havoc in front allowing McDavid to fire it home. Managed to deflect a hard Bouchard slapper for the 3-2 on the PP. Rang a post late in the 2nd. Tremendous chance in the 3rd with his own net empty. 7 shots.
DARNELL NURSE. 8. Foegele very nearly tipped home his 1st Period point drive. Slipped coverage up the middle on the PK, received a neat pass from Nugent-Hopkins then elevated it over Vasilevskiy for the 2-1. Just a tremendous stick broke up a Tampa 2-on-1 late in the 2nd. 4 shots. Nurse is playing some of his best hockey through this latest stretch.
CODY CECI. 6. Cody Ceci was all over Kucherov without taking a penalty, but the slow-moving puck somehow found its way through Stuart Skinner’s legs for the 4-3. I find it difficult to be any harder on the defender than that. High Dangers were 7-4 with him on the ice 5v5.
Advertisement 4
Article content
LEON DRAISAITL. 5. Correctly whistled for a trip early in the 1st, a PP Tampa converted on for the 1-0. A hard drive around a defender for a chance mid-1st. Intercepted a puck deep in Tampa’s zone late in the first but could not cash. A hard back-check broke up a Tampa odd-man rush in the 2nd. Robbed on a 1-timer. Then, no assist on the 3-2 but just a terrific job of walking the puck along the blueline under pressure on the sequence. A hard shot came off the back boards and in front for a Foegele chance. A takeaway led to a Nurse shot and then Brown rebound late in the 3rd. 70% on draws. 7 shots but 0 points. -2.
WARREN FOEGELE. 6. A fine tip off a Nurse point shot in the 1st. Nasty late period turnover. Soft hooking call against him in the 2nd. Could not bang home a puck bounced in front by Draisaitl in the 2nd. Drew a penalty late to give his club a chance to tie it up. 6 shots.
MATTIAS JANMARK. 5. A chance on a partial break short-handed in the 2nd. Drew the trip ahead of the 2-2 PP goal. His hard back-check helped thwart a late 2nd Period off-man rush against. -2.
MATTIAS EKHOLM. 7. 4 hits. Not often you see a D-man with a 5v5 CF of 30-8, 79%. He will still occasionally have some trouble with speed wide, but by-and-large Ekholm looks to be back to his former self.
Advertisement 5
Article content
EVAN BOUCHARD. 7. Teed up a puck for a Hamblin 1-timer. Got a good point shot through but the Bolts goalie got a toe on it. His bullet from the blue line went off Hyman and in for the 3-2. He may have been able to fill the lane better on the 5-3 but his goalie has to have that one. I am not willing to out that on Bouchard. A beautiful shot-pass down low to Nugent-Hopkins for the 5-4. 4 shots. On a 13-game point streak, tied for the best in the NHL.
RYAN McLEOD. 4. Had little impact on the game with his new line mates. No glaring errors but 0 shots and -1. After a nice spike in his play, McLeod suddenly cooled down again.
EVANDER KANE. 4. Does not look like his usual self, physically. 3rd Period giveaway led to an excellent chance by Sergachev, but Skinner made the stop. His best moment was a gritty chance in front on the 6-on-4. 5 hits.
CONNOR BROWN. 4. Drove the net for an opportunity in the 1st. Also turned the puck over. Fired a shot off Vasilevskiy’s toe early in the 3rd. Lost the battle over-all 5v5. -2. Not his best effort.
BRETT KULAK. 5. Partially responsible for the one goal against. High Dangers 1-2 5v5 with him on the ice. Played 12:12.
Advertisement 6
Article content
VINCENT DESHARNAIS. 4. Could not corral the rebound on the 2-0. Good shot block a shift later. Beaten clean off the wall by Kucherov in the 2nd.
JAMES HAMBLIN. 6. A hard one-timer from distance forced a good toe save in the 1st. Drew the penalty on the 3-2. His line generated an excellent cycle shift midway through the 3rd. 3 shots.
DEREK RYAN. 6. Lost the draw on the 1-0 shift but perhaps more critically, his stick broke in the process. Good scoring chance off a Gagner pass in the 1st. Drew a Power Play in the 1st. Started the play on the 2-1 goal with a smart stick in the D-zone followed by a clear up to Nugent-Hopkins. Playing good hockey.
SAM GAGNER. 6. Set up Ryan for a 1st period chance. Neutral zone steal in the 2nd. A smart stick a shift later. 3 hits and a shot. Solid.
Edmonton’s winning streak ends at 8, and they miss a chance to move into a playoff spot in the West. They host Florida Saturday.
Now on Threads @kleavins. Also, find me on Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at KurtLeavins@mstdn.social
Recently, at The Cult…
McCURDY: By HOW much have the Oilers improved under Kris Knoblauch?
STAPLES: McDavid wins battle of the Connors in 4-1 win over Chicago
Article content
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipAFodHRwczovL2VkbW9udG9uam91cm5hbC5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvY3VsdC1vZi1ob2NrZXkvdGhlLWVkbW9udG9uLW9pbGVycy1nZXQtZ29hbGllZC1pbi1tb3JlLXdheXMtdGhhbi1vbmUtaW4tNy00LWxvc3MtdG8tdGFtcGEtY3VsdC1vZi1ob2NrZXktcGxheWVyLWdyYWRlc9IBAA?oc=5
2023-12-15 05:33:09Z
CBMipAFodHRwczovL2VkbW9udG9uam91cm5hbC5jb20vc3BvcnRzL2hvY2tleS9uaGwvY3VsdC1vZi1ob2NrZXkvdGhlLWVkbW9udG9uLW9pbGVycy1nZXQtZ29hbGllZC1pbi1tb3JlLXdheXMtdGhhbi1vbmUtaW4tNy00LWxvc3MtdG8tdGFtcGEtY3VsdC1vZi1ob2NrZXktcGxheWVyLWdyYWRlc9IBAA
Comments