You didn’t expect the Edmonton Oilers to win every game while Connor McDavid was out injured, did you?
The Oilers weren’t rotten in this one and could easily have taken an early lead, getting two Grade A shots for every one that New Jersey got in the first two periods. But the Oilers could not buy a goal and missed the net on a few dangerous looks. It simply was not there night, perhaps not a surprise given they had a home game one night after a lengthy road trip ended.
In total, the Grade A shots were 12 for Edmonton, eight for New Jersey.
Leon Draisaitl, 4. Quiet in the first two periods, but drove hard to the net and drew a penalty early in the third. But a turnover a few shifts later led to a 3-on-1 NJ jailbreak and a 5-alarm shot. Contributions/mistakes on Grade A shots (GAS): Even Strength +2/-1; Special Teams 0/0
Viktor Arvidsson, 4. He set up Bouchard for a break-in chance in the second. Otherwise not much. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Vasili Podkolzin, 6. The effort was there. He could not force through a hard stick check a centering pass from Draisaitl onto the net, Edmonton’s third missed shot in a dangerous moment.He pounded a shot in tight on net, but couldn’t score. Who could? Jake Allen was great. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST 0/0
Zach Hyman, 5. Part of Edmonton’s early push, almost slamming home a rebound shot. A few shifts later he broke in on a breakaway but missed the net. He bulled his way around and in front of the net to launch a shot late in the first, but RNH could not put in the rebound. He almost redirected a fantastic RNH pass into the goal, but a NJ defender broke up the play. His turnover and lost battle started and ended the Sequence of Pain on NJ’s third goal. GAS: ES +3/-1; ST 0/0
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 4. He lost his man in the first period leading to a few Grade A shots in tight. Excellent rush-and-pass to set up Hyman in the second, but no goal. He and Ryan failed to read the play and take the shooter on NJ’s second goal, a backbreaker late in the second. GAS: ES +2/-4; ST 0/1
Jeff Skinner, 4. He was late to the danger man, the slot shooter Stefan Noesen coming in late off the bench, on NJ’s first goal. Covering the slot and point appears to be an ongoing adventure for Skinner just now. GAS: ES +2/-3; ST 0/0
Adam Henrique, 7. His line got it done everywhere but on the scoreboard. His deft hands in front of the net led to him getting the first 5-alarm shot, a quick snap off Jake Allen, then off the crossbar. He followed up with two quick jam shots, then ten minutes later, another 5-alarmer in front of the net off another Janmark feed. GAS: ES +5/-1; ST 0/0
Connor Brown, 7. He did everything but set up a goal or score. Six major contributions to Grade A shots to lead the team. Set up Henrique’s three early first period Grade A shots. He ripped a Grade A shot of his own at the side of the net in the second. Excellent break-in and pass to Ryan for a one-timer in the second, but notgoal. GAS: ES +6/-0; ST 0/0
Mattias Janmark, 7. Good game on Oil’s best line. Slick backhand passes to set up Henrique twice in the first. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST 0/0
Noah Philp, 4. Super quiet. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0
Corey Perry, 3. Did not get it done in this one. Oilers missed Drake Caggiula’s energy. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Derek Ryan, 4. He was the last man in the link of a brilliant 5-man jailbreak in the second but did not get enough on his one-timer. He and Ryan got their signals crossed on NJ’s late second period power play goal. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/1
Evan Bouchard, 6. His turnover led to a 5-alarm slot shot in the first, but he also blocked the incoming shot. He ripped a hard shot on a break-in but could not beat Jake Allen. After an NJ defender broke his stick, Bouchard took advantage to move into the slot and let rip a shot, but it missed the net, Edmonton’s fourth such miss. GAS: ES +2/-1; ST 0/0
Mattias Ekholm, 6. He blasted wide a shot in a dangerous moment for NJ in the first. Part of some dangerous passing sequences throughout the game. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST 0/1
Darnell Nurse, 5. Relatively quiet game. He was caught wandering up into the play and out of position on a dangerous Timo Meier shot in the first. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Troy Stecher, 4. High event. Some good, some bad. He batted a pass out of the air then took a hard shot in the first, with Hyman almost stabbing in the rebound. But he allowed the pass out to the slot on the first NJ goal. GAS: ES +2/-3; ST 0/0
Ty Emberson, 5. A solid enough game. His stretch pass led to Edmonton’s first Grade A shot of the third, a Skinner slotter. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Brett Kulak, 5. Not bad, but somewhat at fault on the third goal, with Hyman the main culprit. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Calvin Pickard, 4. He let in three goals on just eight Grade A shots. He was not horrible, just not nearly as good as Jake Allen. He failed to pick up the danger man coming into the slot on NJ’s first goal, but a tough moment for any goalie. He had some good moments, just not enough of them.
At the Cult of Hockey
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STAPLES: Draisaitl grades out highest in win over Predators