The Edmonton Oilers failed to capitalize on their early chances, the Montreal Canadiens then found some life with a late second period goal off some lazy Edmonton defending. The Habs out-worked the Oilers in the third, scoring two more goals in a 3-0 win.
Recommended Videos
The Oilers pulled their goal with just under five minutes left, a desperate attempt to conjure up any kind of effort, but not to be.
In the end Edmonton had ten Grade A shots, Montreal eight, with both teams have four of the most dangerous 5-alarm shots.
Here are the Cult of Hockey game grades player grades:
Connor McDavid, 4. Ho-hum game for 97. He was moving well but could get little done in the first half of the game, save for setting up good shot for Drai, RNH and Hyman. He and Draisaitl were united on the top line in the third but failed anything going. He had just one shot on net. Contributions/mistakes on Grade A shots (GAS): Even Strength +2/-0; Special Teams 3/0
Zach Hyman, 5. He missed early on a golden chance, a one-timer opportunity set up by McD but almost scored a few shifts later off an Ekholm shot rebound. Pounded a hard PP shot on goal in the second. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST 1/0
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 5. He went to the net and almost tipped in a brilliant pass by Draisaitl in the first. Hit the crossbar on a fine power play feed from McD. A goal would have been nice, but not to be. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 1/0
Leon Draisaitl, 2. His worst game of the year? Likely, yes. Gorgeous pass to RNH in the first. He also ripped a harpoon off a McD pass in the first, but no goal. His turnover early in the second led to two wicked Montreal opportunities, but both shots missed the net, hugely deflating for the Habs. He allowed the outside shot on Montreal’s late second period goal. A moment later he was slow again, the main culprit on a 5-alarm shot. His low point came on Montreal’s second goal when he first lost a battle for the puck with little Cole Caulfield, then stopped moving as Montreal passed it around to score, his lack of hustle creating the odd-man situation. Drai has been great this year, but not on that play. GAS: ES +3/-3; ST 0/0
Corey Perry, 3. Not getting it done, and, with all due respect, not sure why he’s been on the second line. Time to call up Drake Caggiula and Noah Philp again. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0
Vasili Podkolzin, 3. Energy player lacked energy. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST 0/0
Adam Henrique, 5. He snapped a trick shot on net off a Janmark-Brown combo passing play. His line was OK, but just OK. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Connor Brown, 5. One or two good moments, but failed to get enough done. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Mattias Janmark, 5. Same as linemate Connor Brown, and as so many other Oilers forwards. Not enough. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Derek Ryan, 4. Failed to drain a 5-alarm shot in the third. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/1
Jeff Skinner, 6. Edmonton’s best forward. He charged up ice to unleash Edmonton’s first Grade A shot of the game. Down 2-0, he picked a puck out of the air and set up Ryan for a 5-alarmer. He broke in again a moment later on a stretch pass from Ekholm, but could not score. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST 0/0
Evan Bouchard, 5. He played well in general, but could not break through and had one major mistake. He passed off a few shots he should have taken in the first. He was one of the culprits on Montreal’s late second period goal, allowing the tip. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Mattias Ekholm, 4. Not his best game. Lost a few too many battles. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST 0/1
Ty Emberson, 6. He played well, skating, passing and hitting. He threw a few big hits early on, something you don’t see much from these Oilers. Led the team with three hits. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST 0/0
Brett Kulak, 6. He and Emberson were Edmonton’s top pairing. Solid slot stick-check late in the first. GAS: ES +1/-2; ST 0/0
Josh Brown, 4. He was suitably nasty early on but lost a battle at the net on a second period Montreal 5-alarm shot by Newhook. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST 0/0
Travis Demott, 4. Solid defensive stop on Suzuki late in the second, but not generally making a positive impact. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST 0/0
Troy Stecher, 6. He was hustling and making plays. He played 15:27. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST 0/0
Calvin Pickard, 7. Edmonton’s best player but he still made one big mistake. Two big saves early on Grade A shots by Gallagher and Dvorak, then came up huge on an Emil Heineman one-timer on a Habs PP, then on a Kirby Dach tip. Solid again on a Newhook rebound in the second. He had little chance on Gallagher’s tip goal, but was huge stopping him again ten seconds later on a 5-alarm slot shot. He needed to make the save on Montreal’s second goal, an outside shot by Kaiden Guhle.