The Edmonton Oilers overcame two deficits in Minnesota Wednesday to register a 5-3 win, behind the timely goaltending of Calvin Pickard.
The Wild shot out to a deserved 2-0 lead as the Oilers got into penalty trouble. But they replied 21 seconds after that, two inside of 1:56.
A see-saw battle ensued, as the Wild leapt ahead 3-2, then the Oilers tied it and pulled ahead for good.
The nicked-up Wild gave Edmonton all they could manage. But in the end, it was not enough to prevent the Oilers from passing Minnesota in the overall NHL standings.
Here is the tale of the tape…
Edmonton Oilers Player Grades
CALVIN PICKARD. 8. One of the Oilers very best tonight. Beaten by a puck in tight and high on the 1-0. A giveaway off the referee on an attempted clearing play forced him to mop up his mess with not just one but two terrific saves in emergency mode. Key save on Hartman sprinting down the right-hand side. No chance on the 2-0. Bailed his club out big time with a spectacular save on a Minnesota 2-on-0, the break thanks to a dreadful Oilers line change. Stopped Hartman again on a one-timer a whistle later. The Wild finally did get the 3-2 through disorganized defensive coverage immediately after a faceoff. Back-to-back saves on Boldy & Zuccarello to keep it 3-2. No fault on the 3-3. Then, four big-time third period stops on Boldy, Zuccarello, and then twice on Rossi to preserve the 4-3 lead. The best of those was a lightning-fast pad save on a bang-bang play. Then made a firth save, this time on Boldy, before McDavid took it the other way for the 5-3.
CONNOR McDAVID. 8. Fed Hyman for a chance in the slot in the first minute. Fed Draisaitl for a one-timer after the second Oilers penalty had been killed off. Secondary assist on the 2-1, hitting Draisaitl with a pass in full flight. Beat his man one-on-one a shift later but his soft shot was stopped. Did not miss on the hard slap-pass from Nugent-Hopkins for the 2-2. Second period turnover. Part of the defensive breakdown on the 3-2. Probably fortunate to not pick up an elbowing minor on a later period pic play, even though the Wild player went down with more than a little flair. Third period steal led to a Bouchard chance. Scored the insurance 5-3 goal by taking a bounce off the wall and then, using Hyman as a decoy, chipped a puck above the goalie’s stick-hand shoulder, just under the pipe from about three inches before the goal line. Brilliant goal. 5v5 CF 70%. Passes the great Jari Kurri with 1,044 career points, second in franchise history.
RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 8. He primarily centered the second line and with considerable success. Had his hands were all over the 2-2. Two deft plays back at the blueline and then sent a slap-pass off a hard end board rebound across the slot to McDavid. Then, a perfect tip by The Nuge from the high slot knotted it at three late in the first. +2. Was very good.
ZACH HYMAN. 7. An Early shot from the slot off a McDavid pass. Beat his man to the net and fluttered a puck five-hole for the 2-1 just second after the Wild had taken 2-0 lead. Left his defensive spot too soon on the 3-2, as the puck from the faceoff went in the opposite direction. Went to the net and provided an effective decoy on the 5-3.
EVAN BOUCHARD. 6. Solid two-way performance. A couple of point shots in the first. Secondary assist on the 2-2. Was on for the 3-2 but not at fault, he was over at the wall. Ended up with seven shots.
MATTIAS EKHOLM. 4. Beaten clean to the net by Hartman on the 3-2, but none of the three forwards picked up a man, either. Had three shots. 5v5 27-14, 66%. But seven HDSC’s against 5v5. Had been a gametime decision but gutted it out, although clearly down a quart.
LEON DRAISAITL. 6. A tremendous cross-seamer right on the stick of a hard-charging Zach Hyman for the 2-1. Second period turnover. But answered that with a strong back-check a shift later. Officials flat-out missed a call when Hartman kicked Leon’s feet out from under him behind the goal line. Fed Henrique for a fine third period chance.
VASILY PODKOLZIN. 7. Good O-zone takeaway in the first. A shot and a hard hit in the second. Dogged board work on the 3-3. Credited with his sixth of the year when his hard pass in front toward a hard-charging Nurse hit a Wild defender and tumbled in for the 4-3. That proved to be the game winner. Three shots. +2.
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON. 6. Drew a hooking call which McDavid converted into the 2-2. Teams up with Nugent-Hopkins and Podkolzin for some solid cycle work ahead of the 3-3. Excellent play to earn the primary assist on the 4-3 goal. +2.
DARNELL NURSE. 5. Took a first period hook leading to the Wild’s 1-0 PP goal. And beaten clean on the 2-0. Hard second period hit. No goal OR assist but the 4-3 goal does not go in without his hard charge at the net. Shot block late preserved the 5-3 victory. A shot, two blocks, three hits.
JOSH BROWN. 5. Laid a hard first period hit. On for the 1-0 but was on his man. A dangerous looking point shot off a Janmark pass. Took a roughing penalty while trying to engage his Wild opponent and Minnesota used that opportunity to score the 2-0. Secondary assist on the 4-3.
ADAM HENRIQUE. 6. Strong defensive plays on three straight PK turns in the first. While the Oilers allowed two shorties none were on Henrique’s watch. Terrific feed to Perry for a Grade A chance in the second. Excellent chance off a Draisaitl pass in the third. Fifty-four percent on draws.
MATTIAS JANMARK. 5. Took a goalie interference call to put his mates back on the PK again just a few minutes after the first Minnesota PP. A pass out to Josh Brown for a dangerous looking blast.
CONNOR BROWN. 4. His man slipped past him far too easily on the 1-0. Short-handed chance just prior to the 2-0 but then could not get to the shooter in time. A burst down the right-hand side and shot up high.
BRETT KULAK. 6. Beaten in tight, on the 1-0. Second assist with the pass across to Emberson at the blueline. on the 3-3. +2. 22:13 led the blueliners. V5 CF 21-14, 60%. Just ne high danger against 5v5.
TY EMBERSON. 6. Laid flat by a thundering Ben Jones check in the second. Laid a wrist shot into a screen where it was tipped by Nugent-Hopkins for the 3-3. Big blocked shot late in the third. Just a single DHSC against 5v5, +3.
NOAH PHILP. 5. Solid first period hit and some good work below the goal line. Second period shot. Solid second frame backcheck. Third period steal. Hard work along the wall led to a third period clear. Eighty percent on draws.
KASPERI KAPANEN. 4. Quiet night. Third period stick disrupted a developing Minnesota sortie.
COREY PERRY. 5. Second period shot early. Wired a hard shot just barely wide late in the second.
The Oilers season record goes to 28-13-3, 59 points. That is good for Fourth in the over-all NHL standings, third in the West, second in the Pacific…just two points shy of Vegas. They are right back at it in Denver tomorrow.
Now on Bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. Also, find me on Threads @kleavins, Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at [email protected]. This article is not AI generated.
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