In a wild track meet of a game, with Colorado scoring the first three goals, then Edmonton the next four, the Oilers won 4-3 in Denver on Thursday night.
In total, the Grade A shots were 17 for the Oilers, eight for the Avs, with the subset of more dangerous 5-alarm shots nine for Edmonton, five for Colorado.
Connor McDavid, 8. One goal, one assist. He got it going on in the second, especially during a 63 second o-zone cycle where the Oilers weaved and dodged, make 17 passes, three shots, the last of them McD firing in a rebound shot. Missed the net on an early third period one-timer. Snapped a swell low-high pass to set up Bouchard for Edmonton’s fourth. Contributions/mistakes on Grade A shots (GAS): Even Strength +5/-2; Special Teams 1/0
Zach Hyman, 8. Seven Grade A shots. Bossed the game, taking it hard to the net all night. He tipped, then jammed two dangerous shots on net on Edmonton’s early power play. He took it hard to the net early in the second, almost scoring. Pounded two more shots on net on a second period power play. Another great bull rush in the third. GAS: ES +5/-1; ST 5/0
Leon Draisaitl, 8. Two assists. He set up Hyman in tight early on the power play, but Hyman couldn’t score. He lashed a harpoon on net off Corey Perry’s takeaway in the first, but again no goal. He got taken down hard by a nasty leg lock by Rantanen late in the first, but no penalty, as it’s now evidently open season on Oilers superstar forwards. He jumped on Hyman’s rush rebound early in the second. A huge part of the great o-zone cycle on Edmonton’s third goal. He turned the puck over to Makar for a 5-alarmer early in the third. Huge board battle victory to start off the Virtuous Cycle on Bouchard’s third period goal. GAS: ES +7/-1; ST 5/2
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 5. He dug the puck out of the d-zone corner early in the first, but right to Logan O’Connor, who took it to the net for the game’s first goal. He missed the net on a golden goose of an opportunity in the second. But was otherwise solid. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Vasili Podkolzin, 6. Played with confidence and intensity, throwing the odd Podzilla-like hit. He worked a give-and-go with RNH and Nurse early on, almost scoring on Edmonton’s first shot. A moment later he failed to shut down O’Connor on his goal-scoring swoop. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Viktor Arvidsson, 6. He was rewarded for all his hard work, pounding in a way outside shot late in the first for Edmonton’s first goal. Looked like he hurt his foot late in the game. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Adam Henrique, 6. Good work on a key third period power play. His line played solid shut-down hockey. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Connor Brown, 6. He showed some decent skill on this one. Charged up ice early in the third to rip a hard shot on net. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Mattias Janmark, 5. Took the puck coast-to-coast on a late PK rush, only to lose it and get slammed into the boards. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0
Jeff Skinner, 4. Quiet game as he got back into the line-up. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0
Corey Perry, 7. Good game. He picked Josh Manson’s pocket, then set up Drai’s 5-alarmer in the first. Loved his Total Eclipse of the Sun screen on Kulak’s goal GAS: ES +2/-1; ST 0/0
Noah Philp, 5. He put a high screen on Kulak’s shot for Edmonton’s first goal, making the goal both a Californian and a Detroit Double Screen., a real heartbreak for the Avs. Had a lame penalty called against him in the third for the slightest, incidental tap of the visor of an Avs player. Needs to mix it up a bit more. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Evan Bouchard, 6. Lots of good, lots of bad. He played the puck not the body and was badly beat by Nate MacKinnon on the breakaway on the third Avs goal. He bot beat again on a break-in by O’Connor. But made a huge keep-in at the point leading up to McDavid’s second period goal. Great pinch and pass to set up a Hyman Grade A in the third. Excellent shot for Edmonton’s fourth goal. GAS: ES +3/-2; ST 0/3
Mattias Ekholm, 7. Sold game. He got caught up ice on MacKinnon’s second goal but only by dint of a semi-dirty check-and-hold along the boards by Jonathan Drouin. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Darnell Nurse, 7. Another good game from the Oil’s Tower of Power. Great pass on the rush to Pod on their first shift, setting him up for a 5-alarm shot. His pass sent in Arvidsson to score in the first. He kept a clean sheet at even strength, not one major mistake on a Grade A shot against. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST 0/0
Ty Emberson, 6. Solid game. He also kept a clean sheet. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST 0/0
Troy Stecher, 6. He allowed an early shot tip, but won a battle in front of the net to kick off the goal rush on Arvidsson’s first period score. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Brett Kulak, 7. Was caught behind the net on Avs’ first goal. But he went full Patrick Ewing to block a puck clearance at the offensive blueline, then blasted in a Californian from the point through Perry’s magnificent screen. He then drew a penalty on the rush off MacKinnon. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST 0/0
Stuart Skinner, 6. He was sharp on a nasty tipped shot early on, but he let in an iffy one on Nathan MacKinnon’s early outside shot. Little chance on MacKinnon’s breakaway. After Edmonton tied, two huge saves late in second on Logan O’Connor, who streaked in short-handed, then another good save on Makar’s break-in. He came up with a few big stops in the final minute.
At the Cult
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