Final Score: Oilers 3 – Sharks 1
Unbelievable. It really is just unbelievable to think of where this team was just even one year ago, to where they are now.
Resiliency, growth, maturation, all to such an incredible degree. Both in the big picture, and the small.
The big picture is a bit clear to see. This team fell behind the Sharks early in the series, losing a heartbreaker in OT, at him, after being dominated for large portions of the game. A lesser team would have crumbled.
Instead, the Oilers roared back and showed that maturation, they screamed resiliency, and they took over the series with back to back wins filled with superb team play. It was an incredible response.
That was until, of course, that awful 7-0 drubbing that came just a few days ago. Once again, after a game such as that, where the Oilers were so completely outplayed, it could have been trouble. It could have been the series turning point. It really could have been the beginning of the end.
But this team grew, this team continued to resist, this team showed their maturity, and once again responded to the heavy blow by the veteran team with two rocking shots of their own.
"This just shows how much character we have in this room." @Drat_29 as #Oilers hold off late Sharks charge & clinch the series pic.twitter.com/C8QfPLYIuh
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 23, 2017
That final shot came tonight, and it would be the one that put the Sharks down for the count. That right there, is the big picture growth. To see the smaller picture, more focused advancements in their game, look no further than the tilt tonight.
The first period was an excellent road period. They came out, didn’t let San Jose get their usual early-game dominant routine rolling, and as a result, exited the first 20 tied at 0. It seems small, but that growth to be able to do that, just from game 4 to game 6, completely opened the door for what would come immediately in the 2nd period.
Bam, Draisaitl! Boom, Slepyshev! In an instant, it was 2-0 Oilers, all due to Edmonton playing smart for 20, then proceeding to take advantage of what the Sharks gave them. With that type of play, you may be forgiven for thinking it was Edmonton that was the grizzled, veteran team, it was that impressive.
ICYMI, @Drat_29's breakaway beauty. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/R2oErFKyLo
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 23, 2017
And from there, with the Oilers sitting directly in the driver’s seat, they did what they had to, to drive the bus home. Clutch penalty killing (especially late in both the 2nd and 3rd), phenomenal goaltending, and an entire team effort to remain structured, for the most part, even with their best defencemen sidelined for the last 20, won the game for Edmonton.
The Sharks had some chances, including a heart-stopping double post from Pavelski, and were able to manage a goal on a ridiculous passing play, but the Sharks still failed to tie it up. Edmonton may have bent a tad, but they sure as heck didn’t break.
Growth. Maturation. Resiliency. This team is growing up in front of our eyes into an excellent hockey team, and it is truly a sight to see. The impact of what has just occurred may be a tad lost due to the fact that our attention has immediately turned to Anaheim; however, what the Oilers accomplished in this series cannot be understated.
One can only wonder what else this team can accomplish this Spring. I can’t wait to see.
Oilers Player of the Game
Cam Talbot, no doubt. Most, if not all, of the team played good to great, but Cam Talbot stood above all with a performance worthy of a series clinch. 20 saves, a .964 save%, and a number of clutch saves throughout the game.
He was stellar this series, with his best game coming tonight.
Talbot has his elite game tonight. Great save on Marleau.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) April 23, 2017
10 Takeaways
1. Talking about maturation and growth in the big picture, I would e a fool not to once again highlight the work of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle. They had a monumental task of shutting down some of the Sharks big guns in this series, and aside from the one blip, they accomplished that mission. No longer can they be criticized for not having the defensive chops. They were two very big keys to the Oilers series victory.
2. Oscar Klefbom missed the entire 3rd, but from the sounds of it, it is not an injury but rather an illness. This would explain the towel on the neck (used to fight fevers). With word that a bug is ripping through the Oilers room,this would make a lot of sense.
McLellan admits a number of his players are/were ill in this series. Klefbom was too sick to finish game 6.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) April 23, 2017
3. Thankfully for the Oilers, their series with the Ducks probably won’t start until Wednesday or Thursday. Lots of time to rest and heal up.
4. And really, how insane is it that this team, with numerous players ill, won the series in 6 games? No excuses in playoff hockey, but still, that is seriously impressive.
5. We can all agree that the Sharks did a pretty good job of quieting McDavid at even strength, but even so, he still managed to lead the team in scoring with 4 points in 6 games.
6. The fact that McDavid didn’t quite hit his stride in the series shows that it really was a collective effort. Edmonton had 9 different goal scorers to lead them past the Sharks, with Slepyshev scoring his first of the series tonight. It would be the game winner. Scoring depth matters!
ICYMI, Slepy put us up by two. #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/nSWrV0P9XY
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 23, 2017
7. Adam Larsson stepped up in a big war tonight with his partner Klefbom out. He recorded a monster 26 minutes, chipped in with 4 hits, and sprung Draisaitl on his goal-scoring breakaway with a great lead pass. Excellent game.
8. The Oilers penalty kill was a huge story in the series. Aside from game 4 where they gave up 4 PP goals, they really did a great job of shutting down the Sharks man advantages. Remember when, earlier in the season, the PK couldn’t prevent a beach ball from hitting the mesh? Vast improvement.
9. Cam Talbot ends the series with a .927 save % and .203 GAA. Great numbers heading into round 2.
10. Sold out for an AWAY game. No question this city deserves as many series wins as this team can give them.
#Oilers fans, you are truly amazing! #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/XEyzeoApTv
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 23, 2017
Up Next: Duck Hunting Time
We don’t have an official date yet, but next Wednesday or Thursday is probably the expectation for game 1. In the meantime, it might be a good idea to catch up on sleep and water consumption. Our bodies will need it.
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