Final Score: Oilers 2 – Canucks 0
They don’t ask you how, they ask you how many. For the Oilers, that “how many” is now 38, which represents the number of wins they have in the year. Following two games of zest, flair, explosions, and a massive 14 goals total, the Oilers responded with a less an effort that didn’t quite sparkle with the intensity of the previous couple.
But hey, when they have a goaltender as solid as Cam Talbot in net, 7 goals of run support isn’t always a necessity, now is it? Even though the Oilers failed to snap the puck around with the vigour and intensity of this past week, they still managed to cobble together a couple goals, defend well enough to not completely hang Talbot to dry, and walk away after 60 with a very valuable 2 points in the pocket.
Hey, it may not have been pretty, but the Oilers and us fans will sure as hell take it.
Where could have the Oilers improved? Well for starters, their decisions with the puck could have been a lot better. It seemed as though the passes were much less accurate and crisp, while the ability to make smart movements with the rubber on the stick was much more impaired. What did it lead to? A total of 19 giveaways on the evening, opposed to only 9 for the Canucks. It’s only 1 game, but in the midst of a playoff chase, you would like to see that number much lower.
That poor puck movement also lead to the Oilers getting outshot 33-22 on the night. Not that pretty. According to David Staples though, the Oilers still found a way to generate more grade A scoring chances than Vancouver. The Oilers were making the most of their chances, at least.
https://twitter.com/dstaples/status/843322175767699461
Overall, tonight’s game isn’t one that will echo through the history books as a dominating affair, but it is one that inches the Oilers further towards a cemented playoff position. For that reason alone, it remains a very sweet result.
Connor McDavid and Cam Talbot, the two Oiler MVPs of the year, showed their worth, what with Connor scoring his 80th point of the year to get the winner, and Cam backstopping his team to the win, earning his 6th shutout of the season.
Aside from them, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a ton of pop in his step, skating miles on the evening, while Draisaitl was a force again with a pair of assists in over 18 minutes of ice time. Adam Larsson and Oscar Klefbom looked to be the best pairing on the night.
Zack Kassian, currently fulfilling the roll as poster boy for passionate play, compiled a whopping 7 hits in the game against his former squad.
The haymakers continue to fly back and forth in the race for 2nd in the Pacific. What a ride.
Oilers Player of the Game
Cam Talbot, 100%. 33 saves, his 6th shutout of the year, and he ties Tommy Salo in 2nd for most goaltending wins in an Oilers season at 36.
Can he match Grant Fuhr at 40 this year? I sure hope so, that would be a remarkable Oilers accomplishment to witness.
10 Takeaways
1. The pre game recognition of new Canadian citizens was fantastic. It was a great sight to see them cheered by the Edmonton crowd.
Just so you know there are still souls on this continent, Oilers and Canucks salute 12 new Canadians, televised nationally on @hockeynight pic.twitter.com/UXJWqiJOAk
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) March 19, 2017
2. What the heck is it with the Oilers and outstanding play from backups? I don’t have the stats handy, but it sure does seem that the second stringers come up big against the Oilers.
3. Connor McDavid’s Shot: It’s a good one. A day will come when he uses it just a touch more and we will see his goal totals rise even further. He had a great chance in the 3rd on the penalty kill, but opted to pass it instead.
4. Here is your weird stat of the night:
Odd stat: #Canucks don't have a powerplay goal against #Oilers since November of 2014. #nhl #GlobeSports
— Marty Klinkenberg (@globemartyk) March 19, 2017
5. Speaking of penalty killing, it was refreshing to see the Oilers kill off both of Vancouver’s power plays. After giving up a pair of goals on the kill Thursday night, and stinking it up quite a bit before that, any short handed success is welcome.
6. Mark Letestu continued his great season with another power play goal tonight. I remember when he was moved onto the first unit as the Oilers were looking for anything to spark momentum. His contributions have been huge and the Oilers have one of the best man advantages as a result.
7. Oscar Klefbom put together over 24 minutes of ice time in the game.For his efforts, he picked up an assist. Make it 30 points on the season.
8. The Oilers are once again ahead of the Flames. We should all sleep much sounder as a result.
9. With his 2 assists tonight, Leon Draisaitl has 7 points in his last 3 games. 63 points on the campaign so far.
10. Buckle up and get ready for what should be one heck of a game on Monday against the kIngs. The Oilers will need to come up with a better effort than tonight in order to find success, that is for sure.
Oilers Highlights
Snipe City. Population: 97. #VANvsEDM pic.twitter.com/vqIHm6hIle
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 19, 2017
What a pass, what a release! #VANvsEDM pic.twitter.com/gLE1QYB72o
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) March 19, 2017
Up Next: A Visit from the Kings
Coming up on Monday night. Me thinks that we won’t want to miss that one…
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