The Edmonton Oilers finally played a full 60 minutes worth of solid hockey. Dominating in the first period, the team stuck with it in the second, played sound defense, stuck to their game plan and earned a much-needed win. The Oilers stopped the Capitals from winning five in a row and Stuart Skinner got his first shutout of the season. The final score, 5-0.
Oilers Played a Solid Team Game
The Oilers came out in the first and picked up where they left off in the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes. They applied the pressure early and sustained it, eventually cashing in with Evander Kane’s goal at the 14:10 mark. They could have gotten frustrated that early chances weren’t going in, but they didn’t. The kept the pedal down and outshot Washington 21-6 in the first 20 minutes.
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The Oilers were outshot in the second and third, but that was likely due to them playing a bit more defensively in an attempt to hold the lead. Leon Draisaitl said after the game, “I think we just simplified it a little bit, and I thought we early on put them on their heels a little bit, and set the precedent for the rest of the game. All in all, I just think we started well, and kept it simple.”
The announcers talked about the determination on the faces of the team as they arrived at the building on Friday. Clearly, this was a game they felt they had to win and they played as though it was a contest they couldn’t afford to lose. They were desperate, in a good way.
Strong Individual Performances
Skinner notches his third career shutout with 25 saves and Connor McDavid shined with four assists. Draisaitl finally smiled, contributing two goals and one assist, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and two assists.
But, it wasn’t just the players who scored points who had strong games. Vincent Desharnais might have had his best game as an Oiler. Cody Ceci was physical, Ryan McLeod was buzzing and other players were keeping Washington frustrated, many of them engaging physically, even if the Caps were the bigger and stronger team.
The Oilers’ Power Play Showed Up In A Big Way
The power play unit is on fire, scoring three times during a dominant second period. This was what the power play of old looked like. Crisp passes, drawn up plays that worked, and no wasted moments. They kept it simple, didn’t force pucks through and put the puck on net.
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The Oilers heavily rely on the success of their man-advantage and in past seasons, it’s been a real weapon. The team turned it into a weapon tonight and made a frustrated Caps team that took a number of undisciplined penalties pay for it.
Oilers Looked Like a Team That Cared
The narrative surrounding the group over the past few days is that their body language and facial expressions have told a tale of the team that is dejected and broken. Speculation from insiders was that some of the stars — specifically Draisaitl because his contract is up first — might be thinking about their futures. This game proved they’ve not given up.
Draisailt noted, “We have a lot of guys in here that care a lot. I think sometimes that’s a little misunderstood towards the outside, which obviously is unfortunate. We care a lot, we want to win in here.” He acknowledged that there have been moments of frustration among the leadership group, especially when things haven’t gone their way. He also noted they haven’t been close to their best this season. Still, “there’s a lot of pride in this room, and tonight was a good step.”