THE BRIGHT SIDE

• The Oilers kill off an early 5-on-3 penalty kill.
• Oscar Klefbom scores shortly after a faceoff with a well-placed screen by Tomas Jurco.
• Ethan Bear keeps doing Ethan Bear things. Played over 18 minutes and looked real good doing it.
• James Neal just barely misses in front of the net on what would have been his eighth goal of the season. Neal on the power play there has been very very hot.
• Marc Staal knocks Alex Chiasson’s stick out of his hands. Chiasson grabs Staal’s stick in return.
• The Oilers take the lead in the third period on the power play. Connor McDavid gets a fortuitous bounce and the Oilers go up 2-1.
• Klefbom has seven points on the year so far. I see a huge year from Klefbom as long as he stays healthy.
• Mike Smith was solid.
• I was about to write about Zack Kassian missing too many easy looks from McDavid, but then he helped Draisaitl late in the third period to give them some insurance. Well played, Kassian.

THE FACE PALMERS

• Josh Archibald had the puck with a speeding Connor McDavid on a makeshift two-on-one. Archibald shot it on net instead of trying to feed it to McDavid. Maybe just send it McDavid’s way next time.
• Then, Kaapo Kakko scores his first NHL goal, because of course. It’s hard to blame Mike smith on that one, though. Oh, Ryan Strome also sent Kakko in for the goal.
• Oilers lose a goal on an iffy goaltender interference call. Kassian gets the penalty too.
• Kassian had a breakaway with Leon Draisaitl charging behind. It was basically a 2-on-0 and I get why he’d try and pass to Draisaitl there, but take the puck to the net. Instead, Artemi Panarin catches up to them and swats the puck away without a scoring chance occuring.

SCORING SUMMARY