GDB 31.0 Wrap Up: Oilers @ Bruins

8 years ago

Meaningful games in December! We’re never losing again! Final Score: 3-2 Oilers in overtime

Isn’t it weird when you hear a stat like the one where the Oilers have been unable to win a game in Boston since 1996? Think about it: Connor McDavid hadn’t even been born yet when the Oilers last walked away from Boston with two points in their pocked. On one hand, it’s almost mind boggling to think that the Oilers haven’t been able to win a game even by accident, in Boston, in the last 18 years. My second thought – who cares? How did this stat apply to what the Oilers and Bruins were doing?

If the Oilers were going to break nearly two decades worth of suck they were going to have to play hard, and they would have to limit Boston’s offensive chances. With the way tonight’s game went through 40 minutes I started to think that the losing steak in Massachusetts would continue despite the Oilers having a two goal lead. The Bruins were all over the Oilers for big chunks of this hockey game. Fortunately, Cam Talbot showed up to play and he kept the Oilers in it when they, easily, would have been down several times over. The fact that the Oilers carried a lead into the third period was nothing short of a miracle.

Although the Oilers were better in the final frame than they were in the second, they were still not playing at a level that was on par with the Bruins. The Oilers looked like they were doing some kind of inadvertent rope-a-dope that left Cam Talbot facing two games worth of shots in his first start since November 27th, in Detroit. Frankly, seeing the Edmonton win this game must be like when the Washington Generals get a rare win over the Globetrotters. I’ll tell you one thing, Cam Talbot had better not be paying for dinner tonight. This win is on his shoulders, and I’m happy to see him play a bounce back game like this.

We wrap.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

Loved seeing Matt Hendricks stick up for Jordan Eberle after he got levelled in the first period. It wasn’t much of a fight but it was nice to see someone stepping up for a teammate. The Oilers could use six more Matt Hendrickses (Hendri? Hendrickseses?).
Speaking of Jordan Eberle, how about that shot on his goal (seventh)? Eberle had the puck in tight on his back foot and was still able to roof the puck from a terrible angle. Those hands be special, man. Eberle finished the night with a goal and two assists.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also got on the scoresheet when followed us his own rebound to bang one him for his eighth of the year. Both Nuge and Eberle bounced back after having a rough night against New York.
Who called Nikita Nikitin coming back to the lineup, registering a point, and not at all looking out of place? Anyone? Good for him. At best Nikitin will play well over the next couple weeks and find himself useful as a trade chip.
Andrej “the Giant” Sekera with the winner (his third) on a nice second effort with the puck, in the slot.
The Oilers dominated the overtime period, maintaining control of the for the majority of the extra frame.
The Oilers are pretty fortunate to have received the kind of goaltending that they got from Cam Talbot. For a guy that hasn’t played in a while he was lights out and gave the Oilers a chance to win in a game they had no business being in. Cam Talbot set a career high with 47 saves, and he finished with .959 save%. With a game like that you can’t help but wonder when the next time Talbot gets the crease will be.
I liked seeing balanced scoring from the Oilers. On a night when both Hall and Draisaitl went pointless Nuge and Eberle chipped in with some big goals in the first period.

THE FACE PALMERS

41 days without Connor McDavid.
The first 10 minutes were not very good for the Oilers. Fortunately, the early tests were all rejected by Cam Talbot, but Edmonton could have found themselves trailing early.
Actually, the second period wasn’t much better than the first 10 minutes of the first period. The Bruins outshot the visitors 17-3 in the second frame. Ugly, ugly period.
Brad Marchand is painfully annoying but that’s mostly because he plays on the opposing team. How I would love for the Oilers to find a player as equally skilled and annoying as Brad Marchand. His goal came off of a beautiful shot and you could tell that he was annoying the opposition throughout the night. Great hockey player.
I don’t know who we have to sacrifice but we have to figure out a way to help Cam Talbot figure out pucks that are behind the goal line. Belesky’s goal shouldn’t have happened. Period. That goal was a weird blemish on an otherwise stellar effort by Cam Talbot.
Justin Schultz did not have a good game. The giveaways/overcommitting to players and getting himself out of position/generally poor decision making were all on display tonight. I can’t wait to see what Chiarelli does with this guy.
Gregor nailed his NSOGP in this morning’s GDB and I’ll have to hear about it for the rest of time. Personally, I think he’s some kind of gypsy and I will be investigating what he knows.
Am I crazy to say that the refs were garbage again tonight? It seems to be that the Bruins were getting away with a hell of a lot without any calls being made.
Lots of running around in the defensive zone, and way way way too many errant passes to nobody. Turnovers were plentiful and from all areas of the ice.

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST PERIOD
08:29	EDM	Jordan Eberle (7) Wrist shot – ASST: Eric Gryba (4), Brandon Davidson (3)	1 – 0 EDM
13:58	EDM	Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (8) Wrist shot – ASST: Jordan Eberle (2), Nikita Nikitin (1)	2 – 0 EDM
2ND PERIOD
13:29	BOS	Matt Beleskey (4) Backhand shot – ASST: David Krejci (20), Zdeno Chara (12)	2 – 1 EDM
3RD PERIOD
15:22	BOS	Brad Marchand (15) Wrist shot – ASST: Landon Ferraro (3), Patrice Bergeron (20)	2 – 2 Tie
OT PERIOD
00:41	EDM	Andrej Sekera (3) Wrist shot – ASST: Jordan Eberle (3), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (14)	3 – 2 EDM

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