GDB 51.0 Wrap Up: Oilers edge out Stars in overtime to get back into the win column

That was a tightly contested game between two teams who might wind up meeting in the playoffs in the spring.

The Edmonton Oilers edged out the Dallas Stars by a score of 4-3 in overtime on Saturday afternoon, continuing a streak of not losing back-to-back games that dates all the way back to December. The Oilers kicked off a three-game Central Division road trip with an ugly 6-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday and the win over Dallas was a nice rebound for the team.

The first period was scoreless, and then things really opened up in the second as both the Oilers and Stars found the back of the net three times. The game tightened up again in the third frame, with Edmonton throwing six shots on goal and Dallas only five. Both teams were clearly playing for the guaranteed point in the third and then Evan Bouchard ended the game just 30 seconds into overtime.

Evan Bouchard was the star of the game for the Oilers. Before the overtime winner that he sniped past Jake Oettinger, Bouchard also put the Oilers on the board shortly after the Stars had opened the scoring in the second period. Bouchard now has 14 goals and 50 points on the season.

Edmonton’s other two goals came from Corey Perry and Derek Ryan. Perry scored his first goal as a member of the Oilers in their loss to St. Louis a few days ago and got bumped up to a line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Ryan scored on the penalty kill to put the Oilers ahead late in the second but the Stars came back and scored immediately after on the same power play to tie the game.

Calvin Pickard continued his personal winning streak to six games. He was in the net for Edmonton’s 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils on December 21, the game that kicked off their 16-game winning streak, and he hasn’t lost since. Pickard stopped 24 of the 27 shots that the Stars threw at him and two of the three goals he allowed came while the Oilers were on the penalty kill.

The Oilers will be back in action on Monday afternoon when they take on the Arizona Coyotes at the College Barn. The Coyotes have lost eight straight games and will be looking to lose their ninth straight when they play the Avalanche in Colorado on Sunday evening. They’ll be back home to host Edmonton the next morning, so the Oilers will certainly have the edge in that one.