THE BRIGHT SIDE

• Sam Gagner! His first goal as an Oiler since 2014. Gagner should provide more offence than Ryan Spooner did as an Oiler. I thought he looked okay playing with McDavid and Zack Kassian. Kind of strange to see Gagner and Kassian on the same line given their history, but this is a weird season so that’s to be expected. Gagner is capable offensively and that’s what the Oilers need right now.
• The Oilers had a good start. Draisaitl continues his hot stretch and notches another goal on the power play. 2-0 start! Everything was coming up Oilers in the first half of the first period.
• The Oilers outshot the Islanders significantly for most of the game. Yes, this was the second half of a back-to-back for the Islanders, but it’s good to see them limiting the opposition’s chances and generating chances. Having Klefbom and Andrej Sekera back helps. Those are two defenceman who can move the puck on a defence group that sorely lacks puck-moving defencemen. That’s five games in a row they’ve outshot the other team.
• The Oilers came on again in the third period and the game-tying goal felt inevitable. That was a game where the Oilers could have easily folded in the second period.

THE FACE PALMERS

• McDavid hits Nick Leddy in the head and gets two minutes for checking to the head. I don’t think McDavid gets any supplemental discipline from the league, but it wasn’t a great play. McDavid gives them so much every night so he’s allowed a curious decision every once in a while.
• Darnell Nurse and Anders Lee engage with each other again. They both get penalties and Russell gets another penalty to put them down 5-on-3.
• Jordan Eberle getting some sort of point was very predictable. The former Oiler curse is alive and well.
• The Oilers had a good start. Then they allowed three unanswered goals. That was less good. Two came on the power play, but that can’t happen in such a short amount of time.
• Koskinen let in three goals on 23 shots. An .870 save percentage isn’t good enough. I know they were on the penalty kill but this team needs a lot of things to go right if they want a win and a sub-.900 save percentage will sink them most nights.

SCORING SUMMARY