Oilers 1, Flames 0 post-game Oil Spills: Keep calm and pick up the win
By Cam Lewis
5 years agoThe last time Edmonton and Calgary met, emotions got high and the Flames got in the Oilers’ heads and it cost them the game. This time, the Oilers kept things calm and grinded out a 1-0 victory.
What happened…
The top line opened the scoring mid-way through the first period. Connor McDavid brought the puck into the zone, flipped it to Leon Draisaitl before getting open in the circle, then Draisaitl fed Chiasson who quickly fired a cross-ice pass to a wide-open McDavid for the gorgeous goal.
The Flames recalled Anthony Peluso from the AHL for this game for this exact reason. Last time, Zack Kassian dropped the mitts and went after Matthew Tkachuk. This time, Peluso was available to answer the bell.
Many were a little skeptical when Mikko Koskinen got the nod for Sunday’s Battle of Alberta after Cam Talbot put in excellent back-to-back starts. Koskinen had himself a hell of a game, stopping all 24 shots Calgary threw at him including some huge stops in high danger areas.
By the numbers…
The Oilers came out quickly and dominated possession in the first period with 21 shot attempts to Calgary’s 13. The Flames brought the momentum back in their favour in the second period controlling shot attempts 20 to 12. The third was a real tight one, as Ken Hitchcock implemented The Trap and the Oilers managed to completely slow the game down. The Flames managed just seven shot attempts in the third at even strength.
Thoughts…
- I alluded to this at the beginning, but that’s the way the Oilers have to navigate playing the Flames. Their strategy last time was to get into the Oilers’ heads and it worked. Edmonton had a 2-0 lead and the Flames stormed back to win 4-2 after the Tkachuk Turtle Saga. As annoying as that stuff is, it doesn’t help the Oilers to sit in the box and get off their game. On Sunday, there was some chippy stuff and guys like Tkachuk and Sam Bennett tied to do their agitator thing, but the Oilers kept it calm and did what they had to do. They scored their goal, worried about the game, and then proceeded to shut the Flames down. The game isn’t the same as it used to be and teams have to be ready to adapt.
- The Oilers did an impressive job executing Ken Hitchcock’s trap. It’s been a noticeable change since he took over as the team is much, much stronger defensively than they used to be. The defencemen are making life difficult in the defensive zone, but, I think most importantly, the forwards are coming back on defence faster than they used to. In the past, the defencemen were left on their own a lot, but now the forwards are hanging back and supporting the defensive zone. It makes it much harder for the opposition to set up and generate quality chances. It might not be fun to watch, but picking up wins is fun.
- Some under-the-radar performances I liked last night… Kevin Gravel and Matt Benning have started to look like a fairly solid third pair. Gravel plays a very calm and easy game which works nicely for Benning. Benning likes to pinch and throw hits, but he sometimes finds himself out of position. With Gravel playing a conservative positional style, it doesn’t lead to as many major noticeable breakdowns. Also, the fourth line of Valentin Zykov, Ryan Spooner, and Ty Rattie was effective last night. They did what a fourth line needs to do, which is give up nothing the other way. The trio was on the ice for just three shot attempts against.
- I hate to do it, but you have to give the Flames some credit. They were playing the second leg of a back-to-back and their third game in four nights without two key players and they put in a good, 60-minute effort. They’re going to be a challenge for the Oilers all year, but, like I said in my first point, if the Oilers stick to their game, they’re good enough to win these games.
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