Oilers 3, Canucks 2 (SO) post-game Oil Spills: The Answer debate rages on
By Cam Lewis
5 years agoA win is a win. That one certainly wasn’t pretty, as the Oilers edged out the Pettersson-less Canucks in a shootout, but all that matters at this stage is the two points.
What happened?
This game was all about special teams. JJ Khaira opened up the scoring on the penalty kill when he broke the ankles of over half of Vancouver’s power-play unit with a couple of spin moves before going roof over Jacob Markstrom. Shortly after that, though, Vancouver tied the game by converting on that same power play.
Before the end of the first period, Connor McDavid gave the Oilers a 2-1 lead with a gorgeous snipe over Markstrom on the power play.
The Canucks tied things up in the second on what would be the only even-strength goal of the game. They also almost went up 3-2 on another power-play goal, but, luckily enough, the call was reversed after an off-side challenge. After getting second life on that challenge, Mikko Koskinen was perfect. With a few seconds left in the game, Bo Horvat broke free and nearly broke everyone’s heart, but Koskinen stood tall.
The overtime period was absolutely wild. The teams went back and forth, but neither could get a puck in the net. The Canucks almost had the win, but Darnell Nurse somehow managed to keep the puck out of the net with his skate. Leon Draisaitl would go up the ice on a breakaway immediately after, but he was stopped by Markstrom.
It took five rounds, but Alex Chiasson finally gave the Oilers the win with a snipe over Markstrom’s blocker side.
By the numbers
Like I said earlier, this was a special teams game. Both the Oilers and Canucks played very tight at even strength, especially in the third period. The Oilers did carry the game pretty handily when it came to possession, but actual scoring chances were split right down the middle.
Thoughts…
- The third period of that game is exactly why the loser point needs to be killed. The league needs to either go to some kind of three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime win format, or they need to just go to wins and losses. The third period was painful to watch as both teams played the trap to earn themselves a guaranteed point. The three-on-three overtime period was excellent, and then it came to an end in an anti-climatic shootout. Obviously, the thing I care most about is the two points, but this game could have been a lot more exciting if the two teams were going for the win in the third or the overtime period was longer.
- The formula for the Oilers is simple — allow no more than three goals. When the Oilers allow three or fewer goals, their record is 21-2-1. When they allow more than three goals, their record is 2-19-2. That’s an insane split. Basically, what it suggests is that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can bail the team out offensively only to an extent. The rest of the Oilers need to be able to shut the other team down in order to let their top gunners grind out a win.
- The Answer debate rages on! Mikko Koskinen was absolutely perfect after Vancouver’s third goal was disallowed. He made a few big stops in the third when he had to, he was strong in the overtime (thanks a little to a big save from Darnell Nurse), and he was a rock in the shootout. But Alex Chiasson scored the shootout winner. So who’s The Answer?! Can it be both of them?!
- I really, really hope the Oilers send both Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto to the AHL. Neither is really helping the team win right now and the team isn’t helping their development. It’s a lose-lose situation. Puljujarvi played just six minutes last night and wasn’t noticeable at all in the third.
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