THE BRIGHT SIDE

• We have the rest of the afternoon to drink this one away.
• Drake Caggiula opened the scoring for the Oilers with a short handed goal that got them back into a game that was starting to look bleak after two bad goals by the Stars. Caggiula added a second goal (his 3rd) only 42 seconds into the second period and gave his team their first lead of the afternoon. I think it goes without saying that this was easily Caggiula’s best game of the season as he looked good playing on Connor’s wing.
• The Oilers needed to get a big game from Connor McDavid and he delivered it. After the Oilers fell behind by two goals you could almost sense that Connor was getting pissed off and he used that hateful rage for good. Not only did he go full-McDavid assist on the assist for Caggiula’s short handed goal, he added one of his own that tied the game at two apiece. The captain was great today and was, as you’d hope, the Oilers best player. McDavid finished the day with three points and a hell of a showing.
• The Oilers fared reasonably well on special teams tonight as they killed five of six penalties they faced and were also able to get something done on the power play. Unfortunately, their play at 5-on-5 was the complete opposite and they couldn’t get a save when they needed one.
• Milan Lucic tried to get himself and the boys fired up early with a pretty good tilt against Greg Pateryn. Looch got a few good shots in, including a right hand that you’re going to want to see again. As always, you can have another look Lucic’s fight page over at HockeyFights.com.
• Kari Lehtonen was cool.

THE FACE PALMERS

• Antoine Roussel opened the scoring from behind the blue line. Let that sink in for a minute. I don’t know what it is about Talbot and allowing goals from behind the net but it’s kinda his thing. The Oilers had been playing well up until that point and it was a horrible goal that Talbot needs to be better on.
• Alex Radulov put the Stars up by two after he ripped a wrister past Talbot on the short side that he probably should have had.
• Devin Shore tied the game up at three off of a lucky goal that bounced in off Oscar Klefbom. Bad luck be thy name.
• Radek Faksa gave the Stars back the lead late in the second period as the Oilers cough up yet another goal in the final moments of a period. Those late ones have been the Oilers kryptonite and it is a tragic trend that cannot end soon enough.
• Jason Spezza added another kick to the balls late in the third period as Ben Bishop was able to fire a pass down the ice to a wide open Spezza and he walked in alone on Talbot and won the showdown.
• The NHL site only has the Oilers down for six giveaways but I call bullshit on that one. They couldn’t break the put out of their own zone all afternoon so the idea of only having six giveaways is laughable.
• After allowing two tough goals to start the game, Cam Talbot was rattled and couldn’t shut the door when the Oilers needed him to. Another forgettable game for Talbot and he needs to get himself out of this funk right quick. He finished the day with 15 saves and a .714 save%. Actually, I’m not sure why Todd McLellan didn’t pull him like Hitchcock did with Lehtonen.
• I’m not a big +/- minus guy but Maroon and Russell shared the crown today with a dash three rating beside their name. Considering five of six goals came at even strength then you’re looking at a tough night.
• Tough game for Darnell Nurse tonight as he was giving the puck away like he was handling a grenade. He made some poor puck choices in his own end and it gave the Stars some excellent looks at the net.
• Klefbom’s year of sadness continues. He’s next in line for whenever the witch doctor is done with Kassian.
• Zack Kassian may have to look for a witch doctor or something to lift this curse that is hanging over his head. Kass had yet another breakaway that he couldn’t cash in on and I don’t know what else he has to do to crack the goose egg in his goals column.
• The Oilers took way too many penalties today (six). Yes, they were able to kill most of them off but it’s tough to win hockey games when you’re down a man for 12 minutes.
• Refs sucked again. What else is new? It’s shocking how inconsistent they are. Unbelievable.
• I forgot about that dude in the tan jacket that is incessantly banging on the glass behind the net. I hate that guy and I assume that everyone in his life or within close proximity to him feels the same way.
• Pat Maroon and Jamie Oleksiak got into a rare intermission scrap after the first period and it did not go well for Patty. Oleksiak fed him a steady diet of right hands and Maroon nearly hit his head on the ice as he went down. Could have been bad news.
• Of course I have to eat beets again. OF COURSE I DO.

SCORING SUMMARY

#GOODCONTENT