The Edmonton Oilers were in Raleigh to square off against the Carolina Hurricanes with the hopes of wrapping up their road trip on a high. And while it wasn’t the prettiest win we’ll ever see, it was mission accomplished for an Oilers team who battled for that 3-1 win right to the final buzzer.

How can I not start a recap of Saturday’s game with anything other than Calvin Pickard? The Oilers’ goaltending situation has raised all kinds of red flags over the five-game losing streak, and to have Pickard throw down a performance like that was just what the doctor ordered. Not that I’m saying one win with 35 saves and a.972 save percentage solves all of our problems, but I’m hopeful that it quiets the noise long enough to give everyone a breather. Besides, how can you not love when the backup steps up with a near-perfect effort at a time when we were looking for anyone to be a hero?

Again, I know that one win won’t be enough to totally scratch the itch on the goaltending issues we’ve had at points this season, but I love that we got a game like that from Pickard at a time when we needed it most. By all accounts, Pickard has been nothing but a beauty since being recalled to replace Jack Campbell in November of 2023, and I love cheering for a guy who battled for years to get the opportunity. I think the bigger question right now is whether Kris Knoblauch should give Pickard a run as the team’s starter while Stuart Skinner works to settle his game down. We saw how that worked in the playoffs last season, and I’d be curious to know if the idea can work for a second time.

Corey Perry is having a hell of a season, and the thing I appreciate most is how he’s finding different ways to contribute on a nightly basis. Perry got in a scrap in Florida to try and give his team some life — a veteran move from the old school playbook — and then he picks up his 13th goal of the season the next game against the Hurricanes. I’m the first to admit that I didn’t expect much from Perry’s second season with the Oilers. I thought he’d chip in from time to time, but I didn’t have him pushing for his highest goal total since 2022.

All said and done, the Oilers are getting some fantastic value out of Perry given that he doesn’t really play any more than 12 minutes per night and rarely on the power play. And whether he’s scoring a goal, dropping the mitts, or annoying anyone within earshot, the impact Corey Perry is making on the team is undeniable. While no one expects him to get back to the levels that saw him with the Hart Trophy back in 2011, it’s remarkable to see how he’s evolving his game to keep being productive even as he knocks on 40 years old.

In Saturday’s GDB leading up to the game, I wrote about my dream for the Oilers to play a simpler, greasier brand of hockey. I find that they get away from simple plays when they’re struggling, instead trying to force things through that are unlikely to work, and it was satisfying to see Adam Henrique pick up a greasy one to open the scoring. As simple as it sounds, that goal happened because Uncle Rico charged to the net and had the puck bounce in off of him. He didn’t have to snipe, he didn’t have to dangle, all he had to do was hustle.

Good things happen when you put pucks on net and have guys crashing the crease, and I’d love to see the Oilers do more of it. Even on the disallowed goal by Zach Hyman, it was another example of how the team can produce more goals just by putting pucks on net and banking on the chaos that’s can happen right in front of the net. I also think that adding this pitch to the rotation a little bit more will also open up the lanes for the highlight reel plays that come when the boys are buzzing. But even though the greasy goals don’t get as many replays on TV or social media, every one of them is a masterpiece to me.

1. Give Leon Draisaitl 16 points (9G, 7A) during this 11-game point streak, as he continues to give reason after reason why he should be a leading contender for the Hart Trophy. With two assists on the night, what’s most amazing to me about him is that he’s just as good at dishing the puck as he is at putting it in the net. Case and point was the beautiful backhanded pass to Corey Perry on what ended up being the game winner.

2. Isn’t it incredible that Evan Bouchard’s empty-netter was his first power play goal of the season? How is that possible? Dad gets as many power play minutes as anyone and has a great shot, but he just can’t seem to get anything to go for him this year. It’s one of the wilder side-stories thaat I can think of, especially when we remember how great Bouchard was on the PP a season ago.

3. I know Edmonton ended up getting an empty-netter in the final second to lock in a two-goal win, but it certainly looked like they were going to miss out again. They had blocked shots, missed net, a post by Draisaitl, and I will never understand why this team struggles so mightily to get them to go.

4. How good was Brett Kulak against the Hurricanes? With Darnell Nurse out of the lineup, Kulak ended up playing 25:45 in TOI and finished an assist, two blocked shots, and a +2 rating as the cherry on top. How can you not love the way this guy can fill any need the team asks of him?

5. As much as I wanted the Oilers’ PK to build on the perfect night they had in Florida, I was too nervous to talk about it in the GDB for fear of angering the Hockey Gords. We know the Gords can test us at times, and I feared appearing too confident would somehow affect Edmonton’s ability to lock it down when shorthanded. I guess Gords must have read my mind because they chose to give us another dose of humility with one goal on four shorthanded situations for believing that brighter days were ahead.

6. How is Frederik Andersen 18-3-2  against the Oilers in his career even with Saturday’s loss now on his record? That stat is bananas, and it doesn’t make any sense to me. What kind of witchcraft is this?

7. I’m thrilled to report that the Oilers won 50.9% of the faceoffs. I know, I’m excited about it too.

Get ready, hockey fans! The Daily Faceoff Deadline is happening on March 7th from 11 AM to 4 PM Eastern, and you won’t want to miss it. We’ll be LIVE, breaking down every trade and big move as it happens, with instant reactions and expert analysis from the Daily Faceoff crew. Plus, we’ve got special guests lined up throughout the show, offering exclusive insights from some of the biggest names in the game. From blockbuster trades to surprise moves, we’re covering it all. Tune in to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow Daily Faceoff socials on March 7th to catch all the action!