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GDB 54.0 Wrap Up: Oilers win 4-1 in Minnesota and the losing streak ends
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Christian Pagnani
Feb 7, 2019, 23:20 ESTUpdated: Feb 7, 2019, 23:25 EST
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The Edmonton Oilers badly needed a win. Not just for a shot at the playoffs, but to build on something after they’ve given up the lead in the third period repeatedly.
Minnesota is a team they’re chasing in that ridiculously bad Wild Card race in the Western Conference. A loss in regulation would have put them eight points behind Minnesota, and that’s with St. Louis winning their game in overtime against Tampa. If they want to have any chance at the playoffs, this is a game they had to win.
This game was painful. Talbot performed much better after a catastrophic third period against Chicago, but how are two teams in the playoff hunt so boring to watch?

THE BRIGHT SIDE

  • The first shot on goal went in. Good news: it wasn’t on the Oilers’ net. Darnell Nurse’s offensive game continues to develop as he scores his seventh goal the season.
  • An early goal and a power play? Who are these guys?
  • The Oilers weathered a storm when Adam Larsson lost his stick in the defensive zone. Alex Chiasson gave Larsson his stick, but luckily the puck stayed out of the net.
  • The second period starting with some life. These Minnesota games can be dull, but the first few minutes had Minnesota and Edmonton trading a bunch of chances.
  • Talbot had a good start. He needed to better in the third period of that Chicago game, even with the Oilers’ poor defensive play, but no goals in the first was a solid recovery period.
  • Ty Rattie gets his fourth goal off a sweet pass from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He’s taken some punishment the past few games.
  • The Oilers have some bad contracts, no doubt about that, but the Wild have Ryan Suter and Zach Parise signed for six years after this season. They’re still really good players. Suter plays an insane amount of minutes and Parise is on pace for 72 points, but they’re both 34 years old and have a bunch of miles on them already.
  • The power play is running hot. Draisaitl scores after an iffy play on Kris Russell and the Oilers have some breathing room in the third period.
  • The Anaheim Ducks lost 4-0 to the Ottawa Senators tonight. Randy Carlyle is still their head coach. Life is wild.
  • Zack Kassian had two points. Keep building that trade value, Zack.

THE FACE PALMERS

  • Ken Hitchcock was hit with a puck and left the bench during the Oilers power play in the first period when Erich Fehr cleared the puck. Ouch.
  • Through 40 minutes the Oilers had 11 shots. That’s not enough, especially when you have the lead. You can’t sit on the lead. The Oilers should know this very well by now.
  • You knew something was getting called after they let the Zack Kassian shove on Parise go. You’re up 3-1, you have to be more disciplined than that.
  • The Oilers were outshot 35-22. They managed to pull out the win, but you’d like to see them control play more.

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST PERIOD

TIME
TEAM
DETAILS
SCORE
2:15
EDMONTON
DARNELL NURSE (7) ASST: CONNOR MCDAVID (48), ZACK KASSIAN (6)
1-0

2ND PERIOD

TIME
TEAM
DETAILS
SCORE
4:32
EDMONTON
TY RATTIE (4) ASST: RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS(34)
2-0

3RD PERIOD

TIME
TEAM
DETAILS
SCORE
2:50
MINNESOTA
JOEL ERIKSSON EK (3) ASST: JASON ZUCKER (14), LUKE KUNIN (7)
2-1
5:35
EDMONTON
PPG- LEON DRAISAITL (32) ASST: ALEX CHIASSON (9), RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS (35)
3-1
18:40
EDMONTON
ENG- ZACK KASSIAN (7) ASST: CONNOR MCDAVID (49)
4-1

#GOODCONTENT

Source: NHL, Official Game Page, 2/7/2019 – 9:00 pm MST

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