Earlier this year when these two teams met, it was fireworks in terms of a
massive hit Ryan Reaves laid on Darnell Nurse. Saturday night’s fireworks were different, however, in a high-scoring game that Toronto would win 4-3 thanks to an offside review and a massive save from Joseph Woll.
The Oilers opened the game up with pace, firing early shots on Leafs netminder Joseph Woll to no avail. Toronto nearly had their first of the game early in the first, though, when William Nylander turnstiled a rusty John Klingberg, but Stuart Skinner came up big.
Nylander, however, wouldn’t be denied as just under seven minutes into the game, he fired a long wrist shot that would beat Skinner, opening the scoring.
A little over a minute later, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would take a slashing penalty against Pontus Holmberg, who was breaking into the Oilers zone. And since the Maple Leafs had been held without a power play goal in four straight games, it only makes sense they got off the schneid, as Matthew Knies cleaned up a loose puck in front of the net to make it 2-0.
More penalty troubles came the way of the Oilers, as Vasily Podkolzin would end up in the box for a high-sticking call that I can’t help but laugh at. I mean come on. How often do you see a guy high-stick himself and an opponent?
Well, the Leafs would get the last laugh, as Bobby McMann would score to make it 3-0.
The rest of the first frame was relatively stagnant for both sides, and it carried over into the first half of the second period, too. But then, an puck in the offensive zone would cycle to Evan Bouchard at the point, who unleashed a patented Bouch Bomb that found it’s way past Joseph Woll and into the back of the Leafs net.
The goal would awaken the Oilers for the first time Saturday night, allowing them to continue to push in that second period, generating 13 scoring chances and five from high-danger areas, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The third frame would start in a less-than-ideal way for Edmonton, as just 18 seconds in, Mitch Marner caught the Oilers sleeping, scoring to make it 4-1.
From there, it was all Edmonton.
Zach Hyman would score six minutes later, taking a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins pass to the middle of the ice, and firing a shot home. Then, elevated to the top line for tonight’s game, Corey Perry make it a one-goal game with eight and a half minutes to go in the third.
All of a sudden, the Oilers looked like they could actually come back in this game. But there’s some nights where it just wasn’t meant to be, and so was this game.
With the net empty and minutes to go, the Oilers entered the offensive zone, cycling the puck and firing at will, it would find its way to Leon Draisaitl in the office. He made no mistake picking the top shelf.
The Leafs quickly took a timeout, however, buying themselves some extra time to review the goal — more specifically, John Klingberg, who was offside entering the zone. A challenge later, and the game was no longer tied.
That wouldn’t hold the Oilers back, continuing to find a late tying goal. It nearly would, as with quite literally seconds — or less — on the clock, Woll made two miraculous saves to seal the Leafs win.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
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