On Nov 12, 2023, the Edmonton Oilers hired head coach, Kris Knoblauch. He made his NHL head coaching debut the next night, against the New York Islanders in a 4-1 victory. One year later, in a full circle moment, Knoblauch was behind the bench against the Islanders once again. Like that night, the Oilers came away victorious, and have now secured back-to-back victories.
This was game 16 of 82, and it felt like it for the first two periods. It was a typical Islanders game. It was very tight-checking, and low-event, resulting in a 1-1 tie, heading into the final period. The under seemed like a lock, and this was a very forgettable contest up until that point, but the third period was anything but boring. There were four goals scored, some great chances, and some great goaltending by the Islanders’ netminder. Ultimately, the Oilers prevailed, so here are three takeaways from this 4-3 overtime win:
Oilers Blow Late Lead
Like most Oilers’ games, this was a rollercoaster of emotions. This team never makes it easy on themselves. They had a 3-1 lead with just over seven minutes remaining, before the Islanders fought back, and tied the game at three. At the end of the day, the Oilers got the last laugh, but they should have closed it out in regulation.
Related: Islanders Lose 4-3 to Oilers in OT Despite 3rd Period Comeback
The Oilers dominated the shot clock, outshooting the Islanders 42-22 in the game, and 15-6 in the third period. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin kept them in this hockey game, making some massive saves, especially in the final frame.
This game gave flashbacks of last week’s tilt against the Vegas Golden Knights. Edmonton was up 2-1 in that game going into the third period before Vegas tied it midway through the final frame. Then, they got the game-winning goal with under one minute remaining, to ultimately give Edmonton a regulation loss in devastating fashion. You simply can’t give away important points like that in the NHL. This game against New York was giving off those same vibes, but they still managed to come away with the win. This team needs to find a way to close out games when they have the chance.
Oilers Win Special Teams Battle
In a rare occurrence so far this season, the Oilers won the special teams battle in a limited sample size. They were a perfect 2/2 on the penalty kill, while going 1/2 on the power play. Their penalty kill looked much better. They were pressuring the puck carrier, making zone entries difficult, and not allowing easy looks on their net. This is the aspect of their game that needs the most work. If they can fix their penalty kill, they will find more success. Last night was a good start, they just need to sustain it.
Leon Draisaitl scored his first goal of the night on the power play, for his 300th career power-play point. He’s third on the Oilers’ all-time power-play points list, behind only his teammate, Connor McDavid, and the best player of all time in Wayne Gretzky. That’s some amazing company. He’s now tied for the league lead in goals with 12, alongside Montreal Canadiens forward, Cole Caufield.
This power-play marker came via his signature one-timer from the bottom of the faceoff circle, from a great cross-ice pass courtesy of McDavid. That’s a great sign, because this play hasn’t been available to them for most of the season. If they get those same looks, they will start finding the back of the net more consistently on the man advantage, which will improve their brutal power-play percentage. Special teams are usually a key to victory.
Connor McDavid Has 4-Point Night
McDavid is now only one point away from 1,000 in his NHL career, with this four-point performance. This was by far his best, and most productive game of the season. He seemed like his normal self, especially in the third period. He was moving his feet, and generating chances for himself, and his teammates.
He scored a beautiful goal off a slick backhand that went upstairs, over the glove of Sorokin for his fifth of the season. At one point, he beat a defender wide who lost his balance trying to defend the Oilers’ superstar. He also had a breakaway, but was denied twice by the Islanders goaltender. This was the McDavid we are used to seeing. He was absolutely buzzing, so hopefully, his ankle has fully healed, and he can get back to his dominant ways, because this team needs his production.
The Oilers captain now has seven points in his last two games, and 17 on the season. He will look to get his 1,000th point on Thursday night (Nov. 14), when they host the Nashville Predators, before heading to Toronto for a Saturday night showdown against the Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada.
