The Edmonton Oilers have won two straight games in Raleigh, for the first time, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime. They won their previous road game against Carolina 3-1 last March. But the Oilers still can’t win in regulation, only winning four of their first 20 games in 60 minutes of play. That’s tied for the fewest in the league, with six other teams.
The Oilers got goals from Jack Roslovic, Connor McDavid (2), and Leon Draisaitl. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes got goals from Eric Robinson, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Jordan Staal. This game wasn’t pretty, but it offered excitement, and Edmonton found a way. There were a few positives and negatives from this performance, so with that said, here are five takeaways from this victory.
Zach Hyman Returned
Zach Hyman made his much-anticipated season debut after undergoing surgery for his dislocated wrist sustained in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars on May 27. The 33-year-old has been severely missed, and a much-needed boost to this forward group. He reclaimed his spot on the top line alongside McDavid and Matt Savoie.
Related: 2 McDavid Goals Lead to Oilers’ 4-3 Overtime Win Over Hurricanes
He had five hits in the first period and a team-high 11 overall. The next closest Oiler only registered three hits. He was all over the ice and made a great play on their third goal. He took a hit to make a play, and Draisaitl found McDavid for the tap-in. Hyman finished the game with one assist and two shots in 23:10 of ice time. He was second among forwards in ice time, only behind McDavid’s 24:31. He didn’t miss a beat and was impactful in his season debut. The veteran winger will help Edmonton find its identity.
Jack Roslovic Stays Hot
Roslovic has found a home in Edmonton’s top six and has fit like a glove. He had back-to-back overtime winners earlier this week, and continues to produce consistently, especially for a team that’s struggling to generate offence at 5-on-5.
The former Hurricane got on the scoresheet early in this one, as he had one goal and one assist in the first period. He had a breakaway on his first shift, missing the net wide, and then scored on a set play 3:47 into the contest. Darnell Nurse dumped the puck onto goaltender Frederik Andersen, and the netminder misplayed it right to Roslovic in front, who made no mistake. The Columbus, Ohio, native now has six goals and 14 points in 18 games on the season, including 12 points in his last 11 games. He has been a fantastic addition.
Rough Night for Regula
There’s no sugarcoating it: Alec Regula had a bad game. He couldn’t keep up with Carolina’s relentless pressure and turned the puck over numerous times. He was on the ice for five scoring chances against, and only two scoring chances for. The 25-year-old defenceman was also a minus-2 in 13:55 of ice time.
He was on the ice for the third goal against and got completely outworked on the play. William Carrier beat him to the loose puck and drove hard to the net before Jordan Staal finished the play. Not only did he lose that battle, but he failed to clear out the rebound before Staal pounced on it. Regula got exposed, and it might be time for him to sit in the press box for a while.
The Oilers Bent but Didn’t Break
After the Oilers took an early 2-0 lead, the Hurricanes took over and dictated the play, especially in the second period. Carolina won puck battles all over the ice, and their relentless forecheck forced numerous turnovers, leading to quality chances.
The Hurricanes outshot the Oilers in every period, including 16-6 in the middle frame. However, the Oilers did a solid job of protecting the middle of the ice and kept the home team to the outside for the most part. Despite the constant pressure and offensive zone time, the Hurricanes only had a 26-21 scoring chance advantage at 5-on-5, including 10-8 at high danger, according to Natural Stat Trick. This also leads us to the final takeaway.
Stuart Skinner Kept the Oilers in the Game
Stuart Skinner was undoubtedly the best goaltender in this game, stopping 33 of 36 shots for a .917 save percentage (SV%). This was only the third time this season that he has faced 30-plus shots. He made a poor read on his second goal against, as he was far out of position, leaving the net wide open. Other than that miscue, he was excellent. He faced a ton of rubber and made some timely saves, especially when the rest of the team was flat. The Oilers don’t win this game without Skinner’s performance.
The Oilers continue their season-long seven-game road trip on Monday (Nov. 17) against the Buffalo Sabres. Keep following The Hockey Writers for all your NHL content throughout the season.
