On a night when the Edmonton Oilers organization inducted Randy Gregg and Craig MacTavish into the Oilers Hall of Fame, They shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0 and looked dominant doing so.
While it’s still early, this was the most complete game they’ve played all season, and they were in total control from the moment the puck hit the ice. They outshot the Penguins 50-27 while winning 57.4 percent of the faceoffs. They were effective off the cycle and the rush. Connor McDavid was held off the scoresheet, but the Oilers still handedly won this game. You can’t always expect your best players to produce every night, so it’s important that other players step up and contribute, which is exactly what happened. The Penguins did not have an answer for the Oilers’ offensive attack.
This score could have been a lot higher if it wasn’t for Joel Blomqvist in the Penguins’ net. He was outstanding and stopped 46 out of 50 shots, which resulted in an excellent .920 save percentage (SV%). It’s too bad his teammates failed to help him out. With that said, here are three takeaways from this dominating Oilers performance.
Viktor Arvidsson’s Best Game as an Oiler
Viktor Arvidsson had himself a night. He finished the game with three assists and four shots on goal in 17:33 of ice time. He was noticeable and around the net all night. He could have scored a few goals in the first period if it wasn’t for the great goaltending by the Penguins netminder. He’s a tenacious forechecker who works hard to win puck battles and is a great fit in this forward group. The offense hasn’t been there for him early in the season, but hopefully, this game is a sign of things to come. He’s on the verge of breaking through as long as he continues to work hard.
He was on a line with Vasily Podkolzin and Leon Draisaitl. It was arguably the team’s most effective line. They were outworking the Penguins’ blue line in the offensive zone and cycled the puck effectively. Podkolzin also got his first point as an Oiler, and Draisaitl opened the scoring with a quick wrist shot off the rush. Hopefully, this line can stay together because they are starting to build some chemistry.
Arvidsson went into the corner boards awkwardly near the end of the third period and was slow to get up. He was helped off the ice by head athletic therapist, T.D. Forss. He only suited up for 18 regular season games last season with the Los Angeles Kings due to a back injury, so it would be unfortunate if he missed time due to injury again, especially if he’s beginning to find his game. Hopefully, this is not too serious and he’s good to go.
Oilers Second Power-Play Unit Scores
The Oilers’ second power-play unit scored a key goal courtesy of Mattias Ekholm to go up 4-0 and seemingly put the game away. The first unit is still not producing, so it was crucial for the second unit to step up, which they did.
During practice, the Oilers mixed up their power-play personnel by playing Connor McDavid with Leon Draisaitl, Jeff Skinner, Arvidsson, and Evan Bouchard. The second unit consisted of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Corey Perry, Darnell Nurse, and Ekholm. However, when it came to game time, these changes were not implemented. Head coach Kris Knoblauch sent out the usual five suspects in McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman, Nugent-Hopkins, and Bouchard to no success. This first unit has been together for a few years, so a new look could provide a much-needed spark. It may be time to mix it up to get the power play going.
Stuart Skinner Was Perfect
Stuart Skinner recorded his first shutout of the year and fifth of his career with a 27-save performance. He’s delivered back-to-back quality starts, which was much needed not only for his confidence but also for the team’s success. Skinner made some great saves, including a cross-crease one-timer denial, similar to the save he made against the Carolina Hurricanes in their last game.
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On top of Skinner’s quality play, their defence was strong in front of him. They only allowed five shots in the first period and cleared the front of the net with ease. There weren’t a lot of second-chance opportunities or traffic in front of Edmonton’s net. He made the saves he needed to while also making some great saves on point-blank opportunities. There were a few brutal turnovers in the defensive zone, especially in the third period, but Skinner was there to bail out his teammates.
Oilers fans are hoping that Skinner can keep this momentum going and deliver quality starts on a consistent basis. When he’s locked in, the Oilers are even more dangerous. The Oilers’ netminder is slowly starting to bring up his save percentage. He now has an .890 SV% after six appearances.
The Oilers have now beaten the Penguins seven straight games, outscoring them 37-9 in the process, including back-to-back 4-0 shutout victories. This team is starting to find its stride, and hopefully, they can continue their solid play when they hit the road for a four-game road trip that starts on Sunday (Oct. 27) against the Detroit Red Wings.
