The Edmonton Oilers stormed back from an early deficit to blast the Buffalo Sabres 8-3 at Rogers Place on Thursday (March 21). Mattias Ekholm and Zach Hyman each scored twice for the Oilers, who also got goals from Connor Brown, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan McLeod, and Darnell Nurse. Oilers captain Connor McDavid had four assists, and Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner made 26 saves in the win.
Edmonton fell behind 2-0 in the first period and trailed 3-2 late in the second frame before erupting for six unanswered goals, including five in the final period. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, a number of Oilers found themselves making moves in the record books with their numbers on Thursday. Here’s a look at those most significant stats from Edmonton’s victory over the Sabres.
Nurse Moves Ahead of Lowe
On one shot Thursday night, Nurse moved in front of Hall-of-Fame defenceman Kevin Lowe on two different Oilers all-time leaders lists.
Nurse, who has spent his entire NHL career with the Oilers, scored at 4:38 of the third period to break a 3-3 tie and put the Oilers up for good. It was his 75th career goal and turned out to be his 12th career game-winning goal, both of which are one more than Lowe totalled as a member of the Oilers.
The 29-year-old Nurse now ranks third in franchise history for most goals by a defenceman, trailing Paul Coffey (209) and Charlie Huddy (81), and second in Oilers history for most game-winning goals by a blueliner, behind only Hall-of-Famer Coffey (19). Lowe had 74 goals, 11 of which were game-winners, over his 15 seasons (1979-80 to 1991-92 and 1996-97 to 1997-98) with the Oilers.
Skinner Ties Talbot
The win was Skinner’s 31st of 2023-24, matching Cam Talbot’s total of 2017-18 for sixth most in a single season by an Oilers goalie. With his next win, he will tie Curtis Joseph (1996-97) for fifth. He’s two wins from equalling Andy Moog (1982-83) for fourth, and if he can pick up nine more victories over Edmonton’s final 15 games, he’ll join Grant Fuhr and Talbot as the only netminders in Oilers history with at least 40 wins in a season.
Skinner’s win total, which is already one more than he had last season when he was a Calder Trophy finalist and member of the Pacific Division All-Star Game team, is most remarkable considering he had only one win in the first 30 days of the season.
Bouchard in Company with Coffey
Evan Bouchard picked up a pair of assists on Thursday, which gives the Edmonton blueliner 67 points (15 goals and 52 assists) in 2023-24. That’s the most points recorded by an Oilers defenceman in a single season since 1986-87, when Coffey also had 67. It’s also the sixth most points in a single season by an Edmonton blueliner. Coffey has the top five seasons (138 in 1985-86, 126 in 1983-84, 121 in 1984-85, 96 in 1982-83 and 89 in 1991-92).
McLeod’s Magic Continues
The game was already decided when McLeod’s goal at 16:58 of the third period put Edmonton ahead 7-3, but that doesn’t change the stat that shows the Oilers are practically unbeatable in games where McLeod scores.
Edmonton is unbeaten in regulation in the last 18 games that McLeod has scored, going 17-0-1, and has won nine straight games at home when the 24-year-old forward scores. Since making his Oilers debut in 2021, he has scored in 30 different regular season games. Edmonton is an incredible 24-5-1 in those contests, including 12-2-0 at Rogers Place. That might not be any kind of record, but it’s sure near unprecedented.
More to Come for Oilers
With a pair of tallies Thursday, Hyman is up to 48 goals in 2023-24, tied with Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers for second most in the league this season. Just six players have ever scored at least 50 goals for the Oilers in a season, and Draisaitl and McDavid are the only ones to do it since the 1980s.
Related: Oilers’ Hyman Deserves Much More Attention for Amazing Season
It’s not a question of if, but when Hyman will join the 50-goal club, and what better time to do it than Edmonton’s next game, Saturday (March 23) against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Place?
Hyman grew up in Toronto and spent the first six seasons of his NHL career with the Maple Leafs. It’s almost as if the Hockey Gods have it scripted for Hyman to score No. 50 at Scotiabank Place. Oilers fans will be tuned to Hockey Night in Canada hoping that’s the case.
