In the first half of a back-to-back, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Calgary Flames 4-2 on Sunday night (Nov. 3). They improved their record to 6-5-1 on the season, and 6-2-1 in their last nine games.
It took them some time, but they have seemingly found their game. They are making better decisions with the puck, their breakouts have been crisp, and when they are in the offensive zone, they are generating chances off the cycle, simply by outworking their opponent.
This was another solid road game, and with that said, here are five takeaways:
Oilers’ Got Off to a Fast Start
The Oilers got off to a great start, scoring just 20 seconds into the game, courtesy of Leon Draisaitl’s ninth of the season. This was back-to-back quick starts, as they scored just 37 seconds into their last game in Nashville. They added to their lead 8:12 into the frame on Jeff Skinner’s third of the season.
Having a good start is important because it allows you to set the tempo and the pace of the game. Edmonton has fallen behind far too many times this season, often giving up a goal on the first shot. That forces them to come from behind and chase the game, which is never ideal. Playing with the lead often leads to success.
Oilers’ Penalty Kill Allows Another Goal
This sounds like a broken record, but the Oilers’ penalty kill continues to struggle and it’s an absolute momentum killer. They had a strong first period, taking a 2-0 lead into the locker room, but they took a penalty early in the second period which the Flames capitalized on. This gave Calgary the momentum right back.
In 12 games this season, the Oilers have given up at least one power-play goal in nine of them. That’s not going to cut it, especially later in the season.
Oilers’ Power Play Scores a Big Goal
The Oilers’ struggling power play scored a massive goal midway through the third period on Zach Hyman’s second of the season, which ended up being the game-winner. He showed some quick hands as he went forehand, to backhand, and finished upstairs over Flames goaltender, Dan Vladar.
Hyman got off the schneid last game, and added another one against the Flames. When he gets hot, he can score in bunches, so him scoring in two straight games is a great sign.
This team is getting contributions throughout the lineup in the absence of their captain. It took Connor McDavid getting injured to get Hyman going, while hopefully sparking the power play in the process. Having a new look on the top power-play unit could be extremely beneficial.
Draisaitl Continues to Step Up
It’s an absolute luxury to have both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the same team. When they are both playing, they are dynamic, but when one of them isn’t, the other has the ability to take over and lead the way.
In two games without McDavid, Draisaitl has been dominant. He has back-to-back three-point games, and has played with intensity and effort. He’s leading the charge, and his new linemates have benefited greatly. Viktor Arvidsson and Vasily Podkolzin have also been very good as of late, playing with Draisaitl. Elite players make everyone around them better.
Related: Oilers Need “Next Man Up Mentality” After McDavid Injury
If Draisaitl can continue his dominance while McDavid is out, that should quiet the doubters who say that he’s not elite and the Oilers are only a one-man team. He can absolutely lead this team without No. 97 in the lineup, and that’s exactly what this team needs.
Stuart Skinner Bounces Back
Stuart Skinner had a very solid game in the Oilers net, stopping 29 out of 31 shots, for a .935 save percentage (SV%). He’s been outstanding in his career against the Flames, holding a 5-2-0 record, with a 2.06 goals-against average (GAA), and a .939 SV%.
It’s safe to say that Skinner has struggled at points throughout the first month of the season, so it was nice to see him play well on the road. He just needs to find some consistency on a nightly basis. He now has a 3.31 GAA and a .881 SV% after eight starts.
This fanbase has been incredibly hard on Skinner, and while some of the criticism is deserved, some is way overblown. Like it or not, he is a number-one goaltender in the NHL. He isn’t in the elite category, but only a handful of teams can say they have an elite goalie.
On a team with a few brutal contracts, Skinner is not one of them. He has a cap hit of $2.6 million for this season, and next, which is incredible value considering how much he plays. He’s a solid goaltender on a great-value contract, and fans need to accept that.
Skinner was rushed into the starting goalie position after the Jack Campbell experiment failed, and people seem to forget that. Campbell was supposed to be the guy to man the Oilers crease for the next five seasons. At the end of the day, the Oilers drafted and developed Skinner, which has been a rarity for this franchise outside their first-round picks.
He’s a very streaky netminder, so when he struggles, he’s really bad, but when he’s on his game, he can carry this team, like he did last season during their historic 16-game winning streak. He still holds a career .908 SV%. Hopefully, he can find his game, and having a backup that’s playing as well as Calvin Pickard will help alleviate the pressure on Skinner’s back.
The Oilers are now 2-0-0 without McDavid in the lineup, and won their first game of the season without a fighting major. They make their Amazon Prime debut tonight (Nov. 4) when they host the New Jersey Devils.
