The Edmonton Oilers continued to feast on the Nashville Predators. Of their first sport with out Connor McDavid within the line after his harm, Leon Draisaitl wanted to steer the group and the remainder of the roster needed to step up, which they did. It was a strong street efficiency with some fisticuffs and good goaltending by Calvin Pickard, who made 26 saves and allowed a single aim.
Listed here are the important thing takeaways from the Oilers’ win over the Predators. It was a robust bounce-back efficiency after laying an egg of their final sport in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets. 11 completely different Oilers had some extent.
Leon Draisaitl Continues to Dominate the Predators
Draisaitl loves enjoying in opposition to Nashville. In his final 16 video games in opposition to Nashville, he has 25 targets and 41 factors. He had two targets on Thursday. Draisaitl was flying from the get-go and his line scored on the primary shift of the sport. As soon as they established the tempo of the sport, the opposite strains adopted go well with.
Draisaitl is a big-game participant and he wanted to ship a message that this crew can win with out their captain. He set the tone and didn’t relent all through. His three factors proved he’s not a byproduct of McDavid. Kris Knoblauch stated the highest line was one of the best line all night time and Draisaitl was their finest participant. He didn’t disappoint and got here up with targets on the huge instances. He was able to play and the primary shift confirmed it.
A Night time of Firsts for the Oilers
Each Viktor Arvidsson (11 shot makes an attempt) and Zach Hyman scored their firsts of the season. It needed to be an enormous reduction for each gamers who would by no means have guessed every would go 10 video games and not using a aim. Arvidsson tucked one in on a pleasant help from Draisaitl. Hyman was despatched in on a breakaway and put it up excessive.
Arvidsson stated after the sport it was good to get the aim off his again and look ahead. “Hyms obtained his first one too, so it’s good for the arrogance.” He stated their line has discovered some chemistry that comes from exhausting work and profitable puck battles.
Noah Philp virtually scored on the finish of the sport as Corey Perry tried to set him up. Philps first should wait. However, he did get his first level within the NHL with an help on Perry’s aim at 9:54 of the primary. Philp completed with 11:50 TOI, three photographs on aim, and went10/14 (71%) on faceoffs.
A Rought Night time That The Oilers Handily Gained
Nashville outhit the Oilers 30-20, however the Oilers gained the toughness sport. Ty Emberson obtained into his first combat and fared properly. Vasily Podkolzin and Jeremy Lauzon obtained right into a combat and each have been swinging. Podkolzin linked on two huge proper palms to drop Lauzon.
They’re 5-0 when getting a preventing main this season. They’re 0-5-1 once they don’t. That must be an indicator that the Oilers play so a lot better once they need to be extra bodily and engaged.
This was a crew that was keen to step up in all sides of the sport. Some analysts questioned if the McDavid harm may set off the crew to play a mode of sport that made it tougher for groups to play in opposition to them. That was definitely the case in opposition to the Predators.
Subsequent: Journalist Maps Out Path for Oilers to Reunite with Klim Kostin
