The Edmonton Oilers dominated the Nashville Predators en path to a 5-1 win with out the providers of Connor McDavid. This was a textbook highway victory. The entire crew stepped up, and 11 completely different gamers registered a degree. Listed here are 5 takeaways from this dominating efficiency:
Noah Philp Makes His NHL Debut
Noah Philp is an unimaginable story. He went from being undrafted to taking a yr off hockey final season, and now, he’s an NHLer. He’s precisely what the Oilers wanted of their backside six. He’s a 6-foot-3, right-shot centre with pace, and is sweet within the faceoff circle. The previous College of Alberta Golden Bear provides a much-needed enhance to this getting old ahead group. He was centring the fourth line alongside Corey Perry and Drake Caggiula.
Associated: Oilers’ Philp Making a Case to Crack Opening Night time Lineup
Philp made an early influence, registering his first NHL level halfway by the primary interval on a objective by Perry.
The fourth line was actually stable of their restricted ice time. They cycled the puck successfully which resulted in some high quality possibilities. The rookie was additionally used shorthanded to win some necessary attracts within the defensive zone. He’s already constructing belief with the teaching workers which is able to bode properly for him shifting ahead. Philp was more practical in a single recreation than the fourth line has been all season. He completed his debut with one help, three pictures, and one hit, and led the crew with 10 faceoff wins in 11:54 of ice time.
Even when McDavid comes again from damage, it wouldn’t be stunning to see Philp keep up with the massive membership. He earned a roster spot out of camp, however they gave the final spot to the veteran in Derek Ryan. Now, Ryan is the odd man out and shouldn’t be within the lineup each recreation. This crew desperately must get youthful and add some pace, which Philp gives. He must be right here to remain.
The Oilers’ New Prime Line Produced
Within the absence of McDavid, the Oilers’ high line was Leon Draisaitl, Vasily Podkolzin, and Viktor Arvidsson. This was simply Edmonton’s greatest line. They have been dominant within the offensive zone and confirmed up on the scoresheet. Arvidsson received his first objective as an Oiler simply 37 seconds into the primary interval on an excellent forecheck by Podkolzin which led to him successful a puck battle, and passing to Draisaitl, who then arrange Arvidsson for the tap-in. That was an elite play throughout.
Draisaitl prolonged the Oilers’ result in 3-1 on a breakaway, over the blocker of goaltender Juuse Saros 9:03 into the second interval. He added one other objective within the third interval to make it 4-1. The famous person ahead has been deemed the Mayor of Nashville by the fanbase due to his sheer dominance towards them. In 28 profession video games towards the Predators, he has 27 objectives and 46 factors, together with 12 multi-point video games.
This complete line works rather well collectively. They’ve the talent in Draisaitl, the physicality in Podkolzin, and the tenaciousness of Arvidsson. This line has discovered chemistry, and they should stick collectively.
Regardless that Podkolzin has but to attain a objective, he’s doing all the fitting issues, together with getting right into a struggle within the third interval. This was the second struggle of the sport as Ty Emberson dropped the gloves within the first interval. In a bizarre statistic, the Oilers at the moment are 5-0-0 when there’s a preventing main, and 0-5-1 with out.
Particular Groups Proceed to Battle
The one detrimental is that the Oilers’ particular crew woes proceed. They gave up one other shorthanded objective, and failed to attain on the ability play, though they solely had one alternative that was in the end minimize brief resulting from an offensive zone penalty by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The ability play is at present twenty seventh within the league at just below 14%. This crew is simply too expert for his or her energy play to proceed struggling, so they need to escape finally, which can be tougher now with their captain out of the lineup.
The penalty kill struggles are extra regarding. They’re at present final within the league at simply over 62%. They should determine that out rapidly, and that begins with the goaltender. Your goalie must be your greatest penalty killer, and to this point this season, that hasn’t been the case. The crew can also be giving up too many high quality seems, together with cross-seam passes, and letting the opposition stroll proper in and decide their spot. They should tighten that up in the event that they wish to enhance.
Zach Hyman Breaks His Droop
Zach Hyman lastly scored his first objective of the season of their eleventh recreation, and received the monkey off his again. He break up the defence and obtained an excellent breakaway cross from Darnell Nurse, going forehand over the glove of Saros. Hopefully, it is a signal of issues to come back, and he begins scoring in bunches, particularly within the absence of McDavid. He’s been doing all the fitting issues, together with attending to the blue paint and dealing onerous behind the online, however nothing was moving into. Regardless of this hunch, he by no means modified his recreation, as a result of he is aware of how he must play to ensure that this crew to achieve success, and he lastly received rewarded for his efforts.
Calvin Pickard Was Strong
Calvin Pickard quietly had an excellent recreation between the pipes. He stopped 26 out of 27 pictures which resulted in a .963 save share (SV%). That is now back-to-back high quality outings from the Edmonton netminder, as he allowed two objectives on 26 pictures in a 3-2 additional time win towards the Detroit Purple Wings this previous Sunday (Oct. 27). With the present struggles of Stuart Skinner, Pickard could also be getting some extra begins, so it’s essential that this crew will get high quality goaltending from their backup.
Since his first begin towards the Chicago Blackhawks the place he gave up 5 objectives on 20 pictures, he’s bounced again properly, racking up three straight wins. He now holds a 3-1-0 report, with a 2.48 goals-against common (GAA), and an .897 SV% this season. He’s stepped in and constantly offers the crew an opportunity to win.
The Oilers conclude their four-game highway journey on Sunday evening (Nov. 3) after they play the Calgary Flames within the second installment of the Battle of Alberta.
