Just 20 seconds into the game, Leon Draisaitl stayed hot as he scored his seventh goal in seven games to give the Edmonton Oilers a 1-0 lead over the Calgary Flames. Jeff Skinner scored to put the Oilers up two. The Flames stormed back and scored two to tie it, but Edmonton got their third on the power play and an empty-netter to win their second in a row without Connor McDavid. The Oilers are 6-2-1 in their last nine games.
Stuart Skinner got the win for the Oilers, playing well and making 28 saves. He said it felt good to bounce back after a rough outing against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Draisaitl had a goal and two assists, while Zach Hyman scored his second in two games. The Oilers are finding their game at the right time and while the outing wasn’t perfect, it was a solid game from the team and every point without their captain counts.
Evan Bouchard played 24:46, was a plus/minus +2, and had two assists. Brett Kulak also played more than 20 minutes and was particularly effective.
The Oilers evened up the Battle of Alberta at one game apiece.
Are the Oilers Finding Their Stride and the Flames Struggling?
Hyman noted after the game that things are always a little more intense when they play Calgary. When asked about how he’s starting to find his game and the team is coming along, he responded, “It’s an 82-game season.” For that reason, he wasn’t too worried that he’d not been scoring to start the season.
He also noted that losing the best player in the world and not having him makes the wins even more special. “Leon’s been outstanding, he’s really stepped up.” He noted that the Oilers are really fortunate to have the best player in the world and who he believes is the second-best player in the world.
Mattias Ekholm said it’s been great to see guys stepping up and that McDavid’s absence gives others an opportunity. He noted that when McDavid comes back, it will be good if everyone has found their stride and the team can go on a roll. Ekholm called Draisaitl underrated and often underappreciated.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch said the game wasn’t perfect as they took their foot off the gas at the end of the game, but he was proud of the team for finding a way to pull out a win.
For Calgary, this is another loss after a hot start to their season. They battled hard and made it close at the end, but ultimately fell short. Calgary drops to 1-5-0 in their last six.
