The Edmonton Oilers continued to roll as they beat the Minnesota Wild 5-3 in a game that showed the team can lean on their backup goalie, Calvin Pickard, and come back from a two-goal deficit. The Oilers started slowly, and Pickard was a bit loose early. As the game got going, Pickard got hot, and the Oilers started to produce, taking advantage of a depleted Wild lineup.
Here are three key takeaways from the game:
Calvin Pickard Proving to Be One of the NHL’s Best Backups
With 31 saves, Calvin Pickard was on his game, highlighted by a big save on a 2-on-0 break. Any doubt he’s one of the best backups in the NHL were silenced as he made 31 saves on 34 shots.
Despite defensive lapses, Pickard made crucial stops on Grade A chances against. He made save after save and surprised some with his athleticism. He robbed Marco Rossi twice in the third period and denied several of the Wild’s top shooters. His save that allowed the Oilers to turn around and go back on offense so Connor McDavid could score the go-ahead goal will be underappreciated, but it was crucial to the win.
Pickard improved to 11-4 this season.
McDavid Passes Kurri in Oilers All-Time Scoring
Connor McDavid’s two-goal, three-point performance not only led the Oilers offensively but also allowed him to pass one of the best offensive players in franchise history. With 1,044 career points, McDavid surpassed Jari Kurri to claim second place on the Oilers’ all-time scoring list.
He now trails only Wayne Gretzky, who holds the record with 1,669 points. McDavid’s second goal was one that only a few players in the league can do. He used Zach Hyman as a decoy and beat the goalie with a pinpoint shot.
Oilers Might Have Stolen One
Beyond McDavid’s three points, the line of Vasily Podkolzin, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Viktor Arvidsson was excellent. Credit should be given to the team’s offensive depth. However, it should be noted that the Wild were missing key pieces on the blue line and their top offensive star Kirill Kaprizov. If it hadn’t been for Pickard, the Oilers likely wouldn’t have won this game. It was a 20-10 disadvantage in Grade A scoring chances.
Edmonton also tested out a couple of players in this game, putting both Josh Brown and Noah Philp in the lineup. It’s clear the Oilers were managing their roster in the first of a back-to-back. The Oilers also want to know what options they have in house before they have to make big decisions as the NHL trade deadline. .
With the win, Edmonton improved to 18-4-1 since November 23rd and sits four points out of first overall. The Oilers look to tie for the Pacific Division lead Thursday in Colorado,.
