Three in a Row! Oilers Beat the Panthers 4-1

Rexall Place was alive as the Oilers, who had just beaten the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets 7-0 two nights earlier, took to the ice against another lowly team, the Florida Panthers. For the third game in a row two bottom feeding NHL teams were facing off against each other.

Highlights

Eberle's Goal That Was Really Nugent-Hopkins' Goal

Very nice power play by the Oilers but the key here is that Jordan Eberle did not score this goal. By the time Eberle gets his stick on the puck it is already way across the goal line. As of this writing the goal had not been changed so I just figured I'd point it out. This was Ryan Nugent-Hopkins goal!

Tweet of the Game

Tonight's Tweet of the Game belongs to none other than Edmonton Journal reporter Jim Mattheson. After Scottie Upshall scored the lone Panthers' goal Mattheson was there to criticize Devan Dubnyk for allowing a goal that just days before he was praising David Perron for. By the way Dubnyk had gone 119:26 without allowing a goal.

Dubnyk doesn't hug post with arm and Upshall squeezes it in ending run of 14 straight Oiler goals without a reply over 3 gms.#Oilers

— Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) November 22, 2013

Take Aways

The Fourth Line

I know after the last game I got roasted for criticising the fourth line, and let me start with I wasn't overly upset with the fourth line's play last game but keeping this line together is asking for trouble. I am going to keep criticising the use of this fourth line until Mark Arcobello makes it back into the line up. This line got lucky today. I counted 3 scoring chances against where a player was left wide open in front of the net when they were on the ice. The only saving grace was the Panthers' inability to pass the puck to the open player. I don't look forward to this line getting lit up over and over and over again against Chicago next game but there is a pretty good chance this same line will appear against the defending Stanley Cup Champs.

The GPS Line

This is probably the best third line the Oilers have iced in years. Boyd Gordon has a knack to win puck battles, Ryan Smyth is being Ryan Smyth again and David Perron, man what a great pickup. This line has done more for the Oilers defensive play lately than the actual defencemen on the team.

Devan Dubnyk

Ya sure he hasn't faced a tonne of shots but he's been one of the biggest reasons for the Oilers wins. What's his GAA & SV% since the crazy Russian has joined the team?

Yakupov - Gagner - Hemsky

Another line that is really starting to tick. Nail Yakupov and Ales Hemsky can gain the zone so well and perform the task so differently that defenders don't know how to react. With Sam Gagner driving the net this line could really start putting up some huge numbers.

Special Teams

I know the Oilers have played Calgary, Columbus and Florida in the last few games but it's nice to see the special teams actually producing again. Maybe they won't end the season 30th after all.

Three Stars

1. Boyd Gordon
2. Devan Dubnyk
3. David Perron

Its all nice that the Oilers can beat up on bottom feeders but the real test for this team comes Monday against Chicago.