Talbot's 40 Saves Propel Oilers To 2-0 Victory Over Vancouver
Cam Talbot turned aside all forty Vancouver shots en route to his third shutout of the year, while Edmonton got goals from Jordan Eberle and Matt Hendricks en route to a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night at Rexall Place. Jordan Eberle scored his 22nd goal of the season midway through the second period, while Matt Hendricks added to the lead with his fourth goal of the season six minutes into the third period. Two goals isn't a whole lot, but it's enough when your goaltender tosses a perfect game. The Oilers defeat the Canucks, a team that sits next to the Flames and Oilers in the standings. Welcome to the big show, guys.
The Oilers look to throw a monkey wrench into Colorado's wild card playoff hopes. Can the Oilers avoid a season sweep? Let's go to the tape.
The Oilers are saying
"I think that pair has been pretty steady since we've put them together...They both played big minutes, they penalty killed."
That's Oilers head coach Todd McLellan on a pairing of Jordan Oesterle and Griffin Reinhart.
Yeah, let's give this pairing five more games and see what we're saying. (Spoiler: let's not.)
The opponents are saying
"It's the same thing you hear all the time: guys have to step up. Source
That's Avalanche winger Jarome Iginla on defeating his former club in Calgary 4-3.
The Avalanche had to come back in order to take two points from Iginla's former club. Tyson Barrie and Carl Soderberg scored to bring the Avalanche back from a 3-1 deficit, while Mikkel Boedker scored in the shootout to give the Avalanche a 4-3 victory.
The Avalanche are holding on to a wild card spot by one point, and would really, really love to defeat the Oilers for a season sweep.
How important is this game for the Avalanche? Pretty important. The Avalanche control their own destination, and if they finish better than the Wild in the next ten games, they're in the dance. They were in Calgary last night and they're probably a bit tired, but you've got to feel pretty good about yourself if you're Colorado. They've outscored the Oilers 8-3 over the course of two games, and they've surely got a "win now" mentality. The Oilers have got to feel good about this game because...well, there's a big shiny new building coming in seven games, and they've got Connor McDavid. Yeah.
THE KID IS HOT TONIGHT: How good has Cam Talbot been as of late? Pretty damn good. In his last ten games, he's turned aside 310 of a possible 327 shots for a SV% of .948 over that time. His fiftieth game of the season was a 40 save shutout of Vancouver. Anytime you shutout Vancouver, your day is instantly brighter.
Somewhat surprisingly, Laurent Brossoit (0-2-1, .882 SV% / 3.29 GAA) will get the start for the Oilers tonight. The Avalanche are going with Calvin Pickard (6-5-1, .921 SV% / 2.61 GAA / 1 SO) after Semyon Varlamov picked up the W in Calgary last night.
Connor McDavid, you guys. Another assist for Connor McDavid (14-25-39) gives him 39 points on the year. While I'd take great satisfaction in enraging the rest of the league with another draft lottery victory, McDavid winning the Calder trophy to upset everyone who's on Team Panarin, Team Larkin or Team Eichel or Team Gostisbehere would be way more satisfying.
The Avalanche will welcome Gabriel Landeskog back in the lineup for his first action in three games. Landeskog was suspended for a check to the head of Anaheim's Simon Despres. Landeskog is currently third in scoring on the Avalanche with 46 points (17-29-46).
Andrew Ference (hip), Brandon Davidson (knee), Eric Gryba (knee), Benoit Pouliot (shoulder) and Oscar Klefbom (leg), are out for the Oilers, The Avalanche are without Nathan MacKinnon (questionable / knee - day to day), Matt Duchene (questionable / knee - day- to - day) Ben Street (chest), Brad Stuart (back), Jesse Winchester (concussion) and Eric Gelinas (elbow)
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