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There’s A Logjam At The Top Of The Pacific

4-1 victory puts Oilers, Ducks and Sharks at top of Pacific

By Jeff Chapman
Montreal Canadiens v Edmonton Oilers Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images

The Oilers scored two power play goals, and Laurent Brossoit picked up his first win at Rogers Place as the Oilers took care of the Colorado Avalanche by a 4-1 margin.

Benoit Pouliot opened the scoring with his eighth goal of the year. The Avalanche would get one back just 35 seconds later, but it would be Leon Draisaitl who would give the Oilers the permanent lead midway through the first. Draisaitl’s 27th goal also included Connor McDavid’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Drake Caggiula each had a power play goal for the Oilers.

I will admit, I’ve gotten sort of comfortable with Edmonton’s chances when they play the 2016-17 Colorado Avalanche that I almost look past the game before it happens. The Avalanche have 51 regulation losses, a number that seems almost impossible when you figure that you’re probably going to be tied after regulation in a handful of games over the course of a season (they’ve had 3). They’re an impressively scary -104 in total goals this year. They should draft first overall at the NHL Entry Draft, but with Las Vegas getting into the mix, the Avalanche only have a 17% chance of drafting first overall in June.

  • Matthew Benning took a shot off of his foot last night, and had to be helped from the ice. If it’s anything more than a bruise, it’ll likely get Eric Gryba into the lineup sooner than later. Matthew Benning has been more than a welcome addition to this club’s blue line this year, and it would be some good fortune to see Benning avoid significant time.
  • Benoit Pouliot: Ready For Prime Time? He scored his eighth goal to open the scoring early on for Edmonton. It’s easy to say that he’s not had the season anyone would have hoped for, but he’s got four points (3-1-4) over nine games since coming back from injury.
  • Drake Caggiula had a two point night with this power play goal and an assist. Not too bad for a guy who’s found himself in and out of the lineup as of late.
  • Laurent Brossoit was nearly perfect, turning aside everything except an early first period goal from Sven Andrighetto. Brossoit surely isn’t Talbot incarnate right now, but the club shouldn’t be afraid to give their star netminder a night off. Brossoit turned aside 23 of 24 Avalanche shots en route to his first win at Rogers Place.
  • We will be waiting.