RECAP: Predators Double Up Oilers 4-2

The Oilers have been pretty good about getting a jump start on the scoring as of late. Edmonton took a 2-0 lead to the dressing room after one period, but the Predators would score a pair of goals in both the second and third periods en route to their fortieth win of the season.

THE FUN

The fun began with Connor McDavid would score his 29th goal of the season midway through the first period.

Go to the net, good things happen. For a second there I thought Milan Lucic got his stick on an airborne puck which would have given him the primary assist on the goal. That would’ve been the first time in who knows how long that Lucic got the first assist. The goal was scored unassisted, and we wait. McDavid’s 29th goal would inch him closer to back-to-back 100 point seasons, which is pretty much the only thing I can root for in earnest.

The Oilers would score a special teams goal in the last minute of the first. A power play goal off the stick of Leon Draisaitl would give the Oilers a 2-0 lead and some hope along the way. Nice pass from Strome to McDavid, McDavid to Leon. This stuff is easy, right?

The first period comes to a close, the Oilers are up 2-0. And that’s where you should have decided that the Oilers were going to cruise to a victory, because it didn’t get any better than that moment right there. Oilers were up 2-0, shut ‘er down.

THE NOT SO FUN

Viktor Arvidsson had a two goal night en route to Nashville’s win. His second of the night was scored early in the third period when Filip Forsberg picked off Zack Kassian.

There’s a lot going on in this goal. Interestingly enough, there were two Predators in Edmonton’s zone and three Oilers. Kris Russell has Arvidsson, looks like he’s about to do the starfish thing (but holds off). Arvidsson picks up the rebound on Forsberg’s shot and that’s all she wrote. The Predators had tied it with a goal from Arvidsson late in the second. His second goal was Nashville’s third, and it was scored in the first minute of the third period. The air was out of the tires. Austin Watson would score one late for the Predators, that was the bow on the wrapping paper.

ETC

• Two more points for Connor McDavid put him at 78 points on the season, just 22 more to go in 18 games for a back-to-back 100 point season.
• Ethan Bear made his regular season debut last night. One shot, a couple blocks, and a minor penalty in nearly 15 minutes of ice time. There’s a decent chance we’ll see him again against the Rangers on Saturday.
• Oilers scored a power play goal on their only man advantage scenario, improve PP% to 14.3, still last in the league. The PK was a perfect 3/3 on the night. Their PK% improved to 73.6%, still last in the league.
• Earlier yesterday, Todd McLellan said he’s trying to get Milan Lucic going. I honestly didn’t see Lucic’s performance falling off the Earth so quickly, but here we are in March of 2018. Lucic is moving into the third month without a goal, and I’m not sure what it’s going to take to get the guy moving.
• Oilers are back in action tomorrow versus the Rangers. Maybe they’ll win that one.