The Edmonton Oilers lost 4-3 to the St. Louis Blues in a shootout on Thursday night.
Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, and Kailer Yamamoto got the goals for the Oilers. Edmonton missed on all three shootout attempts.
Leon Draisaitl actually scored in overtime, but the NHL decided it was offside.
Not how the Oilers chalked this one up for sure.
Here is how it all went down...
First Period:
This one had a thrilling start. After one play Jay Woodcroft called over the referee where it was discovered that St. Louis started with the wrong lineup. It wound up as a penalty. A first for everything I suppose, Oilers get a chance in the first minute.
Zach Hyman capitalized on the clerical error, notching his fourth goal in two games in front of Jordan Binnington. 1-0 Oil.
Edmonton had an uncharacteristically good start to this game. They controlled the pace of play, had plenty of chances and kept the Blues to the outside. Though it wouldn’t last forever.
Jordan Kyrou responded about five minutes later after being left wide-open in the slot. He wired one just under the crossbar. 1-1 game.
Edmonton had a late powerplay but wasn’t able to convert.
Tie game after 20.
Second Period:
Edmonton had yet another good start to the period. The top line had some extended time in the zone, but couldn’t find the go-ahead goal.
Mattias Janmark had a fantastic chance as he made a move to give himself a breakaway, but fanned on his shot.
Connor McDavid would break the tie on a powerplay, breaking into the St. Louis zone, cutting to the middle and wiring a shot past Binnington. The captain was hot, his 27th of the year gave Edmonton a 2-1 lead.
Stuart Skinner also got his first NHL point on the goal with an assist.
McDavid almost made it 28 on the year on a shorthanded rush where he spun around Justin Faulk and caught iron. It would’ve been beautiful, but it wasn’t meant to be.
St. Louis got a few chances on some late PP chances, but Skinner was very sharp.
Edmonton takes a 2-1 lead into the final 20.
Third Period:
Kailer Yamamoto gave the Oilers some insurance just over 10 minutes into the final frame. He tipped home a point shot from Tyson Barrie. 3-1 game for Edmonton.
Not to be outdone, the Blues struck back on the very next shift. Robert Thomas, who had been pushing all game long, finally got a clean look and beat Skinner over the glove. That’s why you get insurance. 3-2 with eight minutes left.
Oiler got very close to extending their lead once again, but Binnington went into desperation mode and denied both Nuge and Yamamoto on successive chances on net.
Just when it seemed like Edmonton had this one in the bag, a defensive breakdown in the last 30 seconds allowed Vladimir Tarasenko to tie it up. 3-3 game.
Darnell Nurse with an awful awful turnover to make that one possible. 25 had another bad night.
We needed OT.
OT:
The Oilers did have a PP heading into OT, as the Blues scored with the empty net at 5-on-5. This gave Edmonton the advantage heading into extra time.
Leon Draisaitl eventually scored the game-winner...but a botched offside challenge from the situation called it off. McDavid had complete possession, but the NHL didn’t see it that way. A blown call if I’d ever seen one.
Nuge nearly ended with a tip in close but couldn’t get it.
Then it was the Blues’ turn for chances. Ryan O’Reilly got through everyone, including Skinner but couldn’t put the puck into an open net.
In the end, nobody could end it. We needed a shootout.
Shootout:
Round one:
Nugent-Hopkins - Missed
Kyrou - Scores
Round two:
McDavid - Missed
Tarasenko - Missed
Round three:
Draisaitl - Missed
St. Louis Blues win 4-3.
Takeaways:
- The NHL’s offside call in OT was an absolute joke. If Cale Makar’s playoff goal counted, that one should too. League playing fast and loose with the rule book.
- This might’ve been one of Skinner’s better games as an Oiler. No, he didn’t face 40-50 shots like some nights, but the ones he did face were tough. Among Edmonton’s best players tonight.
- Am I crazy or should Klim Kostin get a shot on one of the skill lines? I don’t think Janmark has been awful, but he hasn’t exactly done anything to keep his spot on the second line. What’s the harm in trying out Kostin with Nuge-Yamo?
- Kailer Yamamoto might have the best hand-eye on the team. I can’t recall the last time he actually shot one into the net. I ain’t complaining, he’s finding ways to get on the scoresheet. Let’s hope it's the start of another 20-goal season.
- Darnell Nurse has been simply awful this season, something needs to be done because that contract might become the worst ever signed if this keeps up. Cost Edmonton the game tonight.
- You knew it was a matter of time before the dam burst for Zach Hyman. No way he was going to continue on this season on that dry spell.
- What’s the record for most bench minors in one game? St. Louis took a run at whatever the record is with three on the night.
- Ryan McLeod can’t come soon enough. I don’t know how much more Devin Shore I can handle.
- Speaking of McLeod, he might be the missing piece on that third line. Plug in Holloway and Puljujarvi on his wings and you’re cooking.
- Connor McDavid had one of those games. Only had the one goal on the night, but man was he all over the ice.
- Edmonton is back in action on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks for a matinee.
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