Player grades: Edmonton Oilers big guns McDavid, Draisaitl and Puljujarvi shoot down Winnipeg Jets – Edmonton Journal

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Huge win for the Edmonton Oilers in a hard-fought battle. Edmonton slowly tightened the defensive screws against the Winnipeg Jets and choked out a win, 3-2.

In winning, the Oilers did what they have failed to so often this year, which is shut down an opposing team once Edmonton has the lead in the third. But Edmonton allowed just one Grade A chance for the Jets in the final 15 minutes.

Edmonton limited the Jets to just eight Grade A chances, while getting 13 of their own (running count).

Connor McDavid, 8. He made major contributions to Grade A chances, eight of them on the power play. Also had yet another solid defensive game, the kind that should propel him to the Hart Trophy this year. Deft pass to Puljujarvi on the first goal, as he sent the big Finn in one a breakaway. In the second, he charged up ice on the power play, put it on net, with RNH almost drilling in the rebound. His fast-as-a-falcon read and pass to RNH in the low slot kicked off the Draisaitl power play scoring sequence late in the second. He launched a rifle shot one-timer in the third, then set up Draisaitl for a second rifle shot off the post.

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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 7. He and Jujhar Khaira allowed a cross-seam one-timer to Mathieu Perreault on the penalty kill in the first, but Mike Smith made the save. One Jets power play later he allowed another cross-seam, and this time Mark Scheifele scored. He made a sharp defensive block to end a threatening Jets 3-on-2 early in the second. Fantastic feed to set up Khaira on the PK in the crease. Then he got a quick one-timer of his own on the power play, with Draisaitl hammering home the rebound. He took a smart penalty to start the third, hooking Adam Lowery and stopping him from scoring on a short-handed breakaway.

Jesse Puljujarvi, 7. A good game, another one. He’s looking like the real deal, a true Top 6 NHL winger. Snapped home the game’s first goal, looking like the sniper that McDavid needs on the top line. Four goals in six games on the top line adds to that notion. He followed up with hustle defensive zone play, thwarting a scoring chance shot with a stick check.

Leon Draisaitl, 8. He was the best Oiler on the ice. He came out ready to play, blasting a Jets attacker into the boards on his first shift.  One shift later he powered up the ice like the Great Bull of Heaven and sniped a beauty goal. Kept up his hustle and was rewarded with a happy rebound on the power play late in the second, which he roofed, putting it top shelf where momma keeps the cookies. Almost got his third of the game when he ripped a one-timer off the post early in the third. He made a stretch pass in the third that led to a dangerous Oilers chance.

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Tyler Ennis, 6. Fine cross-ice chip shot pass to send in Draisaitl on the second Oilers goal of the game. He got wiped out by a nasty but completely legal Neal Pionk hip check in the first. But he and Gaetan Haas got mixed up and no one covered Neal Pionk’s point blast, Winnipeg’s second goal. I blamed Ennis more than Haas on that one.

Kailer Yamamoto, 7. After a slump, the old Yamamoto is back. All kinds of good things happened when he was on the ice. He had a smash-mouth clearance on the PK in the first, bashing a Jet into the boards, puck protecting then clearing the puck. He torpedoed his way in on the forecheck to win the puck on the penalty kill early in the third and almost scored on a backhander.

Dominik Kahun, 5. Hustling hard, he drew a tripping penalty in the second. Almost tipped in a goal off a Yamamoto feed and Draisaitl stretch late in the third.

Jujhar Khaira, 5. Did some good work on the PK. Almost scored on a shortie crease shot in the second. He failed to execute a key clearance late in the third.

Josh Archibald, 5. Hustled hard, as always, but had little impact on the game, either for good or for ill.

Alex Chiasson, 5. He doesn’t hurt you out there, though he also doesn’t make huge positive waves most games. A small play, but the kind a team needs when he smartly and effectively covered for a failed Evan Bouchard pinch in the first.

Gaetan Haas, 4. He skated hard but did not always have great results. His timing looked off a bit. He made a sharp spin move in his own zone early in the first period to advance the puck out. Was part of the problem on Winnipeg’s second goal, as he and Tyler Ennis failed to cover off Pionk’s point shot.

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Kyle Turris, 4. Quiet game in just 7:39 of ice time.

Adam Larsson, 7. He played some heavy hockey, and also effective hockey. Many fans were worried when he and fellow iffy puck-mover Kris Russell were teamed up for the game, and sure enough on their first shift they had trouble advancing the puck. Winnipeg’s first goal was on him somewhat as he both screened Mike Smith and the puck deflected in off his skate. But Larsson and Russell got strong as the game went on, shutting down fast Jets. He levelled Scheifele with a hit late in the game. He followed up a moment later drilling Blake Wheeler to the ice. He led the Oilers with five hits.

Kris Russell, 6. More good than bad. Shut up his many critics for a moment with a sharp outlet pass to kick off the Draisaitl scoring sequence in the first. He took an over-aggressive boarding penalty in the second. He got that one back when he was hauled down late in the second. He made a showtime Magic Johnson-to-James Worthy alley oop pass to send in Yamamoto on a break in the third, but Yamamoto fanned on the shot. Coach Tippett trusted him to stop the Jets on numerous shifts late in the game and Russell got the job done.

Tyson Barrie, 6. He screened goalie Mike Smith on the second Winnipeg goal, Neal Pionk’s high slot blast. But munched the heavy minutes and munched them generally fine.

Darnell Nurse, 6. A steady and effective one for Nurse. A few iffy moment on defence kept his mark from being higher, but those moments were the exception not the rule.

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Evan Bouchard, 5. A quiet game. He made a solid defensive stop on Mason Appleton in the third, winning the puck after a hard battle and helping to advance it out. He failed to clear the puck out of the Oilers zone late in the third, leading to a scary moment with Pionk teeing up a shot.

Slater Koekkoek, 5. He allowed a dangerous pass into the slot on the PK early in the third, with Winnipeg’s Perreault almost scoring. Other than that, had a quiet game as well, which is good for a third-pairing d-man.

Mike Smith, 8. He made a swell clearance to start off the sequence of joy culminating in Edmonton’s first goal. He also saved the first few dangerous shots on net, a nice change from Monday night’s game when he let the only four Grade A shots he faced. He made a stupendous save off a point blank Perreault shot on a Winnipeg power play early in the third. That was his best moment in the game, and a crucial one. Looking super solid in the net just now.

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